James H. Otey Letter
This collection contains the August 17, 1837, letter of James H. Otey in Columbia, Tennessee, to his sister, Mrs. Frances A. Buford in Bedford County, Virginia. Otey recounts his ordeals with a near-fatal disease, which left him impressed with the frailty of life and with considerations of the goodness of God. He also enthusiastically advises his sister about her religious condition, stating "For a person in your situation, seldom having an opportunity of hearing the word of God preached that the only safety is to perform [your children's] daily religious duties with the same system and regularity as they do any other work."
See also, MS.2279: the Episcopal Bishops Collection, 1858-1956.
Dates
- 1837 August 17
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Conditions Governing Use
The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Extent
0.1 Linear Feet
Abstract
This collection houses the August 17, 1837, letter of James H. Otey in Columbia, Tennessee, to his sister, Mrs. Frances A. Buford, in Bedford County, Virginia. Otey recounts his ordeals with a near-fatal disease and enthusiastically advises his sister about her religious condition.
Biographical/Historical Note
James Hervey Otey was born on January 27, 1800, in Bedford County, Virginia, and graduated in 1820 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The next year he married Eliza Panhill and moved to Maury County, Tennessee, to be principal of the Harpeth Academy. After becoming an Episcopal priest in 1827, Otey established Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee at Nashville and in 1834 was elected first bishop of Tennessee.
As well as establishing numerous churches, Otey helped found schools designed to provide a Christian education, including one in Columbia, Tennessee, where he began living in 1835. He moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1852, and died there in 1863.
Arrangement
Collection consists of one folder.
Acquisition Note
Collection is property of the UTK Special Collections Library.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository