William Randolph Hackley Letters
This collection consists of 43 letters from William Randolph Hackley to his wife and family in Illinois written from 1863-1866. During this time, Hackley worked as a local special agent and cotton agent with the United States Department of the Treasury in West Tennessee and Mississippi. The correspondence describes Hackley's efforts to make money to send home to his family, the low salary paid to treasury employees, the corrupt nature of the Treasury Department, and the cynicism of government workers. The letters also demonstrate Hackley's homesickness and love for his family.
Interested researchers may also wish to consult MS.1275 for transcriptions of these letters.
Dates
- 1863 November 22-1866 April 20
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
0.25 Linear Feet (1 oversize folder)
Abstract
This collection consists of 43 letters from William Randolph Hackley to his wife and family in Illinois written from 1863-1866. During this time, Hackley worked as a local special agent and cotton agent with the United States Department of the Treasury in West Tennessee and Mississippi. The correspondence describes Hackley's efforts to make money to send home to his family, the low salary paid to treasury employees, the corrupt nature of the Treasury Department, and the cynicism of government workers. The letters also demonstrate Hackley's homesickness and love for his family.
Biographical/Historical Note
William Beverly Randolph Hackley was born to Richard and Harriet Randolph on October 7, 1806 in Virginia. He moved to Florida (probably to Tallahassee) in 1826. The details of his education are not known, but he was admitted to the Florida bar on March 31, 1827 and began practicing law in Key West in late 1828. He married Matilda Rhoda Agnes Clark Folker in 1841. He was appointed U. S. District Attorney for the Southern District of Florida in 1849 and he remained in that position until the family moved to Joliett, Illinois in 1857. Hackley moved to Memphis in 1863, apparently for financial reasons. From 1863 to 1865, he worked for the U. S. Treasury Department as a local special agent and then as a cotton agent. He was appointed an Assistant Special Agent of the Treasury Department for gathering Confederate States Cotton in Mississippi in 1865. He held this post until 1866. He died in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1867.
Arrangement
Collection consists of 43 letters in a single folder. The letters are arranged chronologically.
Acquisition Note
R. L. Goulding donated this collection to the Special Collections Library in March of 1966.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository