William Conner Letter
In an October 25, 1837 letter to J. W. Campbell of Jackson, Tenn., General William Conner writes of town of Ashport, for which he was a promoter. Having just returned from the town, Conner notes that "the place is really becoming to be very public. I was constantly passing waggons [sic] & horsemen from steam boats stopped whilst I was there." He also speaks of Mr. Patton who has invested in the town, saying his "prompt measures in relation to building will be not only very fortunate for himself but for us also."
Conner closes the letter with a description of finding Native American remains. He says, "My waggon [sic] has this moment returned from the bottom and brought an entire human skull with all the teeth &c. I will keep it for the inspection of some Antiquarian. Perhaps Doctor Forrest could tell to what nation it belongs. Your brothers hands are digging up a number of skeletons. The teeth are very rarely missing & seem to be sufficiently sound in some instances to be used by a dentist."
Dates
- 1837 October 25
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
In an October 25, 1837 letter to J. W. Campbell in Jackson, Tenn., General William Conner, a promoter for the town of Ashport on the Mississippi River, writes of the town's success and future growth. He also tells of finding Native American remains.
Biographical/Historical Note
General William Conner was one of the earliest settlers and a merchant in Brownsville, Tenn. in Haywood County. After moving to Tennessee from Culpeper County, Va., Conner was a promoter for the town of Ashport on the Mississippi River (Lauderdale County, Tenn.).
Arrangement
Collection consists of a single folder.
Acquisition Note
This collection was purchased by Special Collections in February 2005.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository