Woods-Holman Family Papers, 1805-1906 (C0191)

0.25 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

Letters, documents, notebooks, accounts, and receipts of two southeast Missouri families. Papers concern family news, business, farming, livestock, religion, teaching, Indians, fur trade, economics, politics, Gold Rush, and Civil War and descriptions of California, Iowa, Kansas, and Texas.

DONOR INFORMATION

The papers were donated to the University of Missouri by Mrs. J.P. Holman on 7 August 1945 (Accession No. 260).

HISTORICAL SKETCH

William Woods (1777-1856), originally from Tennessee, settled in Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri, before 1807. In 1809 he married Elizabeth McMurtrey (1791-1864) and settled near Caledonia in Washington County. They had nine children: Harvey (1810- ), John (1812-1858), James Monroe (c. 1819- ), Joseph Orson, Justina Jane ( -1869), Michael Marion, Green, William Duncan, and Zelia Ann.

During the Gold Rush, James, Green, and William traveled to California, returning in the early 1850s. The children settled throughout Missouri. Green, a preacher, also traveled to Arkansas. Justina taught at common schools throughout the area, but eventually returned to her parents' home to care for them. In 1854, Zelia married William Holman, after the death of his first wife, Nancy Barksdale. They lived in Eminence, Shannon County, Missouri.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Woods-Holman Family Papers contain correspondence, documents, notebooks, accounts, and receipts. More detailed descriptions of folder contents are in the folder list.

FOLDER LIST

f. 1-6

Correspondence, n.d., 1807-1845. Earliest letters to William Woods. One from his father, Michael Woods, advising him to obtain esteem of friends (1807). Three from William H. McMurtrey regarding Indians, fur trading, cattle, and land claims (1824-1832). Others are Woods family letters concerning family news, local gossip, health, religion, farming, small pox, railroad, crime, school, teaching, Democratic Party politics, land speculation, and value of currency. Several from Green Woods, a preacher, and Joseph O., a student at Tusculum Academy. One letter (1 December 1844) refers to James K. Polk and Henry Clay.

f. 7-12

Correspondence, 1848-1852. Holman letters begin. Concern crops in Tennessee, land speculation, slavery in Alabama, Texas, and family news. Letters from Justina Woods to Zelia Woods, concerning teaching, local gossip, family news, fashions, and living conditions. Letters concerning Gold Rush. Two from James M. Woods describing trip West (4 August 1850) and advising against going to California (19 June 1852). One from William Duncan Woods describing California (19 January 1851).

f. 13-19

Correspondence, 1853-1859. Letters from Justina to Lelia Woods Holman concerning family news, health, teaching, local gossip, and fashions. Letters from other family members about land claims, farming, drought, politics, horse trading, and religion. Two letters (29 August 1856 and 1 June 1858) from Jonathan Glosup discuss life in Iowa.

f. 20-23

Correspondence, 1861-1869. Letters from James M. Woods concerning Civil War in Missouri, guerrilla actions, burnings, purchase of rifles, Black Republicans, economics, and anti-war feelings. Letters regarding family news and religion. Michael M. Woods goes to Texas after serving in the Confederate Army.

f. 24-26

Correspondence, 1872-1906. Three letters from James M. Woods (1872) to Zelia discussing crops, farming, and threshing machines and reporting on conditions in Kansas. Letter from Michael M. Woods (1882) concerning crops, prices, and conditions at Fort Worth, Texas. The 1906 letters are to Zelia from her daughter, Lizzie, in Kansas, and her granddaughter, Nellie, in Texas. They concern crops, local conditions, and family news.

f. 27

Documents, 1808-1872. Power of attorney, 1808; articles of agreement concerning Woods' inheritance, 1808; two deeds to Bellview, Missouri, land, 1812; certificate that William Woods served as a private in the Mounted Militia, 1814; deed to Washington County, Missouri, land, 1817; legal document concerning the McMurtrey estate, 1834; two certificates to teach; oath of ownership of land, 1854; bill of sale for corn, 1869; and bill of sale for lumber, 1872.

f. 28-30

Notebooks, Accounts, and Receipts, 1805-1877. Four records kept by William Woods. Notations of money due him, 1808-1812 (17 p.). Birth dates of parents, self, wife, and two children, and marriage date, n.d. (2 p.) Account book of Bibles sold for the Washington Bible Society, 1824-1829 (16 p.). Record of supplies and money given to sons, 1829-1849 (9 p.). Tax receipts, 1805-1858, and miscellaneous receipts and promissory notes, 1808-1877, of Woods, Holman, and McMurtrey families.

f. 31-32

Miscellaneous Items, n.d., 1825-1863. Samples of printed texts; draft of constitution for lyceum at Caledonia, Missouri; printed constitution and membership list of Auxiliary Bible Society of Washington County, Missouri, 1825-1828; poetry signed by J. Bridges, 1852; printed advertisement for Arcadia High School, 1863, and writings and notations concerning superstitions, religion, and temperance.

INDEX TERMS

These index terms are the subjects, people, places, etc. under which this collection is listed in all available indexes at The State Historical Society of Missouri-Columbia. If you are interested in a specific index term, please contact the reference staff.

Subject

Folders

Agriculture--Iowa, 1850s

18

Agriculture--Missouri, 1830s

3

Agriculture--Missouri, 1850s

19

Agriculture--Missouri, 1872

24

Alabama Conference, 1849

8

Alabama, Marion, 1849

8

Aldridge, John

17

Alexander, John P.

28,31

Alfred, Levi

28

Alley, Rawson

22

Ally, Ross

16

Alredd, Abigail

27

Amonette, J.

2,3,30

Anderson, John B.

30

Anderson, William

30

Arcadia High School, Arcadia, Missouri, 1863

31

Arkansas, Fort Smith

2

Arkansas, Lawrence County, Wayland Settlement, 1842

5

Arkansas, Pocahontas, 1842

5

Arkansas--Economic conditions, 1840s

5

Ashbrook, William

28

Asher, Dave

15

Atkinson, Mahton

30

Barksdale, John W. L.

7,9,14,27

Barksdale, Mary

18

Barksdale, Nancy

14

Barksdale, Sarah

7,13,14,15

Barksdale, Stephen

14

Bates, Steven

7

Belleview Bible Society, Belleview, Missouri, 1831

30

Bening, Isaac

16

Benton, Thomas Hart (1782-1858)

3

Berryman, Richard

11

Black Republicans, 1861

20

Black, Sam

12,13

Black, Susan

15

Breckenridge

21

Breckenridge, George

31

Brewit, Joseph

28

Bruffee, Robert C.

28

Bruffey, Nancy

2

Bryan, Lovly

18

Bush, James R.

27

Byrd, Harve

16

Byrd, John

31

California, 1850s

10,11,13

California, Calivars County, 1850

10

Cambell, William

28

Camp meetings, 1830s

2

Camp meetings, Missouri, 1832

2

Carney, William

16

Carty, Eliza

23,30

Cattle, 1824

2

Charlton, Mary

1

Circuit riders

4,6,13

Civil War

20-22

Civil War--Correspondence

20,22

Civil War--Guerillas

20,21

Civil War--Missouri

20,21

Civil War--Missouri, Butler County

21

Civil War--Missouri, Dent County

21

Civil War--Missouri, Fredericktown, 1861

20

Civil War--Missouri, Newton County

21

Civil War--Missouri, Wayne County

20,21

Civil War--Weapons

20

Clark, John S.

28

Clarkson, John

30

Clay, Henry (1777-1852)

6

Clergy

3,15,24

Clergy, Arkansas, 1840

4

Cole, James

31

Cole, Phillip

2

Cole, William

31

Conrad, Sarah L.

14,15

Copeland, Rance

23

Cowan, Mary

7

Craighead, Henry

30

Crime--Missouri, St. Louis, 1839

3

Cunningham, Samuel

28

Davidson, Harriet

18

Davis, Israel W.

27

Davis, John

30

Davis, Mary E.

15

Davis, Nancy

15

Davis, William

14

Death--Attitudes toward

1,8,9,14

Debates and debating

33

Democratic Party, Missouri, 1840

4

Denison, William

20

Detchemendy, John L.

27

Droughts--Missouri, 1856

16

Dunklin, Dan

29, 30

Dunklin, John

31

Dunklin, William

31

Dunlap, John

3

Dunlap, Thomas

15

Dunwoody, Martha

6

Eaton, Malachi

1

Edgar, William

2

Education, Arkansas, 1842

5

Education--Missouri

4-15, 32

Education--Missouri, 1850

10

Education--Tennessee, 1839-1840

3, 4

Effinger, Well

16

Ellis, John

7

Eroy, John

15

Evangelistic work--Arkansas, 1840

4

Evangelistic work--Missouri, 1830s

2, 3

Evans, James A.

2, 6, 12, 15

Evans, Mary

16

Everingham, Ellen A.

13

Farm produce

7, 16-19, 24-26

Farm produce--Mississippi, 1850s

17, 19

Farris, Sarah

15

Fashion, 1840s

7

Fashion, 1850s

16, 18

Ferril, Nancy

16

Fisk, Clinton Bowen (1828-1890)

31

Fisk, Orwel

19

Flinn, William

10

Flour

5

Folk medicine, 1840s

5

Frontier and pioneer life--Arkansas

2

Fur trade

2

Galeaher, Nance

1

Garison, Aggy

22

Garvin, Thomas

27

Gibbs, Turner

15

Gibbs, William

15

Gibson, Elvira

15

Glenvill, John

28

Glosup, Jonathan

16-18

Goforth, Bessel

30

Goforth, Miles

27

Goforth, Sarah

27

Gold Mines and Mining

8-13

Gold rush--California

7, 10, 11

Goodfellow, David

27

Goodfellow, John

27

Gragg, Elijah

2, 30

Gray, John

20

Hackett, Jeremiah

5

Hamilton, William

14

Hanger, Amanda

16

Hardee, (William Joseph) (1815-1873)

20

Harris, Angeline

12, 13, 15

Harris, Betsy

28

Harris, James

11

Harris, John A.

22

Harris, Lydia

28

Harris, Polly

27

Harris, Thomas R.

13, 28

Headlee, John

16

Henderson, Samuel

30

Henry, Ange

15

Henry, George

15

Henry, Paul

16

High Schools

32

Hill, Bob

1

Hinklin, H. H.

29, 31

Hollerman, John

2

Holman, Connie

26

Holman, David A.

12, 17, 30

Holman, John B.

20, 22

Holman, Lizzie

25, 26

Holman, Lucy A.

20, 21

Holman, Nancy Barksdale

14

Holman, Reuben

16, 18

Holman, Stephen

23

Holman, T. P.

17, 19, 22, 25

Holman, William

1, 7-9, 11-24, 27, 30

Holman, Zelia Ann Woods

1, 3, 7-10, 12-16, 18, 21-26, 29

Huff, John

11

Hughes, Miram

16

Hughes, Oliver

22

Hunter, Jane

16

Hunter, Thompson

2

Hutchings, John

30

Hutchins, Harvey

15

Imboden, John

25

Indians

1, 2

Indians, Coos, 1831

2

Indians, Osage, 1824

2

Iowa, Adair County, 1856

16

Iowa, Afton, 1858

18

Iowa--Politics and government, 1856

16

Jamison, Andrew

2

Jamison, Elizabeth

2

Jamison, George

11

Jamison, Jack

13

Jamison, William

2

Johnson, Daniel

19

Johnson, Edward

27

Johnson, James C.

29

Jones, Lacy

1

Kansas, 1872

24

Kansas, 1906

25, 26

Kansas, Medicine Lodge, 1906

26

Kentucky, Hickman County, Wesley

1

Land Claims, Arkansas, 1832

2

Land Claims, Missouri, 1850s

11, 14

Land Prices--Iowa, 1856

16

Land speculation, Missouri, 1840s

4, 8

Laughlin, John

7

Leignor, John Spotts

5

Livestock

2, 16

Logan, James

1, 30, 31

Long, James

29

Lyons, Sarah

15

Martin, Bill

21

Maxwell, Selma

16

McClintock, Park

23

McCormick, Chris

16

McCormick, Joseph

31

McMurtrey, Elizabeth

28

McMurtrey, James

3, 27, 30

McMurtrey, John G.

27

McMurtrey, Joseph

5, 27, 30

McMurtrey, Lucy A.

20

McMurtrey, Samuel

27, 30

McMurtrey, Sarah

15

McMurtrey, William H.

2, 5, 22, 27, 29, 30

Methodist Church, Missouri, 1850s

13

Miller, Ira A.

19

Missouri, Arcadia--Schools

31, 32

Missouri, Belleview, 1839

3

Missouri, Caledonia

2-4

Missouri, Enon

1

Missouri, Pike County, 1839

3

Missouri, Pleasant Plains, 1836

3

Missouri, St. Joseph, 1858

1

Missouri, Van Buren, 1841

5

Missouri, Washington County

1-32

Missouri, Waynesville, 1839

3

Missouri--Economic conditions

14, 20

Mitchel, Harriet

7

Money, 1839

3

Morrison, Bryan

28

Mules

3

Myers, Eliza

2

New Lights, Iowa, 1856

16

Nicholas, Walker

31

Noel, Lee

22

Overland travel, 1850s

10

Parker, John

11

Pattan, William

21

Pettit, Jacob

27

Phelps, Bob

15

Phelps, Henry

10

Phelps, Liz

1

Pinchback, William

7, 8

Politics

 

Politics, Missouri, 1840

4

Politics, Missouri, 1854

14

Polk, James Knox (1795-1849)

6

Postage stamps

11

Railroads, Missouri, 1832

2

Real Estate Business, Missouri, 1840

4

Relfe, James H. (1791-1863)

1, 14

Relfe, Mary

15

Religion, California, 1853

13

Religion, Iowa, 1856

16

Religion, Missouri

3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 13, 15

Renfro, John

2

Revol, John

11

Reyburn, Sam A.

29

Rifles, Missouri, 1861

20

Roblerson, William

12

Ruggles, Martin

28

Rundle, William

2

Rutledge, Elizabeth

15

Schools--Missouri, 1849

7, 8

Silk industry and trade--Missouri, 1840

4

Simpson, Mary

16

Skillman, Henry

7

Slavery

3, 13, 17, 19

Slavery, Alabama, 1850

9

Slavery--Missouri, 1839

3

Sloan, Caroline

10

Sloan, Fergus

16

Sloan, Henry

20

Sloan, William

30

Smallpox--Missouri, 1836

3

Smith, Charles H.

11

Smith, Franklin

19

Smith, Gary

17

Smith, George

2

Smith, James

7

Smith, Sarah

19

Smith, William

9, 11, 30

Snadicher, Eliza

2

Sonthall, Long

23

St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railroad, 1832

2

Starks, Mary

15

Stephens, Ann

1

Stephenson, William

28, 30

Stevenson, Miles

1

Stevenson, Robert M.

31

Stewart, Marion S.

27

Stuart, John

30

Superstition

32

Talbot, Ben

20

Taylor, George

8

Taylor, James

9

Teachers, Missouri

1

Teachers, Salaries, 1840s

5

Teaching

1, 5, 7, 8, 10, 13, 27

Telegraph, Missouri, 1850

10

Temperance, Missouri

32

Tennessee, 1850s

16

Tennessee, Economic conditions, 1840s

6, 7

Tennessee, Green County, 1839

3

Tennessee, Jefferson County, Stony Point, 1844

6

Tennessee, Overton County, 1848-1850

7, 8, 9

Tennisson, Jones

22

Texas, 1850

9

Texas, 1906

25

Texas, Galveston, 1906

25

Thomas, Anna

27

Thomas, John

2, 30

Thomas, Justina

15, 16, 18, 20

Thomas, Liz

16

Thomas, Re

16

Thomas, William H.

31

Thompson, Jane A.

5, 30

Threshing Machines, 1872

24

Tiffany and Company, Rifles, 1861

20

Tisher, Jacob

28

Titchenal, Sarah A.

5

Trapping

1, 2

Tricker, William

14

Tusculum Academy, Tennessee, 1840

3, 4

Vanlier, Billy

13

Walker, Jesse Thomas

1

Walker, Mary

1

Walker, Seth

27

Walker, Wilson R.

1

Ward, James

23

Washington County Bible Society, Missouri

29, 32

Wassich, Henry

14

Webb, Jestena

17, 18, 19, 22

Wells, John

28

Wheeler, Sarah

15

Wilcoxen, Jess I., Mrs.

25,26

Williams, Bob

15

Williams, James

13

Woods, Andrew

28

Woods, Betsy McMurtrey (1791-1864)

1-4, 6, 7, 18-21, 27, 29, 30

Woods, Caroline

8, 9, 10

Woods, Elizabeth McMurtrey

1-4, 6-7, 18-21, 27, 29, 30

Woods, Green

3-5, 10-11, 14, 16, 18, 28, 30

Woods, Harvey

3, 28

Woods, James Monroe

2-4, 6, 7, 10, 12-13, 15-16, 18-24, 28

Woods, John

5, 6, 8, 9, 28

Woods, Joseph Orson

1, 3-7, 12-14, 16, 18, 21-22, 27-28, 30

Woods, Justina Jane

1, 3, 7-10, 12-13, 15, 18, 21, 27

Woods, Lizzie (E. N.)

16, 21, 30

Woods, Margaret C.

9, 10, 28

Woods, Martha

18

Woods, Michael Marion

2-3, 11, 16, 18, 22-24, 28, 30

Woods, Susan

7

Woods, William (1777-1856)

1-4, 9-11, 13, 27-30

Woods, William Duncan

1-5, 8-9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 20, 27-31

Yates, Sarah

21