Browse Items (6 total)

Rayner continues south on his journey by horseback, then stage, then steamboat, checking on his lands with hopes of selling some, describes good overseer and cotton crop on plantation in Arkansas, and solicits banker Duncan Cameron for…

Rayner writes to family friend and banker Duncan Cameron in Raleigh, describing the purchase of a new plantation in Arkansas with specifics on the land (acreage, above "high overflow" or flood stage, portion cleared, caving bank, in a favorable…

Rayner makes his way home to North Carolina by way of Belmont Plantation in Fayette County, Tennessee, just east of Memphis. He writes to banker Duncan Cameron in Raleigh to vouch for $400 with a bank in New York to cover his ongoing expenses from…

Rayner begins to set up his new plantation, slaves and mules relocated to site after 36-hour steamboat journey from Memphis, slave houses and fencing repaired, desires to purchase neighboring land from Arkansas Sentator Ashley, asks banker Duncan…

Rayner relays details of an 11-day journey from Raleigh to Maury County, Tennessee, involving railroads, stagecoaches, and horseback travel. Excellent insight into available roads, stagecoach routes, and terminus points at the time. On the first part…

Rayner describes a 17-day journey with his family from Raleigh to Baltimore to Wheeling to Cincinnati to Louisville to Nashville, avoiding Pittsburgh for danger of carrying slaves through region, meets up with Maury County friends George and Lucius…