George M. Britton Collection
1817 - 1924
Scope and Contents
This .84 linear feet collection is divided into four series:
Series I contains documents related of the Republic of Texas. These include writs, petitions, and briefs from 1837-1845 regarding persons originally from the State of
Tennessee who played a key role in Texas history. The files are alphabetical.
Series II contains pamphlets relating to the history of Tennessee from 1817-1862.
Topics are varied by include: vacant lands, presidential candidates, party organizations, tariffs, government expenditures, and foreign relations. The files are chronological.
Series III contains original United States Senate and U.S. House of Representatives broadsides from the 24th through the 30th Congresses in Washington, D.C., relating to
the state of Tennessee, from 1835-1848. The Bills cover increases in pensions, invalid pension rolls, payment for horses, establishment of a Marine Hospital at Memphis, and
work on the Cumberland Road. The files are chronological.
Series IV contains letters, speeches, circulars, broadsides, monographs, reports, and bills relating to the American Civil War, 1860-1865. The collection was originally
assembled as two scrapbooks, on self-adhesive pages but with a backing for each item. The two scrapbooks chronicle the Civil War from beginning to end. The original order
of materials has been maintained.
Box I
Series I - Republic of Texas
- Anderson, Kenneth L., Tennessee jurist who immigrated to Texas in 1829.
June Term 1842. Petition on behalf of Burwell J. Thompson to the
Probate Court, filing three part protest to the appointment of John C.
Brook as Administrator of the estate of Ephraim Talley. Signed by
Anderson as attorney. Anderson was District Attorney of the Fifth Texas
Judicial District in 1843 and Vice-President of the Republic in 1844.
- Chance, Joseph L., Texas jurist born in Tennessee July 4, 1800.
Washington County. September 25, 1837. Petition for letters of
Administration for Estates of Ewing and Young Caruthers who fell
"in the massacre of Mayor Ward's Battalion in the spring of 1836."
A delegate to the 1833 Convention, Chance was a Captain of Texas
Volunteers during the Texas Revolution.
- Dyer, Clement C., Texas jurist and magistrate born in Dyersburg,
Tennessee, January 29, 1800. Fort Bend County, April 4, 1845.
Signed as Chief Justice certifying interrogations in the case of
Noah Woods vs Harriet Canfield. Dyer, one of the original OLD
300 Colonist of Texas and pioneer Fort Bend settler, was justice
of the Supreme Court of the Republic.
- Gant, William W., Texas jurist born in Tennessee in January 1809.
Washington, Texas, February 1840. Signed as attorney. Receipt
to Shubal Marsh for legal fee for writing petition for "prolongation
of time." Gant fought at San Jacinto and served in the 1st, 2nd, and 4th
Congresses. He was killed by Indians in 1840 and the first memorial
of the Texas Bar was published in his honor.
- Heard, William Jones Elliot, Texas jurist and legislator born in
Knoxville, Tennessee on August 16, 1801. Colorado County,
September 24, 1838. Signed as Judge of Probate. Appointment of
Basil Illiams as Administrator of the Estate of Robert Cunningham.
Heard, a captain at the Battle of San Jacinto, was Chief Justice of
Wharton County in 1839.
- Houston, Samuel, Texas jurist, political and military leader,
Governor of Tennessee. April 28, 1838. Texas Revolution claim
document, payment of which is declined by Houston whilst
President of the Republic. Houston served as President, Senator
and Governor of Texas and let the Texan victory against Santa Ana
at the Battle of San Jacinto.
- Mayfield, James S., Texas jurist and legislator born in Tennessee in
1809. Fayette County, September 29, 1845. Signed Mayfield and
Crutcher, attorneys. Petition for James Callison, auditor for the estate
of Jasper A. Sargeant. Mayfield served in the 5th and 6th Republic
of Texas Congresses and introduced the Franco-Texienne Bill.
He was secretary of State under President Lamar.
- Oldham, Williamson Simpson, Texas jurist and legislator born in
Franklin County, Tennessee on July 19, 1813. Washington County,
July 1842. Petition, as executor for extension of time in settling the
Estate of James Bowie, who was killed in the Alamo. Oldham, a
fire brand secessionist and enemy of Sam Houston, represented Texas
in the Confederate Congress. In 1859 he published "A Digest of the
General Statute Laws of the State of Texas."
- Reed, Henry, Texas jurist born in Tennessee on November 10, 1800.
Franklin, April 24, 1845. Signed as Chief Justice. Interrogations in
the case of Barron vs Hill regarding mortgaged slaves. Reed fought
in the Battle of San Jacinto and was first Chief Justice of Robertson
County and a member of the Supreme Court of the Republic.
- Roddy, Ephraim, Texas jurist and magistrate born in Tennessee in
1793. Washington, July 23, 1838. Signed as attorney for McKinney
and Williams in suit against D. P. Woodlief, for default on note,
Roddy was a delegate to the convention of 1833 and was first
Magistrate of Washington, after annexation.
- Scurry, Richardson, A., Texas jurist and legislator born at Gallatin,
Tennessee on November 11, 1811. Montgomery, November 29, 1840,
Character witness for Pleasant Gray accepted as evidence in suit.
Scurry, a brilliant attorney, fought in the Battle of San Jacinto, was
District Attorney of the 5th Judicial District, Judge of the 6th District
and a member of the Supreme Court.
- Terrell, George W., Texas jurist who served as Attorney General
under Tennessee Governor Sam Houston. May 14, 1844.
Authentication of signature of Samuel Nelson in the case of Nelson
vs Nelson. Terrell , a friend of Sam Houston was Attorney General
in Tennessee when Houston was Governor. Migrating to Texas he
was District Attorney of San Augustine in 1837, and later Attorney
General of the Republic of Texas.
Series II- Pamphlets
- Tennessee. Report of the select committee appointed on the 20th
instant, on a memorial of the legislature of North Carolina, remonstrating
against the act of Congress, passed in the year 1806, "authorizing the
State of Tennessee to issue grants and perfect titles to certain lands
therein described, and to settle the claims to the vacant and
unappropriated lands within the same." North Carolina, January 28, 1817.
- Tennessee. Speeches of Mr. White of Tennessee, delivered in the
Senate of the U.S., June 1832 on the Bill to re-charter the Bank of the
United States. Washington 1832.
- Tennessee. Disposal of Vacant Lands. Memorial of the General
Assembly of the State of Tennessee, in relation to the disposal of vacant
Lands. Washington, April 9, 1838.
- Tennessee. Letter of the Hon. Hugh L. White to the Legislature of
Tennessee on declining to obey certain of their Resolutions of
Instruction, and Resigning the Office of Senator of the United States.
Washington 1840.
- Tennessee. The Governor's Message: Delivered in the House of
Representatives on the 3rd October, 1843. Nashville 1843.
- Tennessee. Speech of Mr. M. P. Gentry, of Tennessee on the Tariff
delivered in the House of Representatives of the U.S., July 2, 1846.
- Tennessee. Report: The Committee on Public Lands, to whom was
referred the "memorial of the General Assembly of the State of
Tennessee, asking a cession and relinquishment of the lands south
and west of the congressional reservation line, and an appropriation
George M. Britton Collection in behalf of the West Tennessee College, at Jackson," according to
order, have had the same under consideration, and respectfully
report: Washington, January 27, 1846.
- Tennessee. Speech of Hon. H. L. Turney, of Tennessee on the
Tennessee Resolutions delivered in the Senate of the United States,
February 18, 1846.
- Tennessee. Speech of Hon. George W. Jones, of Tennessee on the
Bill to provide for the better Organization of the Treasury and for
the collection, safe-keeping, transfer, and disbursement of the Public
Revenue. Washington 1846.
- Tennessee. Speech of Mr. Stanton, of Tennessee on the Smithsonian
Bill delivered in the House of Representatives, April 22, 1846.
- Tennessee. Speech of Hon. L. B. Chase, of Tennessee on the Tariff
delivered in the House of Representatives, June 26, 1846.
- Tennessee. Speech of Mr. Ewing, of Tennessee on the Tariff
delivered in the House of Representatives, June 27, 1846.
- Tennessee. Speech of Hon. M. P. Gentry, of Tennessee on
Presidential Candidates, Party Organizations delivered in the House
of Representatives, June 14, 1852.
- Tennessee. Speech of Hon. John H. Savage, of Tennessee on the Old
Soldiers' Pension Bill; delivered in the House of Representatives,
December 16, 1858.
- Tennessee. Speech of Hon. J. D. C. Atkins, of Tennessee, on the
Position and Tendency of Parties delivered in the House of
Representatives, January 24, 1859.
- Tennessee. Speech of Hon. William T. Avery, of Tennessee, on Our
Foreign Relations delivered in the House of Representatives,
January 24, 1859.
- Tennessee. Speech of Hon. Samuel A. Smith, of Tennessee, on
Government Expenditures; delivered in the House of Representatives,
January 31, 1859.
- Tennessee. Speech of Mr. Grundy, of Tennessee, on Mr. Foot's
Resolution, proposing an inquiry into the expediency of abolishing
The office of Surveyor General of Public Lands, and discontinuing
Further surveys delivered in the Senate of the United States,
February 29, 1830.
- Tennessee. Speech of Hon. W. B. Stokes, of Tennessee, on the
Election of Speaker, delivered in the House of Representatives,
January 7, 1860.
- Tennessee. The Constitutionality and Rightfulness of Secession.
Speech of Hon. Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee, in the Senate of the
United States, December 18 and 19, 1860.
- Tennessee. Corruptions in the Navy Department. Speech of
Hon. Robert Hatton, of Tennessee in the House of Representatives,
June 13, 1860.
- Tennessee. Let Us Remain One People! An Appeal to the North.
Speech of Hon. Horace Maynard, of Tennessee, in the House of
Representatives, February 6, 1861.
- Tennessee. Speech of Hon. Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee, on the
State of the Union; delivered in the Senate of the United States,
February 5 and 6, 1861.
- Tennessee. Speech of Hon. Horace Maynard, of Tennessee, of the
Claim of Joseph Segar to a Seat in the House; delivered in the
House of Representatives, February 11, 1862.
- Tennessee. Impeachment of West H. Humphreys, Judge of the
United Stated District Court of Tennessee, March 4, 1862.
Series III - House and Senate Broadsides
- United States Senate, Washington, D.C., December 21, 1835,
S. 9. A Bill for the Relief of John McCartney of Tennessee for cattle taken by "troops in the service of the United States."
- U. S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., January 2, 1839,
H.R. 960. A Bill for the Relief of Isaac Justis, of Tennessee, placed
on the roll of invalid pensioners by the Secretary of War.
- U. S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., January 2, 1839,
H.R. 953. A Bill for the benefit of Thomas Collins of the State of
Tennessee, placed on the roll of invalid pensioners by the Secretary
of war.
- U. S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., January 2, 1839,
H.R. 966. A Bill for the Relief of William Smith, of Lincoln County,
Tennessee, placed on the roll of revolutionary pensioners by the
Secretary.
- U. S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., January 26, 1839,
H.R. 1086. A Bill extending the provisions of the act entitled "An
Act to Amend an Act Entitled" An act to provide for payment of
Horses lost or destroyed in the military service of the United States."
- U. S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., February 16, 1839,
H.R. 1156. A Bill granting a pension to Randolph Carter of the State
of Tennessee, placed on the roll of invalid pensioners by the Secretary
of War.
- U. S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., December 31, 1844,
H.R. 485. A Bill for the benefit of Arthur R. Frogge of Fentress
County, Tennessee placed on the invalid pension roll by the Secretary
of War.
- U. S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., January 28, 1845,
H.R. 558. A Bill for the Benefit of Joseph Craigmiles, of the State of
Tennessee, placed on the invalid pensioner's roll by the Secretary of
War.
- U. S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., January 28, 1845,
H.R. 555. A Bill to pay Captain John B. Croner;s Company of
Mounted Volunteers, Tennessee Militia.
- United States Senate, Washington, D.C., February 13, 1845,
S. 129. A Bill for the relief of General John Cocke of Tennessee.
- U. S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., February 15, 1845,
H.R. 625. A Bill granting a pension to James Davidson of Fentress
County, Tennessee placed on the roll of invalid pensioners by the
Secretary of War.
- U. S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., January 8, 1846,
H.R. 45. A Bill for the relief of Joseph M. Rhea, of the County of
Sullivan, in the State of Tennessee placed on the roll of invalid
pensioners by the Secretary of War.
- U. S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., July 13, 1846,
H.R. 500. A Bill for the establishment of a Marine Hospital at
Memphis.
- United States Senate, Washington, D.C., February 12, 1847,
S. 138. A Bill for the relief of General Robert Armstrong.
- U. S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., February 21, 1848,
H.R. 230. A Bill to increase the pension of Henry Click of Cocke
County, Tennessee.
- U. S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., February 29, 1848,
H.R. 244. A Bill for the relief of Daniel Steenrod of Tennessee for
extra work on the Cumberland Road.
- U. S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., May 16, 1848,
H.R. 478. A Bill for the relief of Archibald Beard, and twenty-one
Other Tennessee Mounted Volunteers.
Box II
Series IV - Scrapbooks
- Scrapbook #1
- Page 1: Confederate Battlefield (Broadside - tinted)
- Page 2: Address to the Anti-Slavery Christians of the United States (Pamphlet - 1852)
- Page 3: Slave Approaching Abraham Lincoln (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 4: An Examination of the Mosaic Laws of Servitude (Pamphlet - by William Jay, 1854)
- Page 5: Statue of Abraham Lincoln (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 6: Is Slavery Sanctioned By The Bible? (Pamphlet - by Isaac Allen, 1860)
- Page 7: A Sumter Casemate During the Bombardment (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 8: Extracts From The American Slave Code (Pamphlet - No.1, 1860.)
- Page 9: Jefferson Davis (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 10: Reply of Hon. Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi, to the Speech of Senator Douglas, in the U. S. Senate, May 16 and 17, 1860
- Page 11: Fatal Wounding of Stonewall Jackson (Broadside - black and white - 1867)
- Page 12: Speech of Hon Robert Toombs on "The Crisis", delivered Before the Georgia Legislature, December 7, 1860
- Page 13: Panic of the Union Troops at Bull Run (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 14: An Ordinance - Providing for the Election of Electors of President and Vice President of the Confederate States (Broadside - 1860)
- Page 15: The Rock of Chickamauga (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 16: Ayer's American Almanac (Pamphlet - 1861)
- Page 17: Death of Albert Sidney Johnston (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 18: Letter to Hon Reverdy Johnson on the Proceeding at the Meeting, held at Maryland Institute - January 10, 1861,
- Page 19: Robert E. Lee (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 20: Adjutant and Inspector General's Office - Richmond, General Orders No. 3 - February 6, 1865
- Page 21: Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 22: Circular Instruction, No. 2, Memminger, C. G., Secretary of Treasury, Confederate States of America, Treasury Department, March 8, 1861
- Page 23: Robert E. Lee (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 24: Circular Instruction, No. 1, Memminger, C. G., Secretary of Treasury, Confederate States of America, Treasury Department, March 6, 1861
- Page 25: Soldiers in Battle, Broadside - black and white - n.d.
- Page 26: Treasury Circular, No. 6, Memminger, C. G., Secretary of the Treasury, Confederate States of America, Treasury Department, Montgomery, April 5, 1861
- Page 27: Group of Confederate Prisoners being Marched to the Rear (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 28: Treasury Circular, No. 7, Memminger, C. G., Secretary of Treasury, Confederate States of America, Treasury Department, Montgomery, April 5, 1861
- Page 29: Richmond and Vicinity (Broadside - map - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 30: Treasury Circular, No. 8, Memminger, C. G., Secretary of Treasury, Confederate States of America, Treasury Department, April 10, 1861
- Scrapbook #2
- Page 1: Confederate Soldiers (Broadside - tinted - n.d.)
- Page 2: Treasury Department, Memminger, C. G., Secretary of Treasury, Confederate States of America
- Page 3: Richmond During the Evacuation (Broadside - black and white - 1897)
- Page 4: Treasury Circular, No. 10, Memminger, C. G., Secretary of Treasury, Confederate States of America, Treasury Department, Richmond, June 7, 1861
- Page 5: Confederate and Union Soldiers (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 6: Treasury Circular, No. 11, Memminger, C. G., Secretary of Treasury, Confederate States of America, Treasury Department, Richmond, August 8, 1861
- Page 7: Grant's Attack on Fort Donelson (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 8: Treasury Circular, No. 12, Mimminger, C. G., Secretary of Treasury, Confederate States of America, Treasury Department, Richmond, September 21, 1861
- Page 9: W. T. Sherman (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 10: The Causes of the American Civil War (Pamphlet - by John Lothrop Motley, 1861)
- Page 11: The Cavalry Fight at Brandy Station (Broadside - black and white - 1897)
- Page 12: Treasury Circular, Memminger, C. G., Secretary of Treasury, Confederate State of America, Treasury Department, February 6, 1862
- Page 13: General Grant Reconnoitering in the Rain at Belmont (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 14: The War: Its Cause and Cure, Speech of Hon. William M. Davis, of Penn., In the House of Representatives, March 6, 1862
- Page 15: The Battle of Atlanta (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 16: The Rebellion: Its Origin, and the Means of Suppressing It, Speech of Hon. Jno. T. Nixon, of New Jersey, In the House of Representatives, April 11, 1862.
- Page 17: Grant's Arrival on the Battlefield (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 18: The Future Civilization of the South, Sermon by Edward E. Hale, South Congregational Church, Boston, April 18, 1862
- Page 19: Capture of Jefferson Davis (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 20: Confiscation of Rebel Property, Speech of Hon. W. P. Cutler, of Ohio, In the House of Representatives, April 23, 1862
- Page 21: General Robert E. Lee (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 22: House Bill No. 9, House of Representatives, May 3, 1864
- Page 23: Major-General Benjamin F. Butler and Staff (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 24: Returned Prisoners, 38th Congress, 1st Session, Report No. 67, House of Representatives, May 9, 1864
- Page 25: Union Soldiers in Battle (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 26: House Bill No. 214, House of Representatives, November 18, 1864
- Page 27: "No Terms Except Unconditional Surrender" (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 28: Enlistment of Rebel Prisoners, 38th Congress, 2nd Session, Ex. Doc. No. 80, House of Representatives, February 25, 1865
- Page 29: General Robert E. Lee Signing Document (Broadside - black and white - n.d.)
- Page 30: Robert E. Lee: A Character Sketch, Pamphlet, by H. H. Smith, May 20, 1924.
Overview | Scope and Contents | Complete Finding Aid (pdf)
Special Collections | Heard
Library | Vanderbilt University
Copyright © Special Collections, Jean and Alexander Heard Library, Vanderbilt
University
Last modified: April 10, 2008
For more information, contact us at: <
>