John McDonogh papers, 1789-1869 | Louisiana Research Collection
By Eira Tansey
Collection Overview
Title: John McDonogh papers, 1789-1869
Predominant Dates:1800-1850
ID: LaRC/Manuscripts Collection 30
Primary Creator: McDonogh, John, 1779-1850.
Extent: 18.0 Boxes. More info below.
Arrangement: The collection is arranged by topic, then chronologically, as follows: correspondence (Boxes 1-13), legal documents (Box 13 folders 20-27), slave sales (Box 13 folders 28-30), land documents (Box 14 folder 1-4), shipping records (Box 14 folders 7-14), finanical records (Boxes 15-17), and other papers (Box 17 folder 29). The collection consists of 18 boxes. It is 9 linear feet.
Subjects: African Americans -- Colonization -- Liberia., American Society for Colonizing the Free People of Colour of the United States., Florida -- History -- Cession to the United States, 1819., McDonogh, John, 1779-1850., McLean, Sarah Bella., Ohio Ladies Society for the Education of Colored People., Slave records., Slavery -- Louisiana -- History -- 19th century.
Forms of Material: Correspondence., Financial records.
Languages: English
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Biographical Note
John McDonogh (1779-1850) was a merchant, planter, and philanthropist from New Orleans and Baltimore of Scottish-Irish descent. McDonogh established a mercantile firm in New Orleans with William O. Payne as William Taylor's business agent, expanding the consignment business and trade to include Southern products, especially cotton. The depression of 1802 caused the McDonogh-Payne partnership to dissolve; McDonogh formed a new partnership with Shepherd Brown when the economy began to recover. McDonogh steadily acquired real estate throughout southern Louisiana so that, by the time of his death, he was considered one of the largest landowners.
In 1816 or 1817, McDonogh established his home on his plantation in Algiers. The Florida land claims controversy was a major trial for McDonogh, who had to have his titles to his Florida land confirmed by the United States government. McDonogh was also associated with the American Colonization Society. He sent many former slaves to Liberia and corresponded with them, although he was still a slave owner and an anti-abolitionist. Still, he gave his slaves the opportunity to purchase their freedom by working on their days set aside for rest in addition to access to an education and trade skills.
Upon his death, McDonogh left the bulk of his fortune to the cities of Baltimore and New Orleans for the purpose of building public schools for poor white and freed black children.
Subject/Index Terms
African Americans -- Colonization -- Liberia.
American Society for Colonizing the Free People of Colour of the United States.
Florida -- History -- Cession to the United States, 1819.
McDonogh, John, 1779-1850.
McLean, Sarah Bella.
Ohio Ladies Society for the Education of Colored People.
Slave records.
Slavery -- Louisiana -- History -- 19th century.
Administrative Information
Repository: Louisiana Research Collection
Alternate Extent Statement: 9 linear feet
Access Restrictions: Collection is open to the public. No known restrictions. A special listing of the letters of Andrew Durnford as well as Liberian Colonists can be found in the "Durnford letters" PDF under this collection's "online images" link.
Use Restrictions: Physical rights are retained by the Louisiana Research Collection. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.
Preferred Citation: John McDonogh papers, Manuscripts Collection 30, Louisiana Research Collection, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118.
Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid information entered in Archon by LAC Group in 2011. Revised by LAC Group 10/19/11.
Other Note:
For an inventory of Andrew Durnford's correspondence in the McDonogh collection, please click on the "online images" link for a PDF.
OCLC Number: 703226121
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Box:
[Box 1: Correspondence, 1801 January 14-1803 August 27],
[Box 2: Correspondence, 1803 September 2-1804 May 30],
[Box 3: Correspondence, 1804 June 2- 1805 July 20],
[Box 4: Correspondence, 1805 August 7-1811 December 31],
[Box 5: Correspondence, 1812 January 15-1815 September 27],
[Box 6: Correspondence, 1815 October 4-1820 December 19],
[Box 7: Correspondence, 1821 February 15-1829 December 29],
[Box 8: Correspondence, 1830 January 11-1833 December 28],
[Box 9: Correspondence, 1834 January 1-1836 December 30],
[Box 10: Correspondence, 1837 January 3-1841 December 21],
[Box 11: Correspondence, 1842 January 15-1844 December 29],
[Box 12: Correspondence, 1845 January 15-1850 August 31],
[Box 13: Non dated correspondence, legal documents, and slave sales],
[Box 14: Land documents and shipping records, 1802-1847 and undated; 1801-1843],
[Box 15: Bills, receipts and account statements, 1801-1828],
[Box 16: Bills, receipts and account statements, 1829-1869],
[Box 17: Promissory notes, checks and other papers, 1802-1848],
[Box 18: Additions],
[Volume 4: Financial records],
[Volume 5: Financial records],
[All]
- Box 13: Non dated correspondence, legal documents, and slave sales
The legal documents include authorizations for John McDonogh and Sheperd Brown to collect debts and to effect sales of schooners; petition to the courts for relief of debts owed McDonogh; copies of decisions rendered by the Louisiana Supreme Court, involving the debts owed McDonogh; lease agreements; and a list of fees incurred in the case, McDonogh v. United States. Of special interest is the document signed by William C.C. Claiborne, Governor of the Territory of New Orleans, certifying that John Lynd, a Notary Public for New Orleans, has the authority to pass a sale of a schooner from John Iselstine to John McDonogh (1809 July 20). Also interesting are the insurance policies on the cargoes of various vessels (1804 June 30 and 1805 April 20) and the insurance policy on the boat, Gondola (1837 April 10). In addition, there are documents from the Bahama Islands which include an authorization by Governor John Halkett for the Ship Rebecca to depart Nassau, Island of Providence, (1802 April 9), and attestations of damages suffered by vessels during storms near the island of Abaco (1804 March 8 and November 14).
Slave sales section consists of records of slave sales which occured in New Orleans, St. Helena Parish, Acadia Parish, Galveston, Texas, and Baltimore, Maryland. Many of the documents refer to John McDonogh, Jr. and Company as the purchaser of the slaves while some of the more notable sellers are Lewis H. Guerlain, Honorable Edward D. Turner, Beverly Chew, and Richard Relf. The records are in various forms including bills of sales, receipts, lists of slaves received by the purchaser, and a sheriff's seizure of a slave with his eventual sale at public auction.
- Folder 1: Correspondence B-C, Bouligny-Cuvillier
- Folder 2: Correspondence D, Daniel-Dupuy
- Folder 3: Correspondence D, Durnford-Dwyer
- Folder 4: Correspondence F, Forcelle-Fox
- Folder 5: Correspondence F, Freman-Fulkes
- Folder 6: Correspondence G, Girod-Grymes
- Folder 7: Correspondence H, Han-Heroll
- Folder 8: Correspondence L, Lefèvire-Legendre
- Folder 9: Correspondence L, Logan-Lynd
- Folder 10: Correspondence M, Maher-McDonogh, Ellis
- Folder 11: Correspondence Mc, John McDonogh's letters
- Folder 12: Correspondence M, Mercier-Morton
- Folder 13: Correspondence O-P, Ogden-Prevost
- Folder 14: Correspondence S-V, Sarcy-Villars
- Folder 15: Correspondence W-Y, Waggaman-Young
- Folder 16: Correspondence, illegible or no signature, undated
- Folder 17: Correspondence, incomplete letters or fragments, undated
- Folder 18: Correspondence, incomplete letters or fragments, undated
- Folder 19: Correspondence, envelopes and miscellaneous, undated
- Folder 20: Legal documents, 1802 February 17-1804 November 18
- Folder 21: Legal documents, 1805 February 2-1806 February 13
- Folder 22: Legal documents, 1809 March 17-1812 August 24
- Folder 23: Legal documents, 1813 December 28-1827 March 9
- Folder 24: Legal documents, 1829 April 23-1832 September 4
- Folder 25: Legal documents, 1835 April 1-1840 October 19
- Folder 26: Legal documents, 1842 July 14-1850 May
- Folder 27: Legal documents, undated
- Folder 28: Slave sales, 1804 October 26-1806 December 26
- Folder 29: Slave sales, 1807 March 26-1810 September 24
- Folder 30: Slave sales, 1811 March 10-1816 October 19
- Folder 1: Correspondence B-C, Bouligny-Cuvillier
Browse by Box:
[Box 1: Correspondence, 1801 January 14-1803 August 27],
[Box 2: Correspondence, 1803 September 2-1804 May 30],
[Box 3: Correspondence, 1804 June 2- 1805 July 20],
[Box 4: Correspondence, 1805 August 7-1811 December 31],
[Box 5: Correspondence, 1812 January 15-1815 September 27],
[Box 6: Correspondence, 1815 October 4-1820 December 19],
[Box 7: Correspondence, 1821 February 15-1829 December 29],
[Box 8: Correspondence, 1830 January 11-1833 December 28],
[Box 9: Correspondence, 1834 January 1-1836 December 30],
[Box 10: Correspondence, 1837 January 3-1841 December 21],
[Box 11: Correspondence, 1842 January 15-1844 December 29],
[Box 12: Correspondence, 1845 January 15-1850 August 31],
[Box 13: Non dated correspondence, legal documents, and slave sales],
[Box 14: Land documents and shipping records, 1802-1847 and undated; 1801-1843],
[Box 15: Bills, receipts and account statements, 1801-1828],
[Box 16: Bills, receipts and account statements, 1829-1869],
[Box 17: Promissory notes, checks and other papers, 1802-1848],
[Box 18: Additions],
[Volume 4: Financial records],
[Volume 5: Financial records],
[All]
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