Mary Martin correspondence

Mary Martin is the most prolific figure in the collection. Fifty-four of the eighty-two letters in the collection were penned by her, eight were addressed to her, and much of the remaining correspondence is about her. The vast majority of Mary's letters are addressed to her husband, Robert Campbell Martin, who also authors some of the collection's letters and accounts. Other significant authors and addressees in this collection include Mary's children and her sister, Maria H. Robertson. The letters are primarily domestic in nature, focusing on familial health, relationships and visits. Some of Mary's attention, when at home and abroad, lingers on outside events such as plantation life and local news, although the familial focus is never lost. Topics briefly addressed are the condition of Louisiana's enslaved people, fugitives from slavery, alcoholism, and educational practices.