Manuscripts
Series of 11 letters from Charles Grafton Wilberton French to Nancy L. Manney written between 1885 and 1886, as well as three related items. The letters were written from Prescott, Arizona, and Washington, D.C., beginning in July 1885. They trace French's courtship and ultimate engagement to Nancy in 1886. In the first letter (HM 48772), French writes of the death of his wife and that "she knew all about my relations to yourself, long before her marriage to me." He then writes of their misunderstanding in the 1840s, noting that "when I left Beaufort I was convinced of your regard but I did not know how your family regarded the matter...there were many reasons for believing they did not regard it with satisfaction" (HM 48773). In October he wrote that he wanted to come to Beaufort so that "there should be no possibility of another mistake" (HM 48774), and by March 1886 they had become engaged and French wrote that "all that I am, all that I have, and all [that] I hope for in this life, I am ready now to devote to you" (HM 48779). Enclosed with HM 48778 is a photograph of French dated 1870. Also included with the correspondence is a letter from French to the postmaster of Beaufort asking if Nancy Manney is still at the same address (1885); a note from Nancy inquiring about a trunk (1886); and a photocopy of a marriage application for French and Nancy (1886).
mssHM 48772-48784
