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Needler R. Jennings papers

 Collection
Identifier: M097

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Scope and Content

The collection contains letters (1805-63 and undated), a certificate (1855), and bills and receipts (1854). Most pre-Civil War material was either personal or involved recruiting speakers for the Lyceum lectures; the Civil War letters, three of them letters of introduction from Pierre Soulé, relate to Jenning's service in the Confederate army.

Prominent correspondents include James Madison, Louis Agassiz, Elizabeth Agassiz, Edward Everett, P.G.T. Beauregard, and Jefferson Davis. Major correspondents include Agassiz, Benjamin Apthorp Gould, Soulé, and Anne Jennings.

Dates

  • Creation: 1805-1863

Creator

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Biographical/Historical Note

A native of Norfolk, Virginia, Needler R. Jennings lived most of his life in New Orleans. He practiced law until 1841, when he was appointed Clerk of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Louisiana. He remained in office after secession, serving until the Union army occupied the city in 1862. Despite the fact that one obituary mentioned "his well known Union sympathies" (The Daily True Delta, Dec. 29, 1863, p.1), Jennings served to Major in the Confederate army.

Jennings was a member of the board of school directors of the Second Municipality of New Orleans, chairman of the Committee on Lyceum Lectures of the New Orleans Public School Lyceum and Library Society, and a member of the convention to amend the Louisiana state constitution. He was also joint editor of the Civil Code of the State of Louisiana (1838).

Jennings married Anna Maria Hennen, daughter of Alfred Hennen, in 1843. He died November 20, 1863, in Osyka, Mississippi.

Extent

0.25 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The collection contains letters (1805-63 and undated), a certificate (1855), and bills and receipts (1854). Most pre-Civil War material was either personal or involved recruiting speakers for the Lyceum lectures; the Civil War letters, three of them letters of introduction from Pierre Soulé, relate to Jenning's service in the Confederate army.

Related Names

Subjects

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Guide to the Needler R. Jennings Papers
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, Bowdoin College Library, Brunswick, Maine 04011 Repository

http://library.bowdoin.edu/arch/index.shtml
Contact:
3000 College Station
Brunswick Maine 04011 USA
(207) 725-3288

Acknowledgment of non-neutrality

The George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, like all archives and special collections libraries, is the creation of human beings who have collected, organized, and described things in ways that reflect personal, cultural, societal, and institutional biases. Although we strive to preserve and present collections in a manner that is respectful to the individuals and communities who create, use, and are represented in the collections, we acknowledge that our systems are neither neutral nor perfect. We encourage you to let us know if you encounter materials, descriptive language, or practices that are offensive or harmful, particularly those for which inadequate context or warning is offered. We are committed to modifying and updating our descriptive practices to use respectful and inclusive terminology and appreciate your help in this work. We look forward to supporting you in your research and learning together.