Restrictions to Access

No restrictions. Open for research.

Copyright Notice

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], in the W. J. Ridgill papers #3319-z, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Alternate Form of Material

All or part of this collection is available on microfilm from University Publications of America as part of the Records of ante-bellum southern plantations from the Revolution through the Civil War, Series J.

Acquisitions Information

Received from Raymond H. Weill of New Orleans, La., in November 1957.

Sensitive Materials Statement

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.

Processed by: Shonra Newman, April 1991

Encoded by: ByteManagers Inc., 2008

The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.

Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.

• Alabama--Commerce--History--19th century.
• Beddell, W. A., fl. 1852.
• Commission merchants--Alabama--History--19th century.
• Cotton growing--Alabama--History--19th century.
• Cotton trade--Alabama--History--19th century.
• Cotton--Prices--History--19th century.
• Glazman, S. B., fl. 1853.
• Grimes, Sterling F., fl. 1851.
• Hagood, William R., fl. 1852.
• Marshall, B. F., fl. 1851-1853.
• Montgomery (Ala.)--Commerce--History--19th century.
• Phillips, T. U. V., fl. 1852.
• Ridgill, W. J., fl. 1851-1853.

The collection includes business letters to Ridgill, chiefly about the cotton market in various regions. His correspondents discussed the current prices for cotton, the size and quality of crops, and political events, such as the possible war between Turkey and Russia, that might influence the market. They also discussed other business matters, such as purchasing cotton bagging materials, and frieght rates and insurance on shipments of cotton. Also included is a letter from a planter on the progress of his cotton crop. Among the correspondents are Sterling F. Grimes and W. A. Beddell of Columbus, Ga.; B. F. Marshall of Mobile and New York; T. U. V. Phillips of Florence, Ala.; William R. Hagood of Columbus, Miss.; and S. B. Glazman of Hudson Place, Talladega County, Ala.