ARCHIVE OF DOCUMENTS CONCERNING PROMINENT TENNESSEE AND MISSOURI BUSINESS PARTNERS JOSEPH ECKEL AND WILLIAM F. TAYLOR: MANUSCRIPT LETTER TO JOSEPH ECKEL DATED 28 MAY, 1841, REGARDING THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT HARRISON AND THE UPCOMING GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION; MANUSCRIPT LETTER TO JOSEPH ECKEL REGARDING ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ISSUES IN EASTERN TENNESSEE; FOUR BOUNTY LAND GRANT WARRANTS, SIGNED BY H.E. BALDWIN FOR FRANKLIN PIERCE; TWO BOUNTY LAND GRANT WARRANTS, SIGNED BY T.J. ALBRIGHT FOR JAMES BUCHANAN

[Tennessee & Missouri], 1876. The two letters have some toning and old folds, minor loss as described below. The land grants have old folds and minimal toning and wear. Very Good.

[1] 15" x 11", folded to 7-3/4" x 11" to make [4] pp. Letter from Charles H. D. Paul to Joseph Eckel, dated at Staunton, Virginia, May 28, 1841. Letter written on pages [1]-[3], addressed on page [4]. Paul laments the death of President William Henry Harrison, a "second Washington," and regrets not attending his inauguration. "The Whigs of Tennessee must do their best at the next Gov[ernor's] election. . . [N]ever let James K Polk go back to Nashville." Whig James C. Jones would defeat Governor Polk in the Tennessee Gubernatorial election later that year.
[2] 16" x 12-1/2", folded to 8" x 12-1/2" to make [4] pp. Letter from Joseph Hamilton to Joseph Eckel, dated at Abingdon, Virginia, July 9, 1842. Letter written on pp [1]-[2], page [3] blank, addressed on page [4]. Hamilton describes his "stage [coach] driving into a pond of water" leaving his clothes "all wet and dirty" and then discusses financial and economic concerns relating to East Tennessee counties.
[3] United States Land Bounty Grant Warrant, No. 76083, granting Franklin W. Taylor and Joseph Eckel 40 acres of land in Clinton, Missouri and "issued in favor of Henry Hale, Surgeon in Captain Gregg's Company, Tennessee Militia, Creek War," dated 2 October 1854. Signed by H.E. Baldwin for President Franklin Pierce and J[ulius] N. Granger, Recorder of the General Land Office, blindstamped paper seal;
[4] United States Land Bounty Grant Warrant, No. 1,641, granting Franklin W. Taylor and Joseph Eckel 40 acres of land in Clinton, Missouri and "issued in favor of Peter Hodges, Private in Captain Newman's Company, Tennessee Militia, Cherokee War," dated 19 October 1854, signed by H.E. Baldwin for President Franklin Pierce and J[ulius] N. Granger, Recorder of the General Land Office, blindstamped paper seal;
[5] United States Land Bounty Grant Warrant, No. 51,082, granting Franklin W. Taylor and Joseph Eckel 80 acres of land in Clinton, Missouri and "issued in favor of Sarah Read widow of Thomas J. Read, Lieutenant in Captain Richardson's Company, Tennessee Militia, War of 1812," dated 2 October 1854, signed by H.E. Baldwin for President Franklin Pierce and J[ulius] N. Granger, Recorder of the General Land Office, blindstamped paper seal;
[6] United States Land Bounty Grant Warrant, No. 44,517, granting Franklin W. Taylor and Joseph Eckel 40 acres of land in Clinton, Missouri and "issued in favor of Thomas Cocke, Private, Captain Cumming's Company, Tennessee Militia, War of 1812," dated 2 October 1854, signed by H.E. Baldwin for President Franklin Pierce and J[ulius] N. Granger, Recorder of the General Land Office, blindstamped paper seal;
[7] Certified Copy of United States Land Bounty Grant Warrant, No. 69,260, granting Franklin W. Taylor, Joseph Eckel, and James Carmichael, Sr. 120 acres of land in Warsaw, Missouri and "issued in favor of Jacob Swatzel, Private, Captain Mc[illegible]'s Company, Tennessee Militia, War 1812," dated 10 October1859, reproduced signatures of T.J. Albright for President James Buchanan and J[ulius N. Granger], Recorder of the General Land Office. This certified copy is dated 1 February 1876 and is signed by L. K. Lippincott, Acting Commissioner of General Land Office. . In an 1876 Department of Interior sleeve with green ribbon and red blindstamped seal.
[8] Certified Copy of United States Land Bounty Grant Warrant, No. 28,386, granting Franklin W. Taylor, Joseph Eckel, and James Carmichael, Sr. 160 acres of land in Warsaw, Missouri and issued "in favor of Daniel Claunch, Private, Captain Dalton's Company, Virginia Militia, War 1812," dated 10 May 1859, reproduced signatures of T.J. Albright for President James Buchanan and J[ulius N. Granger], Recorder of the General Land Office. This certified copy is dated 1 February 1876 and is signed by L. K. Lippincott, Acting Commissioner of General Land Office. In an 1876 Department of Interior sleeve with green ribbon and red blindstamped seal.
Col. Franklin William Taylor [1810-1886] was a prominent farmer, businessman and postmaster in Russellville, Hamblen County, Tennessee. He settled in Russellville about 1841 and bought James W. Deadrick's Greenwood Mansion, where he built an office building from which he operated his cattle and agricultural business. He was a friend of Confederate Lieutenant General Joseph B. Kershaw.
Joseph Eckel [1817-1899 ] was a Russellville merchant and Col. Taylor's partner in the firm of Taylor-Eckel Mercantile near Cheeks Crossroads. He served a term in the Tennessee State Senate, 35th General Assembly, from 1867-1869.