Fontaine Richard Earle Letters

Collection

Identifier: MC 192

Staff Only
Select files to request

Scope and Content Note

The earliest letters, from 1861 to 1865, deal with the courtship of Earle and Amanda, Earle's Civil War exploits, and living conditions at Cane Hill and Van Buren during the war. Much of the post-war correspondence deals with Earle's experiences as a legislator at Little Rock and his interest in the presidency of the Arkansas Industrial University at Fayetteville. The last letters concern Earle's business interests at Cane Hill, correspondence with his children during their travels, and letters of consolation to Earle during his final illness.

Some of the early letters in the collection were written by or to Amanda or her father, siblings, and cousins. Most of these early letters have been published under the title "The Earle-Buchanan Letters, 1861-1876" in volume 33, (1974), of the Arkansas Historical Quarterly, edited by Robert E. Waterman and Thomas Rothrock. Those letters appearing in the article have been marked "(AHQ)" in the series inventory.

Significant correspondents: Jacob Frolich Thomas M. Gunter David Walker William E. Woodruff, Jr.

Dates

Creation: 1861 - 1908

Creator

Earle, Fontaine Richard, 1831-1908 (Person)

Language of Materials

Materials are in English.

Access Information

Please call (479) 575-8444 or email specoll@uark.edu at least two weeks in advance of your arrival to ensure availability of the materials.

Use Information

No Use Restrictions Apply.

No Interlibrary Loan.

Standard Federal Copyright Laws Apply (U.S. Title 17).

Biographical Note

Fontaine Richard Earle (1831-1908) was a Cumberland Presbyterian minister and Confederate Civil War officer. Although he initially enlisted as a private in the Arkansas State Troops in 1861, he was mustered out shortly after the battle of Wilson's Creek that summer. In 1862, Earle raised a company of volunteers from the Cane Hill area, designated Company B, 34th Arkansas Infantry, Confederate States Army, and attained the rank of Major in the unit by the end of the war. He afterwards served as a member of the Arkansas State Senate and President of Cane Hill College. Earle married Amanda Buchanan, daughter of another Cane Hill minister, John Buchanan, in 1865.

Extent

0.5 Linear Feet (1 box)

Additional Description

Arrangement of the Papers

The photocopied letters have been arranged chronologically into six folders, with an additional folder containing handwritten transcripts of the first ten letters appearing in the AHQ article.

Acquisition Information

Letters written by or pertaining to Fontaine Richard Earle and his family were photocopied from originals owned by Dr. Robert E. Waterman through the courtesy of Walter L. Brown, Fayetteville, Arkansas, and donated to the Special Collections Department in August, 1973.