1st item: One-page handwritten letter from the "Founder of Memphis" General James Winchester (1752-1826), Cragfont, Castalian Springs, TN, addressed to artist Ralph Eleaser Whiteside Earl (1788-1838), Nashville, TN, dated May 31, 1817. The letter references an impending visit by Earl, spelled "Earle" to Cragfont, reading "General Winchester presents his respects to Mr. Earle and informs him that a [waggon] will be instructed to collect at the Nashville Inn in the course of next week with a view to bring to this place any Box; trunk or the like which Mr. Earle may wish to send ("to this place" crossed out)" with location and date, lower right. Address reading "Mr. Earle Nashville," en verso. Note: Ralph Eleaser Whiteside Earl was Andrew Jackson's "court painter" during his presidency, from 1829 to 1837, and also painted portraits of other prominent individuals. 2nd item: Williamson County, Tennessee Circuit Court bifolium record document, primarily recording deed and land grants, including one (1) dated August 13, 1797 recording land deeds between Colonel Stockley Donelson (1752-1805), brother of Rachel Donelson (wife of President Andrew Jackson), and others, and one (2) dated November 9, 1801 recording land deeds between Captain John Donelson (1755-1830) and others. Ink inscription, en verso. Includes a fragment of a printed paper with legal terms and their definitions. 3rd item: Johnson-Pillow Family land indenture, made between Gideon Johnson, Jr. (1754-1843) of Rockingham County, North Carolina and his nephew Mordecai Pillow (ca. 1776-1837) of Williamson County, Tennessee and Elisha Begley (spelled Bagly) (1776-1858) of Williamson County, TN, in which Johnson and Pillow grant Begley 440 acres of land in Lincoln County in consideration for Begley's payment of one thousand and one hundred dollars, signed by Johnson and Pillow with additional witness signatures, dated January 24, 1814. Additional inscriptions, en verso. Note: Gideon Johnson, Jr. served in the American Revolutionary War as a private in July 1776 under Captain John Armstrong of Surry County, NC and Lt. Joseph Tate of Guilford County, NC. His nephew, Mordecai Pillow, was the son of his sister Mary Ursula Johnson (1751-1822/1830) and fellow Revolutionary War soldier John Pillow (1745-1793). One of his brothers, Gideon Pillow (1774-1830), was the father of Gideon Johnson Pillow (1806-1878), United States Army major general of volunteers during the Mexican-American War and Confederate brigadier general in the American Civil War. 4th item: Corporation of Nashville License issued to J. A. Hough, a silversmith, granting him the right to "…Vend Merchandise within the Corporation aforesaid for the term of one year ensuing the date hereof…" in recognition of his payment of $200, witnessed by E. A. Raworth, and signed by Williamson Hartley Horn as Mayor of Nashville, dated January 1, 1854. Note: Williamson Hartley Horn (1799-1870) was an American Masonic leader and Whig politician. He served as the Mayor of Nashville, Tennessee from 1853 to 1854. 5th item: Robert Houston, First Sheriff of Knox County from 1792-1802, signed "Territory South of Ohio" bail bond ordering James Mullican, Jr. to appear at the courthouse in Knoxville on the fifth Monday of May next to answer for damages done onto John Hill, witnessed and dated May 25, 1794. Signed and inscribed by Robert Houston, en verso. 6th item: Andrew Ewing, Revolutionary War Veteran and the first County Court Clerk for the Cumberland Territory, signed sheriff summons regarding a financial matter between James Ross and Samuel Shannon, ordering the sheriff to appear with the funds on the second Monday in April, signed by Andrew Ewing and dated Monday, January 2, 1795. Additional inscriptions, including one (1) reading "Andrew Jackson 40" with N. P. Hardeman, Sheriff of Davidson County signatures, en verso. 7th item: Fragmentary bond document between John Montgomery, Elijah Robinson, and James Alen(?) of Davidson County, NC and Frederich Rohrer of Washington County, Maryland, stating that the aforementioned individuals will deliver one thousand one hundred and thirty-six and a half pounds of goods and merchandise on or before May 1, 1787 to Rohrer, signed and witnessed and dated October 6, 1786. Ink inscriptions, en verso. 8th item: Washington County, TN Justice of the Peace document stating that John Harden has paid "…thirty squirrel sculps…" as ordered, dated July 12, 1796 and illegibly signed Jacob Stay(?).

PROVENANCE: By descent from the estate of Stanley Horn, Nashville, Tennessee.

CONDITION: All items with toning, tears, foxing spots, dampstaining, pencil and ink inscriptions from previous owners to be expected from age and manner of use. 1st item: Winchester's writing in overall good, legible condition. 7th item: Fragmentary condition.