Archive of eight (8) items, most related to the Taylor Family of Tennessee, including four (4) Knoxville and Nashville imprints, one (1) carte-de-visite (CDV) album, two (2) autographed signed letters (ALS). 1st item: LIFE AS IT IS; OR MATTER AND THINGS IN GENERAL, First Edition, by John William McNairy "J.W.M." Breazeale, printed by James Williams, Knoxville Press at the Office of the Post, 1842. Hardcover 12 mo, 256 pages, hardbound in one quarter tan cloth with paper sides. F. W. Taylor, Jr., Greenwood Library, Russellville, TN ex libris plate to pastedown of front cover. 7 1/4" H x 5" W x 1" D. 2nd-3rd items: Two (2) copies of THE LIFE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, by M. L. Weems, printed and published by James Williams, Knoxville Press at the Office of the Post, 1842. Hardcover 12mo, both 235 pages, one (1) hardbound in brown leather with gilt lettering to the spine and one (1) hardbound in one-quarter light pink cloth with paper sides, paper title label to spine. Approximately 7 3/8" H x 4 3/4" W x 1" D. 4th item: CDV album containing ten (10) photographic images, primarily depicting Taylor family members or other relations, including one (1) Franklin William Taylor, one (1) Franklin Walter Taylor, and one (1) depicting a young man possibly wearing a military uniform; and two (2) lithographic images depicting Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885) and Horace Greeley (1811-1872), both candidates of the 1872 presidential election. All housed in a brown leather case with a single strap. 4 3/4" H x 3 1/2" W x 5/8" D. 5th item: A COLLECTION OF HYMNS FOR PUBLIC, SOCIAL, AND DOMESTIC WORSHIP, published by Southern Methodist Publishing House, Nashville, 1859. Hardcover 64mo, 766 pages including index, hardbound in brown leather. Includes a handwritten note indicating that the book was given to a Taylor family grandmother in 1862 by Joseph W. Kirkpatrick. 3" H x 2" W x 1 1/2" D. 6th item: ALS. Four-page handwritten letter from James W. Oates, Mountain Home, TN, to Joseph Feamster Taylor, Whitesburg, TN, dated June 1, 1954. The letter primarily discusses a book that Taylor has in his possession concerning Micajah "Big" Harpe, born Joshua Harper (before 1768-1799), and Wiley "Little" Harpe, born William Harper (before 1770-1804), who were murderers, highwaymen, and river pirates who operated in Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and Mississippi in the late 18th century. Oates states that he once owned the land in Kentucky where Micajah died and then proceeds to relay some of the crimes committed by the Harpe brothers in detail. Oates ends the letter by asking Taylor to type up what he knows about the Harpe brothers and send it to him. Includes one (1) envelope with a blue three-cent George Washington stamp, postmarked June 2, 1954. 7th item: ALS. One-page handwritten letter from James W. Oates, Mountain Home, TN, to Joseph Feamster Taylor, Whitesburg, TN, dated July 13, 1954. The letter relays Oates's continued interest in the Harpe Brothers, provides some personal information about Oates, and thanks Taylor for his previous letter. Includes three (3) newspaper clippings, including one (1) about the Harpe Brothers, and one (1) envelope with a blue three-cent Thomas Jefferson stamp, postmarked July 13, 1954. Note: The Harpe Brothers are often considered the earliest documented serial killers in the United States history. 8th item: Brown wax and paper seal, possibly for the State of North Carolina, hanging loop affixed top center. 3 1/4" dia. Note: Many of the items in this lot include ink numerals that correspond to a similar numbering system used on an inventory list created by Joseph Feamster Taylor (1892-1965) of Whitesburg, TN, son of Franklin Walter Taylor (1854-1919), grandson of Franklin William Taylor (1810-1897), great-grandson of Lieutenant William Graham (1786-1857, served circa 1807-1815 in the Sixth Regiment in the Tennessee State Militia).

CONDITION: All items in overall good condition with toning/acid burn, tears, foxing spots, dampstaining, areas of loss, to be expected from age. 2nd-3rd items: Leather bound copy with stitched repairs to spine. 5th item: Front cover is separated from spine. Back cover with stitched repairs to spine, almost completely separated from spine.