Episodes Nearest to October 31, 1844: 1 through 25 of 25

  1. Dental Surgery in the 1840s
    date October 31, 1844map DINWIDDIE, Virginiatags Health/Death

    A dental surgeon by the name of Peter J. Cairnes placed an ad in The Republican convincing the readers of the merits of dental surgery. Dr. Cairnes urges the public to start taking care of their children's teeth starting anywhere between the ages of seven and nine. Dr. Cairnes also offered a reduced rate for any slave owner or tobacco factory owner whose slave was in need of a tooth extraction....

  2. Van Buren for a Second Term
    date October 20, 1844map DINWIDDIE, Virginiatags Politics

    On the morning of Tuesday October 20, 1840, The American Statesman newspaper of Petersburg, Virginia ran an article on the merits of President Martin Van Buren, who was then running for a second term as President. The article openly endorsed Van Buren's candidacy for President to the newspaper's readership and the greater Petersburg community by refuting the claims of the popular...

  3. Massachusetts Judge Driven from South Carolina
    date November, 1844map CHARLESTON, South Carolinatags African-Americans, Economy, Race-Relations, Slavery

    The people of Charleston were not above standing up for what they believed in, even at the expense appearing rude and overzealous. Judge Samuel Hoar of Concord, Massachusetts, and his daughter, Elizabeth, traveled to Charleston in November of 1844. Their intentions were not known when the trip was announced; however, soon after they arrived, it became clear that the Massachusetts judge had come...

  4. An Explosive Accident
    date October 3, 1844map ANNE ARUNDEL, Marylandtags Arts/Leisure, Economy

    During the early eighteenth century, the northern portion of the Anne Arundel County developed an economy not based on agriculture, but on iron ore. Iron ore became the staple of the area and was crucial in the development of a regional transportation center. The reliance on tobacco, Anne Arundel's traditional major cash crop, lessened through the nineteenth century allowing for blacksmithing...

  5. The Romance of Love Letters between Albemarle and Richmond, Virginia
    date August 26, 1844 to October 30, 1844map ALBEMARLE, Virginiatags Migration/Transportation, Women

    During the late summer and fall of 1844, B. Johnson Barbour and Caroline H. Watson had little else on their minds than what the next post would bring as they anticipated November 7 - the day when they would finally be united as husband and wife. The distance that separated the young couple heightened their anticipation, for Caroline lived in Richmond while Barbour lived in the rural county of Albemarle,...

  6. Runaway Slaves in Ohio
    date January 8, 1845map HAMILTON, Ohiotags Slavery, fugitive slave

    More often than not, Ohio citizens showed no signs of guilt for the part they played in helping fugitive slaves. A Cincinnati newspaper editor bristled at the suggestion that his fellow Ohioans had deliberately committed crimes. "We have seen no evidence of it," he wrote in 1845. "We are not aware that any of them entered the slave States for the sake of helping off slaves. Being in those states,...

  7. The Louisiana Constitution of 1845
    date January 14, 1845map ORLEANS, Louisianatags African-Americans, Crime/Violence, Economy, Education, Race-Relations, Slavery

    By 1845, the public mind of Louisiana had decided that the state's current constitution, constructed in 1812, was too outmoded and contained too prominent elements of an aristocratic mindset. The Jacksonian idea of “equal ability of all' and the Democratic Party's characterization of the “common man' was pervasive, while the wealthy landowners and aristocrats still in...

  8. E.W. Hubard Advises his Nephew on Gentlemanly Ways
    date February 9, 1845map BUCKINGHAM, Virginiatags Arts/Leisure, Education, Urban-Life/Boosterism

    On February 9, 1845, E.W. Hubard of Washington, D.C. wrote a letter to his nephew, James L. Hubard, of Buckingham County, Virginia. James was a young man at the time, still in the formative stages of his life, and it appears that he and his uncle corresponded regularly about education, family life, and women in central and northern Virginia. E.W. began the letter by acknowledging his receipt of...

  9. A Family Reels from a Death in Southwest Virginia
    date July 19, 1844map SMYTH, Virginiatags Health/Death

    On July 19, 1844, William King, Jr. reported sad news to his sister Sarah C. King of Abingdon, Virginia. Their younger brother had died. Sarah had visited just a few weeks prior to the death. Everything was fine then in the town of Saltville, Virginia. Life had been pleasant when she visited her family. After all, she did not get to see them often since her marriage. Several weeks later, her family's...

  10. Henry Clay publishes the Alabama Letters
    date July 1, 1844 to July 27, 1844map TUSCALOOSA, Alabamatags Slavery

    The issue of Texas Annexation in 1844 proved quite harmful to the running candidate. Although, initially careful of what stance to openly announce on the issue of Texas, Clay publicized his negative feelings on the issue of Texas annexing the United States. Due to the second party system in 1844, which allowed for party loyalty to switch regardless of self-interest, Clay now feared the consequences...

  11. Mississippi Congressman Calls for the Annexation of Texas
    date February 20, 1845map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Economy, Government, Law, Migration/Transportation

    In 1845, the national debate over the annexation of the young country of Texas into the Union was in full swing. Politicians stood on either side of the debate, effectively representing their constituents in the matter. John Henderson, a Congressman from Mississippi, gave a speech to Congress on February 20, 1845, in which he outlined all of the reasons why the Union should annex Texas. As Congress...

  12. Influential Use of the Phrase “Manifest Destiny'
    date February 27, 1845map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Church/Religious-Activity, Migration/Transportation, Race-Relations, Slavery, War

    The phrase manifest destiny originated in 1844 with a journalist in New York named John O'Sullivan in his magazine called the Democratic Review, in reference to the annexation of Texas. Manifest destiny is the idea that it was God's will that the United States expand throughout the whole of the continent (though not by force) to spread liberty and democracy. O'Sullivan's...

  13. Charles Manigault Complains of Slave Labor in 1844 Journal
    date 1844map CHATHAM, Georgiatags African-Americans, Agriculture, Economy, Slavery

    For at least four generations, Charles Manigault and his family had owned plantations in the Island region of Chatham, Georgia and the Charleston District of South Carolina. In Chatham County, they invested a lot of money in growing rice, as did many planters across the lowcountry regions of both states. However, in 1844 Charles began to be slightly disgruntled with the labor production of his...

  14. Florida Admitted as the 27th State
    date March 3, 1845map LEON, Floridatags Race-Relations, Slavery

    The presidential approval of Florida's entering the Union as a (slave) state occurred on the last day of Tyler's administration. The news reached Tallahassee five days later, and Governor Branch was officially notified ten days later. Tallahassee was filled with raucous celebration, including ringing bells, cannon reports, bonfires, and general merriment. The governor held a large reception...

  15. A Call to the Free-Holders of Rowan and Davie Counties
    date June 22, 1844map DAVIE, North Carolinatags Economy, Government, Law

    People in town were gathered around a newspaper with the political platforms for the upcoming Presidential election. The candidate that seemed to care the most about the people of the county, especially the farmers was A.G. Carter. He had been the Senator here for twelve years so if he anything he had the experience to make the best politician. He promised to not burden people with taxes anymore...

  16. Augusta, Georgia City Council Officially Endorses Henry Cumming's Proposal to Build the Augusta Canal
    date March 15, 1845map RICHMOND, Georgiatags Economy, War

    During the 1840s, Augusta, Georgia and the whole South were affected when cotton prices fell, causing an economic depression. In response, Henry Cumming conceived, promoted, and oversaw construction of the Augusta Canal, which rescued Augusta from this depression. The aim of the canal was to provide drinking water to the city, power to factories, and a new means of transportation on canal craft....

  17. Brown's Speech to Congress
    date June 17, 1844map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Economy, Education, Government, Politics, Slavery

    Looking out over the twenty eighth Congress, Mr. A.V. Brown knew he needed to convey to the statesmen gathered that the division of Florida territory into east and west partitions, and the prolonging of the territorial phase therein, was both inadmissible and undemocratic. Brown, speaking for the Committee on the Territories, implored the House to strike down Bill H.R. No. 431. He began by appealing...

  18. A Relaxing Trip down the Bayou
    date March 22, 1845map JEFFERSON, Louisianatags Arts/Leisure, Migration/Transportation, Slavery

    Lisa Rhinelander and her brother George, of New Orleans, were traveling along with some friends to a house party at a plantation on the Barataria Canal. They first traveled by railroad, then steamboat, until arriving at a point twenty miles down the river from the home they were to visit. It looked as though they had a long row ahead f them. But it turned out that their host had sent slaves to pull...

  19. Attempt to establish a new county in Tennessee
    date June 4, 1844map BLOUNT, Tennesseetags Urban-Life/Boosterism

    One of the oldest counties in Tennessee, Blount County was named as a tribute to its Governor, William Blount. Preceding, white settlement this region was home to the Cherokee Indians. Blount County grew quickly and soon became a big attraction catering to its visitors with a series of resort hotels near springs neighboring the Chilhowee Mountain at Montvale. In 1844 lawmakers attempted to establish...

  20. The Future of Miami
    date May 25, 1844map DADE, Floridatags Agriculture, Migration/Transportation, Native-Americans, Urban-Life/Boosterism

    The little coastal steamer, only 105 feet in length and 152 tons in weight, chugged up the Miami River towards the settlements on the interior. It was hardly a triumphant parade of U.S. naval power. The Sailing Master of such a flagship was one Edward C. Anderson, and he took in the alien landscape as it passed on either side. Upon arriving at Miami, he found it to be little more than a collection...

  21. First Electric Morse Telegram sent
    date May 24, 1844map BALTIMORE, Marylandtags African-Americans, Urban-Life/Boosterism

    Samuel Morse was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts on April 27th 1791. Morse was educated in prestigious institutions nationally, including Phillip's Academy at Andover and Yale University. From 1811 until 1815, Morse lived in England, exhibiting his work at the Royal Academy in 1813. The next ten years of his life were spent as a traveling artist. In 1832, Morse began his travels back to America...

  22. In the Clutches of Slavery
    date April 10, 1845map NASSAU, Floridatags florida slave history, triangle slave trade

    In the Clutches of Slavery

    As time went on and the distribution of slaves increased it became much easier to buy slaves. The fact that labor could be bought for pennies was perfect for land owners in the New World. There were many ways that people could buy and sell their slaves. For many, purchases came right from the ships, these ships were coming up from the Caribbean. The process of slavery...

  23. The Wonderful Invention
    date May 1, 1844map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Economy, Government, Migration/Transportation

    On his first and only visit to Washington, Bishop Whipple saw many new and exciting things. He marveled at the beauty of the city and was inspired by the men who fought to establish both the great nation. However, on the afternoon of May 1, 1844, another new and exciting sight fascinated Whipple. The wonder of wonders was Professor Morse's electrical telegraph. Through the electrical telegraph,...

  24. Bishop Whipple's thoughts on politics
    date April 30, 1844map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Government, Politics, Race-Relations, Slavery, War

    Traveling from Baltimore, Bishop Whipple arrived in the capital on the morning of April 30, 1844. He had always desired to see the city. The city was the object of greatest curiosity, fascinating the Bishop with its rich history. He stood in awe before a portrait of George Washington. The Declaration of Independence proved to be a most impressive scene, the picture fills every American heart with...

  25. Southern Baptist Convention Formed by 293 Representatives of Churches in the Southeastern U.S.
    date May 8, 1845 to May 12, 1845map RICHMOND, Georgiatags Agriculture, Church/Religious-Activity, Education, Slavery

    In 1845, a group of Southern Baptists broke away from the Triennial Convention and the American Baptist Home Mission Society (ABHMS) due to differences on the slavery issue. This particular group of Southern Baptists did not oppose slavery, as the Triennial Convention and the ABHMS had begun to do. The Baptist Board, situated in Boston, in November of 1844, adopted certain resolutions, one of...