Dow Family Letters, 1861-1888
Held by The Filson Historical Society
Creator: Dow Family
Title: Letters, 1861-1888
Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these letters, contact the Curator of Special Collections.
Size of Collection: 0.66 cubic feet
Locator Number: Mss./A/D744/1-11
Scope and Content Note
Collection contains approximately 380 letters written between 1861 and 1888 by members of the Albert G. Dow, Sr., family of Licking County, Ohio. Approximately ½ of the letters were written by Private John. R. Dow, 31 st Ohio Infantry Regt., to relatives in Ohio, particularly his three sisters. They, in turn, wrote several letters to him. John describes various aspects of daily life in the army, expresses his political views and opinions of officers and provides details of several battlefield sites in Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia. Letters to John describe effects of war on local economies and politics.
Biographical Note
Albert G. Dow, Sr. moved with his wife, three daughters and a son to Licking County, Ohio from New York, around 1841. His fifth child, John Robert Dow, was born in 1843. Albert was a harnessmaker by trade. John enlisted as a private in the 31 st Ohio Infantry Regiment in September, 1861. His primary occupation in the war was serving successively as a company, regimental and brigade bugler. His regiment saw action in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. His younger brother, Albert G. (Barley) Jr., enlisted in July, 1863 in the 129 th Ohio Infantry Regiment. Barley was captured, imprisoned in Andersonville, Ga. , and later freed in a prisoner exchange in 1864. John was mustered out in July, 1865. During the war Albert Sr. and another son, Isaac (Will), served in various war-related industries , primarily in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After the war John worked as a railroad mechanic and blacksmith.
Folder List
Folder 1: Correspondence, 1861
Folder 2: Correspondence, 1862
Folder 3: Correspondence, January – June, 1863
Folder 4: Correspondence, July – December, 1863
Folder 5: Correspondence, January – June, 1864
Folder 6: Correspondence, July – December, 1864
Folder 7: Correspondence, January – June, 1865
Folder 8: Correspondence, July – December, 1865
Folder 9: Correspondence, 1866
Folder 10: Correspondence, 1867-1888
Folder 11: Undated Correspondence
Subject Headings
African Americans – Suffrage
Alabama – History – Civil War, 1861-1865
Allegheny Arsenal (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
American newspapers – Kentucky
Andersonville Prison
Atlanta (Ga.) – Description and travel
Atlanta Campaign, 1864
Brannan, John Milton 1819-1892
Brough , John 1811 – 1865
Bounties, Military
Buell, Don Carlos 1818 – 1898
Camp Dick Robinson (Garrard County, Ky.)
Chattanooga (Tenn.) – Description and travel
Chattanooga (Tenn.), Battle of, 1863
Chickamauga (Ga.), Battle of , 1863
Columbus (Ohio) – Description and travel
Confederate States of America. Army. Cobb’s Battery(1861- 1864)
Confederate States of America. Army – Desertion
Copperhead movement
Death notices – Ohio
Education, Secondary-Massachusetts
Emancipation Proclamation
Forums (discussion and debate)
Georgia – History – Civil War, 1861-1865
Harlan, John Marshall 1833-1911
Harris, Isham G. (Isham Green) 1818-1897
Hoover’s Gap, Battle of, 1863
Howard Mission (N.Y.)
Kentucky – Description and travel
Kentucky – History – Civil War, 1861-1865
Knights of the Golden Circle
Letterheads
Lice – United States
Lincoln, Abraham 1809-1865
Louisville (Ky.) – Description and travel
McCook, Robert Latimer 1827-1862
Mill Springs (Ky.), Battle of, 1862
Murfreesboro (Tenn.), Battle of, 1862-1863
Nashville (Tenn.) Description and travel
Ohio – History – Civil War, 1861-1865
Ohio National Guard
Poetry, Modern – 19th century
Presidents – United States – Election – 1864
Racism – Ohio
Racism – United States
Resaca, Battle of, 1864
Rosecrans, William S. (William Starke) 1819-1902
Savannah (Ga.) Description and travel
Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh) 1820-1891
Slaves – Emancipation
Tennessee – History – Civil War, 1861-1865
The True american (Lexington, Ky.)
Terre Haute (Ind.) – Description and travel
Turchin, John B. (John Basil) 1822-1901
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – African Americans
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Anecdotes
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Campaigns
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Confiscations and contributions
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Deception
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Desertion
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Destruction and pillage
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Draft
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Draft resistors
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Economic aspects
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Military discipline
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Military pensions
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Peace
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Prisoners and prisons
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Public opinion
United States Christian Commission
United States. Army – Barracks and quarters
United States. Army – Communication systems
United States. Army – Desertion
United States. Army – Equipment and supplies
United States. Army – Insignia
United States. Army – Leaves and furloughs
United States. Army – Military life
United States. Army – Recruitment, enlistment etc
United States. Army – Songs and music
United States. Army -Transportation
United States. Army. Ohio Infantry Regiment, 9th (1861-1864)
United States. Army. Ohio Infantry Regiment, 31st (1861-1865)
United States. Army. Ohio Infantry Regiment, 76th (1862- 1865)
Vallandigham, Clement L. (Clement Laird) 1820-1871
Washington, D.C. – Description and travel
Zollicoffer, Felix Kirk 1812-1862
