Letters written by members of the William Burr Howell family of Natchez, including Varina Howell (Mrs. Jefferson Davis); Margaret Louisa Howell and William Burr Howell (Varina's mother and father); Joseph Davis Howell and Jefferson Davis Howell (Varina's brother); Margaret Graham Howell (Varina's sister); Sarah Howell (sister of William Burr Howell); and Joseph B. Howell (brother of William B. Howell). One letter written by Jefferson Davis at Brierfield, April 24, 1857, refers to a flood sweeping the plantation, and to one of his slaves, Julia Ann, who had visited the Howell household.

The letters cover such diverse subjects as accounts of a sea voyage from New Orleans to Staten Island, New York, August 1, 1836; Varina's education at the Greenland Academy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 2l, 1836; the sickness of Mrs. Margaret L. Howell, January 27, 1852; a pistol duel between Joseph Davis Howell and a Colonel Henry, September 8, 1858; one letter, written by Joseph B. Howell, discusses the possibilities of a civil war, December 10, 1860; a bill of exchange drawn on a London bank and signed by Varina Howell Davis, December 18, 1865; and several letters written by Jefferson Davis Howell concerning family relations in San Francisco. Also contained in the collection is a letter from Joseph Davis Howell, dated September 25, 1846, Monterey, Mexico, which gives a vivid account of the Battle of Monterey; two newspaper clippings of the death of Jefferson Davis Howell, November 23, 1875, and several undated letters.

Appendix 1: Item inventory created in May 1985 and based in part on a 1967 inventory provided by the Museum of the Confederacy, Richmond, Virginia.

• 08.01.1836 "Margaret," New York to "My Dear Husband," Natchez
• 11.21.1836 R. A. Howell, Philadelphia, to "Dearest Margaret," Natchez
• ??.??1836 [?] Varina B. Howell, Philadelphia, to "My dear Mother," Natchez. Also, Joseph Howell, Philadelphia [?], to "My Dear Mother," Natchez
• 08.05.1837 John S. Glaser, Hamburg, to "Dear William," Natchez
• 01.29.1838 Dick [?],Philadelphia, to "Dear William," Natchez
• 04.10.1838 Dick [?], Philadelphia, to "Dear Bill," Natchez
• 11.05.1838 [?], Natchitoches, to "My Dear Wife," s.l. fragment
• 12.29.1838 Ellen [M. Davis], Locust Grove, to "My Dear Uncle," Brierfield

• 09.05.1845 Jos. D. Howell, Brierfield, to "Dear Father," Natchez
• 03.06.1846 "Your Wife," s.l., to "My Dear Husband," s.l.
• 09.25.1846 [?], Monterey, to "Dear Mother," s.l. 2 pieces, fragment
• 01.06.1847 J. D. Howell, Carmargo, to "Dear Bill," s.l.; verso, J. D. Howell, Camargo, to "Dearest Mother," s.l.
• 03.02.1847 J. D. Howell, Office of Clothing Deport, Carmargo, to "Dear Father," s.l. Postscripts added on March 3 and 4

• 03.07.1850 W. F. Howell, Oakland College, to "My Dear Parents,", s.l.
• 04.05.1851 H. A. Du Mesnil[?], Louisville, to Jos. E. Davis, s.l.
• 04.07.1851 "Your mother," s.l., to "My Dear Daughter," s.l.
• 01.27.1852 "Mother," Tunisberg[?], to "My Dear Daughter,"
• 02.14.1852 [?], Tunisburg[?], to "My Dear Daughter," s.l. fragment
• 02.22.1852 "Old Mully-Mumps," Tunisburg [?], to "My Dear Daughter," s.l.
• 08.06.1852 "Wife," Brierfield, to "My dear Husband," s.l.
• ??.??.19952[?] "Your Own Mother," Tunisburg [?], to "My Dear Child," s.l. upper right corner torn away

• 05.07.1853 [?] Malie {?] Brodhead, Washington, to "My Dear Aunt Varina," s.l.
• 09.29.1853 H. B. Grace, Kings P.O., Barbour Co., Ala., to Jefferson Davis, Washington, D. C.
• 10.29.1854 "Wife," Washington, to "My Dear Husband," s.l.
• 04.04.1855 "Your Wife," Washington, to "My Dear Husband," s.l.
• 06.19.1856 Sarah [?], Pittsburg, to Wm. B. Howell, New Orleans
• 04.24.1857
• 10.02.1857 W. B. H., Tunisburgh[?], to "My Dear Daughter," s.l.
• 09.08.1858 "Yr Bro Joe," Philadelphia, to W. B. Howell, s.l.
• 04.17.1859 R. C. Wood [?], Washington, to Jefferson Davis, s.l.
• 09.06.1859 W. B. Howell, New Orleans, to Jefferson Davis, U.S.S

• 03.05.1860 "Yr Bro. Joe," Philadelphia, to "Bro. Bill," s.l.
• 12.10.1860 "Your affectionate Bro Joe," Philadelphia, to "Dear Bro. Bill," s.l.
• 09.10.1862 W. B. H., Raleigh, N.C., to "My dear Wife," Thomaston, Georgia
• 08.14.1863 "Your Mother," Augusta Arsenal, to "My Dear Daughter," s.l.
• 12.18.1865 Notarized statement for $2500 to be used by V. Davis
• ??.??.1865[?] Postscript only signed by W. Rector [?] concerning the $2500

• 05.10.1870 Margaret ]?] Stoess[?], [?], to "My Dearest Sister," s.l.
• 05.12.1870 [?] Stoess[?], Windmere[?], to Jefferson Davis, Memphis; "Jeffy D," N.P.T. Co. S.S. "John L. Stephens" at Sea, to "My dear Old Sis," s.l. 4 pieces
• 11.06.1873 "Jeffie D.," Steamer "Pelican" at Sea, to "My darling Old Sis," s.l.

• 10.17.1875 "Jeffie," Steamer Pacific at Sea, to [?], s.l.
• 11.10.1875 W. N. Mercer, San Francisco, Calif., to Mrs. Jefferson Davis, Memphis, Tenn.
• 11.15.1875[?] R. W. Mullan, San Francisco, to "My dear Mrs. Davis," s.l.
• 11.16.1875 Envelope with card from D. F. Holland, Galveston, Texas, to Jefferson Davis, Memphis.
• 11.23.1875 Newsclipping from Seattle, W. T., Evening Dispatch, eulogizing Capt. Jeff. D. Howell
• ??.??.1875[?] Newsclipping, s.l., eulogizing Capt. Jeff D. Howell
• 09.30.1876 [?], Pressburg [?], [?], to [?], [?]
• 07.14.1878 Jefferson Davis, Jr., Memphis, Tenn., to "My own precious much loved, & darling Mother," Beauvoir. 2 pieces, with envelope
• 01.06.1885 Chas. Clark, San Jose, Calif., to Mrs. Jefferson Davis, Beauvoir. 3 pieces

• 07.01.186? Jeff. D. Howell, Confederate States Steamer Patrick Henry off Drury's Bluff near Richmond, Virginia, to "My dear Mother," s.l.
• 06.18.187[?] [?] Steamer Los Angeles at Sea, to "My dearest Old Sis," s.l. fragment [?]
• 02.??.???? Lise M. [?], Vicksburg, to "My Dear Uncle," s.l. 2 pieces; Eliza[?], s.l., to "My Dear Brother," s.l.
• n.d. [?], s.l., to "My Dear Daughter,"s.l. fragment; n.d. three envelopes; n.d. Jefferson Davis, s.l., to [?], [?]. letterpress copy, nearly illegible