The major subjects of the collection, both named Robert D. Gage, were bankers during much of the twentieth century. Gage, the South Carolinian, was born in 1885, twenty-five years after his great-uncle was born in Port Gibson, Mississippi, and was involved in business until his retirement in 1960. Gage lived to be ninety-five, dying in January 1981. Gage, the Mississippian, also was active for most of his life in banking, still serving the Port Gibson Bank until the year before his death in December 1953.

Narrow in focus and slight in quantity, the Gage letters offer little information on Mississippi banking despite the major correspondents being bankers. The prime value of the collection rests in providing brief genealogical material on the Gage family in its Port Gibson. and Chester, South Carolina, branches. The correspondence is weighted most heavily by letters sent and received by Robert D. Gage of Chester, who served as president of the Commercial Bank in that city. Gage's correspondents included his great-uncle Robert D. Gage of Port Gibson. This Gage served as President of the Port Gibson Bank. Other banking correspondence was conducted with the Hanover Bank of New York.

Family related letters were exchanged by the Robert Gage of Chester, with Mrs. Nancy Gage McConaughy of Columbia, Sout Carolina, a cousin of Gage's and a granddaughter of Robert Gage in Port Gibson. Single letters were exchanged by Anna Gage Person and Robert D. Gage, Jr., of Port Gibson with Robert Gage of South Carolina.

Series

1. Correspondence: 25 items, including 23 personal letters, one (1) bank circular and one (1) newspaper obituary article.