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Henry Clay Warmoth Papers

Collection 85

Warmoth, Henry Clay (1842–1931). Papers, 1798–1934

22 reels [Microfilm]

Warmoth, Henry Clay, carpetbagger, Reconstruction governor, planter, businessman. Born McLeansboro, Hamilton County, Ill., May 9, 1842; son of Isaac Sanders Warmoth and Eleanor Lane. Attended village schools in Fairfield, Wayne County, worked as typesetter and read law locally. Removed to Lebanon, Mo., in 1860; admitted to Missouri bar the same year. Civil War service in Union Army: lieutenant colonel in Thirty-second Missouri; assigned to the staff of Maj. Gen. John A. McClernaud during Vicksburg campaign, wounded in action; dishonorably discharged by U.S. Grant, reinstated by Lincoln; rejoined his regiment and commanded at Lookout Mountain; reinforced General Banks during Red River retreat; served as judge of the provost court, Department of the Gulf, New Orleans, 1864; left the army and opened a law office in New Orleans in early 1865; took the lead in organizing Louisiana Grand Army of the Republic, chosen first Grand Commander in 1868. Political career as Republican: unofficial “Territorial delegate” to Congress, 1865; first Reconstruction governor, 1868-1872; state representative, 1877-1879; member of constitutional convention of 1879; Republican candidate for governor in 1888; collector of customs, New Orleans, 1890-1893. Married, May 30, 1877, Sally Durand of Neward N.J., daughter of James M. Durand. Three Children: Frank Sheridan, Reinette Lester, and Carroll Kennon. Business career: invested in Magnolia Plantation in early 1870s and became sole owner after Reconstruction; helped organize the Magnolia Sugar Refining Co., a consolidation of eight plantations; investigated beet-sugar industry in France and Germany in 1884 as official representative of U.S. Department of Agriculture; Washington lobbyist for Louisiana Sugar Planters’ Organization in 1890s. Died, New Orleans, September 30, 1931; interred Metairie Cemetery.

[Narrative taken from "A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography"]

The Warmoth papers have been filmed in two series: the correspondence and the volumes. Each series is independently arranged in chronological order. This collection consists of correspondence, journals, diaries, daybooks, ledgers, cashbook and other miscellaneous records.

Note: See control file for Guide to the Microfilm Edition of the Henry Clay Warmoth Papers.

Series:

A. Correspondence Reels 1 through 7
B. Volumes: journals, diaries, ledgers, daybooks, scrapbooks, miscellaneous Reels 8 through 22

Inventory:

A. Correspondence
Reel 1 April 1798 - December 1868
Reel 2 January 1869 - December 1871
Reel 3 January 1872 - December 1874
Reel 4 January 1875 - December 1887
Reel 5 January 1888 - December 1889
Reel 6 January 1890 - December 1892
Reel 7 January 1893 - March 1934
     
B. Volumes
Reel 8 Louisiana slave records
Journal of Magnolia Plantation
Diary of Henry Clay Warmoth
Notebook in a diary-book
Magnolia Plantation, miscellaneous records
Pocket account book
Reel 9 Accounts
Minutes of the Union League Club of New Orleans
Plantation Journals and Miscellaneous Records
Ledger
Daybook
Plantation Journal
Reel 10 Minutes of the Board of Directors and Stockholders...
Ledger
Journal of Magnolia and other plantations
Accounts
Daybook
Cashbook
Cash account summary
Reel 11 Journal of Magnolia and other plantations
Magnolia Sugar and Railroad Company
Ledger
Cashbook
Reel 12 Magnolia Plantation Journal
Magnolia Plantation Time Book and Wage Account
Journal of Magnolia and other plantations
Ledger
Reel 13 Cashbook
Journal of Magnolia and other plantations
Plantation Journal
Magnolia Plantation Journal
Reel 14 Journal of Magnolia and other plantations
Ledger
Cashbook
Reel 15 Ledger
Journal of Magnolia
Miscellaneous accounts
Payroll and advances to labor
Reel 16 Miscellaneous accounts
Daybook
Ledger
Cashbook
Journal of Magnolia and other plantations
Accounts
Ledger
Cash daybook
Reel 17 Journal of Magnolia
Time Book
Ledger
Diary of Henry Clay Warmoth
Reel 18 Diary and Clippings of Henry Clay Warmoth
Reel 19 Diary and Clippings of Henry Clay Warmoth
Reel 20 Materials relating to War, Politics, and Reconstruction
Reel 21 Scrapbook
Reel 22 Scrapbook