Capt. T. P. Leathers papers
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of personal and family papers of the Leathers, Claiborne, and allied families, predominantly relating to the life and career of the Mississippi River steamboat owner and pilot, Capt. T. P. Leathers. Included are handwritten and typed correspondence, biographical information, genealogical research notes, typed transcriptions of wills, printed death notices, photographs including two elaborately framed daguerrotype portraits, Boston Club and New Orleans Carnival memorabilia, printed bank notes dated 1821 from Kentucky, an 1850 book holding small personal mementos, newspaper clippings and sections, and other printed items. Family names represented in the collection include Leathers, Claiborne, Cooper, Hutchins, Starke, Terrell or Terrill, Winchester, Davis, and Wyatt. Correspondents include Jefferson Davis and Varina Davis; an 1880s letter from them declines attendance at a summer wedding in New Orleans which allied their families. Some documents are accompanied by photocopies.
Dates
- 1811-1951
Creator
- Leathers, Thomas P., 1816-1896. (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Access is unrestricted.
Conditions Governing Use
Physical rights are retained by the Louisiana Research Collection. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.
Biographical / Historical
Thomas Paul Leathers (1816-1896) was born in Covington, Ky. His father, John Leathers, was a wealthy tobacco planter. T. P. Leathers married Charlotte Claiborne of Pointe Coupée Parish, La.; they later lived in New Orleans. During the 1880s, their home was on Carondelet St., at the corner of Josephine. Capt. Leathers was a well-known owner, builder and pilot of steamboats on the Mississippi River. He was a successful businessman, transporting cotton between New Orleans and Vicksburg or St. Louis. He built numerous large steamboats, or packets, seven of which were named Natchez. His steamboat Natchez which was built in 1859 was confiscated by Union forces during the Civil War. Capt. Leathers died in a bicycle accident in New Orleans at the age of eighty.
Extent
1.5 Linear Feet
1 Boxes
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
Arranged by document type and chronologically.
Custodial History
Acquired in the mid-twentieth century.
Processing Information
Processed by Susanna Powers. Edited for ArchivesSpace by Althea Topek.
- Boston Club (New Orleans, La.)
- Carnival -- Louisiana -- New Orleans Subject Source: Library Of Congress Subject Headings
- Louisiana -- Genealogy Subject Source: Library Of Congress Subject Headings
- Louisiana -- History -- 19th century Subject Source: Library Of Congress Subject Headings
- Mississippi -- Genealogy Subject Source: Library Of Congress Subject Headings
- Mississippi River--Navigation--History--19th century Subject Source: Local sources
- New Orleans (La) -- History -- 19th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- New Orleans (La) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century Subject Source: Library Of Congress Subject Headings
- New Orleans (La) -- Social life and customs -- 20th century Subject Source: Library Of Congress Subject Headings
- Packets--Mississippi River Region Subject Source: Local sources
- River steamers--Mississippi River--History--19th century Subject Source: Local sources
- Ship captains--Mississippi River Subject Source: Local sources
- Southern States -- Genealogy Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Southern States--Commerce--History--19th century Subject Source: Local sources
- Steamboats--History--19th century Subject Source: Local sources
- Steamboats--Mississippi River Subject Source: Local sources
Creator
- Leathers, Thomas P., 1816-1896. (Person)
- Leathers family. (Family)
- Claiborne family. (Family)
Source
- Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889. (Person)
- Davis, Varina, 1826-1906 (Person)
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Tulane University Special Collections Repository
