Maria Louisa Southerland letters

This collection consists of five personal letters written by University of Virginia student Alex W. Weddell to Maria Louisa Southerland between 1860 and 1861. The letters, hand-sewn with a single red thread, are dated February 24, 1860, October 30, 1860, November 16, 1860, December 10, 1860, and January 22, 1861. They are intimate in nature, discussing the friendship and relationships between Alex and Maria, as well as referencing shared acquaintances. The envelope is addressed to Maria L. Southerland at Jones’ White Sulphur Springs in Warren County, North Carolina. In 1860, Warren County was the wealthiest county in the state, and the town of Warrenton was home to two prominent resorts featuring hotels, hot springs, and academies for young men and women. Jones’ Springs was owned by William Duke Jones, who had six children with his first wife, Mary Speed, and seven more with his second wife, Angelina Peete. In one letter from December 1860, Alex recalls spending “last summer” in Warrenton, North Carolina, at Jones’ Springs, where he socialized and likely met Maria.

The letters mention a wide social circle at Jones’ Springs, with references to at least thirty different individuals and commentary on their marriage prospects. In one instance, Alex asks how “the happy brood is progressing,” referring to the young women at Jones’. Ella Jones, daughter of William Duke Jones, appears in three of the five letters. Although Alex says little about his academic life at UVA, he does mention “the anniversary of the Wash. Soc” in January 1861 and references hearing “the American warbler, Patti,” a nod to Adelina Patti’s performance in Richmond on October 29, 1860. Notably, the letters do not mention the looming Civil War, which would begin in April 1861. Also included are photographs of a portrait of Southerland and two copies of photos of Weddell, provided by the donors.