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1847 · 0002411 — MARION ALABAMA BIRMINGHAM AL. Good. 1847. On offer is a super significant ante bellum manuscript letter handwritten by Dr. F.E. Gordon writing to his sister in Charleston South Carolina about his new life in Marion Alabama. Dated May 15 1847 the four 4 page offers up a scathing review. Dr. Gordon who would go on to be a noted member of the medical community in Marion for having published papers on fever and dysentery in a number of medical journals had apparently just moved to Alabama from South Carolina to set up his medical practice. He writes of his wife Sarah and their young son bemoaning the fact that Alabama is a less civilized less hospitable place than South Carolina. Here are some snippets: "Alabama differs much from S. Carolina and in nothing more than in the general demoralization which prevails. Public faith and private have long ago fallen into disrepute; and they are at present canvassing whether they shall repudiate the state debt as Mississippi did a few years ago or not. For my part I shall never cease to deplore the want of honesty and of refinement which are equally prevalent throughout this State. All the ceremonies which are so punctiliously kept up by the better classes in Charleston are unknown here; and those who pretend to lead the fashion and rule the politics of the state would be dubbed "outer barbarians" in your native City. In Mobile you can find some good society although the same moral tone pervades the most of that city." He says he is determined to make the best of it however. He mentions that though there are few amusements no theater or balls save for events at the local schools: Howard College Marion Female Seminary and the Judson Institute. He attends a series of lectures on Natural Philosophy and Chemistry given by Prof. Sherman at Howard College. He says he has also been called to court on cases to give "medical testimony." Folded for mailing some small loss to a few letters from opening but overall G.; Manuscript; 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF MARION ALABAMA DR. F.E. GORDON CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA LIFE IN ALABAMA THROUGH THE EYES OF A NEW IMMIGRANT DIFFERENCES IN SOUTHERN SOCIETIES THE DEEP SOUTH PRE CIVIL WAR ANTEBELLUM SLAVE ERA SLAVERY DOCTORS MEDICAL PRACTICES SOUTHERN AMERICANA HANDWRITTEN HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT AUTOGRAPHED AUTHORS DOCUMENT LETTER AUTOGRAPH KEEPSAKE WRITER HAND WRITTEN DOCUMENTS SIGNED LETTERS MANUSCRIPTS HISTORICAL HOLOGRAPH WRITERS AUTOGRAPHS PERSONAL MEMOIR MEMORIAL PERSONAL HISTORY ARCHIVE DIARY DIARIES JOURNAL LOG PRIMARY SOURCE FIRST HAND ACCOUNT SOCIAL HISTORY PERSONAL STORIES LIVING HISTORY ANTIQUITÉ CONTRAT VÉLIN DOCUMENT MANUSCRIT PAPIER ANTIKE BRIEF PERGAMENT DOKUMENT MANUSKRIPT PAPIER OGGETTO D'ANTIQUARIATO ATTO VELINA DOCUMENTO MANOSCRITTO CARTA ANTIGÜEDAD HECHO VITELA DOCUMENTO MANUSCRITO PAPELBIOGRAPHY BIOGRAPHICAL AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY PERSONAL NARRATIVES . unknown