Lot
1668 
Confederacy, The Weldon - Slayton Correspondence, 1849-68, fascinating family correspondence of 18 covers and original letters mostly addressed to Abraham Weldon in Fancy Farms, Ky. from son Vachel and son in law John Stayton who both settled in Texas in 1858; first three 1849 folded letters from Abraham's eldest son William from Elizabeth, Ark. (manuscript postmarks) with content regarding cotton farming and slavery, 1853 folded letter from his youngest Vachel in Cape Girardeau, Mo., next four letters from Pleasanton, Texas starting in 1859 from Vachel and John Slayton with interesting Feb. 5, 1860 letter from Vachel mentioning U.S. troops buying up forage and beef, Negroes scarce, Captain in New Orleans buying rifles, Rio Terio settlers and Dragoons fighting Indians on the Nunces River, etc., correspondence highlighted by cover and letter sent from Pleasanton, Texas in July of 1861 four months after Texas was admitted to the Confederacy; cover franked with U.S. 1857, 3¢ dull red, two singles and manuscript "Pleasanton, Texas, July 11th, 1861" postmark with matching "Paid 10" alongside stamps, cover eventually carried across the line and entered the U.S. mails with blue "Paducah, Ky., Aug 23, 1861" cds, two strikes of "Due 3" handstamp and grid handstamps cancelling stamps, with lengthy eloquent letter from John Stayton in part…Texas flour is cheaper than we ever bought Northern flour, and our State can furnish enough this year to bread the Southern Confederacy. Our frontier is quiet and all the posts on our frontier are garrisoned by Teas Rangers, instead of a lazy, worthless herd of U.S. Regular Soldiers who have heretofore consumed the money of the Government without giving us protection. There is now no political excitement in Texas, all has subsided, and a calm decided and defiant spirit actuates the people of this State. While we where members of the old Government we were loyal, but oppression and a fast ripening despotism have caused or compelled us to severe connections with these States in connection with which we furnished the most imaginative and successful government on earth and were fast advancing to the Empire of America, but not of the world., later P.O.W. correspondence from C.S.A. Calvary Captain Vachel Wendon at Camp Chase, Columbus, O. (Feb. & Mar. of 1863) and Delaware Fort, Delaware City, Del., latter Sept. 1865 adversity cover posted from occupied New Orleans, La. with letter from Slayton in Sabine Pass, Texas and others from both Vachel and John from Indianola, Galveston and Clinton; a wonderful historical correspondence spanning through the Civil War. Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
John Slayton was admitted to the bar soon after settling in Texas where he practiced law. In 1858 he was elected district attorney of the 8th Judicial District and later served the Texas Supreme Court from 1888 to 1894.
Realized: $2,000