A Guide to the Andrew Nelson Erskine Papers, 1845-1862

Biographical Note

One of ten children born to Agnes D. Hayes and Michael H. Erskine in Sweet Springs, Virginia, Andrew Nelson Erskine (1826-1862) moved near Huntsville, Alabama, with his family in 1831. The Erskine family moved several more times, finally settling in Jackson County, Texas in 1839. After their house was attacked by Comanches a year later, the Erskines relocated to present-day Guadalupe County. In 1842, Erskine enlisted in John Coffee Hays’ company of Texas Rangers, fighting in the battle of Salado Creek before settling in Seguin where he worked as a land surveyor for the German Emigration Company (Adelsverein). In 1847, he married Ann Theresa Johnson, with whom he had five children. The couple moved to Mill Point where Erskine engaged in a number of trades, including operating a ferry, gristmill, sawmill, and cotton gin as well as managing an inn and a stage stand. Following his appointment as county clerk in 1856, he fought for John S. Ford against Juan S. Cortina’s invasion of Texas and enlisted in Hood’s Texas Brigade of the Confederate Army during the Civil War. In 1862, Erskine was killed in the battle of Antietam.

Source:

FitzSimon, L. J. "Erskine, Andrew Nelson."Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed May 31, 2011. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fer02.

Scope and Contents

Comprising correspondence, a legal document, and a biographical sketch, the Andrew Nelson Erskine Papers, 1845-1862, chronicle Erskine’s activities as a Texas Ranger, surveyor, and soldier in Hood’s Brigade of the Confederate Army. Correspondence concerns familial affairs and the Civil War, while the legal document pertains to power of attorney for Erskine’s father’s property in Texas. Additionally, the biographical sketch relates Erskine’s experiences as a land surveyor for the Adelsverein and a soldier during the Cortina invasion and the Civil War.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research use.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Andrew Nelson Erskine Papers, 1845-1862, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

Processing Information

Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s "History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light" project, 2009-2011.

Detailed Description of the Papers