Jan. 28, 1887 Condolence Letter from James McAlister in Charleston, SC

February 21, 2018

James McAlister of Charleston, South Carolina wrote this condolence letter to John F. Armstrong on 28 January 1887. McAlister addressed JF as “My Dear Friend”. McAlister was mentioned in a 4 May 1887 letter from Charleston, SC businessman M. F. Kennedy. Kennedy wrote to JF in May before leaving for Chicago on business related to a coercion act under consideration in the London Parliament.

See References and attached notes below for more information on James McAlister.

Marie Van Sant Hudson contributed research for this post.

References

“Brought Here For Burial – The Remains of James McAlister Brought to His Old Home – How He Met His Death – Coronor’s Inquest Establishes Fact That Killing Was Accidental, In His Endeavor to Prevent a Woman From Committing Suicide – Was Writing a Letter to His Children.” Evening Post (Charleston, SC), 7 June 1901, online archives, Genealogybank.com (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 27 February 2018), citing original p. 2.

M. F. Kennedy (Charleston, SC) to “Capt. Armstrong, Dear Sir and Friend” [John F. Armstrong], letter 4 May 1887, privately held by Tulie Wheeler Taylor, Tallahassee, FL 2018.—-Notes: This letter from Kennedy to JF stated that Jim McAlister had received a letter from JF and brought it to Kennedy to read. Kennedy wrote that he agreed with what JF said in the letter, namely to have prominent people condemn the proposed coercion act being considered in Parliament in London. Kennedy wrote that he discussed the matter with “Jim and Bro. O’Donaghue ltn [sic] Sec of our D”.