Surgeon of the C.S.S. Nashville!

Autograph Letter Signed

(1839-99) A native of South Carolina, Doctor John Lawrence Ancrum, was a graduate of the College of Charleston, and received his medical degree from the Medical College of the State of South Carolina in 1860, and served as a physician in Charleston. During the War Between The States Ancrum served both the Confederate Army and Navy. He was the surgeon of the C.S.S. Nashville, and he later served in the Confederate States Army as a surgeon and administrator. After the war he resumed his practice of medicine and became president of the South Carolina Medical Association. He also founded the Charleston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which was later named for him. He was instrumental in founding the South Carolina Humane Society and was named its second president.

Autograph Letter Signed: 3 pages, 4 1/2 x 7, in ink.

Charleston, S.C.

Dec. 20th, 1899

Dear Coppelmann,

I did not sum up the total amount nor did I realize last night the expense to the est.[tate] in the insurance case & now upon looking more closely into the matter in duty to those I represent I must say that it appears to me excessive as the est.[tate] will only get a little more than half.

In as much as each unusual service such as to Atlanta & N.Y. are separately provided for & the other services required neither excessive labor in court or otherwise it seems to me that 10.00 should have been ample to cover every single item of expense even under [?] claim which being so absolutely illegal he would scarcely have gone to court with & I am almost tempted to decline to pay it all.

I am sure that I could beforehand have engaged a dozen or more able & competent lawyers or insurance agents to have collected it for one third the sum & while it was a somewhat delicate matter & obstacles may have arisen to give trouble, yet I do not admit that at any time there was any doubt that could have precluded the absolute certainty of the final payment of the claim. I have ever entrusted the business of the est.[tate] to your hands with the assurance that you would deal as liberally with it as with me & I would be glad for you to consider the above.

In making out Mrs. G’s claim, see if I.A.S. did not pay the premiums for some time after Mr. Gammill’s death. I am under the impression that he did for a year or more.

Very Truly Yours,

Jno. L. Ancrum, M.D.

Light age toning. Very fine letter. Desirable person.