ALS, one page both sides, 7.75 x 9.75, May 2, 1849. Letter to James McDowell, the former governor of Virginia, in part: “Presuming upon your well known goodness and urbanity, may I take the liberty of recommending to you and through you to others, Genl Wm. Gibbs McNiel [sic] as eminently qualified from both talents and experience to act in the capacity of Principal Engineer in the construction of the South Western rail road. For his talents I can well avouch from a long acquaintance…Zealously devoted as I am and always have been, (the last speech I made in the House of Delegates of Virginia was in its advocacy) to the improvement, which I regard as the great work of the day, I would suffer no consideration of mere personal friendship to induce me to recommend Genl. McNiel but for my convictions of his entire fitness.” Addressed on the reverse of the second integral leaf in Tyler’s hand and franked in the upper right, “J. Tyler.” In fine condition, with show-through from writing to opposing sides.
The man in question, William Gibbs McNeill, became well known as a civil engineer through his work with the B&O Railroad, and was also the uncle of the painter James McNeill Whistler. This letter seems to refer to the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad, which was chartered by the commonwealth in 1849 to build a line from Lynchburg to the Tennessee border. Tyler had advocated for such a plan during his time in the state legislature in the late 1830s, but it was not until 1850 that construction finally began. Virginia’s railroads became enormously important during the Civil War, and after various disruptions Union forces finally captured and destroyed much of the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad in late 1864. With excellent railway content from a former president during a crucial period of industrialization, this is a tremendously desirable letter. Pre-certified PSA/DNA.
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