However, there are hints of broader topics. The role of violence in Southern society may be glimpsed through the correspondents' occasional participation in duels and feuds. There are also references to the local and national economies and to sectional tensions. However, there is very little information on the Civil War. This collection is particularly strong in descriptions of social and family life in Kentucky.
Many letters discuss travel, church attendance, social calls, and neighborhood events.
Letters often refer to the health and activities of slaves owned by members of the Marshall and Alexander families. Correspondence 1816-1878 and undated. Primarily personal letters, 1840-1857, concerning activities of members of the Marshall family of Kentucky. Ky. Most letters concern domestic life and family matters. There are also occasional references to the local and national economies, duels, and sectional tensions.