Item 1: 1848 January 12 Chester Pomeroy Dewey, Rochester N.Y. to John P. Taliaferro Apologizes for not writing; is working as an engineer and in an insurance office; heard that Mr. Dabney and Miss Emma Tabb were married; describes Rochester and sleighing; compliments time he had at Bellville and Mrs. Taliaferro's hospitality; says he has seen in the papers about the "belligerent" times at William and Mary and warns him not to get in a duel; reminisces about oysters and says he has given up chewing tobacco; wishes him luck at school; comments on the "fair being you saw at the Springs;" invites him to Rochester.

Item 2: 1848 February 8 William Lawson Fauntleroy, Norfolk Va. to John P. Taliaferro, Williamsburg, Va. Wonders why John has not written (John promised he would at the wedding); is now in Norfolk studying medicine--likes it so far; has not met any girls but is afraid he will meet some, fall in love, and be "kicked out"; says city is all right but prefers the country life; adds a poem about friendship.

Item 3: 1848 March 3 George B. Taliaferro, Baltimore, to John P. Taliaferro, William and Mary, Williamsburg, Va. Mentions he is suffering from cholera and hopes John is feeling better; admonishes John for gambling; is upset about John's bills in Gloucester (accounts with Tom Taliaferro and Frances Bridge); thought John was supposed to save money by being in Gloucester; says John will not get a dollar from him; is preparing for business in the spring; tells John to ask cousin William Taliaferro for a loan; is disappointed that John joined the Sons of Temperance then started drinking again; warns about the dangers of alcohol.

Item 4: 1848 March 23 Bettie to Ellennora Requests a short letter from her even though she will be entertaining gentlemen and will be "bewildered half of your time;" wants her to name the gentlemen who have courted her and whose hearts she had broken so the writer can take lessons; mentions the "society" meets today.

Item 5: 1848 March 26 William Lawson Fauntleroy, Norfolk to John P. Taliaferro Apologizes for not writing and comments on their friendship; says he dislikes city life; says someone was going to take him "around" but has not; says the study of medicine is interesting; mentions books he owns and that he had obtained medicines and examined cadavers; asks John to go to the University of Virginia in the fall with him; says he is sorry to hear John has been "disconnected" and hopes his "wounded heart" will recover.

Item 6: 1848 April 6 George B. Taliaferro, Baltimore to John P. Taliaferro, William and Mary College Williamsburg, Va. A receipt for sugar and flour bought for a Mrs. Bowers (mentioned in letter of March 3, 1848), mentions bill and that he could not get better for her, wishes John well at school and mentions John's change of board; asks if he got any money from cousin William Taliaferro

Item 7: 1848 May 12 George B. Taliaferro, Baltimore to John P. Taliaferro, Williamsburg, Va. Going to send summer clothes when they are ready; will send money when he can; tells him to arrange a loan from cousin William or else he does not know how John will make out at the end of the school year, mentions death of Richard Taliaferro, says Richard died of "his own imprudence" and hopes John is still a member of "The Sons of Temperance."

Item 8: 1848 May 18 George B. Taliaferro, Baltimore to John P. Taliaferro, Williamsburg, Va. Sends some clothes; sends ten dollars; hopes he can get a loan from Cousin William since he says he is poor in the way of money-- will try to help John in July; comments that never has a ward been treated worse by his son-- he has been creditor all along and now cannot advance.

Item 9: 1848 June 24 William Lawson Fauntleroy, White Hall, to "Friend" John P. Taliaferro Reports on trip to Fredericksburg; reports on a week he spent in Williamsburg "drunk the whole time;" reports case of smallpox in his neighborhood brought "by one of thoe confounded Yankey vessels;" reports Ned Tabb goes to Lexington; saw James Shackleford at the courthouse.

Item 10: 1848 July 3 George B. Taliaferro, Baltimore to John P. Taliaferro, William and Mary, Williamsburg Says he is writing William Taliaferro and Mr. Robinson to ask for money; says John should go to Gloucester to "accomplish in person, what you could not do by writing"; says he would help John but is unable to do so for "some weeks"; hopes John got at least two certificates and trusts that he has been a student "indeed and in truth" so he can receive full "recompense for the large outlay at Williamsburg."

Item 11: 1849 September 24 Geroge W. Smith to George B. Taliaferro, Guardian of John P. Taliaferro An account for doctor's visits from April 29-December 12, 1848. Mentions visits to Negro children; John P. Taliaferro pays his account on September 24, 1849 with three dollars and one yoke of oxen to settle his debt of $28.00.

Item 12: 1849 December 8 Philip A. Taliaferro, University of Virginia, to John P. Taliaferro, College of William and Mary Says John's last letter is "trashy," (devoid of any news "concerning the affairs of the nation, or yourself"); comments that he could have predicted John would be in love (as John said in his last letter) and says Mary Anna Saunders is worthy to "elicit so devine an emotion from so unsentimental a source"; comments on John's respect for Mr. Robert Saunders; comments on John liking Hugh Mercer Waller, James Barron Hope, and Murdaugh; says he cannot go home at Christmas.