Item Description: On 31 October 1863, Cornelius noted attending a meeting of the Albemarle Mutual Relief Association. This organization was formed to try to combat the high prices brought about by the war, by buying in bulk at good prices and selling the items to shareholders. Cornelius attended the University of Virginia and after the war taught to support himself. He married Mary Nicol of New Orleans, La., and had two children, Cornelius, Jr., and Katherine Nicol, and died in 1874.

Item Citation: Folder 1, Cornelius Dabney Diary #00201-z, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Item transcription:

Oct 31, Morning very rainy but by the time lectures were over the sun shown beautifully. I may as well insert here that Thursday night I attended a meeting of the Albemarle Mutual Relief Association. The objects of this association is to diminish the exorbitant rates at which the necessaries of life are selling by sending agents to procure the required articles at lowest possible rates and then to have them brought to this place and disposed of at cost to the stockholders or such persons a the stockholder may designate. Each share entitles the holder to purchase to the amount of $20 per week. If one holder subscribes to more than five shares he can purchase to the amount of $100 only but may transfer the privilege of purchasing for each share more than five to the am’t of $20 to any poor person he may designate.