A Guide to the Leroy S. Edwards Papers 1853-1899

Access and use

Location of collection:
Randolph-Macon College
McGraw-Page Library
Randolph Macon College
P.O. Box 5005
305 Henry Street
Ashland, VA 23005
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Laurie Preston
Phone: (804) 752-4718
Phone: (804) 752-3203
Fax: (804) 752-7345

Summary

Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

The collection contains letters and other personal materials, primarily diaries. Diaries included in the collection were written by Leroy Edwards, his wife, and his son, Leroy Jr., and span 1853-1899. Some additional material onthe Edwards Family is available in the R-MC Alumni files.

Biographical / historical:

Leroy Summerfield Edwards was born November 27th, 1839 in Lynchburg, Virginia. He was the oldest of three sons born to Rev. John Ellis Edwards, D.D. and Elizabeth A. Clark Edwards (daughter of Col. John Clark). His father was a prominent Methodist pastor, serving in the North Carolina Conference and then in the Virginia Conference, and as a Trustee of Randolph Macon College. Leroy attended Randolph-Macon College, then in Boydton, VA, from 1857-1859, receiving an A. B. He then attended the University of Virginia from 1859-1860. He was teaching at Farmville Female College in 1861 when he enlisted in the 12th Virginia Infantry, Company E. He was injured in 1862, and captured in May, 1864. He was sent to Point Lookout Prison Camp in Maryland and transferred to Elmira, New York around August, 1864. He returned to Richmond around March, 1865. Apparently he returned to R-MC, where he received an A. M. degree in 1866. On August 8, 1866 he married Elizabeth Ferguson, and their son, Ellis, was born May 14, 1867. By 1868 he and fellow R-MC alumnus E.E. Parham had founded the Female Collegiate Institute at Richmond. Another son, Leroy Jr., was born October 3, 1881. Leroy, Jr.'s Randolph-Macon diary is included in the collection as well. It is assumed there were other children. Leroy Edwards died in 1901 and is buried in Hollywood Cemetery.

Acquisition information:
The collection belongs to Randolph-Macon College. Much of the collection was donated to the college by Mrs. Frederick N. Thompson, grandaughter of Leroy Edwards.
Arrangement:

The material didvided into letters and other materials. Its arranged chronologically when possible, although several notebooks skip years.

Physical description:
The collections is contained in 4 archival boxes