Samuel Downing, Jr. papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
Virginia Military Institute Archives
Preston Library
Virginia Military Institute
345 Letcher Ave.
Lexington, VA 24450-0304
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Jeffrey S. Kozak
Phone: (540) 464-7516
Phone: (540) 464-7566
Fax: (540) 464-7089
Restrictions:

There are no restrictions.

Terms of access:

Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.

Preferred citation:

Samuel Downing, Jr. papers, 1859-1860. MS 0167. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.

Summary

Extent:
3 items
Creator:
Downing, Samuel, Jr., 1842-1885
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

Samuel Downing, Jr. papers, 1859-1860. MS 0167. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

The Samuel Downing, Jr. papers consist of three items, including:

  • One letter (November 17, 1859) from Downing to his father, in which he describes in detail a cadet trip to Norfolk, Virginia, including an interesting account of an uncomfortable canal boat journey
  • One list of demerits (April to June 1860)
  • One quarterly grade report (July 1860)

Biographical / historical:

Samuel Downing, Jr. was born in 1842 in Lancaster, Virginia to Samuel Downing and Catherine E. Payne. He entered VMI as a third classman (sophomore) in August 1859 and graduated in December 1862. Downing joined the Confederate Army, serving throughout the Civil War with the 55th Virginia Infantry Regiment.

After the War, Downing was a teacher in Virginia, but subsequently moved to Baltimore, Maryland where he was engaged in the tobacco business. In 1865 he married Miss Betts of Northumberland County, Virginia and the couple had one son who died in infancy. Downing died in Baltimore on March 11, 1885 and is buried in London Park Cemetery.

Physical location:
Manuscripts stacks