William Lamb Papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
College of William and Mary
Special Collections Research Center
Earl Gregg Swem Library
College of William and Mary
400 Landrum Drive
PO 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Contact for questions and access:
Phone: (757) 221-3090
Fax: (757) 221-5440
Restrictions:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Terms of access:

Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Preferred citation:

William Lamb Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Summary

Extent:
4.01 Linear Feet
Creator:
Lamb, William, 1838-1909 and Lamb, Sarah Anne Chaffee, 1837-1892
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

William Lamb Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Background

Scope and content:

Diaries, 1855, 1859-1861, 1864-1909, (52 volumes) of Col. William Lamb (1835-1909), written while a student at the College of William and Mary, newspaper editor, Civil War commander of Fort Fisher, N.C. (1862-1865), coal merchant, Norfolk businessman and mayor (1880-1886), and member of the Board of Visitors and Rector of William and Mary.

Collection also includes diary, 1861, and some letters of his wife Sarah Annie Chaffee Lamb as well as page proofs and other material relating to the publication of "Letters from the Colonel's Lady." (Winnabow, N.C., 1965).

Two additions to the collection (1993.49 and Sm. Coll. Add. 13) include photographs of Mrs. William Lamb and daughter Sally Lamb, William Lamb, Jr. and Frances [?], speeches, pamphlets and illustrations as well as a scrapbook of newspaper clippings relating to the Battle of Fort Fisher and William Lamb. Diaries, 1855-1903 available in typescript.

Biographical / historical:

William Lamb was born on 7 September 1835 and lived in Norfolk, Virginia for most of his life. He was educated at the College of William and Mary and edited the Southern Argus. During the Civil War, he commanded Fort Fisher, N.C. After the war, he was a coal dealer, an advocate of direct trade with Europe, mayor of Norfolk and a member of the Republican Party. Lamb was Rector of the College of William and Mary. He died 23 March 1909.

Acquisition information:
The materials in this collection were donated in various batches between 1938 and 1993 by W. H. Lamb (1938, 1939, 1945), Mrs. A. A. Bilisoly and Miss Ella Waddy Lamb (1939), Mrs. Ralph Magraw (1960 and 1967), and Larry Walker (Acc. 1993-49 received 7/19/1993). Acc. 1989-23 received 5/25/1989.
Physical / technical requirements:

Photocopying is only allowed from the diary typescripts.

Physical description:
79 items