Molly Elliot Seawell 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:

Molly Elliot Seawell Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Summary

Extent:
0.80 Linear Feet
Creator:
Seawell, Molly Elliot, 1860-1916 and Edwards, Maria Seawell, b. 1815?
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Molly Elliot Seawell Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Background

Scope and content:

The papers of American writer Molly Elliot Seawell include personal diaries, correspondence, memoirs, photographs, news clippings, and other materials. Also included are photocopies of Seawell's business papers housed at the New York Public Library and at the Columbia University Library. The collection also contains other records from the Seawell family, mostly relating to Molly's aunt Maria Seawell Edwards, John T. Seawell and wife Isabella Josephine Brady, and Philip Hairston Seawell. The collection comprises four series: Diaries, 1900-1914; Personal Records, 1901-1916; Professional Records, 1889-1915; and Seawell Family Records, 1859-2001.

Biographical / historical:

"Molly Elliot Seawell (October 23, 1860 Gloucester, Virginia - November 15, 1916 Washington, D. C.) was an American writer. Baptized as "Mary," Molly Elliot Seawell was born into one of the older families of English language-speaking North America and one of the first families of Virginia." (From wikipedia (7/6/2007)

Acquisition information:
Purchases. Mss. Acc. 1995.36 received on 7/20/1995; Mss. Acc. 2000.45 (formerly 2000 Se9); Mss. Acc. 2000.53a received on October 13, 2000; Mss. Acc. 2001.24B received on May 11, 2001. Mss. Acc. 2010.398 is a gift of Philip Hairston Seawell, per Gene L. Hardin, 7303-B River Rd., Newport News, VA 23607.
Processing information:

Processed by Ellen Strong in 1995.

Arrangement:

Formerly arranged by accession. Combined with Mss. Msv D37-38 (Personal Diaries) and reorganized by series (see Scope note for details about the series' content). Folders within series chieflty organized by type of materials and creators, following broad chronological order. Items within folders organized chronologically, but Molly Elliot Seawell's handwriting being often ambiguous, some dates are unclear.