Edward C. Dyer 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:

This collection is open to all researchers.

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:

Edward C. Dyer Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Summary

Extent:
1.00 Linear Feet
Creator:
Dyer, Edward C. and Belt, John Benjamin
Language:
English Spanish;Castilian
Preferred citation:

Edward C. Dyer Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains correspondence, ephemera, and financial documents related to Edward C. Dyer's business as an auctioneer and importer of cigars (segars) from Havana, Cuba. The majority of the documents are dated between 1853-1865 with the full scope of the collection ranging from 1808-1897. The bulk of the letters were written by John Benjamin Belt, a cigar exporter in Havana, detailing the Cuban import-export cigar trade including suppliers, brands, quality of various tobacco leaves, start-ups, and costs association with the tobacco business. The collection contains letters from Belt to his mother and sister, Elizabeth, Edward C. Dyer's wife. Dyer also had sustained correspondence with Herman Heins and George Dufour, J. Amez, James Harper, Robert Marron, and Reid and Eaton. In addition to the correspondence, there are also numerous ephemera items such as receipts, check stubs, Balance sheets, invoices, property deeds, legal documents, and estate papers. Among the receipts is a receipt for the purchase of a slave by Dyer. Finally, the collection contains several bound account books of Dyer's for various companies with which he did business.

Biographical / historical:

Edward Calistus Dyer was born around 1815, the son of John Randall Dyer and Mary Ann Gardiner. Edward had three brothers (Robert Walter, George, and Richard Hannibal) and married Elizabeth E. Belt, sister of William Benjamin Belt, on July 14, 1851.

Edward Dyer lived in Washington D.C. and was an auctioneer along with his brothers Robert and George. Some of the items Edward auctioned off included food, clothing, furniture and slaves. Later in his career, Edward began importing cigars from Cuba as well as fine liquor, whiskey, wine and food.

Acquisition information:
Acc. 2014.024 was received by Special Collections in January 2014.
Processing information:

Accessioned and minimally processed by Steven Bookman, University Archives Specialist, in March 2014.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged chronologically by item type.

Physical / technical requirements:

The fragile nature of this material may limit handling.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard