Collections

This collection contains items that librarians and archivists have used while researching the history of the University of Virginia School of Law. These materials include unpublished essays, published historical articles, datasets, and research notes.

This collection consists of the files and working papers of Howard Worth Smith who represented Virginia in Congress for some thirty-five years as representative from the Eighth Congressional District. Included are correspondence received and carbon copies of replies, clippings, printed government and other publications, copies of printed bills, reports, press releases, speeches, notes, memoranda, financial records, tape and disc recordings, drawings, and other materials. The papers cover the years 1933 to 1966 when Smith retired from Congress.

This collection consists of the history of Hugh Carr, an African American born in enslavement in 1843 and his family who lived on a tract of land (River View Farm) that Carr and his wife Texie Mae Hawkins bought in 1870 after emancipation. He became one of the largest African American landowners in Albemarle County, where he raised several generations of his family in the Union Ridge Hydraulic Mills community, until his death in 1914.

This collection primarily consists of 6224 sketches drawn by Ida Libby Dengrove. Most of the drawings are courtroom sketches from criminal and civil trials. Those trials include the David "Son of Sam" Berkowitz trial; U.S. v. Williams, 705 F.2d 603 (2d Cir. 1983) (ABSCAM); New Jersey v. Chesimard, 555 F. 2d 63 (3d Cir. 1977) (Assata Shakur); U.S. v. Dillinger, 657 F. 2d 140 (7th Cir 1981) (Abbie Hoffman); U.S. v. Hinckley, 525 F. Supp. 1342 (D.D.C. 1981) and many others.

This collection contains a single leather-bound illustrated manuscript for Deaf persons to confess their sins. They could identify their sins by the illustrations and ask to be absolved. Called a Confessory, it was made in Flanders or the Netherlands roughly between 1770 and 1790.

This collection consists of ca. twenty-six items, 1861-1864, chiefly the letters of John Booker (1840-1864)and James Booker (1840-1923)of Pittsylvania County, Virginia,to their cousin, Chloe Unity Blair (1839-1875); electrostatic copies of Bible records for the Booker and Blair families; and electrostatic copies of typed transcripts of the letters. The original bound volume of the transcripts was returned to the donor.

This manuscript style or form book was created by James Armour of Edinburgh, from around 1698 to 1701. The work begins with a "Decreet Arbitrall," but marriage contracts predominate. In addition, there are forms for bonds, wills, a ship's sale, an indenture, a pension, and other matters. The first 287 pages are written in one hand, followed by several blank leaves and eleven pages in a different hand. An abbreviated, six page index is found at the back of the book.

The bulk of this collection is made up of letters from Jane Charlotte Washington to her son, John Augustine Washington III. Also included are letters to Eleanor Love Selden Washington, a few letters to or from John Augustine Washington III to various individuals, several letters from George Mason of Hollin Hall (1797-1870) to John Augustine Washington III, letters by Lackland and Alexander family members (relatives of the Washingtons) and three receipts. The subject matter of most letters is family or personal affairs and Mount Vernon business with some discussion of the enslaved people owned by the Washingtons. Inclusive dates are 1837 to 1861.