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The collection includes material, such as correspondence, poetry, photographs, and miscellaneous item relating to Dr. Beverley Randolph Tucker and his parents, John Randolph Tucker and Fanny Crump Tucker. Topics covered include religion, education, the legal and medical professions, the American Civil War, and Reconstruction.

Papers, 1780-1929, of the Brown, Coalter, Tucker families including the papers of John Coalter (1769-1838), Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia, and John Thompson Brown (1802-1836), member of the Virginia House of Delegates.

The collection includes two manuscript volumes two and three of "A Rational Grammar of the French Language," written by Taliaferro, circa 1860 (the whereabouts of volume one are unknown), letters, Taliaferro's obituary, and photocopies of manuscripts written by Taliaferro but in private ownership.

The Ephemera Collection contains material primarily acquired for teaching. It includes material in various formats, most of which have been previously published. The collection is currently being processed and new items will be added on an ongoing basis. For this reason, the indicated date range is approximate at this point.

The Gamaliel Lyman Dwight and Sarah Helen Whitman Papers contain three letters written by Gamaliel Lyman Dwight to Sarah Helen Whitman during the Civil War (1861-1865). In his first letter to Whitman, Dwight mentions a man who knew Edgar Allen Poe, a former romantic interest of Whitman. The remainder of the correspondence includes Dwight's impressions of Camp Winfield Scott, a tent encampment near Yorktown that served as the headquarters of Union General George B. McClellan.

Execution book, 1854, of an officer of the court [sheriff or justice of the peace ?]. The judgements concern people in Henrico and Goochland counties, Va. and involve money. The book was later used for poetry, 1889.

Memorandum book, ca. 1850-1863, which may have been kept in Virginia by several different individuals including [Isabella Stuart Waller, George Mercer, and Mary Morris ?]. The volume contains some diary pages, resolutions for good housekeeeping, recipes, verse, and household inventories.

Letters and accounts of James DeRuyter Blackwell, Sr., lawyer and poet, his wife Judith Emma (Edmonds) Blackwell of Warrenton, Virginia and of members of their family including their son, James De Ruyter Blackwell, Jr.

Scrapbook, ca. 1851-1870, of Maryann R. Goodwyn, Sappony, Va. which contains notes on geography and verse, newspaper clippings and a few cartoons relating to the American Civil War.

Poetry album of Susan Rebecca Buck. The album is designed for the purpose of collecting poems or other writings and the title on the front cover reads "Album of Gems." There are several decorative, pre-printed color images and in one instance a black and white print was glued on top of a handwritten entry. The entries were made by a number of friends and relatives and most are dated and signed either in full names, first name or by initials. Most are addressed to "Dear Sue." Place names mentioned are for the most part in Virginia and Maryland. Examples are Wheatley, Front Royal, and Mountain View. The following description was provided by the seller: "The book is titled 'Album of Gems' and new, it was filled with blank pages and 6 color lithographs by T. Sinclair. Starting about 1852 Susan R. Buck had many of her friends and family members write a little poem, or words of wisdom on the blank pages, for her to remember them by. Some names, entries and signatures are Nannie L. Buck, her devoted sister Mary, Thomas N. Buck, T.W. Buck, Sue Richardson, Bettie? Buck, Teddie, Nannie, Guillaume, Elton, and many more signed in initials, etc. Those entries continued through the years, until about 1865. Sue designed her own frontispiece and her introduction page reads: 'Now reader, as you find delight - In scanning o'er what others write - Tis hoped, in gratitude alone, - You'll add a tribute of you own.' There are at least 67 different handwritten, signed & dated entries from many people. One page has a calling card design penciled in, with the names and dates (1865) of men serving in the military, probably during the Civil War."