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Four letters, 1846-1860, chiefly concerning the family of Philip St. George Cocke. In her letter of February 9, 1846, Courtney Barraudof Norfolkwrites her cousin, John Bowdoin Cocke, that she has heard about "the big house" being begun and knows that "cousin Philip" will be very busy as "no one ever was more totally emersed in building." This refers to the onset of the construction of " Belmead" in Powhatan County, designed by architect Alexander Jackson Davis, based on a suggestion by Philip St. George Cocke. From the newly erected " Belmead, " a letter dated March 15, 1848 from Sally Elizabeth Courtney Bowdoin Cocketo her son, John Bowdoin Cocke, who was enrolled at Bremo Academyin Fluvanna County, mentions his father's meeting with "a Committee appointed to make arrangements for building a new Ct House." Richard F. Wilson's letter on March 23, 1857 is in answer to a request from [ John Hartwell Cocke] in Green County, Alabama, concerning the replanting of cedar trees according to Cocke's direction and clearing the graveyard at Mount Pleasant. He mentions a cenotaph, designed by Alexander Jackson Davis, on which was inscribed the names of members of the Cocke family buried at Mount Pleasantin Surry County. In an undated letter to her father, Philip St. George Cocke, Louisiana Barraud Cockeis apparently defending Richard Byrd Kennon, whom she married on June 21, 1860; she relates that she "asserted my pride & dignity as a woman should" by speaking to Kennon about the conversation between him and her father, and that she is satisfied that he is sincere and that she has not been "the dupe of anybody." This letter may have been written in September 1860 as it seems related to the letter dated September 19, 1860 by Kennon ( >#640, Box 63) in which he refers to a resolution "taken at the request of one whom I now hold dearer than life itself."

These two pocket diaries, 1853 and 1860, were kept by Philip St. George Cockeof Belmead, Powhatan County, Virginia. The 1853 diary discusses matters of a personal nature while the 1860 diary discusses his involvement with the Virginia Military Instituteas President of its Board of Visitors and as Chairman of the Armory Commission.

This collection consists of ten electrostatic copies of letters, 1858-1859, and 1874, from Edward Troye(1808-1874), to General John Hartwell Cocke(1780-1866), Dr. Cary Charles Cocke(1814-1888), and John Bowdoin Cocke(1836-1889), and from Philip St. George Cocke(1809-1861) to John Hartwell Cocke, and Dr. Cary Charles Cocke.

These twelve letters, 1858-1879, and n.d., pertain chiefly to the family and estate of Philip St. George Cocke. Topics of interest include Belmead, the Civil War, and the University of Virginia. Typed transcripts are available for the majority of these letters.

Beverley Dandridge Tucker IIIwas born on August 25, 1925, in Shanghai, China, where his father Augustine Washington Tuckerwas a surgeon at the Christian hospital of St. Luke's. Tucker received his A.B. from Harvardin 1949 and an A.M. in 1958; he received a divinity degree from Virginia Theological Seminaryin 1952. After language school at Yale, Tucker left for Japanin January, 1953, as an Episcopal missionary priest. He spent another year at Kobein further language training and received his ordination in the spring of 1954; at the same time he began his assignment as rector of St. Michael's Churchin Sapporo, Hokkaido.

William H. Harrisonwrites to Dr. Arthur Brent, of Bremo Bluff, Fluvanna County, February 21, 186[6?], on Army of Northern Virginia, Headquarters Cavalry Corps stationery, [Richmond], Virginia, that he has not received copies of his newspaper. He asks Brent to have Mr. Cabell send it "immediately from New Yorkas I am most anxious to see its many pages at this momentous period." He expresses thanks that a split in the ranks has occurred and hopes that Andrew Johnson's veto message might crush [Benjamin Franklin] Wade, Mr. Wilson, and [Thaddeus] Stevens.

These twenty-two letters, 1930-1938, from Douglas Southall Freeman, historian and author, to Misses Betty Pageand M. Louise Cocke, concern letters and manuscripts of their grandfather, Philip St. George Cocke, during the Civil War. During 1930, Freeman was gathering material for R. E. Lee, A Biography, which was eventually published 1934-1935. While researching this book, he came to the belief that Cocke was one of Lee's "most valued counsellors" and that he was "largely responsible for the plan of operations that led to the great victory at First Manassas." While Freeman was unable to include much material on Cocke in his biography of Robert E. Lee, he made an effort to write a detailed sketch of him in Lee's Lieutenants, A Study in Command, published in the early 1942-1946. In November 1937, Freeman asks the Misses Cocke if it is permissible to quote from General Cocke's report on First Manassas in the sketch, and relates that he thinks it best not to quote extensively so as not to reduce the value of the document in case they wish to sell at a later date. These letters reveal a friendly and cooperative relationship in which Freeman researched the letters and manuscripts of Cocke that were in the possession of Misses Betty Page and M. Louise Cocke. Freeman also assisted the ladies by working with Dr. [Hamilton James] Eckenrodeto find a suitable biographer for Philip St. George Cocke.