Collections

The records of the Board of Visitors of the College of William and Mary includes meeting minutes, financial reports, photographs, agendas, matriculation books, correspondence, material from Board of Visitors Rectors Oscar L. Shewmake and Roy Harvey Chappell, Jr., publications, and audio recordings of meetings from 1961-1999.

The collection includes: correspondence and land records of Robert "King" Carter; correspondence and land records of his sons Robert Carter (1704-1731) and Landon Carter (1710-1778); correspondence, accounts, land records and the appointment to the Virginia Council of Robert Carter (1728-1804), son of Robert Carter (1704-1731); correspondence, diaries, land records and accounts of Robert Wormeley Carter (1734-1804), son of Landon Carter of Sabine Hall; and correspondence and land records and papers concerning the estate of Robert Carter's grandson, Landon Carter (1757-1820).

Papers, 1831-1863, of John B. Floyd, governor of Virginia, United States Secretary of War and Confederate general. The papers, chiefly 1850-1862, concern the three positions he held. Correspondents include James Buchanan, Jefferson Davis, Samuel Houston, Benjamin Huger, Alexander von Humboldt, R. M. T. Hunter, Charles James Faulkner, Jenny Lind, James Murray Mason, William Ballard Preston, Winfield Scott, John Tyler, Daniel Webster and the Duke of Wellington.

Letter from United States Senator John Tyler (1790- 1862) to Benjamin Ogle Tayloe dated May 30, 1835. In it he discussed horses and horse racing. He also comments on the recent Democratic Party convention of 1835. As a newly emerged Whig party leader, Tyler was nonplussed by the nomination of Martin Van Buren and voiced support that Virginia voters would go for Judge White (Hugh Lawson White) one of four Whig Presidential candidates in 1836.

Letter from John Tyler to Virginia Governor Henry A. Wise dated July 4, 1855. The letter states that Wise's being elected Governor would not be inconsistent with his remaining on William & Mary's Board of Visitors, and that other members of the Board hope Wise will not resign.

Letter written and signed by John Tyler in Charles City, Va. , September 9, 1819 to Robert S. Stanard in Richmond, Virginia concerning a chancery suit between Knib and Dr. Dixon's Exors which had earlier been handled by John Tyler's Father in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Papers, 1840-1931, relating to John Tyler. Includes document, 1842, signed by Tyler; campaign ribbon, 1840, for William Henry Harrison and Tyler; speech, 1915, by Armistead Churchill Gordon at the dedication of monument to Tyler in Richmond, Va.; program, 1931, at the unveiling of Tyler Bust in Virginia State Capitol; and engravings, prints, photographs of portraits and copies of a silhouette of Tyler.

A two page handwritten letter signed by President John Tyler on a folded sheet of paper. Letter is addressed to Eli, likely Elisha R. Potter. One engraving featuring President John Tyler.

Papers, 1797-1850, of the Tazewell family. Includes letter, 1797, written by Samuel H. Smith to Henry Tazewell concerning his paper, The Universal Gazette and discussing foreign affairs; and letters, 1804-1850, written by Henry S. Foote and William Nelson, Jr. to Littleton Waller Tazewell; and one anonymous letter addressed to Tazewell and John Tyler (1790-1862) concerning army promotions.

Papers, 1716-1944, of the John Tyler family of "Sherwood Forest," Charles City County, Va. The collection contains correspondence, 1818-1862, of John Tyler concerning politics, War of 1812 claims, presidential election of 1840, land purchases in western Virginia, Kentucky and Illinois, "Sherwood Forest," business matters and his family.