Search

The papers of George W. Smith (1814-1860), a merchant, justice of the peace, land agent, and presidential elector in the town of Ripley, Jackson County, West Virginia. There are also papers regarding other family members. The collection serves as a narrative and record of business, local politics, and social conditions in West Virginia before and after statehood. It includes business and personal correspondence, financial and legal papers, business and political ledgers, and ephemera. The majority of the business and personal correspondence in this collection consists of incoming letters to George W. Smith from his family and business associates. There are a few letters from Nehemiah Smith, a delegate in the Virginia Assembly, some of which discuss efforts to route a proposed turnpike from Staunton to Ripley (ca. 1833-1842); and letters from Confederate prisoners of war, six from Point Lookout prison in Maryland (1864-1865), and one from Elmira, New York (1864). See scope and content note for additional details.

Papers regarding West Virginia statehood and the history of Wheeling and Ohio County compiled by Judge Gibson L. Cranmer (1826-1903) of Wheeling, West Virginia, who served as secretary of the Wheeling Convention that repudiated Virginia's secession from the United States in 1861. Series 1 includes manuscript narratives and correspondence describing events of the West Virginia statehood movement, written by eyewitnesses at the request of Gibson L. Cranmer. Manuscript authors include John S. Burdett, John S. Carlile, Daniel Frost, Lewis Ruffner, and Benjamin Wilson. Series 2 includes Cranmer's handwritten notes, drafts of articles, copies of documents, and letters solicited by him regarding the history of Wheeling and Ohio County, West Virginia. See Scope and Content Note for details and contents list.

Correspondence between members of the Lorentz family of Buckhannon, Upshur County, (West) Virginia. Includes eight letters from scattered dates between 1848 and 1857. Most of the letters were written by Mifflin Lorentz to his wife Fannie (Whitey) Lorentz; these letters include two love letters written before their marriage (1848) and four letters written while Mifflin was travelling on business (1848-1857). These four letters remark upon business, difficulties he had traveling, and homesickness, among other topics. There is also a copy of a letter written by Jacob Lorentz, who was Mifflin's father, to his son Jasper Lorentz (1856) regarding religion and family matters; and a letter to Mifflin from his friend H.W. Williams (1857) regarding religion and mutual acquaintances.

The papers of William A. Alexander, farmer, businessman, West Virginia State Senator (1871-1872), and local public office holder in Mason and Putnam Counties. The collection includes receipts, ledger sheets documenting accounts, correspondence, deeds, contracts, court papers, wills, election notices for the Virginia State Agricultural Society (1860), and a stockholder's ticket for the West Virginia State Agricultural Society (undated). There is also election literature (1 item) campaigning against the Know-Nothing Party in the 1855 Virginia Gubernatorial race; minutes of the October 22, 1849 meeting of the Putnam County School Commissioners regarding the financing of "commission schools [public schools] for poor children"; and operating directions and purchase warranty pertaining to the McSherry Grain Drill (ca. 1871). The collection also includes correspondence (6 items) regarding the Washington family property in Jefferson County (1869-1878).