Collections

Papers (including business and personal correspondence and accounts), chiefly 1867-1893, of Charles T. O'Ferrall, member of the Democratic Party, lawyer, judge, Congressman and governor. His papers include a daybook, 1865-1866, of the American Hotel, Staunton, Va.; his fee book, 1869-1873; and papers concerning legal cases. Collection includes letters, 11 December 1868-18 February 1869 and 1877, of O'Ferrall's first wife, Annie McLain Hand O'Ferrall ; his brothers, R.H. O'Ferrall, and I. Frank O'Ferrall, and his cousin, F. K. O'Ferrall.

Letters, 1833-1840, from Sallie Withrow Daingerfield at "Belleplane" [or "Belleplain"] Richmond County, Va. to her husband Joseph F. Daingerfield, member of the Virginia House of Delegates; to her sister Margaret A. Withrow at Lewisburg, Greenbrier County, Va. [now W. Va.]; and to her brother John Withrow.

This collection, 1745-1910, n.d., of ca. 2100 items, consists of correspondence, business and legal papers, miscellaneous, and bound volumes, pertaining to the Davis Family, Saunders Family, and Watts Family. Large portions of the correspondence belong to William Wattsand Fleming Saunders. Included with the correspondence is a letterbook, 1873-1880, of Frank Prufer. The business papers include accounts, bonds, correspondence, and notes and receipts, chiefly pertaining to William Wattsand Fleming Saunders, but also various members of these families. The legal papers include court dockets and memoranda of William Watts, documents, and wills. There are various legal papers of William Wattspertaining to Virginiacounties including Amelia County, Amherst County, Buckingham County, Campbell County, Cumberland County, Prince Edward County. The miscellaneous material includes advertisements, educational papers, photographs, printed, religious papers, and fragments. The bound volumes include day books, a blacksmith book, a farm journal, memorandum books, and a township record. Folders are arranged alphabetically within each series, with material inside arranged chronologically.

Original letters and copies of letters from other repositories, chiefly 1788-1835, of John Marshall's correspondence with his wife, Mary Willis (Ambler) Marshall, other family members, James Monroe, Joseph Story, Bushrod Washington, and others. The correspondence reflects Marshall's wide range in interests including law, Virginia and U. S. politics, international affairs, agriculture and social events. Also included are letters by family members and descendants; a charcoal sketch and copies of visual representations of John Marshall; and places and events associated with him.

Correspondence, 1869-1873, of John S. Wise concerning the application of his brother Doctor Richard A. Wise for positions as professor at the College of William and Mary, and at the University of Virginia; and as superintendent at the Central Lunatic Asylum, Richmond, Va. Correspondents include William E. Cameron, John W. Daniel, Benjamin S. Ewell, Hugh Blair Grigsby, John S. Mosby, Charles S. Venable and Richard A. Wise.

Letter, 1820 December 30, of John Taylor of Caroline to an unidentified recipient, opposing the formation of a geographical party because of the possibility of the dissolution of the Union and discussing a just system of weights and measures as one step towards the cementing of the Union. Also, assignment, 1786 September 4, of the right to a bond of George Mitchell, by Nicolas Brumm to Sarah Huston, witnessed by John Reynolds and John Taylor.

Papers (including business and personal correspondence and accounts) of William H.E. Merritt, of Brunswick and Greensville counties, Va. who was a lawyer, member of the Virginia House of Delegates and editor of the "Richmond Whigquot;and his brothers Dr. Alexander T.B. Merritt of Hicksford, Greensville County,Va. and John F.W. Merritt of Vicksburg, Miss. The collection includes letters, 8 January and 29 March 1857, written by John Minor Botts and accounts of William H.E. Merritt Brother with Cuddy, Brown Co., cotton brokers in New Orleans, La. Subjects covered by the collection include horses, the practice of law, Reconstruction, and slavery.

Business, military and legal papers, chiefly 1774-1822, of Richard Billups of Mathews and Gloucester Counties, Virginia. Papers include accounts, land records, and correspondence and some concern shipbuilding. Includes minutes, 1842, of a temperance meeting and Methodist church records.

Dates, 1970-1990, professional and research papers of Shelton H. Short III, a William Osborne Good Scholar-in-residence at the Marshall-Wythe School of Law, 1987-88. Professional papers consist of correspondence, articles, and other papers that concern the Marshall-Wythe School of Law and the Institute of Early American History & Culture. Bulk of the collection consists of Short's research papers on his ancestor William Osborne Goode (1798-1859), a prominent 19th century Virginia politician and alumni of the College of William & Mary. Research papers include correspondence, photocopies of primary source materials, newspapers clippings, speeches, photographs, and other papers.

Papers of the Southall family of Williamsburg, Va. including correspondence, 1828-1830, of Peyton Alexander Southall but mostly comprised of the legal correspondence, 1831-1851, of George Washington Southall and documents concerning lawsuits and civil proceedings in many Virginia counties and including account books, 1832-1846, of George Washington Southall. Prominent correspondents include Lemuel Jackson Bowden, Richard Coke, John Augustine Deneufville, Thomas Roderick Dew, George Frederick Holmes, James Alexander Seddon, Abel Parker Upshur and Henry Alexander Wise.