Special Collections Research Center
Charles Washington Coleman, Sr. Papers
Coleman, Charles Washington, 1826-1894
MS 00011
/repositories/2/resources/471
1.17 Linear Feet
1807-1908
English
Administrative History:
Charles Washington Coleman, Sr., Williamsburg physician and long-time member of Bruton Parish Church, was born to Thomas and Frances C. Coleman in 1826. He married Cynthia Beverley Tucker Washington in 1861 and served in the 3rd Regiment, Virginia Cavalry during the Civil War. Together, he and Cynthia had six children, though only 4 survived into adulthood: Charles, Jr., George, Elizabeth, and Beverley. Coleman died in 1894 and is buried alongside his wife in the Bruton Parish Churchyard.
Acquisition Information:
The Charles Washington Coleman, Sr. papers were donated over a period of time by his daughter-in-law, Mary Haldane Begg Coleman, granddaughter, Janet Kimbrough, and great-granddaughter, Cynthia Barlowe.
Processing Information:
Processed by Kimberly Sims, University Archivist, June 2015.
Conditions Governing Access:
Collection is open to all researchers. Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Manuscripts and Rare Books Librarian, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
Related Materials:
Tucker-Coleman Papers (Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library)
Cynthia Beverley Tucker Washington Coleman Papers (Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library)
Charles Washington Coleman, Jr. Papers (Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library)
Phi Beta Kappa Records of John Lesslie Hall and Charles Washington Coleman (Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library)
Scope and Contents
The collection is arranged into three series and includes correspondence, receipts, insurance documents, and photographs. Series 1 contains correspondence, which is arranged alphabetically by the surname of the sender. Series 2 contains financial papers and largely includes bills and receipts for the estate of Coleman's father, Thomas. Series 3 contains general subject/miscellaneous files and covers topics such as the Shelton-Laurel Massacre, Coleman's friend Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, and papers related to the Confederacy. Some items of note include a letter written to Coleman by a colleague which describes a severe case of frostbite suffered by a Coleman family slave named Ben, as well as a letter written to Coleman by another family slave named Ann, and other items related to slavery. The collection also includes a list of wounded Confederate soldiers left at the Baptist Church Hospital after the Battle of Williamsburg.
Shelton Laurel Valley (N.C.)--Massacre, 1863
Williamsburg (Va.)--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
Slavery--United States--History--19th century
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
Coleman family
Correspondenceid284239/repositories/2/archival_objects/42185Joseph Bryanid284245/repositories/2/archival_objects/421941880 Oct. 26, Nov. 511Scope and ContentsIncludes a letter to Coleman's wife, Cynthia (mentions scarlet fever)
Frances Catherine Coleman (mother)id284247/repositories/2/archival_objects/421951850, 1854, 1862, undated12Scope and ContentsSeveral of the letters include requests for money and describe the physical health of Coleman's sister, Helen, and the family's time spent at White Sulphur Springs, W. Va.
Cynthia Beverley Tucker Coleman (wife)id284253/repositories/2/archival_objects/421961864, 1867, 186813Scope and ContentsTopics discussed include the health of their children (Charles, Jr. ("Charley")and Elizabeth ("Lizzie") including illnesses and treatments, Cynthia's own health, Cynthia's school, and Tucker House.
Helen Coleman Leigh (sister)id284255/repositories/2/archival_objects/42197circa 1860s, 1887, undated14Scope and ContentsIncludes photograph of Helen [circa 1860s?], also known as "Aunt Zen."
B. St. George Peachyid284257/repositories/2/archival_objects/421981851, 1857, undated15Tazewell Taylor (Bursar at the College of William & Mary)id284259/repositories/2/archival_objects/421991856 July 2116Patrick Montagu Thompsonid284261/repositories/2/archival_objects/422009 June [?]17Preston Trotterid284263/repositories/2/archival_objects/422011852-185718Scope and Contents1855 August letter includes attachments regarding finances/accounting information
Beverley St. George Tuckerid284265/repositories/2/archival_objects/422021871, 1872, 1876, 189619Ann Washington (enslaved woman)id284267/repositories/2/archival_objects/422031862 Sept. 8110Letters Written by Various Individualsid284271/repositories/2/archival_objects/422041852-1888 (incomplete)111Scope and ContentsArranged alphabetically by surname, includes invitation to attend a meeting of the "Aryan Society of America for the Advancement of Literature, Art, Romance and Chivalry of the South," and an 1855 Aetna property insurance policy for Samuel Bright.
Letters Written by William Coleman (Bursar of the College of William and Mary) mainly to John Amblerid284273/repositories/2/archival_objects/422051807, 1809-1810, 1814, 1816-1817112Letters Written by and Sent to Various Individuals (not Charles W. Coleman)id284275/repositories/2/archival_objects/422061826, 1846, 1862, 1903113Scope and Contents1862 December letter mentions Thomas S. B. Tucker being wounded
Financial Papersid284277/repositories/2/archival_objects/42186Bills and Receipts, Charles W. Colemanid284301/repositories/2/archival_objects/422071839, 1844-1846, 1849114Bills and Receipts, Charles W. Colemanid284305/repositories/2/archival_objects/422081850-1852115Bills and Receipts, Charles W. Colemanid284309/repositories/2/archival_objects/422091855-1859116Bills and Receipts, Charles W. Colemanid284313/repositories/2/archival_objects/422101860-1877 (incomplete)117Bills and Receipts, Charles W. Colemanid284315/repositories/2/archival_objects/422111880-1896 (incomplete)118Bills and Receipts, Thomas Coleman Estateid284317/repositories/2/archival_objects/422121821-1834119Bills and Receipts, Thomas Coleman Estate and Coleman Familyid284319/repositories/2/archival_objects/422131835-1836120Bills and Receipts, Thomas Coleman Estate and Coleman Familyid284323/repositories/2/archival_objects/422141837121Bills and Receipts, Thomas Coleman Estate and Coleman Familyid284325/repositories/2/archival_objects/422151838122Bills and Receipts, Thomas Coleman Estate and Coleman Familyid284327/repositories/2/archival_objects/422161839123Bills and Receipts, Thomas Coleman Estate and Coleman Familyid284331/repositories/2/archival_objects/422171840124Bills and Receipts, Thomas Coleman Estate and Coleman Familyid284333/repositories/2/archival_objects/422181841-1842125Bills and Receipts, Thomas Coleman Estate and Coleman Familyid284341/repositories/2/archival_objects/422191843-184521Bills and Receipts, Thomas Coleman Estate and Coleman Familyid284343/repositories/2/archival_objects/422201846-184722Bills and Receipts, Thomas Coleman Estate and Coleman Familyid284345/repositories/2/archival_objects/422211848-184923Bills and Receipts, Thomas Coleman Estate and Coleman Familyid284347/repositories/2/archival_objects/422221850-185224Bills and Receipts, Thomas Coleman Estate and Coleman Familyid284349/repositories/2/archival_objects/422231853-185525Bills and Receipts, Thomas Coleman Estate and Coleman Familyid284351/repositories/2/archival_objects/422241856-185726Bills and Receipts, Thomas Coleman Estate and Coleman Familyid284353/repositories/2/archival_objects/422251858-185927Bills and Receipts, Thomas Coleman Estate and Coleman Familyid284355/repositories/2/archival_objects/422261860, 1871, undated28Receipts and Other Papers of Charles Coleman, Serving as Trustee for Lucy A. Tucker, Cynthia Beverley Tucker Coleman, and Othersid284359/repositories/2/archival_objects/422271867-1888 (incomplete), undated29Insurance Receipts and Documentationid284361/repositories/2/archival_objects/422281879, 1883, 1886, 1889210Receipts of Thomas Taylor from the Quartermaster's Dept.id284363/repositories/2/archival_objects/422291864211Confederate Bond for $100id284365/repositories/2/archival_objects/422301863 Apr.212Insurance Policyid284367/repositories/2/archival_objects/421911879Manuscripts Oversize Box 11General/Miscellaneousid284371/repositories/2/archival_objects/42187Deed among Frances C. Coleman, Robert McCandlish, and John Jones to Settle Coleman's Debt to McCandlish, Lease between Charles and Cynthia Coleman and John A. and David B. Dennis id284375/repositories/2/archival_objects/422321843 Jan. 1, 1871 Jan. 12213Scope and Contents1843 Deed lays out payment of debt by transferring ownership of 24 named slaves and interest in the estate of Thomas Coleman
List of Slavesid284377/repositories/2/archival_objects/42233circa 1850s214Scope and ContentsList includes names of individuals the slaves were hired out to or the location, i.e. "asylum"
Note to Charles Coleman from A. Emmerson regarding Captain Baylor Hill Estate, Court of Claims Petition regarding Captain Baylor Hill (Petitioner Frances C. Coleman)id284379/repositories/2/archival_objects/422341854, 1857215List of Wounded Confederate Soldiers Left in the Baptist Church Hospital at Williamsburg after the Battleid284381/repositories/2/archival_objects/422351862 May 5216Testimonies regarding the Shelton-Laurel Massacreid284383/repositories/2/archival_objects/422361863 Mar.217Notes on a Surgical Procedure, Medical Conditionsid284385/repositories/2/archival_objects/42237pre-1865218Scope and ContentsThese may or may not be in Coleman's handwriting
Poem "The Ninth of April 1865," William Barnesid284387/repositories/2/archival_objects/422381887 Aug. 27219Invitations, Calling Cards, Marriage Announcements, Coleman's Business Cardid284389/repositories/2/archival_objects/422391870s, 1880s220Lecture "The Picturesque and Traditional in the Story of a Colonial City, " Charles W. Coleman, Sr.id284391/repositories/2/archival_objects/42240circa 1888221Scope and ContentsDelivered in 1888, 1891, 1893
"'Alma Mater,' A Poem Delivered at the Bi-Centennial Celebration of the Foundation of 'Their Majestys' Royal Colledge of William and Mary,'" by Charles Colemanid297298/repositories/2/archival_objects/422411893 June 21222Rear Admiral Robley D. Evansid284393/repositories/2/archival_objects/422421907-1908223Scope and ContentsIncludes photograph
Miscellaneousid284395/repositories/2/archival_objects/422431831-1882 (incomplete), undated224Scope and ContentsWriting exercise, undated; basic genealogy compiled by Helen Coleman, undated; prescription, undated; handwritten document "Democratic Mutiny Williamsburg," 1856; Examining Physician's Certificate for Robert Armistead, 1882 Sept. 28; signatures of subscribers who agree to keep guard during the night (in Williamsburg), 1831 Sept. 17; handwritten note appointing P. M. Thompson as attorney to collect from the Confederate government "all negro hire now due [Coleman]," 1864; note showing where the Federal Army lent Coleman two mules and a wagon, 1865 May 30; clipping, undated; Confederate-issued receipts for supplies/provisions, 1861
Empty Envelopes with Confederate States of America Postage Stamps id284397/repositories/2/archival_objects/42244225Scope and Contents8 items
Empty Envelopesid284399/repositories/2/archival_objects/42245226Photograph of Rear Admiral Robley D. Evansid284403/repositories/2/archival_objects/42193early 20th centuryManuscripts Oversize Box 11