Manuscripts Department
Library of the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
SOUTHERN HISTORICAL COLLECTION
#1412
CHARLES WILLIAM DABNEY PAPERS
Inventory
Abstract: Charles William Dabney was a scientist, educator,
and author. Also represented in the collection are
four generations of his ancestors, including William
Dabney (ca. 1707-1772?); Charles Dabney (1745-1829);
Charles William Dabney (1786-1833); Charles William
Dabney (1809-1895); Robert Lewis Dabney (1820-1898);
Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney (1823-1905); and James
Morrison (fl. 1817-1865).
Papers from 1716 to about 1833 consist of business
and personal correspondence and other papers of
William Dabney, Charles Dabney, and Charles William
Dabney (1786-1833), and their relatives, chiefly in
Hanover, King William, and Louisa counties, Va. These
items concern tobacco planting and shipping and the
purchase of merchandise, and post-Revolutionary War
land acquisitions in Kentucky; plantation management;
current events; and family activities. Papers of
Robert Lewis Dabney, clergyman, teacher, Confederate
staff officer and chaplain, concern Presbyterian
Church matters, Hampden-Sidney College, Union
Theological Seminary of Virginia, the Civil War, a
biography of Stonewall Jackson, and Dabney and
Morrison family news from Virginia, Tennessee, and
Texas. Other Civil War material includes original and
photocopied correspondence from Robert E. Lee, and
reports and casualty lists of the Battle of Kernstown,
1862. There are also several letters from clergyman
Benjamin Mosby Smith (1811-1893). Correspondence of
Charles William Dabney (1855-1945) concerns projects
of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; the development
of mineral resources; the advancement of scientific,
technical, agricultural, and general education; his
education in Virginia and Germany; scientific work in
state agencies in North Carolina, 1880-1887; his
presidency of the University of Tennessee, 1887-1904,
and of the University of Cincinnati, 1904-1920;
conflict with German-Americans in Cincinnati; family
matters as reflected in correspondence with his wife
and other family members, 1877-1925; and the writing
of his memoirs and works on educational history.
Dabney's materials also include writings, addresses,
scrapbook materials, and pictures. Volumes in the
collection include ten 18th-century Virginia histories
by William McPheeters, 1842, and John Blair Dabney,
1850. 1992.
On-line Catalog Terms:
Cincinatti (Ohio)--Social conditions--20th century.
Dabney family.
Dabney, Charles, 1745-1829.
Dabney, Charles William, 1786-1833.
Dabney, Charles William, 1809-1895.
Dabney, Charles William, 1855-1945.
Dabney, William, ca. 1707-1772?
Hampden-Sydney College
Hanover County (Va.)--Social life and customs.
Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863.
Kernstown, Battle of, 1862.
King William County (Va.)--Social life and customs.
Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870.
Louisa County (Va.)--Social life and customs--19th century.
Morrison family.
Morrison, James, fl. 1817-1865.
Plantation owners--Virginia.
Presbyterian Church in the U.S.--Clergy.
Slavery--Virginia.
Smith, Benjamin Mosby, 1811-1893.
Union Theological Seminary in Virginia.
University of Cincinnati.
University of Tennessee.
United States. Department of Agriculture--Officials and
employees--History--19th century.
Size: About 15,000 items (17.0 linear feet).
Provenance: Received from Charles William Dabney (1855-1945).
Materials grouped in Series 3 were transferred
from the Southern Education Papers in 1955.
Papers from the Southern Education Board Records
Collection (#680) were transferred in November
1992 (Acc. 92164).
Access: No restrictions.
Processing Note: Subseries 5.4 (Scrapbook Materials) not fully
processed.
Items separated include: oversize papers (OP-1412/1-3)
and photographs (P-1412/1-181).
Related Collections: Southern Education Board Papers (#680);
Dabney Family Papers (Va. Historical
Soc.).
Copyright: Retained by the authors of items in these papers, or
their descendants, as stipulated by United States
copyright law.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Biographical Note
Collection Overview
Series Descriptions
Series 1. Correspondence and Business Papers
Series 2. Additional Family Letters
Series 3. Stonewall Jackson Research Papers
Series 4. Charles William Dabney Memoirs
Series 5. Other Loose Papers
Series 6. Volumes
Series 7. Pictures
Additions after 1991
INTRODUCTION
Biographical Note
Charles William Dabney (1855-1945)
1855 Born, son of Robert Lewis Dabney and Lavinia
(Morrison) Dabney.
1873 B.A. from Hampden-Sydney College at Farmville, Va.
1874-1877 Attended the University of Virginia at
Charlottesville.
1877-1878 Taught chemistry at Emory and Henry College, Emory,
Va.
1877-1878 Earned Ph.D. at Berlin and Gottingen, Germany.
1880-1887 Director of North Carolina Agricultural Experiment
Station and state chemist of North Carolina.
1880-1881 Taught chemistry at the University of North Carolina.
1881 Married Mary Brent of Paris, Kentucky.
1883-1884 In charge of government and state exhibits at New
Orleans exposition.
1887-1904 President of the University of Tennessee.
1887-1890 Director of Tennessee Experiment Station.
1893-1896 Assistant Secretary, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.
1897 Special agent, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.
1902-1904 Head of "Summer School of the South," at Knoxville,
Tenn.
1904-1920 President of the University of Cincinnati.
1920-1945 Retired educator and scientist, active writer.
Universal Education in the South (Chapel Hill:
The University of North Carolina Press, c1936).
Other family members
Robert Lewis Dabney (1820-1898), Presbyterian clergyman and
teacher, associated with Hampden-Sydney College and with the
Union Seminary of Virginia at Farmville, Va., 1836-1837, 1844,
and 1853-1883. He married Lavinia Morrison (1828-1908) in 1855,
and together they had several children. During the Civil War he
served with the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, first as a
chaplain with the 18th Virginia Infantry Regiment in 1861, then
as an officer on the staff of Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson
in 1862. After the Jackson's death in 1863, Dabney wrote a
biography of the general entitled Life and Campains of Lt. Gen.
T.J. Jackson ("Stonewall Jackson") (1866), and other works as
well. A biographical essay on Robert Lewis Dabney can be found in
the Dictionary of American Biography. He was the son of Charles
William Dabney (1786-1833) and Elizabeth (Price) Dabney, and the
brother of Charles William Dabney (1809-1895), who served during
the Civil War, in 1861 and 1862, as the captain of Company C,
15th Virginia Infantry Regiment.
Charles William Dabney (1786-1833) was the son of Samuel
Dabney and Jane (Meriwether) Dabney. Samuel Dabney was the son of
William Dabney (born before 1708, died ca. 1773) and Ann (Barret)
Dabney.
Anne (Barret) Dabney was the daughter of Charles Barret and
Mary (Chiswell) Barret. William Dabney was the son of George
Dabney, and the grandson of Cornelius Dabney who probably came to
New Kent County, Va., about 1649.
Charles Dabney (1745-1829), a son of William Dabney (see
previous paragraph), served as an officer during the American
Revolution in the 2nd Virginia State Regiment.
Related Morrison family members mentioned in these papers
include clergyman James Morrison (fl.1817-1865), father of
Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney and Henry Rutherford Morrison (who
served during the Civil War in the 31st Va. Militia until his
death in 1864); Mary Anna (Morrison) Jackson (1831-1915), born
near Charlotte, N.C., who married Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall"
Jackson in 1857; and Mary Moore (Morrison) Smith, who married
clergyman Benjamin Mosby Smith (1811-1893) in 1839.
Collection Overview
These papers document the life and work of Charles William
Dabney (1855-1945) and provide considerable documentation for
four generations of Dabney ancestors. There are letters,
business papers, account books, and related papers for several
Dabneys, especially William Dabney (ca.1708-1773?); Charles
Dabney (1745-1829); Charles William Dabney (1786-1833); Charles
William Dabney (1809-1895); Robert Lewis Dabney (1920-1898);
Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney (1823-1905); James Morrison
(fl.1817-1865); and Mary Chilton (Brent) Dabney (1861-1925).
The papers of Robert Lewis Dabney concern Presbyterian church
matters (including correspondence with fellow clergyman Benjamin
Mosby Smith); Hampden-Sydney College and the Union Theological
Seminary near Farmville, Va.; Civil War service with the staff of
Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson; Dabney's materials and
drafts of his Life and Campaigns of Lt. Gen'l T.J. Jackson
('Stonewall Jackson'); travel; and family affairs.
Papers of Robert Lewis Dabney's son, Charles William Dabney
(1855-1945), include extensive correspondence concerned with work
of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, the advancement of scientific,
technical, agricultural and general education, his education in
Virginia and Germany, and his presidencies of the University of
Tennessee (1877-1904) and the University of Cincinnati
(1904-1920); personal correspondence with family members; drafts
of memoirs and addresses; genealogical information; and pictures.
The collection is arranged as follows:
Series 1. Correspondence and Business Papers, 1715-1945 and
undated.
Subseries 1.1. 1716-1833.
Subseries 1.2. 1834-1860.
Subseries 1.3. 1861-1865.
Subseries 1.4. 1866-1902.
Subseries 1.5. 1903-1945.
Subseries 1.6. Undated (ca.1866-1945).
Series 2. Additional Family Letters, 1872-1945 and undated.
Subseries 2.1. 1872-1945.
Subseries 2.2. Undated (ca. 1872-1945).
Series 3. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson Research Materials.
Subseries 3.1. Source material, 1819-1865.
Subseries 3.2. Manuscript of Robert Lewis Dabney, Life and
Campaigns of Lt. Genl. T.J. Jackson
('Stonewall Jackson'), 1866.
Subseries 3.3. Miscellaneous writings and other items.
Series 4. Memoirs of Charles William Dabney (drafts).
Series 5. Other Loose Papers.
Subseries 5.1. Genealogical data and family
biographical sketches.
Subseries 5.2. Miscellaneous writings and addresses by
Charles W. Dabney (1855-1945).
Subseries 5.3. Miscellaneous writings and addresses
not by Charles W. Dabney.
Subseries 5.4. Miscellaneous publications and scrapbook
materials.
Series 6. Volumes.
Subseries 6.1. Vol. 1-20 1744-1801.
Subseries 6.2. Vol. 21-24 1817-1850.
Subseries 6.3. Vol. 25-33 1878-1940 and undated (post-1865)
Series 7. Pictures.
Most of this material was received in 1947 and 1948. Series 2
was restricted until 1969 at the request of Dabney family
members; it is primarily private family correspondence between
Charles William Dabney (1855-1945), Mary Chilton (Brent) Dabney,
and their children. Thomas J. Jackson material and R.L. Dabney
material transferred in 1955 from the Southern Education Board
Papers (Collection #680) constitutes Series 3. Some of the other
Confederate materials in the collection probably were added to
his father's papers by Charles William Dabney (1855-1945) in the
twentieth century.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1. Correspondence and Business Papers
Subseries 1.1. 1716-1833
The earliest papers are deeds and wills of members of the
Dabney family. Papers of William Dabney of Hanover County, Va.
begin with 1745; they begin to overlap in the 1760s with the
papers of his son Charles. The papers for the rest of the
eighteenth century are those of Charles Dabney of Hanover, his
brothers George, Robert, and Samuel, and his sister Susanna, of
Hanover and Louisa counties.
There is a deed of release, dated 11 October 1716, granted to
George Dabney at King William County, from George Alves at New
Kent County, with bond (fragment and photostat of missing part).
There is George Dabney's patent to 400 acres in Hanover County,
dated 9 July 1724. There is George Dabney's will, dated 24
October 1729, naming sons, daughters, grandchildren (William,
Susannah, Sarah, Judith, and George Dabney, Mary Pettus and Mrs.
Anderson) and property. There is a memorandum, dated 3 December
1741, of the will of Mary Barret (grandmother of George and
William Dabney?). There is a letter dated 26 April 1743 from a
London shipper to Esther Chiswell at Robert Barrett's, York
River, Va., discussing mostly business matters.
Papers for the years 1746 to 1750 are chiefly those related to
William Dabney at Hanover County, Va., as executor of the estates
of Mrs. Esther Chiswell, George Dabney, and Major Morris. There
are numerous accounts and receipts. There are also receipts from
George Anderson, grandson of George Dabney, and various scattered
bills and memoranda. There are receipts for slaves dated 13
January and 27 November 1746. There is a letter dated 2 July
1749 from William Dabney to Esther Chiswell (location not given)
about shipping her tobacco and sowing oats.
Items from the 1750s include miscellaneous business papers of
William Dabney, including correspondence with Morgan, Thomas, &
Co. of Bristol about tobacco and merchandise accounts. There
are also various papers of William Dabney concerning the affairs
of Esther Chiswell and Edward Ambler. There is additional
correspondence with other Bristol shippers and also James Gildart
of Liverpool, including itemized lists of general merchandise
sent out to William Dabney and tobacco received from him. There
are miscellaneous items involving Stephen Pettus; Peter Randolph;
an unnamed blacksmith; William Dudley; Robert Jennings; John
Wright; Charles Crenshaw; Peter Mason; William Winston, Jr.; John
Price; estates of William Morris and Henry Robinson; and others,
referring mainly to business matters. There is a document, dated
6 March 1755, assigning William Dudley to be keeper of the
Hanover County, Va., gaol under sheriff William Dabney. There is
a list, dated 12 February 1755, of slaves and supplies "sent to
Indian Creek" plantation. There is a letter, dated 16 April
1756, from William Winston, Jr., about paying a note [more about
this affair in items dated April 1765]. In a letter dated 28
November 1756, to William Dabney, Edward Ambler wrote mostly
about hogs, tobacco, and other matters of business. In a letter
dated 5 March 1759, Dudley Digges, Jr., at York County, Va.,
wrote to William Dabney about hogs, horses, and tobacco, and
about supplies needed. In a letter dated 28 May 1759, Edward
Ambler wrote to William Dabney about a shipment of salt for his
plantation being imported by Ambler which he wanted Dabney to
store for him.
Items from the 1760s consist mostly of business papers of
William Dabney involving English firms, Virginia customers, and
ships and their captains. There are numerous accounts, invoices,
letters, bonds, notes, receipts, and memoranda.
There is an invoice, dated 31 March 1760, of a shipment from
London consigned to Edward Ambler. In a letter dated 29 May
1760, Edward Ambler wrote to William Dabney mostly about
plantation matters -- the Mill Dam; summer work; Ambler's account
with Dabney; ruined tobacco; the purchase of a slave from a
guinea ship on the James River. In a letter dated 14 October
1760, Patrick Henry, Jr., wrote to William Dabney about
transferring a note to Richard Ambler. Samuel Gildart at
Liverpool wrote in a letter, dated 20 March 1761, to William
Dabney about his shipping accounts and the dull tobacco market
caused by Virginia vessels bound for London being diverted to
France. There is a 1762 account of William Dabney with Johnson &
Boswell, a detailed bill for merchandise showing amounts and
prices. There is a letter dated 18 February 1762 from Edward
Ambler to William Dabney discussing various business matters such
as a land sale, an estate settlement, supplies, and tobacco.
There is a bond, dated 20 February 1762, of William Dickenson to
William Dabney and others, to build a bridge over Taylors Creek
for use of Hanover County residents. There are itemized accounts
of William Dabney, 1763-1765, and correspondence with his English
suppliers and Virginia customers. There are also a number of
miscellaneous memoranda.
There are letters to William Dabney, dated 1765 to 1767, from
Richard Ambler, James Buchanon & Co. of London, Edward Ambler
(York and James Town, Va.), and accounts, dealing mostly with
business and merchandise. There are invoices of shipments of
general merchandise from Farell & Jones of Bristol and James
Gildart of Liverpool. There is an agreement of sale, dated 22
March 1766, of 800 acres in Louisa County, Va., by William
Phillips to Edward Ambler of York County, through William Dabney
of Hanover County.
In a letter dated 11 November 1766, Dudley Digges, Jr., at
Williamsburg, Va., wrote to William Dabney about an unpaid debt
to Dabney, offering young slaves in settlement. In letters dated
20 January and 3 October 1767, Robert Carter Nicholas (1728-1780)
at Williamsburg, Va., treasurer of the Virginia Colony, wrote to
William Dabney, enclosing Dabney's account and informing him of
his duty to prosecute collectors for all arrears. Edward Ambler,
possibly to Charles Dabney, wrote about the melancholy prospects
for his plantations, his overseer troubles, and related matters
(14 July and 7 December 1767). There is a list of slaves
(ca.1768) born 1765-1768 on Edward Ambler's estate at plantations
in Hanover County "since I took possession."
There are numerous papers of William Dabney and also of his
son Charles, who apparently assumed increasing responsibility for
his father's affairs: these include accounts, deeds, and
receipts, but mainly letters and papers relating to the
plantation affairs of Edward Ambler at James Town. There is a
letter, dated 15 December 1768, from Ambler's widow, Mary, about
her late husband's business. There are some items relating to
William and Charles Dabney and their business transactions with
George Bartlett and John Boswell. There are two letters, January
and February 1769 from William Nelson at Yorktown, Va., to
William Dabney about plantation matters being handled by Dabney
and his son Charles.
In a letter dated 22 March 1769, Robert Carter Nicholas at
Williamsburg, Va., requested William Dabney to appraise and
inventory the Edward Ambler estate in Hanover and Louisa
counties. There is a letter, dated 1 April 1769, from John
Blair, Jr., and Mary Ambler to Charles Dabney at Taylor's Creek
about the Ambler estate business in Dabney's hands, and
especially about a report from a slave of the cruelty of the
present owner; there is also the draft of Dabney's reply in
defense of the overseer. There are letters from April 1769 to
William Dabney from George Dabney and Jane Dabney, mostly about
health, weather, personal news, and business matters. There are
also more miscellaneous accounts and receipts and memoranda on
cash and crops. In a letter dated 20 December 1769, Mary Ambler
at James Town wrote to Charles Dabney about the business of
transferring her hogs, beef, mutton, and slaves from Hanover to
James Town.
Items from 1770 to 1775 include various business papers of
Charles Dabney relating to plantation affairs, the Ambler estate,
and the William Dabney estate; correspondence and accounts with
British shippers; and miscellaneous accounts, receipts, and other
scattered business papers.
In a letter dated 3 March 1770, William Morris wrote to
Charles Dabney about the enclosed will of Esther Chiswell, by
which Morris thought he had a claim to William Dabney's estate.
There are other papers relating to the estate of William Dabney
including items of his widow Ann (Barret) Dabney, James Dabney,
Joseph Dabney, and others, including accounts, receipts, and
other business papers. In a letter dated 4 February 1771, Mary
Ambler wrote to Charles Dabney about sending the year's supply of
baby clothes for slaves, and discussing other plantation matters.
There are also letters from Thomas and Rowland Hunt of London and
from Robert Carter Nicholas at Williamsburg, discussing mostly
business matters. There is a certificate dated 17 June 1772,
concerning the reward allowed for returning a runaway slave from
the Ambler estate. There is an agreement, dated 21 August 1772,
between Charles Dabney and Ancel Clarkson, that Clarkson would be
overseer on a tobacco plantation of the Ambler estate on shares;
there is another agreement, also dated 21 August 1772, with
Charles Nicholls to be overseer on a different plantation. There
are letters, dated 2 November and 27 December 1772, from Mrs.
Ambler at Williamsburg to Charles Dabney, mostly about supplies
for and the general welfare of her slaves. For the year 1773
there are bills, receipts, and accounts for shoes, merchandise,
blacksmith work, crops, and similar matters. There are bonds of
Charles Dabney to Donald, Scot, & Co. of Glasgow, Scotland, and
to William Nelson. In a letter dated 19 March 1773, Mary Ambler
wrote to Charles Dabney mostly about her plantation. There are
George Holland's physician's account for the years 1772 and 1773.
In a letter of 25 August 1773, John Barret wrote to Charles
Dabney, regretting he could not acquire a hammer for Dabney
because of the scarcity of iron. In a letter dated 4 September
1773, Robert Carter Nicholas at Williamsburg, Va., asked Charles
Dabney to investigate charges of cruelty which were brought
against one of his overseers, noting that "few common overseers
are to be trusted." In a letter dated 9 September 1773, George
Clough at Rocky Mill, Va., wrote to Charles Dabney that he was
taking in wheat. In a letter dated 16 September 1773, George
Dabney, Jr., discussed how he was handling recently sawed lumber.
There are account statements, dated 1773 and 1774, for the Edward
Ambler estate with John Syme at Rocky Mill. There are documents
dated 19 January 1774, relating to the division of slaves from
William Dabney's estate, agreed upon by the legitees: George,
Charles, Susanna, Robert, Samuel Dabney. There are various
additional Dabney and Ambler estate papers such as receipts and
business notes. There are business papers that were exchanged
between the Dabneys and Charles Crenshaw and Robert Anderson in
regard to the settling of the estate of William Dabney. In a
letter dated 29 June 1774, Zachariah Stanley at Philadelphia
wrote to a (Dabney?) friend; he mentioned smallpox in Yorktown,
Va., a journey, and plans for farming. In a letter dated 1
November 1774, John Barrett at Richmond, Va., wrote to Charles
Dabney mostly about merchandise and also his wife's illness. In
notes dated 17 November 1774 and 20 December 1774, Thomas Hinds
advised [the Dabneys?] about the ulcerated throat of "Ben."
There are physicians accounts, 1774-1775, including Dr. George
Holland's bill to Robert Dabney for treatment of the Ambler
slaves. There is an account statement of Samuel Dabney with
Spevis Bowman & Co., for dealing with Robert Burton.
For the years 1776 to 1783, there are military papers of
Charles Dabney in his capacity as an officer in the 2nd Virginia
State Regiment (infantry); also letters to him from his brother
George Dabney; and miscellaneous business papers.
There are papers dated 1777 and 1778 relating to the 2nd
Virginia, such as provisions and pay statements. In a latter
dated 4 March 1776, Harry Tompkins requested from Charles Dabney
a list of Dabney's men who took the oath of allegiance. There are
payroll statements of Charles Dabney's company of minute men. [A
number of these items are photoprints only, of originals which
are apparently deposited in the Virginia Historical Society
Library.] There is a contract, dated 22 February 1778, between
Charles Dabney and John Hogan, waggoner, for one year. There are
letters, dated 22 July and 24 October 1778, from George Dabney at
Hanover, Va., to Charles Dabney, lieutenant-colonel, 2nd Va.
Battalion, discussing home news, health of family members, rumors
of French aid, prospects for corn and other plantation matters.
There are additional military reports and papers from 1779, and
more letters from George Dabney at Hanover, to Charles Dabney,
mentioning affairs at home, such as mounting prices and
increasing scarcities, taxes, crops, and Ann Dabney's cancer. In
a letter dated 21 April 1779, Samuel Dabney at Cub Creek, Louisa
County, wrote to Charles Dabney mostly about family and personal
matters. In a letter dated 21 April 1779, Robert Morris wrote to
Charles Dabney, mostly about the waggoning business they were
mutually engaged in. In a letter dated 4 August 1779, George
Dabney wrote to Charles Dabney, mentioning the legislature's
attempt to regulate inflationary prices. There is the will of
Anne Dabney, dated 20 December 1779. There is a land patent
(photostat only) dated 3 March 1780, to Charles Dabney for a
tract in Nelson County, Va. Additional material includes a
blacksmith's bill and a deed. In a letter dated 22 February
1780, John Overton wrote to Charles Dabney about the organization
of the two Virginia state regiments. There is a photoprint of a
letter dated 7 July 1781, from the Marquis de Lafayette, giving
his account of recent action and directions for future action.
There is a photoprint of a memorandum of the articles of
capitulation of Charles Earl Cornwallis; also of a dinner
invitation to Charles Dabney from George Washington. There are
also photoprints of other military papers relating to supplies
and troops.
For 1782, there are photoprints of military papers of Charles
Dabney at Yorktown, Portsmouth, and Richmond, Va., chiefly
relating to quartermaster business. There are communications
with Alexander Dick, John Hudson, and others, mostly about
business. There is Charles Dabney's financial account,
1775-1783, with John Barret, settled in 1791.
Materials from the period 1783 to 1800 include correspondence
and business papers of Charles Dabney and to some extent of his
brothers George, Robert, and Samuel Dabney, his sister Susanna
Dabney, and his mother Anne Dabney. They are largely concerned
with the acquisition and surveying of Kentucky lands granted as
military bounties to Virginians serving in the Revolutionary
army; general accounts with John Barret, Fenwick & Dabney,
Puckett, Pollard, & Johnston, and Micajah Crew; numerous notes
and bonds and arrangements for exchanging them, paying them, and
renewing them; the settling of estates; and miscellaneous deeds
for lands and slaves, and bills and receipts.
There is a bond dated 22 July 1783 from Charles Dabney to John
Syme at Hanover County, Va. In a letter (photostat) dated 21
October 1783, J[---] Hudson at Richmond wrote to [---?] about a
business deal involving the disposition of ship--timber and
coals. There is a bill of sale, dated 6 December 1783, for a
slave sold by William Phillips to Charles Dabney. There is an
account dated 17 December 1783 of Charles Dabney with John Barret
& Co. at Richmond. 1784. There is a bond of George, Charles,
Robert, and Samuel Dabney to Samuel Nicholas. There are true
copies of certificates relating to certain tracts, and Charles
Dabney's military warrants. 1785. There are bonds involving
Charles and George Dabney, with Benjamin Forsythe, Wilson Miles
Carey, and George Potter. There are several letters to Charles
Dabney from his surveyors at Louisville and Danville, Ky.,
reporting on their activities in connection with surveying lands
on the Cumberland River. 1786. There are also additional
business papers, including receipts, memoranda, and general
merchandise accounts. In a letter dated 11 January 1787, [---?]
Mitchell wrote to Samuel Dabney about beef and news of a recent
destructive fire in Richmond. There is a receipt, dated 5 July
1787, of Charles Dabney, for taxes and other accounts with the
sheriff. In a letter dated 3 April 1788, Samuel Nuckols wrote to
George Dabney transferring an obligation of six pounds. There is
a copy of resolutions of U.S. Congress, dated 17 July 1788,
concerning bounties for Virginia soldiers south of the Ohio
River, which nullified claims north of that river. In a letter
dated 23 July 1788, George Dabney explained the status of and
interest on a bond to General [---?] Nelson. There are additional
business papers, mostly concerned with debts and notes.
1789. There are business papers involving George and Charles
Dabney, executors of William Dabney, a debt to Robert Nelson, a
bond to William Nelson, and signatures of John Barret & Co., and
George Dabney. There is a receipt for expenses dated 29 August
1789, W[---?] Croghan at Louisville, Ky.; there is a letter to
Charles Dabney largely concerning the validity of land entries
for tracts north of the Ohio River, including efforts to prompt
decisions from Congress and the courts. There are papers (1789?)
regarding a settlement among the Dabney family in regard to a
sale of slaves. In a note dated 16 July 1790, Charles Dabney
stated his debt of ten pounds to William Morris for a horse.
There is an agreement dated 14 April 1791, for the division of
lands of Charles and Edward Johnston, by George and Charles
Dabney. There are also additional accounts, deeds, receipts, and
bills of sale for slaves and land.
Items for the years 1792 to 1797 include business papers of
Charles and Samuel Dabney (accounts, receipts, bills), and
correspondence about legal entanglements connected with land in
Kentucky. There is an account of the estate of Benjamin
Dickenson, to Thomas Grubbs, with expenses for board, schooling,
and clothes for the Dickenson children.
There is a certificate dated 6 August 1795 stating that John
Pendleton was justice of the peace in Henrico County, Va., signed
by James Wood, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, on a document in
which Charles Dabney gave Benjamin Forsythe power of attorney.
In a letter dated 29 August 1795, John Lee of Kentucky, wrote to
Charles Dabney about arrangements and taxes for Kentucky lands.
For the year 1795, there are additional bills of sale, bonds, and
receipts for taxes. There is an account of Charles Dabney with
Fenwick & Dabney, 1793-1797, stating interest to 1808. In a
letter dated 13 January 1796, Abraham Chapline at Kentucky wrote
to Charles Dabney about military bounty lands; the obligations of
the Commonwealths of Virginia and Kentucky; and how to handle
individual tracts. In a letter dated 2 June 1796, John Lee at
Woodford County, Ky., wrote to Charles Dabney about land affairs
which Lee managed for Dabney in Kentucky. In a letter dated
16 July 1796, William Dabney at Richmond, Va., wrote to his uncle
Charles Dabney about various business matters. There are
accounts and an appraisement of the estate of Susanna Dabney with
Charles Dabney, 1796-1797. In letters dated 5 August and 15
December 1797, Charles Johnston at Richmond, Va., wrote to
Charles Dabney about investing the latter's funds on the market
and selling him a slave. In a letter dated 31 January 1798,
Edward Johnston informed Charles Dabney that he was sending 16
volumes of an encyclopedia by wagon (purchased from Archibald
Currie, agent of Thomas Dobson who published them in
Philadelphia). In a letter dated 30 July 1798, Mathew Anderson
wrote to Charles Dabney with instructions on the repair of a
dwelling, fencing and other matters of "Goldmine" plantation
property. There is a two-year lease, dated 24 August 1798, of
"Goldmine" to Zachariah Walden of Caroline, Va., drawn up by
Charles Dabney as agent for Mathew Anderson. There is an
agreement, dated 8 October 1798, of William Dabney, Jr. at
Lexington, Ky., with George Bryant about Kentucky lands given to
the former by Charles and George Dabney of Hanover, Va.
There are more accounts for 1799 of Charles Dabney with Micajah
Crew and with Puckett, Pollard, & Johnston.
There is a letter dated 20 January 1800 from John Marshall,
then in Congress, to Charles Dabney, commenting on the report of
the Secretary of War, the state of national finances, the notices
for defense expenditures and unavoidable debt, and the
infallibility of future resources of America. He argued that any
reduction in the militia must be delayed as long as the French
question was unresolved. There is a broadside, dated 26 May
1800, entitled "An Address to the Voters for Electors of
President of the United States, in the State of Virginia," with a
list of electors on the American Republican ticket. In a letter
dated 31 May 1800, William Morris, Jr. wrote to James Henry,
asking him to send on any passing wagon with whiskey for sale.
There is a document, dated June 1800, relating to the estate of
Benjamin Dickinson and Thomas Grubbs (who married Dickinson's
widow). There are also miscellaneous bills and receipts of
Charles and Samuel Dabney. There is a letter, dated 3 July 1801,
from Charles Johnston at Richmond, to Charles Dabney about stock
purchased for Dabney; there is a memorandum of Richard Morris
dated 7 July 1826, about money left in George Dabney, Sr.'s desk.
There are documents related to land, including leases, sales,
claims; a promissory note, and a bond to William Morris, Sr.
There are letters dated 3 February and 19 August 1802, from James
Dabney to Charles Dabney, describing in detail the financial
plight. There are also miscellaneous receipts to Samuel Dabney.
There are fire insurance policies dated 24 February 1802, on
plantation buildings of Charles Dabney at Hanover, Va.
In a letter dated 14 September 1803, Thomas Price at Woodland,
Va., wrote to Charles Dabney? about religion and his own
disbelief.
March 1804, items relating to the court case Henry vs. Joyce.
There is a deed dated 9 June 1804 of Samuel and wife Jane Dabney
to Charles Dabney for some Hanover County land. In a letter
dated 15 July 1804, J[---?] Moore at Lexington, Ky., wrote to
Charles Dabney about Morris' embarrassment arising from having
gone on a note from William Dabney, Jr. In a letter dated 13
October 1804, Frank Dabney at Pittsylvania Court House, Va.,
wrote to his uncle Charles Dabney, reporting on his progress in
practicing law and expressing appreciation for the latter's help.
For the year 1805, there are mostly business papers of Charles
Dabney, and some of Samuel Dabney, including a deed for land, a
receipt for bank shares, accounts for merchandise, bills, and
receipts. John Dabney at Campbell County, Va., wrote to his
uncle Charles Dabney about business and family matters. In a
document dated, 28 December 1805, Charles Dabney assigned power
of attorney to Charles Dabney, Jr., for handling stocks and
related business matters of the Bank of Virginia. There is a
memorandum concerning an evaluation of property for the Mutual
Insurance Company. For the year 1806, in addition to
miscellaneous business papers, there is a letter dated 23 March
1806 from E[---?] Winston to Charles Dabney in regard to Patrick
Henry manuscripts sent to Dabney for the use of Mr. [---?] Wirt
-- hoping that some parts would remain unpublished. In a letter
dated 14 March 1807, Jane Dabney wrote to Elizabeth Price at
Woodland, Va., about the activities of young people. In an
affidavit dated 24 July 1807, Samuel Richardson denied the
unpatriotic pro-British sentiment which rumor said Charles Dabney
made to Richardson, and which Richardson had allegedly repeated
to Charles Goodall. In a letter dated 8 August 1807, Charles
Johnston at Richmond explained to Charles Dabney the present
refunding of government bonds. An 1807(?) statement refuted the
rumor that Charles Dabney had neglected his sick soldiers. There
are items relating to Charles Dabney's withdrawal from the Mutual
Assurance Society, both for buildings of the State of Virginia
and for those in his own name. There are letters, dated 1809,
from Charles Dabney, Jr., at Richmond, to his uncle Charles
Dabney about business he attended to there for the latter; he
advised against investing in the James River Company, except for
a return in the remote future. In a letter dated 1 October 1809,
Richard Dabney at Louisa, Va., wrote to his uncle Charles Dabney
about plans for his school course and for eventually studying
natural science. For 1813, there is a plat of a farm on Cub
Creek, Va., and other property owned by Charles Dabney. There
are a series of bills and receipts kept by John D. Andrews in
account with Richmond merchants and other Virginians, apparently
on behalf of Charles Dabney. There is also Jane Dabney's account
with Charles Dabney, for the years 1812 to 1814. In personal
letters dated 20 and 24 February 1814, Charles Dabney, Jr., at
Salem and Abingdon, Va, wrote to Betsy Dabney, describing his
horseback trip westward through Virginia on his way to attend
business in Nashville, Tenn, and Lexington, Ky. In a letter
dated 20 April 1814, William Dabney, Jr., at Richmond, wrote to
his sister about a dress he purchased for her and other family
matters. In a letter dated 20 June 1814, Elizabeth Dabney at
Raleigh, N.C., wrote to Mrs. Elizabeth Dabney at Louisa County,
Va., describing how happy she was in Raleigh, mentioning the
Academy, students, and financial arrangements with her brothers.
There is a letter (fragment) dated 5 September 1814, from Camp
Fairfield about hardships of the soldiers, the writer's attempts
to get a substitute for himself, and his needs.
In a letter dated 22 April 1815, Frank Dabney at Danville,
Va., wrote to his mother, Jane Dabney, at Jacksonville, Louisa
County, Va., of his brother Samuel Dabney's family, Samuel's wife
Mildred Dabney dying of consumption, and his recent trip. There
is a bond, dated 6 June 1815, of William, George, and Charles
Dabney to William Morris, Sr., for 40 pounds. In a letter dated
1 July 1815, Frank Dabney at Danville to his sister Mildred M.
Dabney at Jacksonville, Va., reporting the death of Mildred
Dabney, and other family news. In a letter dated 23 August 1815,
Elizabeth T. Dabney wrote to her brother (unnamed), mentioning
members of the family and telling of her teaching situation under
a Mr. Truehart. In a letter dated 29 October 1815, Alexander
Balmain at Winchester, Va., aged 77, wrote to Charles Dabney at
Hanover, Va., requesting Dabney to take his place at a meeting of
the Society of the Cincinnati at Richmond in December, and
advising Dabney of his (Balmain's) wishes in regard to the
distribution of the Society's charitable funds. In a letter
dated 23 November 1815, Samuel Dabney wrote to his mother Jane
Dabney, telling of his plans to move his slaves to Tennessee
along with himself and family, eventually, except Martha who
would remain at school at Salem, Va. There is a document that
granted power of attorney from Charles Dabney to Frank Dabney at
Richmond, to handle certificates of debt due from the U.S.
Government, dated 1817. There is a letter dated 26 September
1817, from Frank Dabney at Richmond to Mildred Dabney, telling of
the opening of the New Eagle Hotel, and family and personal
matters.
There are three letters dated 1818 from John T. Dabney at the
University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia, to his mother Jane
Dabney at Louisa County, Va., and to his sister Miss Elizabeth
Dabney; mentioned is the death of a Dr. Wistar; the contrast
between Philadelphians and Virginians; that William Minor was
about to return to Virginia with his M.D., and other news. 23
July 1818, Robert Pollard at Richmond to Charles Dabney about
investments and banking. In a letter dated 26 November 1818,
Alexander Balmain at Winchester wrote to Charles Dabney at
Richmond about the disposition of the Society of Cincinnati's
funds, in order of preference: the Episcopal Seminary; the
University of Virginia near Charlottesville; and Washington
College at Lexington, Va. There is a deed dated 14 December
1818, for Kentucky land from Charles Dabney to his nephew Charles
Dabney, Jr. There are miscellaneous business papers including
bills and accounts of Jane Dabney.
Writing in a letter dated 3 January 1819, John T. Dabney at
Port Royal, Montgomery County, Tennessee, described to his
sister, Miss Mildred M. Dabney at Louisa County, Va., his stay
with Dr. Hopson, the people in Tennessee, their easy manners, and
other details. In a letter dated 8 January 1819, Frank Dabney at
Richmond wrote to Richard Dabney about business matters there.
There is an account statement dated 1 February 1819 between Jane
Dabney and Dabney & Price. In a letter dated 18 May 1819, Robert
[son of Robin] Dabney at Fort Claiborne, Arkansas Territory,
asked his uncle Charles Dabney to pay for the purchase of a place
in Arkansas, as his leather had not yet come into market. There
are forms for proxies for an annual meeting of the directors of
the Bank of Virginia. There is an agreement dated 3 May 1820, of
William Dabney?, Charles Dabney?, and Richard Morris, Jr., in
regard to the support of their sister Miss Catharine after the
death of William Morris, Sr. (Charles Dabney was the agent for
this arrangement). There are more accounts of Jane Dabney with
Charles Dabney, scattered deeds, and miscellaneous receipts. In
a letter dated 14 June 1820, John T. Dabney at Port Royal, Tenn.,
wrote to Charles Dabney, Jr., at Louisa County, Va., about
purchasing the latter's claim to Kentucky lands, mentioning
family news and inquiries. In a letter dated 26 December 1820,
Frank Dabney at Meriville, Ky., to Charles Dabney, described the
land and its yield -- tobacco and corn; and the fortunate
situation of brother Samuel Dabney seven miles from Clarksville.
In a letter dated 25 April 1822, Elizabeth Dabney described to a
brother plans to take trips in Virginia when the school she was
teaching at was out of session.. In a letter dated 17 July 1822,
W[---?] F. Micou at Richmond to Charles Dabney inquired about the
claim of his wife's grandfather, John Lee of Essex, to Kentucky
lands. There is a letter dated 5 September 1822, an inquiry by
Richmond Terrell concerning a land claim on the basis of his
father William Terrill's service as a lieutenant during the
American Revolution. There is a bill to Barbara W. Pettus, for
her son Samuel Pettus' board, books, and shoes for one year with
Samuel Mosby. In a letter dated 26 April 1824, John T. Dabney at
Montgomery, Tenn., wrote to his uncle Charles Dabney, Sr., giving
his complete financial history since he came to Tennessee to
practice medicine, and asking for a loan; he mentioned other
family members, including his wife, a daughter of Governor Willie
Blount (1768-1835); there are also statements from John Dabney's
brother Samuel Dabney and his relative Charles Meriwether that
they would secure the loan).
In a letter dated 28 January 1825, Charles Dabney, Jr., wrote
with advice to his son Charles William Dabney (usually addressed
as William) at school at William Nelson's. There is an agreement
of partnership of Woodruff(?) and Frank Dabney at St.
Francisville dated 10 April 1825. In a letter dated 11 July
1825, Dr. Carter Berkeley at Edgewood wrote to John D. Andrews,
agent of Charles Dabney, Sr., about the latter's recent illness,
present health, and account. In a letter dated 5 August 1825,
Dr. Charles Dabney, nephew, sent Charles Dabney, Sr., detailed
instructions for taking care of his ailments.
There is a typed copy of a letter dated 26 July 1826 from
Judge John Marshall to Charles Dabney, stating that Congress's
liberality included the Continental Line only and did not extend
to the 1st and 2nd Virginia State Regiments. In a letter dated
22 September 1826, H[---?] R[---?] Lewis and Mildred Lewis
suggested to their nephew Charles William Dabney that he should
teach in their neighborhood the next year. There is an
agreement, dated 22 September 1826, between William Richardson
and John D. Andrews for Richardson's land to be worked on shares
for 1827. (Andrews was apparently handling Charles Dabney, Sr.'s
affairs).
For the years 1827 to 1833, there are miscellaneous bills and
accounts, chiefly of Barbara Pettus and John D. Andrews, for
supplies, physician's services, drugs, and merchandise. In a
letter dated 25 August 1828, Will Broadus at Culpeper wrote to
Charles Dabney, asking advice about the status of his claim as a
state militia man in the Revolutionary War, to land bounties
granted to the Continental Line by the U.S. Government and to the
state militia by the state legislature. In a document dated 15
November 1828, Charles Dabney, Jr., and Elizabeth Dabney, at
Louisa County, Va., granted power of attorney to Charles William
Dabney in regard to their Kentucky land claims. In a letter
dated 30 September 1829, Mildred M. Lewis gave an account of her
religious experience. There is an 1830 paper relating to the
hiring of Barbara W. Pettus's slaves. There is an inventory and
appraisement, dated 7 January 1830, of Charles Dabney's personal
estate, by three commissioners, William Wingfield, Bellamy
Vaughan, and John D. Andrews, under order of the Hanover Court.
There are at least five letters from Charles Dabney at Louisa,
Va., to his son Charles William Dabney at Hanover, Va., in which
he advised the latter about plantation business and specific
practical problems such as the care of saddles, slaves, and wheat
crops. In a letter dated 20 August 1830, John D. Andrews wrote
to Charles William Dabney at Hanover, about supplying shoes and
confiding that he (Andrews) hoped to marry Dabney's cousin
Eugenia [Price?]. There is an agreement of rent, dated 16 August
1830, between Charles Barret and John M. Price.
For the years 1831 to 1833 there are occasional letters from
Charles Dabney to Charles William Dabney, mostly about personal,
family, and plantation matters. In a letter dated 6 December
1831, Mrs. M[---?] W. Morris wrote to Charles William Dabney,
mostly about business matters.
There is a letter dated 20 January 1832, from Elizabeth Dabney
to her brother, written from Washington, D.C., where she was
stranded due to snow, on her way home from Baltimore, trying to
make plans for Edmund Dabney who was very ill. There is
correspondence from February 1832 between Charles Dabney and
Charles William Dabney mostly about plantation matters; the
latter was admitted to the bar around this time. There are four
letters dated May 1832 from Charles Dabney to Betsey his wife
while he was in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington, in which
he described his journey by stage to Richmond, by ship to
Baltimore, and by ship and horse-car to Philadelphia for the
Presbyterian Assembly; he also described Philadelphia, the
business of the Assembly, and the trip home.
In a letter from 1833, Elizabeth Dabney wrote to her son,
Charles William Dabney, chiefly about home news from Louisa
County. In a letter dated 7 April 1833, Reuben Lewis wrote to
Charles William Dabney, for help in obtaining the pedigree of a
mare he recently bought. In a letter dated 27 July 1833, Charles
Dabney wrote to Charles William Dabney, mentioning a wheat
harvester and a meeting of Goochland and Louisa Railroad
stockholders. There is a notice, from September 1833, of the
death of Charles Dabney of Louisa County, Va.. There is the
will, dated 11 November 1833, of Charles Dabney. In a letter
dated 22 November 1833, Reuben Lewis wrote to Charles William
Dabney, mentioning the funeral of Charles Dabney. There are
papers, dated 26 December 1833, relating to the estate of Samuel
Dabney (Frank Dabney, executor).
Undated material prior to 1834 consists mostly of numerous
miscellaneous business receipts.
Folder 1 1716-1743
2 1746-1753
3 1754-1756
4 1757-1759
5 1760-1761
6 1762
7 1763
8 1764-1765
9 1766-1767
10 1768
11 1769
12 1770-1771
13 1772-1773
14 1774-1775
15 1776-1778
16 1779
17 1780-1781
18 1782-1783
19 1784-1785
20 1786-1788
21 1789-1791
22 1792-1794
23 1795-1796
24 1797
25 1798-1799
26 1800
27 1801-1802
28 1803-1804
29 1805
30 1806-1807
31 1808-1812
32 1813-1815
33 1816-1818
34 1819-1820
35 1821-1824
36 1825-1827
37 1828-1829
38 1830-1831
39 1832
40 1833
41-42 Undated (before 1834)
Subseries 1.2. 1834-1860
Papers for the years 1834-1842 are chiefly those of Charles
William Dabney at Montpelier, Hanover County, Va., his brother
Robert Lewis Dabney, and their mother Elizabeth Dabney at Louisa
County, Va.
In a letter dated 17 February 1834, Reubeun Lewis wrote to
Charles William Dabney, mostly about plantation matters and
miscellaneous business. In a letter dated 28 March 1834, Andrew
Stevenson (1784-1857) wrote to Charles William Dabney,
acknowledging receipt of a pension case to be looked into, and
commenting on the coming elections and politics. In a letter
dated 12 October 1834, John A. Morris wrote to Charles William
Dabney about plantation and personal affairs. In a note dated 19
October 1834, James Fontaine at Taylor's Creek, invited Charles
William Dabney to his wedding. In a letter of 18 November 1834,
Robert L. Dabney, aged 14, wrote to his older brother Charles
William Dabney about plantation and family news.
For the years 1836 to 1837, there are six letters from Charles
William Dabney to Robert Lewis Dabney at Hampden-Sydney College,
Prince Edward County, in which he discussed social life, crops,
the death of Samuel Pettus, family news, and much abstract and
theoretical advice about life, society, and philosophy. In a
letter dated 3 July 1837, Francis A. Williamson at Cincinnati,
Ohio, wrote to Charles William Dabney, lecturing on phrenology,
giving Dabney flattering opinions and asking for news of
Elizabeth Wingfield with whom he had tried to elope. In a letter
dated 13 September 1837, Mildred M. Lewis at Hardin's Tavern,
Va., wrote to her sister Miss Elizabeth Dabney at Jackson, Louisa
County, Va., chiefly about orphaned relatives who were turned
over to Col. and Mrs. Johnson of Tennessee [John Dabney's
children?]. In a letter dated 20 December 1837, Thomas Hord
wrote to Charles William Dabney about Charles Dabney's
Revolutionary War claims. In a letter dated 27 June 1838,
Lavinia Morrison at Blooming Green wrote to her sister Miss Mary
Morrison at Charleston, [West] Virginia, about new songs,
weddings, and other local events. In a letter dated 15 December
1838, from Mildred M. Lewis at Winchester, Tenn.?, to her sister,
Elizabeth T. Dabney at Louisa County, she described a trip
through Kentucky and Tennessee and provided an account of the
Meriwethers, Dabneys, and other relatives in that area.
For the years 1840 to 1842, there are 16 letters from Charles
William Dabney at Louisa, Va., to Robert Lewis Dabney at the
University of Virginia at Charlottesville, discussing plantation
affairs, miscellaneous topics of current interest and
philosophical matters. There are two items relating to cousin
J[---?] Fontaine's personal bond to Charles William Dabney. In a
letter dated 10 July 1841, William B. Dabney at Richmond wrote to
Charles William Dabney at Goochland, Va., about a law suit in
connection with the Wharton estate. There is correspondence
between Charles William Dabney, his cousin Harriet Richardson at
Richmond, Va., and at Montrose, and cousin William L. King in the
North, concerning the complicated legal and financial affairs of
Harriet Richardson. Charles William Dabney apparently handled
Harriet Richardson's business affairs for her and her family.
There are 1843 letters to Robert Lewis Dabney at Thompson's Cross
Roads, Louisa County, Va., from Charles William Dabney and from
Mildred Lewis at Hardin's Tavern, Va., with local news and
descriptions of daily life. There are letters from William L.
King to Charles William Dabney about law suits centering around
the property of Harriet Richardson, and from Benjamin Watkins
legatees, and E[---?] F. Wickham, about business matters. There
are also letters to Francis Dabney, mostly about ...
There are 1844 letters from Mildred M. Lewis at Valley Point,
Va., to her sister Elizabeth T. Dabney at Thompson Cross Roads
and to Robert L. Dabney about family and household news, visits,
small trips, and illnesses. There are additional business items
relating to the Benjamin Watkins estate and to Harriet
Richardson's affairs. There are letters from Mildred Dabney,
living with Mildred Lewis, to other members of the family, mostly
about personal and family matters. There are also letters
written by George Woodson Payne and Anne E. (Dabney) Payne about
home and farm matters (Anne was a sister of Robert Lewis Dabney
and Charles William Dabney). There are scattered items relating
to Charles William Dabney's law practice. In a letter dated 1
December 1844, Charles William Dabney wrote to Robert Lewis
Dabney at the Union Theological Seminary near Prince Edward Court
House, Va., about personal matters.
There are, for the years 1845 to 1847, chiefly letters to
Robert Lewis Dabney (at Seminary 1845-1846; at Thompsons Cross
Roads, November 1846; at Barter Brook in Augusta County, Va.,
June 1847) from Charles William Dabney and from Mildred M. Lewis.
Charles William Dabney's letters to his younger brother were a
steady series through the years. They touch at every conceivable
topic; besides being discursive they are verbose. There was also
correspondence among various members of the family: Charles
William Dabney at Montpelier, Va., Anne E. Payne, Mrs. Elizabeth
Dabney, and George Woodson Payne at Thompsons Cross Roads, with
mention of family news, neighborhood activity, crops and other
farm matters, the death of Mildred Dabney in 1845, and
miscellaneous family troubles. There are business letters to
Charles William Dabney from: V W. Southall at
Charlottesville, Va., 5 October 1845; James A. Seddon at
Washington, D.C., 27 January and 26 March 1846, about the claim
of a constituent and also discussing national policy in regard to
Oregon, etc.; William Seldon and Richard Randolph at Washington,
D.C., February and March 1847, about the claim of Charles
Dabney's heirs. Randolph explained that these could be
accomplished only by bribery and indirect methods; he discussed
politics, the administration, the spoils system, and his own fees
in cases.
In letters dated 27 April and 7 June 1847, Benjamin M. Smith
at Staunton, Va., wrote to Robert Lewis Dabney, in regard to
Dabney's being installed and ordained at Tinkling Springs Church
and giving the text for Dabney's trial sermon. Robert Lewis
Dabney at Augusta County, Va., in a letter to his sister
Elizabeth Dabney, reported on his travels and visits with
relatives. In a letter dated 3 August 1847, Charles William
Dabney wrote to Robert Lewis Dabney at Barter Brook mostly about
the wheat market. Other letters from Charles William Dabney to
Robert Lewis Dabney and Mildred Lewis mention family, personal,
and neighborhood matters. Charles William Dabney provided his
brother with advice and personal philosophy.
Papers for 1848 are mostly of Robert Lewis Dabney at Barter
Brook, Augusta County, Va., Charles William Dabney, and Mildred
(Dabney) Lewis of Louisa County, Va. There are many letters from
Charles William Dabney to Robert Lewis Dabney, and from Mildred
(Dabney) Lewis to both brothers. These letters are concerned
with Robert Lewis Dabney's marriage; Mildred Lewis's illness and
the affairs and arrangements which Charles William Dabney
attended to for her; the birth of a son to Charles William
Dabney's wife on 11 May 1848; and Mildred (Dabney) Lewis's trip
to Staunton in July 1848. There are also business letters to
Charles William Dabney at Montpelier, Hanover County, Va., about
legal cases and also about the Dabney claim against the U.S.
Government for land due to Charles Dabney of the Revolutionary
War. Among the correspondents were Dr. Thomas P. Shields at
Cartersville, Va.; Richard Randolph at Washington, D.C.; Philip
H. Jones at Louisa Court House, Va.; James A. Seddon at Richmond,
Va.; and Arthur A. Morson of Morson & Seddon, Richmond attorneys;
and William L. King at New York, N.Y.
For 1849, there are several letters from Richard Randolph
about the Dabney land claim, with comments about the spoils
system and corruption in government. Among business
correspondents were Thomas P. Shields, David Anderson, Jr., Lewis
Webb, Philip H. Jones, and Frank Ballinger of Kentucky. They
mentioned various apects of plantation business and
merchandizing. In February 1849, Robert Lewis Dabney and Lavinia
Dabney at Fisherville P.O., Augusta County, Va., announced the
birth of a son. In May 1849, Charles William Dabney wrote to
other family members about a scandal involving his sister Ann's
husband.
Items for the years 1850 to 1855 are mostly papers of Charles
William Dabney at Hanover County, Va., and Robert Lewis Dabney
at Augusta County, Va., including family correspondence; there
are chiefly letters from Charles William Dabney to Robert Lewis
Dabney, and also business letters to Charles William Dabney and
other letters to Robert Lewis Dabney. A claim against the U.S.
Government for pay due Charles Dabney from the Revolutionary War
was settled. Mention is made of attempts to locate the heirs of
Thomas Meriwether. Another child was born to Robert Lewis Dabney
and Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney. There are a few letters from the
Morrison family to Robert Lewis Dabney; also from Lavinia
(Morrison) Dabney to him. These letters mention mostly personal
and family matters. There are letters from James M. Winston,
Thomas P. Shields, Richard Randolph, Philip H. Jones, and others,
to the Dabneys, mostly about business matters.
In 1851 letters, Charles William Dabney wrote to Robert Lewis
Dabney about politics and his position in the sectional struggle.
There are letters from Richard Randolph about the claim of James
Meriwether's heirs. A letter dated 14 March 1851, from Charles
William Dabney to Robert Lewis Dabney mentions a current
Presbyterian church controversy (this is also mentioned in other
letters), and also the Central Railroad's plans for his
neighborhood. Subsequent letters discussed the advisability and
possibility of publishing a pamphlet about .... In a letter
dated 11 September 1851, James Morrison wrote to Robert Lewis
Dabney about business of the Presbytery; he also wrote about
family matters. There is a small broadside about the election in
Hanover County, Va., of May 1852, with Charles William Dabney
listed as the commonwealth's attorney. In a letter dated 14
November 1852, Charles William Dabney wrote to Robert Lewis
Dabney, justifying slavery.
For 1854, there are letters to Robert Lewis Dabney at Hampden
Sydney from Benjamin Mosby Smith, mostly at Philadelphia, about
Presbyterian matters, and from James Morrison at "Bellevue,"
Rockbridge County, Va., about religious, personal, and family
matters. In a letter dated 16 January 1855, John Samuels Caskie
(1821-1869), U.S. House of Representatives, gave information
about Texas land, and about the state of politics. In a letter
dated 26 February 1855, William L. King wrote to Charles William
Dabney about family and personal affairs. Charles William Dabney
commented, in a letter dated 1 April 1855, on the tendency of the
age towards socialistic schemes for internal improvement. There
are letters from James Morrison to Robert Lewis Dabney about
church, family, and political matters, including his negative
sentiments about Catholicism. A letter dated 25 June 1855 is the
first of a series of California letters that continued
intermittently to 1875, from Billy Thomas Pate, formerly of
Hanover County, Va., at Rabbit Creek, Sierra County, Ca. Pate
described his voyage from New York; several weeks spent in San
Francisco; the economic situation; his venture into the mining
business, building a hotel and a seed store; his life and work in
California; the climate; hazards; the Chinese, Indians,
tax-collectors, and other matters. In a note of June 1855, there
is mention of the birth of Charles William Dabney (1855-1945) to
Robert Lewis Dabney and Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney; from November
1855, there is news of the death of their son James Dabney. In a
letter dated 17 November 1855, Charles H. Shield described the
terrible losses in Norfolk, Va., after three months of a yellow
fever epidemic.
Papers 1856 are primarily letters and business items of Robert
Lewis Dabney and Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney, and of Charles
William Dabney, dealing chiefly with personal, family, religious,
and business matters. There are letters dated March and April
1856 from John S. Reese at Baltimore, mostly about a new
fertilizer he was experimenting with and selling. In a letter
dated 2 June 1856, C[---?] P. Higgason (or Higginson) at the
General Land Office, Washington, wrote to Charles W. Dabney
chiefly about business matters, with comments on Virginia and
national politics.
In a letter dated 3 December 1856, Billy Thomas Pate at San
Francisco wrote about politics and the great excitement
associated with it; the Vigilance committee's activities,
business conditions, and morals. There are also letters from
James Morrison as he travelled in the Deep South for his health,
mostly about the Presbyterian church and local matters.
There are 1857 letters to Robert Lewis Dabney, Lavinia
(Morrison) Dabney, and Charles William Dabney from: James
Morrison, especially in regard to the trouble between he and his
congregation, following his absence on account of his health. In
a letter dated 18 April 1857, James Morrison provided a full
explanation of his view of the controversy. In a letter dated 20
June 1857, Samuel Brown wrote to Robert Lewis Dabney about the
same controversy. In a letter dated 8 December 1857, James
Morrison at Selma, Ala., commented on the meeting of the
Methodist Conference there. In a letter dated 19 March 1857 at
San Francisco, Billy Thomas Pate wrote of his large legal
practice in connection with land titles and divorces. Charles P.
Higgason, at General Land Office, Washington, wrote about
Virginia and national politics. St. George Gregg wrote to
Charles William Dabney about the latter's political defeat.
There are also letters from D[---?] Graham, William L. King, and
James G. Mapes. Dated 14 June 1857, there is a letter from
Thomas M. Howell at Canandaigua, N.Y., to Charles William Dabney.
mostly about politics and sectionalism. There are also
additional family letters.
There are numerous 1858 letters to Robert Lewis Dabney,
Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney, and Charles William Dabney. These
include items from: Billy Thomas Pate at San Francisco, 4 January
1858, on general conditions in California, the new governor, and
land business; 4 April 1858, about a fugitive slave case; 4 July
1858, about new gold at Frazer River taking Californians away; 5
September 1858, mostly about California politics. James Morrison
at Selma, Ala., to Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney and Robert Lewis
Dabney; also at Bellevue, Rockbridge County, in July, and at
Christianburg in December. C.P. Higginson [there is an
inconsistency in the papers as to the spelling of his name] on
politics, office-seeking, and land business; 22 March 1858, on
matters before the Congress, and a discussion of the Kansas
question. Charles William Dabney evidently was evidently seeking
appointment as a foreign consul. There are occasional letters
from William L. King at New York, chiefly about business matters.
J[---?] A. Cowardin at Richmond, 7 July 1858, described Cobbs
Island, Accomac County, Va., as a good place for manly men but
not suitable for women. There are several letters from Charles
William Dabney to Robert Lewis Dabney, mostly about personal and
family matters. In a letter dated 27 December 1858, he mentioned
plans for a meeting to design a new church.
Letters for the years 1859 and 1860 are mostly to Robert Lewis
Dabney, Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney, and Charles William Dabney
from friends and relatives; they discuss family, personal, and
political matters. Charles William Dabney resided during this
time at "Aldingham," Montpelier, Va.; Robert Lewis Dabney at
Hampden-Sydney; James Morrison at Christianburg, Montgomery
County, Va.; with occasional sojourns at "Bellevue," Va.
In a letter dated 19 September 1859, Billy Thomas Pate at San
Francisco wrote about politics, the duel between judge David S.
Terry and senator David Colbreth Broderick (1820-1859), and
Pate's own enterprises and political activities. 30 December
1859, E[---?] Littell of the Living Age wrote to Charles William
Dabney evidently in answer to Dabney's statement of pro-unionism,
commenting on the sectional struggle, blaming it on the
politicians, and doubting whether Governor Henry Wise (1806-1876)
was "not insane." In a letter dated 13 January 1860, Billy
Thomas Pate at Sacremento, Ca., then a member of the state
legislature, described electing Milton Slocum Latham (1827-1882)
to fill the senate vacancy caused by the death of David Colbreth
Broderick, with an account of Latham's career. There is a
photostat of Charles William Dabney's commission as a captain in
the Virginia militia, dated 22 January 1860. There are several
letters relating to a possible call to a New York City pulpit for
Robert Lewis Dabney. There is also mention of the death of
Willie Dabney, son of Charles William Dabney, crushed by a log.
Folder 43 1834-1836
44 1837-1840
45 1841-1842
46 1843-1844
47 1845-1847
48 1848
49 1849
50 1850
51 1851-1852
52 1853-1854
53 1855
54 1856
55 1857
56 1858
57 1859-1860
Subseries 1.3. 1861-1865
Papers for the Civil War period consist mostly of family
letters, discussing the war, personal and family matters, from
James Morrison to Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney and Robert Lewis
Dabney; from Charles William Dabney to Robert Lewis Dabney;
correspondence between Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney and Robert Lewis
Dabney; business letters to Charles William Dabney from B.F.
Watson and B.W. Richardson at Richmond, and from Henry C. Spicer,
overseer, at one of Dabney's plantations; also letters,
1864-1865, to Robert Lewis Dabney relating to his manuscript
biography of Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson.
1861 items are mostly correspondence between Charles William
Dabney, Robert Lewis Dabney, Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney, and James
Morrison, with some military papers. In a letter dated 18
January 1861, Elizabeth ("Betty") Dabney wrote to her brother
Robert Lewis Dabney about the household servants, domestic news,
and the gloomy state of national affairs. In a letter dated 30
January 1861, James Morrison at Christianburg wrote to Lavinia
(Morrison) Dabney about personal and family matters. In a letter
dated 14 February 1861, B. W. Richardson at Richmond, Va., wrote
to Charles Dabney about state politics, the safety of an unnamed
bridge, and fashions. In a letter dated 14 March 1861, Charles
William Dabney wrote to Robert Lewis Dabney about public affairs,
divine providence, and the household servants. In a letter dated
23 April 1861, Elizabeth Dabney wrote to Robert Lewis Dabney that
Charles William Dabney's company, the "Patrick Henry Riflemen"
had been ordered to Richmond; she also mentioned the States
Rights Convention in Richmond, and plans for the Dabney family in
the event of a lengthy war. In a letter dated 1 May 1861,
Charles William Dabney at "Camp of Instruction" [near Richmond]
wrote to Robert Lewis Dabney about family matters and mentioned
camp life. Dated 6 June 1861, there are special orders to Robert
Lewis Dabney, chaplain in the 18th Virginia Volunteer Regiment
under Colonel Robert E. Withers, "by order of Maj. Genl. [Robert
E.] Lee," signed by Richard Garnett (1817-1863); also special
orders (a travel pass) dated 10 June 1861, "by order of B.G.
[Pierre Gustave Toutant] Beauregard," signed by Thomas Jordan.
There are letters from James Morrison at Christianburg, Va., and
"Bellevue," Va., to Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney at Hampden Sydney,
Va., mostly about family matters. In a letter dated 18 June 1861,
he wrote that Rutherford Morrison had survived the engagement at
Phillippi, [West] Va., unharmed, but had lost all his clothes
except those he was wearing; in a letter dated 25 September 1861,
he mentioned a visit he made to Monterrey, Highland County, Va.,
about Rutherford Morrison, Colonel Robert Frederick Baldwin of
the 31st Virginia Militia Regiment, and his desire to see his
sons educated before he died; in a letter of 18 November 1861 he
also mentioned that his son Samuel Morrison had joined the 58th
Virginia Infantry Regiment as regimental surgeon; another son,
Robert Morrison, had also joined the Confederate Army. There
are letters from Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney at Hampden-Sydney to
Robert Lewis Dabney, about her duty, the family, finding a
servant for him, gardening, and agricultural work. There are
also letters from Robert Lewis Dabney to Lavinia (Morrison)
Dabney at Hampden Sydney: 1 July 1861, at Fairfax Court House,
Va., about the situation in camp, and his health; 20 July 1861 at
Manassas, Va., with details of the engagement at Blackburn's Ford
on 18 July 1861; 5 September 1861 at Manassas, on his way home
having resigned, about the pay of chaplains, and rampant
illnesses in the 18th Va. Regt. There are also letters from
Charles William Dabney at Aldingham, Montpelier, Va., to Robert
Lewis Dabney, with plans to evacuate his family. There are
letters from Charles William Dabney in the Virginia
Penninsula as a captain in the 15th Va. Vol. Inf. Regt., to
Robert Lewis Dabney, serving with the 18th Va. Vol. Inf.,
mentioning in a letter of 19 July 1861 the latter's friend
general Daniel Harvey Hill (1821-1889); in a letter of 24 August
1861, he discussed soldiering and a rumor that general John
Bankhead Magruder (1810-1871) had requested a transfer which
would leave Daniel Harvey Hill in charge; 20 October 1861, about
the kindness of Magruder, his (Dabney's) desire for promotion to
the rank of major, and the 15th Va. Regt. being down to 280-300
effectives 3 September and 2 October 1861, Garrett F. Watson at
Richmond to Charles William Dabney about the latter's
investments, and his business account with Ludlow and Watsen.
1862 items include family correspondence of Robert Lewis
Dabney, Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney, James Morrison and his wife
[name unstated], and Charles William Dabney near Yorktown, Va.
There are 16 letters from Charles William Dabney to Robert Lewis
Dabney, mostly about family matters, the war, and financial
arrangements. In a letter dated 22 April 1862, James Morrison at
? to Robert Lewis Dabney at Hampden-Sydney requested the latter
to use his influence with general Thomas Jonathan Jackson to
secure Rutherford Morrison's transfer from infantry service to
Turner Ashby's cavalry, with a mention of Mrs. Jackson. There
are several letters, May-June 1862, from Lavinia (Morrison)
Dabney at the Union Theological Seminary to Robert Lewis Dabney
serving in the field on Jackson's staff, mostly about personal
and family matters, and the effects of the war. In a letter
dated 22 May 1862, she mentions the arrival in Farmville, Va., of
refugees from Fredericksburg and Richmond. There are several
personal letters from James Morrison at ? to Lavinia (Morrison)
Dabney about family matters, and the death of Tommy Dabney.
1863 items include family letters and financial arrangements
for the families in war time. There are nine letters from
Charles William Dabney at Aldingham, Montpelier, Va., to Robert
Lewis Dabney at Hampden-Sydney, Va., mostly about family matters,
the war, and business matters. There are letters to Charles
William Dabney at Aldingham from Henry C. Spicer, an overseer,
and from B.W. Richardson and G.F. Watson, both at Richmond,
about business affairs. In a letter dated 23 October 1863,
Robert Lewis Dabney wrote to about personal news from the
Synod.
Items from 1864 include Dabney family correspondence, and
letters regarding the manuscript biography of Thomas Jonathan
"Stonewall" Jackson written by Robert Lewis Dabney. (See also
Series 3 for additional related materials). In a letter dated
13 February 1864, Robert Lewis Dabney at Henry Court House, Va.,
wrote to Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney about details of plantation
affairs. Letters dated July 1864 from Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney
to Robert Lewis Dabney mention family and personal matters;
Robert Lewis Dabney, in an August letter to Lavinia, described
the bad road conditions on his way home. There are many
references during this period to Robert Lewis Dabney's work on
the life of Jackson. There is a letter, dated 7 April 1864, from
William Brown at Richmond to Robert Lewis Dabney about the book.
There are also letters from Henry C. Spicer, the overseer, and
scattered family letters, with mention of plantation and personal
matters. There is correspondence dating from May to August 1864
involving Robert Lewis Dabney as author; this includes exchanges
between Robert Lewis Dabney and James Nisbet & Co., publishers,
at London, (who were then undertaking an English edition of
Dabney's biography of Jackson); and involving Mathew Fontaine
Maury (1806-1873), who was then attempting to make the best
financial arrangements for Mary Anna (Morrison) Jackson, but who
appears to have confused and delayed the issue; also William
Chalmers, editor, at London, who was seeing the manuscript
through the press for Nisbet; Dr. [---?] Hoge, who had the
manuscript at one time in England; and A. Minis, a Richmond
publisher.
Items from 1865 are mostly scattered letters to Robert Lewis
Dabney regarding personal and business matters. In a letter dated
16 January 1865, Mary Anna (Morrison) Jackson at Cottage Home (Va
or NC?) wrote to Robert Lewis Dabney at Hampden-Sydney, Va.,
about her trip to Raleigh, N.C., and, with comments and
suggestions, about Dabney's biography of Thomas Jonathan Jackson.
Benjamin Mosby Smith at Hampden-Sydney, Va., wrote about the
Session, in which he had been asked to supply Robert Lewis Dabney
without compensation even while Dabney's salary continued. In a
letter dated 14 September 1865, William Smith (1797-1887),
ex-Governor, ex-Congressman, and ex-Confederate general, at
Warrenton, Va., described the desolation of his home after the
war, and his attempts at reconstruction.
Folder 58 1861
59 1862
60 1863
61 1864
62 1865
Subseries 1.4. 1866-1903
This subseries is composed chiefly of letters to Robert Lewis
Dabney and Charles William Dabney (fl.1810-1887) about personal
matters and post-Civil War social upheaval in the South; also of
extensive correspondence between Charles William Dabney
(1855-1945) and relatives and friends about education, work, and
personal matters.
Letters to Robert Lewis Dabney and Charles William Dabney
(fl.1810-1887) from the period 1866-1874 include one from T.M.
Howell, at Canandaigua, N.Y., dated 14 January 1866, about not
having written in ten years. In a letter dated 2 February 1866,
Walter Husted Stevens (1827-1867), former Confederate
brigadier-general, in Mexico, wrote about the possibilities of
settling there; also about Mathew Fontaine Maury's colonization
project and agricultural considerations. In letters dated 27
July and 21 December 1867, William Smith at Warrenton endorsed
plans for a school; discussed the need for agricultural
chemistry; commented on the agricultural problems of the time;
and described land and labor conditions in his neighborhood. In a
letter dated 4 July 1869, William Smith at Warrenton discussed
current affairs; and in a letter dated 30 June 1874 he discussed
agricultural and political matters, and hound pups.
In a letter dated 20 July 1874, Robert Lewis Dabney wrote to
William Nelson Pendleton, and Pendleton replied in the margins of
the same letter on 25 July 1874, about an 1863 conversation
concerning foreign aid to the Confederacy to have been brought
about by a pledge of gradual emancipation. In a letter of
15 August 1874, N.R. Darrell at Brooklyn, N.Y., wrote to
(probably) Robert Lewis Dabney, advising him against settling on
the Island of Jamaica.
In a letter dated 25 February 1875, Lancaster Ould at Santa
Barbara, Calif. (formerly of Baltimore), replied to Charles
William Dabney's inquiries about Santa Barbara as a place to
settle. In a letter dated 15 April 1875, Charles William Dabney
(1855-1945), at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville,
wrote to his brother Adam Dabney, mostly about the illnesses then
prevalent. In a letter dated 2 June 1875, Robert Hall Morrison
(1798-1889), at Cottage Home, N.C., wrote to his daughter
(unnamed) about his plans to visit Charlotte Walhalla, N.C.
There are letters, November 1875 to February 1876, from Charles
William Dabney (1855-1945) at Westham Cottage Farm, near Ashland,
Va., to his brother George Dabney., mostly about personal
matters; a letter dated 31 December 1875 mentions an earthquake
that "shook things up first rate about here." In a letter dated
21 November 1875, William Smith at Warrenton wrote to Charles
William Dabney (1809-1895) about current state politics and his
past record of public service. In a letter dated 27 November
1875, Robert H. Power wrote to Charles William Dabney (1809-1895)
about property he should buy in York County, Va. In a letter
dated 11 December 1875, Dennis Donohoe of the British Consulate
at Baltimore replied to Charles William Dabney (1809-1895) and
his inquiries about the possibility of emigration to Jamaica or
other British West Indies islands.
There is correspondence written by Robert Lewis Dabney and
Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney during the (apparently) last illness of
her mother, Mrs. Frances Morrison at Bellevue, in December 1876.
Items for 1877 include scattered letters from F.C. Shelton and
J.W. Watson in Richmond. There is correspondence of Charles
William Dabney (1855-1945), and E.E. Wiley, president of Emory
and Henry College, and with the Board in regard to an appointment
of Dabney as professor of natural sciences and French. There are
two letters from sisters Hallie and Em to Lavinia (Morrison)
Dabney, mostly about personal matters.
Items from the period 1880-1885 are mostly numerous letters to
Lavinia (Morrison) Dabney from Robert Lewis Dabney travelling in
Europe, and to and from Charles William Dabney (1855-1945) at
Gottingen, Germany, and elsewhere, about personal and educational
matters. There are letters dated September and October 1880 from
L. H. Blanton at Central University, Richmond, Ky., about
educational and personal matters. There is a typed description of
the North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station, ca. 1881,
apparently signed by Kemp Battle, "Ex-President U. of N.C."
There is a 3-page proposal for an "Elisha Mitchell Science
Society" at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with
names appended. There is private correspondence dated 1884
concerning the possibility of Charles William Dabney (1855-1945)
obtaining a chair at the University of Texas. There is a notice,
dated 7 November 1885, of "Mass Meeting in the interests of a
State Industrial School," an invitation from The Joint Committee
of the City of Raleigh [N.C.] and the Watauga Club, written by
Charles William Dabney.
Items for the period 1886-1891 include a copy of a letter
dated 8 January 1886 from Robert Lewis Dabney to Daniel Harvey
Hill, recollecting some of the events of the Seven Days Battles
(June 1862) in Virginia and commenting on Confederate
generalship. In a letter dated 25 February 1886, Charles E.
Vawter at Crozet, Va., wrote to Charles William Dabney
(1855-1945) about the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical
school (typed 6-page letter and resolutions of committee). There
are numerous letters from 1886 from James T. Sutton, Jr., at
Richmond, Va., to Charles William Dabney (fl.1810-1888) at
Hanover Junction, Va., about attempts to collect claims from the
U.S. Government in connection with the Revolutionary service of
Charles Dabney (1745-1829). There is correspondence from June to
August 1887 of James Comfort, O.P. Temple, and others with
Charles William Dabney (1855-1945) in regard to Dabney's election
as president of the University of Tennessee and director of the
Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station. Letters from George
R. Dabney in Minnesota to his father in Charles William Dabney
(1809-1895) at Hanover County, Va., chiefly about personal and
family matters. There are letters from Henry E. Alvord, and
other items dating mostly from 1889 to 1891, that concern the
Association of American Agricultural Colleges and Experiment
Stations.
Items from 1892 to 1902 are chiefly letters to and carbons of
letters from Charles William Dabney (1855-1945); subjects
discussed are mostly educational, professional, and personal
matters. There are letters dated March and April 1893, from M.P.
Jarnagin, Charles F. Vanderford, W.H. Jackson and others, to
Charles William Dabney (1855-1945) at Knoxville, Tenn.,
concerning state legislation and the Tennessee Agricultural
Experiment Station. In letters dated July to September 1893,
correspondents J. M. McBryde, Edwin Willits, and others wrote to
Charles William Dabney (1855-1945), about a position for Dabney
in the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. J.K. Kirkland of Vanderbilt
wrote to Dabney about coeducation. Marcus Joseph Wright
(1831-1922) wrote to Chales W. Dabney, September 1893, about an
article on John Brown. There are more letters concerning the
office of Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, including missives
from Willits and J. Sterling Morton. In a letter dated 28
December 1893, E. W. Hilgary at Berkeley, California, discussed
the relationship between the U.S Dept. of Agriculture and state
experiment stations.
There are letters, dated 27 February and 18 May 1894, from
M.P. Jarnigin to Charles William Dabney (1855-1945) in which
Jarnigan gave legal opinions and comments on Dabney's status as
President of the University of Tennessee while taking a leave of
absence. There is a letter dated 15 March 1895 from James D.
Porter. There are letters and related papers of Charles William
Dabney (1855-1945) concerning various national projects: a "U.S.
Department of Science," a national university, and a national
school of science. Letters from 1898 mention the death of Robert
Lewis Dabney. In letters, 1898-1899, J. Sterling Morton and
others wrote to Charles William Dabney (1855-1945) about their
attempts to capture the presidency of the University of
California for Dabney. In a letter dated 10 March 1899, Theodore
Roosevelt thanked Charles William Dabney (1855-1945) for his
paper entitled "The Colleges and the National Defense." There
are letters to Charles William Dabney (1855-1945), dated March to
June 1899,from A. Leazer (usually) at Mooresville, N.C., about
affairs at the N.C. State Agricultural & Technical College, and
personal and family matters.
Folder 63 1866
64 1867-1874
65 1875-1877
66 1878-1879
67 1880-1881
68 1882-1883
69 1884-1885
70 1886
71 January-15July 1887
72 18-30 July 1887
73 August-December 1887
74 1888-1889
75 1890-1891
76 1892-May 1893
77 July-September 1893
78 October-December 1893
79 1894
80 1895
81 January-May 1896
82 June-December 1896
83 January-May 1897
84 June-December 1897
85 1898
86 January-24 June 1899
87 27-28 June 1899
88 29 June 1899
89 30 June 1899
90 1-5 July 1899
91 6-15 July 1899
92 17-31 July 1899
93 August-December 1899
94 January-February 1900
95 March-December 1900
96 1901
97 January-March 1902
98 April-August 1902
99 September-December 1902
Subseries 1.5. 1903-1945
Items from 1903-1904 are chiefly letters relating to Charles
William Dabney (1855-1945) and his acceptance and assumption of
the presidency of the University of Cincinnati (Ohio); his
inauguration in November 1903; and his contracts and agreements
with the Board. Items regarding the choice of his successor at
the University of Tennessee, and Dabney's reports to the
University Board and the Ohio State Superintendent of Instruction
at the end of his first term. Correspondence with men of the
Southern Education movement about various phases of the work.
Many letters of congratulation and invitations in connection with
the new position.
1905
Items for 1905 consist chiefly of: University of Cincinnati
matters; invitations to speak; thanks to Dabney for copies of his
speeches distributed. There is also correspondence with Robert C.
Ogden, Wallace Henry Buttrick (1853-1926), and others concerning
affairs of the General Education Board and Southern Education
Board. There are also papers relating to educational and
political affairs in Kentucky; Dabney's organization of a college
association in Kentucky; a meeting at Mammoth Cave in June; and
correspondence with M. O. Winfrey, president of Educational
Improvement Commission of Kentucky, about educational matters.
July- August - Letters for this period concern Charles William
Dabney (1855-1945) at London and environs studying educational
matters and seeing prominent people. October - There are letters
to and from Charles Lee Coon (1868-1927), largely about public
education in North Carolina. Nov. - There are letters concerning
the death of Charles E. Vawter, Virginia educator and lifelong
friend of Charles William
Dabney (1855-1945).
1906-1907
For these years, there is correspondence with George J.
Ramsey largely about Kentucky educational matters.
1908
Letters for these years mention the death of Lavinia
(Morrison) Dabney. Charles William Dabney (1855-1945) received
thanks for his annual report of President of the University of
Cincinnati. Dated 11 June 1908, there is a carbon of Charles
William Dabney's nine-page letter to Dr. Henry Melville Curtis,
giving details of affairs in Cincinnati, and Dabney's troubles
with his Board about University matters. There is correspondence
with Carnegie Foundation regarding plans for the University of
Cincinnati, and additional papers relating to plans for
developing Cincinnati as a model great municipally supported
university.
1909
For 1909, there are carbon copies of Charles William Dabney's
descriptions of his difficulties with the Cincinnati Board of
Trustees, addressed to Henry Pritchett of Carnegie Foundation.
There is a letter dated 19 April 1909 from George Sherwood
Dickerman (1843-1937) concerning the recent Conference of
Education in the South.
1910-1911
Items for 1910 include Charles William Dabney's continued
reports to Pritchett. In May 1910, Dabney wrote to Walter Hines
Page about Theodore H. Price's cotton-picking machine. Other
correspondence with Page discusses Page's delivery of a course of
lectures at Cincinnati. Items for 1911 include an offer to Dabney
of the editorship of Charlotte, N.C., Observer. There is a
tribute to Dr. Christian R. Holmes in connection with the new
Cincinnati hospital. There are letters dated July 1911 from H. W.
Harvey, W.H. Page, and others to Charles William Dabney
(1855-1945) about an upheaval in the U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
1912
There is correspondence with Mary Cooke Branch Munford,
Richmond, Va., on the question of coeducation for the University
of Virginia, enclosing leaflets on subject; also items referring
to Dabney and Morrison family history. There is private
correspondence, dated November and December 1912, between Charles
William Dabney and A.J. McKelway, Edward T. Sanford, Thomas W.
Jordan, K.G. Matheson, and others, relating to the possibility of
Dabney's becoming Secretary of Agriculture under President
Woodrow Wilson. They include Dabney's ideas about reorganizing
the Department.
1913
Items from 1913 include more letters that discussed the
possibility of the Secretaryship of Agriculture for Charles
William Dabney. There is correspondence about legislative
reference service for the city of Cincinnati and for the state of
Ohio, including letters from Charles McCarthy of Wisconsin.
There is a letter dated 19 January 1913, G. McM. Ross to C. A.
Prosser, criticizing in detail Walter H. Page's "Why Federal Aid
for Vocational Education?" In a letter dated 28 January 1913,
Charles William Dabney wrote to Walter H. Page, explaining the
important work which the University of Cincinnati was engaged in,
including reference service for the city and state. In letters
dated March 1913, Charles William Dabney recommended various
persons for government posts, to President Woodrow Wilson,
sending pamphlets.
1914
There is correspondence, dated May to June 1914, between
Charles William Dabney and Frank R. Chambers about work of the
Southern Education Board, and its absorption into the General
Education Board and Conference for Education in the South. There
is material relating to a controversy between Charles William
Dabney and members of the German population in Cincinnati
resulting from Dabney's speech on patriotism given at Columbus,
Ohio.
1915
There is more material, dated January and February 1915,
relating to Charles William Dabney's controversy with German
Americans. Most of the correspondence of this year relates to
the organizing of a committee to study conditions in Mexico, with
the idea of aiding common education there as a means to restore
orderly government, or of doing relief work and founding a
university. Dabney's correspondence was with E.L. Doheny, who was
financing the project, and with educators, politicians, and
Mexican specialists: Theodore H. Price, Charles W. Kent, John B.
Moore, Myron T. Herrick, Frank J. Foodnow, Elihu Root, Jacob
Gould Schurman, Norman Bridge, Henry C. King, Samuel C. Mitchell,
John Bassett Moore, John R. Mott, Arthur W. Page, Leo S. Rowe,
David Starr Jordan, Andres Osuna, G. B. Winton, Carleton B.
Gibson, and others.
For 1915, there is also Charles William Dabney's
correspondence about the international situation, with friends in
England--Canon Arthur W. Jephson, William Osler, Walter Hines
Page; and Dabney's notes to President Woodrow Wilson,
complementing him on his actions. There is information, dated
November 1915, from Mrs. R. D. Brown at Meadow View, Va., about
Dabney and related family history.
1916
For 1916, there are series of letters from Charles William
Dabney to President Woodrow Wilson and to J. P. Tumulty; also
correspondence with congressmen and various officials in
Washington: about the international situation, the problems
connected with the German-American population in Cincinnati; and
the sinking of the Lusitania. There are items relating to
Woodrow Wilson's visit to Cincinnati on 26 October 1916, when
Dabney served on the reception committee. There are letters to
Charles William Dabney from his brother Lewis Dabney in Texas,
warning against politics, politicians, President Wilson and other
"political uplifters". There was also a continuation of
correspondence about Mexican education projects, with Charles R.
Hudson, Cleveland H. Dodge, Samuel C. Mitchell, J. P. Tumulty,
Modesto C. Rolland, Ezequiel A. Chavez, John R. Mott, Robert E.
Speer, and others, including plans for establishing an
independent college or university in Mexico. Thanks were sent to
Dabney for his article "Star of Hope for Mexico," published in
The Outlook and Commerce and Finance.
Family letters to Charles William Dabney from brothers Lewis
and Samuel Dabney discussed personal and business affairs in
Texas. There are minutes of an annual meeting of the George
Washington Memorial Association. Beginning in March 1916, there
was correspondence between Charles William Dabney and Bolton
Smith at Memphis, Tenn., about problems of financing the
University of Tennessee Medical College.
1917
There is correspondence dated 1917 between Charles William
Dabney and Tasker H. Bliss, Cleveland H. Dodge, Alexander C.
Humphreys, Paul Patton Faris, D.L. Crawford, Andres Osuna, G. B.
Winton, T. H. Price, and others, educators and publicists,
concerning efforts to publicize work of the Mexican educational
committee and gain support for a Mexican college. In a letter
dated 15 December 1917, T.H. Price began to question Dabney's
motives in the Mexican project. There are a series of letters
from Lewis M. Dabney, Dallas, discussing economic, war, general,
and family matters. There are also copies of 1917 messages from
Charles William Dabney to Woodrow Wilson, containing information
and compliments. There are miscellaneous items relating to the
Board of Visitors of the U.S. Naval Academy, of which Charles
William Dabney was a member. Letters dated August to October
1917 from Texas friends discuss contemporary affairs at the
University of Texas and Texas politics.
1918
There are 1918 items relating to various wartime services to
the government -- the American Protective League, War Industries
Board, and the Commercial Economy Board of the Council of
National Defense. There are Lewis Dabney's comments, dated April
1918, concerning William Joel Stone (1848-1918). In a letter
dated 14 December 1918, Charles William Dabney wrote to Senator
Lee Slater Overman (1854-1930) about the Germans in Cincinnati.
1919
Items for 1919 include miscellaneous Charles William Dabney
personal and family correspondence dealing with University
affairs; Naval Academy; and an idea for a tropical university.
Letters from Lewis M. Dabney discuss oil speculation, personal
and national affairs. There is continued correspondence with Lee
Slater Overman about German activities in Cincinnati, and
correspondence with Cleveland H. Dodge and Andres Osuna about the
Committee on Education in Mexico and the possibility of aiding
the Mexican people with sanitation problems. There are also
letters to Charles William Dabney about his address and articles
on the League of Nations and world peace, which he distributed to
prominent people.
1920
There are copies of letters from Charles W. Eliot from 1912
to 1920 about the problems of the University of Cincinnati, to
Charles William Dabney. There is correspondence with H. S.
Pritchett about Dabney's retirement as president of University of
Cincinnati, and Dabney's correspondence with his brothers about
Texas investments and lands. There are also letters from friends
about Dabney's approaching retirement, and thanks to Dabney for
articles, books, and clippings. There is correspondence by
telegram, dated October 1920, with George F. Peabody about
Dabney's stand on the League of Nations and national politics.
1921-1945
During this period Charles W. Dabney was an active retired
scientist, educator and a writer. He lived in New York, Florida,
Cincinnati, and Texas. His correspondence, in connection with
writing his memoirs, was concerned with the varied interests and
activities of his whole life--public education, mineral resources
of Texas, N.C., and the United States in general, the
institutions and organizations he had been a part of, and persons
he had known. His Universal Education in the South was published
in 1936. In addition to his own career, these papers are
concerned with his continuing interest in mineral resources, his
activity in collecting and preserving his family papers and also
papers of Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson and Daniel Harvey
Hill, his family history and genealogy, the German menace, past
and present, the development of a cotton picking machine, and
miscellaneous current events and business. His steady
correspondents of the later years were J. D. Eggleston, P.P.
Claxton, E.P. Moses, W.J. Battle, James D. Hoskins, A.F. Woods,
R. Hall Morrison, Parke P. Flournoy, Jr., and R.B. Woodworth.
There are many other correspondents who supplied him with their
recollections of various phases of his career and the subsequent
history of movements and organizations with which he had once
been involved.
There are no items for the year 1921, and only one item for
the year 1922.
1923-1924
There is a 1923 item relating to the "Committee for the Study
of Educational Conditions in Mexico," of which Charles William
Dabney was chairman. There are letters from Geological Survey
and Senator Morris Sheppard (1875-1941) and others in regard to
potash in Texas and the potash bill then before Congress. There
is notice of Dabney's resignation as a member of Board of
McCormick Theological Seminary.
1925-1927
There was much correspondence for these years about family
history and family papers -- especially Moore, Morrison, and
Brown connections. There was also correspondence with Dr. George
J. Ramsey, Arthur W. Jephson, Henry E. Fries, about personal and
general matters. Other correspondence related to geological
matters -- Texas potash, tin in the United States, and included
relevant clippings, and letters to and from Eugene A. Smith,
state geologist of Alabama. There are items, dated October 1926,
relating to the history of the North Carolina Agriculture &
Mining College, and an article on Dabney's work in the U.S. Dept.
of Agriculture in 1893-1896. There is Dabney's summary, dated
1927, of all his contacts with Woodrow Wilson, written for Ray
Stannary Baker, 12 pages.
1928
Charles William Dabney at Winter Park, Fla., in the winter;
in Europe in the summer; and at Bronxville, N.Y., in the fall,
corresponded with Emery Record Preserving Co. of Taunton, Mass.,
Virginia State Library, and the Virginia Historical Society about
the restoration and preservation of family papers.
1929-1931
Charles William Dabney at Chapel Hill, N.C., and Winter Park,
Fla., exchanged personal letters relating to papers of Thomas
Jonathan Jackson, Daniel Harvey Hill, and Dabney family history.
There is a copy of a letter, dated 8 November 1929, from Thomas
J. Arnold to Roy Bird Cook, commenting at length on Tate's
Jefferson Davis. There are occasional letters from Edward P.
Moses about the history of education in North Carolina in the
1880s. Dr. C. W. Stiles wrote to Dabney about Winter Park, Fla.,
as a place to settle. R.H. Morrison discussed family history.
There are copies of letters dated December 1931, of Dabney
reviewing certain facts in connection with his work in North
Carolina and at Knoxville.
1932-1933
Items for these years include Charles William Dabney's
correspondence with various people about phases of the history of
education in the South during his lifetime; the career of his
uncle, clergyman Benjamin Mosby Smith, and the history of
Hampden-Sydney for its celebration, the history of Phi Kappa Phi
at the University of Tennessee in connection with Dabney's speech
there in 1933. There was also correspondence with Dumas Malone
about biographical sketches for the Dictionary of American
Biography.
1934-1935
For these years there are items relating to the World's Fair
at Chicago; the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture; the University of
Tennessee (especially letters from James D. Hoskins, and
correspondence about naming the chemistry building for Dabney);
the death of F.P. Venable in March 1934 and of H. R. McIlwaine in
March 1934; and correspondence about the sons of Col. John
Thruston Thornton, C.S.A.
1936-1937
Items for these years consists of notices of Universal
Education in the South; correspondence about Dabney family
history and papers; and dating from June 1937, information
concerning Charles William Dabney's honorary degree from the
University of Cincinnati.
1938
For 1938, there are items relating to the history of
Hampden-Sydney and history of Phi Kappa Phi.
1940
Charles William Dabney's 1940 correspondence concerned people
and institutions that had been part of his earlier life. In
preparing his memoirs, he wrote to and received letters from:
P.P. Claxton, Henry H. Sweets, R.L. Watts, William C. Kerr,
Charles E. Ferris, Charles A. Perkins, T. H. Kearney, Bernadotte
E. Schmitt, R.M. Chapin, Morse Salisbury, J.G. de Roulhac
Hamilton, Dr. J. Garland Sherrill, Burwell K. Marshall, Henry E.
Fries, Frederick W. Simonde, E.P. Moses. These letters relate to
the University of Tennessee, North Carolina State College, the
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, the Association of Agricultural
Chemists, the N.C. State Exposition of 1884, Hampden-Sydney and
its alumni, the life of Robert Lewis Dabney, and other subjects
connected with Charles William Dabney's life. There was also
correspondence with Parke Poindexter Flournoy, Jr., and R. B.
Woodworth about family history.
1941
Items for this year include more letters relating to material
for Charles William Dabney's memoirs, Dabney family history, and
current events. Among the correspondents were: Philander P.
Claxton, John B. Cox, Josephus Daniels, George Summey, James D.
Hoskins, J.P. McCallie, W. T. Crouch, W. J. Battle, Isaac J. Cox,
R. B. Woodworth, Charles E. Ferris, Daniel Lawrence, and John E.
Hall (principal of Robert Hungerford Vocational School for
Negroes at Maitland, Florida). Also J. R. Mohler, Chief of
Bureau of Animal Industry of Dept. of Agriculture. There are
also letters, dated January and February 1941, between Dabney and
the U.S. Dept. of Interior about potash and tin resources for the
current national emergency. There are items, dated June 1941,
concerning the past and present German menace. There are
additional letters relating to the subject of religious education
in public schools, especially in Knoxville and Chattanooga, Tenn.
Also, there are papers relating to efforts in behalf of the
Hampden-Sydney College alumni fund.
1942
There is 1942 correspondence relating to data for Charles
William Dabney's memoirs, as above: especially the Cincinnati
period of Dabney's life; also concerning the history of the
Tennessee Valley Authority and earlier Muscle Shoals studies;
also the Summer School of the South and the University of
Tennessee; North Carolina biographies; Dabney's interest in
mineral resources in North Carolina and Texas; and his interest
in the Washington Institute for graduate students in government
departments in Washington. In a letter dated 14 March 1942,
Dabney described the evolution of the Carnegie Institution of
Scientific Research. There are letters to and from A. G. Woods
about the development of the graduate school program in the U.S.
Dept. of Agriculture. There is correspondence, dated December
1942, about International Harvester's new cotton picking machine.
1943-1945
More as in 1942, especially the cotton picking machine and
related social and economic problems. Correspondence for Charles
William Dabney's memoirs related to the Pinehurst-Aberdeen
section of North Carolina, in addition to earlier subjects. From
1943 to 1944, Dabney maintained a steady correspondence with J.D.
Eggleston of Hampden-Sydney, who was reading the manuscript of
Dabney's memoirs. There is a letter dated 31 October 1944, from
Madeline Orr, concerning McCurdy family history. Dabney was at
Orlando, Fla., and Cincinnati, Ohio.
Folder 100 January-October 1903
101 November-14 December 1903
102 15-31 December 1903
103 1-10 January 1904
104 11-31 January 1904
105 February-July 1904
106 August-September 1904
107 October 1904
108 1-15 November 1904
109 16 November-December 1904
110 January-May 1905
111 June-December 1905
112 1906-1907
113 1908
114 January-March 1909
115 April-December 1909
116 1910
117 January-May 1911
118 June 1911
119 July-December 1911
120 1912
121 January-May 1913
122 June-December 1913
123 1914
124 January-March 1915
125 April 1915
126 May-June 1915
127 July-December 1915
128 January-March 1916
129 April-September 1916
127 July-December 1915
128 January-March 1916
129 April-September 1916
130 October-December 1916
131 January-March 1917
132 April-May 1917
133 June-18 October 1917
134 20 October-December 1917
135 January-May 1918
136 June-December 1918
137 January-May 1919
138 June-December 1919
139 January-March 1920
140 April-May 1920
141 June-December 1920
142 1922-1925
143 1926
144 1927
145 1928
146 1929
147 1930
148 1931
149 1932-1933
150 1934-1935
151 1936-1937
152 1938
153 193
154 January-February 1940
155 March-December 1940
156 January 1941
157 February 1941
158 March-April 1941
159 May-June 1941
160 July-December 1941
161 January-February 1942
162 March-April 1942
163 May-December 1942
164 January-February 1943
165 March-April 1943
166 May-December 1943
167 January-February 1944
168 March-May 1944
169 June 1944
170 July-December 1944
171 1945
Subseries 1.6. Undated
Included in the subseries is data relating to troubles between
Charles William Dabney and his University of Cincinnati board;
miscellaneous fragments; sheets from Science on "The Carnegie
Institution" by J. McKeen Cattell; and information concerning the
George Washington Memorial Association.
Folders 172-174
Series 2. Additional Dabney Family Letters
Series 2.1. 1872-1941
This subseries consists of letters deemed by Charles William
Dabney (1855-1945) as too personal for inclusion in the general
correspondence series. Originally under seal (until May 1969),
they are mostly personal letters exchanged between Charles
William Dabney and his wife Mary (Brent) Dabney when one or the
other were travelling.
Items from the period 1872 to 1878 consist mostly of Brent and
Dabney family letters concerning personal and family matters.
1879 letters were written between Charles William Dabney and Mary
Brent before they were married, while both situated themselves in
different parts of Europe. Letters of the 1880s to the early
1900s are composed chiefly of letters from Charles William Dabney
at Raleigh and Chapel Hill, N.C., Knoxville, Tenn., Washington,
D.C., Cincinnati, Ohio, and while on various trips including one
to the 1884 Exposition at New Orleans, La., one to St. Louis in
1904, and several trips to Texas over the years; and from Mary
(Brent) Dabney at Elmwood, Rockbridge Baths, and St. Elizabeth's
Hospital, N.Y., Battle Creek sanitorium, "Forest Retreat," San
Jose (1898), and Lewisburg, W.Va. (1900); there is no indication
as to where most of hers were written. In addition to the
correspondence between Charles William Dabney and Mary (Brent)
Dabney, there were scattered letters written by Dabney relatives
in Texas, Tennessee, and Alabama; letters from the grown Dabney
children in the 1900s, ways at college and elsewhere; and
scattered family letters in the 1920s and 1930s; there is a
letter to Charles William Dabney from a grandchild dated 1941.
Folder 175 1872-1878
176 1879
177 1880
178 January-February 1881
179 March 1881
180 April 1881
181 May-June 1881
182 July-December 1881
183 May 1882-October 1883
184 1884
185 February-November 1891
186 1887
187 1888-1890
188 February-November 1891
189 December 1891
190 1892
191 1893
192 January-February 1894
193 March 1894
194 April-May 1894
195 June-July 1894
196 August 1894
197 September-December 1894
198 January-March 1895
199 April-December 1895
200 January-May 1896
201 June-October 1896
202 November-December 1896
203 1897
204 January-June 1898
205 July 1898
206 August 1898
207 September 1898
208 October-December 1898
209 January-July 1899
210 August-December 1899
211 1900-1902
212 1903
213 1904
214 1905
215 1906
216 1907
217 1908
218 1909
219 January-June 1910
220 July-December 1910
221 1911
222 1913-1914
223 1915
224 1916-1917
225 1918
226 1920-1921
227 January-June 1922
228 July 1922
229 1923-1941
Subseries 2.2. Undated
This subseries consists primarily of correspondence between
Charles William Dabney (1855-1945) and Mary (Brent) Dabney,
concerning mostly personal and family matters.
Folder 230-237
Series 3. Stonewall Jackson Research Materials
Subseries 3.1. Source Materials
This subseries is comprised chiefly of research materials
collected by Robert Lewis Dabney for the writing of his Life and
Campaigns of Lt. Genl T.J. Jackson ('Stonewall Jackson'), (1866);
many items were photostated under the direction of Charles
William Dabney (1855-1945) in the twentieth century and the
original documents returned to their prior owners. There are
also additional items, photostats and originals, relating to the
Confederate Army of Northern Virginia but not Jackson directly.
See also Subseries 1.4 and 1.5 for letters to and from Robert
Lewis Dabney concerning Jackson and the Confederate Army.
Antebellum material includes a typed transcript of a letter
dated 11 May 1854 from Thomas Jonathan Jackson to Gideon Johnson
Pillow (1806-1878) in defense of Daniel Harvey Hill's conduct in
a Mexican War episode.
Civil War papers include photostats of several letters from
Joseph E. Johnston to Jackson, 1861 and 1862, from Robert E. Lee
to Jackson, 1861 to May 1863, and from other Confederate officers
and officials, in which they discussed chiefly military
operations in Virginia.
There are photostats of specifications of charges levelled
against William Wing Loring for "neglect of duty;" and of a
letter, dated 26 January 1862, from Jackson to Judah P. Benjamin
requesting transfer to the Virginia Military Institute or, if
that was not granted, acceptance of his resignation. There is a
photostat of a letter, dated 3 February 1862, from Joseph E.
Johnston at Centreville, Va., to Jackson, urging him not to
resign (Johnston's signature was cut out from the original,
resulting in some loss of content).
Items dated ca.7 February 1862 include an original rough draft
of the official report of Jackson's operations in and near the
Shenendoah Valley, Va., November 1861 to January 1862,
transcribed by a clerk with notes by Jackson and, apparently also
by his wife, Anna (Morrison) Jackson. There is a photostat of
another draft of the same report.
There are numerous materials relating to the Battle of
Kernstown, Va. (23 March 1862), 23 March to 7 April 1862,
including original reports, casualty lists, and photostats.
There is an original letter from Joseph E. Johnston, dated 30
May 1862, to another Confederate general (unspecified), regarding
the improper behavior of cavalry pickets from "Wise's Legion."
(Johnston was badly wounded 31 May 1862 at the Battle of Seven
Pines).
Other materials for 1862 include drafts and photostats of
reports concerning the Shenendoah Valley Campaign of 1862;
photostats of charges brought against Ambrose Powell Hill (see
also undated materials for additional charges); an original
letter from Robert E. Lee (probably at Frederickburg, Va.), dated
2 December 1862, to Jackson concerning the Fredericksburg
campaign; and an original from Jackson, possibly to Daniel Harvey
Hill, also regarding the Fredericksburg campaign.
1863 items include photostats of a report, dated 30 January
1863, of the armaments of the Second Corps of the Army of
Northern Virginia, and another, dated 28 February 1863, of its
transportation. There is an original letter, dated 30 April
1863, from Robert E. Lee to Jackson, which, according to attached
information, was Lee's last letter to Jackson before the Battle
of Chancellorsville and his death. There is a photostat of a
note, dated 2 May 1863, written by Jackson to Lee, concerning the
Battle of Chancellorsville. There are numerous memoranda and
notes concerning Jackson's wounding, death, and funeral,
including a detailed letter, dated 29 October 1863, from J.G.
Morrison near Brandy Station, Va., to Robert Lewis Dabney.
There are numerous letters, dated 1863 to 1865, to Robert
Lewis Dabney, with descriptions and reminiscences of Jackson.
There are two detailed letters from G.D. Camden, dated 21 and 25
November 1863, concerning Jackson's youth. Other authors of
letters to Dabney included James A. Seddon (30 May 1863); Richard
S. Ewell (1 October 1863); William H.C. Whiting (30 November
1863); Mary Anna (Morrison) Jackson; and Thomas T. Munford (31
December 1863). Other items include an original letter from
Robert E. Lee to James Longstreet, dated 25 September 1863,
regarding the Confederate victory at the Battle of Chickamauga.
Undated items include photostats of charges by Jackson against
Ambrose Powell Hill. See also Subseries 3.3 for additional
reminiscences of Jackson.
Folder 238 1819-1854
239 April-October 1861
240 November-December 1861
241 January-6 February 1862
242 7 February 1862
243 19-23 March 1862
244 26-28 March 1862
245 April 1862
246 May 1862
247 June 1862
248 August-December 1862
249 January-March 1862
250 April 1863
251 May 1863
252 June-September 1863
253 October-December 1863
254 1864
255 Miscellaneous undated, 1861-1865
256 Materials concerning Ambrose Powell Hill,
1861-1865
Subseries 3.2. Manuscript of Robert Lewis Dabney's Life and
Campaigns of Lt. Genl. T.J. Jackson ('Stonewall
Jackson')
This subseries is composed entirely of drafts of portions of
Robert Lewis Dabney's Life and Campaigns of Lt. Genl. T.J.
Jackson ('Stonewall Jackson'), (1866), all in the handwriting of
the author.
Folder 257-264
Subseries 3.3. Other Loose Materials Relating to Robert Lewis
Dabney's Life and Campaigns of Lt. Genl. T.J.
Jackson ('Stonewall Jackson')
Items in this subseries are chiefly reminiscences, notes, and
clippings collected by Robert Lewis Dabney regarding the life and
career of Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson. There are also
photostats of Jackson materials made by Charles William Dabney
(1855-1945) in the twentieth century. There is a sketch map made
by Robert Lewis Dabney of the Battle of Gaines Mill (1862), and a
photostat of a photograph of Jackson's Mill (see also Series 7.0
Pictures).
Folder 265 Miscellaneous writings
266 Copies and extracts
267 Clippings
268 Articles, poems
269 Personal narratives
270 Maps, pictures
271 Charles William Dabney's notes on
Jackson materials
Series 4. Memoirs of Charles William Dabney (Manuscript)
This series is comprised chiefly of typed drafts of the
memoirs of Charles William Dabney (1855-1945); many of the pages
have marginal and appended notes.
Folders 272-296
Series 5. Other Loose Papers
This series is composed of miscellaneous papers concerning
Dabney and related family history; writings (mostly typed) of
Charles William Dabney (1855-1945); writings (mostly typed) of
interest to Charles William Dabney by different authors; and
publications and scrapbook materials collected by Charles William
Dabney.
Subseries 5.1. Genealogical Data.
This subseries is comprised of genealogical information
regarding the Dabney, Morrison, and related families. There are
charts, various notes, and essays.
Folder 297 Dabney family chart, 1940.
298 Dabney family chart, 1941
299-304
Subseries 5.2. Loose Writings of Charles William Dabney
This subseries consists of loose material, mostly typed,
authored by Charles William Dabney (1855-1945) between 1877 and
1945, including essays, addresses, and notes concerning
education, the First World War, and other matters of interest to
Dabney.
Folder 305 "The Crusades" (1877)
306 Essay on Edgar Allan Poe
307 "The Higher Patriotism" (1914)
308 Writings concerning World War One
(1914-1918)
309 Writings and addresses concerning
World War One (1914-1918)
310 The German-American Alliance
(1914-1917)
311 Miscellaneous (1919-1920)
312 Agriculture
313 Science
314 The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
315 Mexico
316 Mexico
317 Rural education
318 The "Solid South" and "Renationalization"
319 The "Solid South"
320 Education in the South
321 Education in the South
322 Education in the South
323 George Washington and Education
324 George Washington and Education
325 Womens' education
326 Medical education
327 Medical education
328 Medical education
329 Medical education
330 Presbyterianism and Popular Government"
331 "Religion and Human Progress"
332 Founder's Day, the University of
South Carolina (11 January 1917)
333 Address given at Birmingham, Ala. (n.d.)
334-340 Miscellaneous
341 Phi Kappa Phi
342 Miscellaneous fragments
343 Published addresses
Subseries 5.3. Other Writings (Not by Charles William Dabney)
This subseries includes mostly typed essays about subjects of
interest to Charles William Dabney, including the Tennessee
Valley Authority. There are typed transcripts of an 1813 letter
and 1825 diary fragment written by James M. Glassell, and of an
1819 letter written by William Wirt (1772-1834).
James M. Glassell, U.S. Army officer, wrote in a letter (typed
transcript, 6 pp.) to an uncle, dated 22 July 1813, at Fort
George, N.Y., about 1813 fighting between American forces under
General Henry Dearborn (1751-1829) and the opposing British and
Indian forces along the Canadian border. There is a 7-page typed
transcript of portions of a diary written in September and
December 1825 by Glassell concerning his travels in England and
France. There are descriptions of the Doncaster horse races in
England, pickpockets, and the "English ladies and lasses..."; and
of travel in France, particularly of a visit with the Marquis de
Lafayette (1757-1834) and family, who was also entertaining
George Washington and his family.
There is a 4-page typed transcript of a letter, dated 25
October 1819, from William Wirt at Washington, D.C., to "Mr.
Coalter" at Richmond[?], Va., referring to events in and U.S.
Government policy towards Spanish Florida; the Seminole Indians;
and Andrew Jackson.
Folder 344 Typed transcripts, 1813, 1819, 1825
345-347 Miscellanous writings
348 Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Subseries 5.4. Other Loose Materials
This subseries includes an assortment of materials collected
by Charles William Dabney. There are publications and clippings
from various corporate bodies he was associated with, including
Hampden-Sydney College; the University of Tennessee; the
University of Cincinnati; and the U.S. Government. There are
educational publications and articles; government documents and
materials; business and manufacturing papers; agricultural and
veterinary publications; science and health materials; 1941-1942
publications of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity; and religious
materials. The bulk of this subseries is made up of loose
newspaper clippings, many concerning Charles William Dabney and
his acquaintances, and some apparently used by Dabney while
writing his memoirs.
Folder 349-350 Hampden-Sydney College Alumni Association
351 Hampden-Sydney College
352 University of Tennessee publications,
1893-1902
353 University of Tennessee publications,
1903-1904
354 University of Tennessee miscellaneous
materials (various dates)
355 University of Cincinnati miscellaneous
materials (various dates)
356 Educational publications and articles
357 (various dates)
358 Business and manufacturing publications
(1900-1945)
359 Agricultural and veterinary publications
(1901-1945)
360 Science and health publications
(1901-1944)
361 Phi Gamma Delta publications (1941-1942)
362 Articles and publications (miscellaneous)
363 Religious publications
364-400 Scrapbook material
401 Materials about Robert E. Lee
Series 6. Volumes
Subseries 6.1. 1744-1801
This subseries consists of account books, ledgers, daybooks,
memoranda, and miscellaneous notes by William Dabney and Charles
Dabney kept at various Virginia locations.
Folder 402 Vol. 1. Account book, 1744-1745, William Dabney,
(8 pp.). Chiefly an account of necessaries
delivered to the poor of St. Martin's Parish,
Va., during William Dabney's wardship.
403 Vol. 2. Account book, 1745-1756, William Dabney,
(32 pp.). Chiefly accounts of profits and charges
of the estate of William Morris, deceased; also
annual lists of tobacco crops.
404 Vol. 3. Account book, 1760-1765, estate of
Dudley Digges at Louisa County, Va., (32 pp.).
Consists of accounts of overseers, slave lists,
and lists of share crops and supplies.
405 Vol. 4. Account book, 1760-1765, estate of
Edward Ambler, Hanover and Louisa counties, Va.
(54 pp.).
406 Vol. 5. Account book, 1767-1777, Charles
Dabney at Hanover County, Va., (47 pp.).
Accounts with Edward Ambler and his estate.
407 Vol. 6. Account book, ca.1767, Charles
Dabney at Hanover County, Va., ( pp.).
Accounts with Edward Ambler.
408 Vol. 7. Account book, 1766-1769, Charles
Dabney at Hanover County, Va., (29 p.).
Accounts with Edward Ambler's slaves, including
share crops.
409 Vol. 8. Account book, 1770-1777, Charles
Dabney at Hanover County, Va., (44 pp.).
Accounts with sharecroppers at the estate of
Edward Ambler.
410 Vol. 9. Slave, livestock and crop lists,
1772-1776, 1782-1784, 1789, estate of Edward
Ambler, (17 pp.).
411 Vol. 10. Account book, 1776-1777, Charles Dabney
at various Virginia locations, (25 pp.).
Miscellaneous accounts; also lyric poetry
about general Richard Montgomery (1738-1775)
and his 1775 expedition to Canada, and
quotations from Voltaire's "Age of Lewis [sic]
XIV."
412 Vol. 11. Account book, 1777-1791, Charles
Dabney, (32 pp.). Also contains written music
and a list of commissioned officers of the
2nd Virginia State Regiment and their counties
of origin, ca. 1779.
413 Vol. 12. Daybook, 1783-1787, Charles Dabney
at Hanover County, Va., (44 pp.). Also contains
a list of military certificates (p. 15).
414 Vol. 13. Daybook, 1784, (48 pp.).
415 Vol. 14. Daybook, 1785-1790, (248 pp.).
416 Vol. 15. Memorandum book, 1788-1791, (45 pp.).
417 Vol. 16. Ledger, 1789-1792, Charles Dabney
at Hanover County, Va., (192 pp.). Contains
an incomplete account of militia mobilization
in 1775, mentioning Patrick Henry (pp. 187-188).
418 Vol. 17. Daybook, 1791, (38 pp.).
419 Vol. 18. Daybook, 1792-1793, (68 pp.).
420 Vol. 19. Daybook, 1795-1797, (105 pp.).
421 Vol. 20. Daybook, 1797-1802, (68 pp.).
Subseries 6.2. 1817-1850
This subseries contains sermon notes written by James
Morrison, plantation notes by Charles William Dabney at Hanover
County, Va., and extensive writings on Dabney and related family
history.
Folder 422 Vol. 21. Sermons and sermon notes, 1817, 1820,
1822, 1825, 1848, (96 pp., encl. 19 pp.) James
Morrison, pastor of New Providence Church,
Rockbridge, Va.
423 Vol. 22. "Common place book," 1825-1831, (56
pp.), Charles William Dabney, Hanover County, Va.
Plantation notes, accounts, and diary-like entries
about cures for ailments and weather conditions.
424 Vol. 23. Account of family history, 1850 copy of
1842 writing, (34 pp.). Photostat copy of James
Morrison's 1850 copy of Joseph A. Logan's copy of
clergyman William McPheeters's 1842 original, with
notes added by each copyist. Contains only pages
34-68 of Morrison's copy.
425 Vol. 24. Typed transcripts of a manuscript
written by John Blair Dabney in 1850, (80, iii,
141 pp.), with notes written by Charles William
Dabney (1855-1945). Voluminous information
concerning the Dabney and related families.
Subseries 6.3. 1878-1945 and Undated
This subseries consists of volumes used by Charles William
Dabney (1855-1945), including a scrapbook, pocket diaries,
address books, notebooks, and an academic progress book
(1878-1880) from Germany.
Folder 426 Vol. 25. Scrapbook, 1893-1897, (100 pp.),
Charles William Dabney (1855-1945), as Assistant
Secretary of Agriculture, of clippings concerning
a proposed "National Dept. of Science." The
scrapbook is a "Mark Twain's Scrap Book," (N.Y.: