Manuscripts Department
Library of the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
SOUTHERN HISTORICAL COLLECTION
#201-z
CORNELIUS DABNEY DIARY
Inventory
Abstract: Cornelius Dabney, University of Virginia student
and school teacher, was the son of William Winton (b.
1816) and Martha Ann Bosher Dabney (fl. 1863-1865) of
Richmond, and later Enfield, King William County, Va.
Diary kept by Dabney between 1863 and 1869,
documenting a summer spent at home in 1863, his
attendance at the University of Virginia in 1863 and
1864, the disruption of his life by the Civil War, and
his attempts to support himself as a school teacher
after the war. Dabney described farm work at home,
including the production of wheat, and the family's
social activities. At the University of Virginia, he
wrote about his attendance at lectures, his studies of
Latin and other subjects, and his professors,
including Basil Lanneau Gildersleeve (1831-1924) and
Maximilian Schele De Vere (1820-1898). He also wrote
about participating in Baptist Church activities,
including forming a young men's prayer meeting in
Charlottesville, and the Albemarle Mutual Relief
Association, which was formed to combat the high
prices of goods during the war. A few diary entries
relate to Dabney's teaching career in Virginia and
Mississippi.
Online Catalog Terms:
Agriculture--Virginia--History--19th century.
Albemarle Mutual Relief Association (Charlottesville, Va.).
Baptists--Virginia--History--19th century.
College students--Virginia--History--19th century.
Confederate States of America--Social conditions.
Cooperative societies--Virginia--History--19th century.
Dabney, Cornelius, 1844-1874.
Dabney, Martha Ann Bosher, fl. 1863-1865.
Dabney, William Winton, b. 1816.
Diaries--Virginia--History--19th century.
Gildersleeve, Basil Lanneau, 1831-1924.
King William County (Va.)--Social life and customs--19th
century.
Schele De Vere, Maximilian, 1820-1898.
Teachers--Mississippi--History--19th century.
Teachers--Virginia--History--19th century.
University of Virginia--Students--Social life and customs--
19th century.
Virginia--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.
Wheat farmers--Virginia--History--19th century.
Size: 1 item.
Provenance: Unknown.
Access: No restrictions.
Processing Note: This collection was rehoused under the
sponsorship of a grant from the National
Endowment for the Humanities, Office of
Preservation, Washington, D.C., 1990-1992.
Copyright: Retained by the authors of items in these papers, or
their descendents, as stipulated by United States
copyright law.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Cornelius Dabney (1844-1874) was the son of William Winton
Dabney (b. 1816) and Martha Ann Bosher Dabney (fl. 1863-1865) of
Richmond, and later Enfield, King William County, Va. He married
Mary Nicol of New Orleans, La., and had two children, Cornelius,
Jr., and Katherine Nicol.
Cornelius Dabney attended the University of Virginia in 1863.
He operated a school near his home in Enfield from 1866 to 1868,
and later worked with his brother-in-law, Dr. Tucker, at a school
in Magnolia, Miss.
DESCRIPTION
This collection consists of a diary, kept between 1863 and
1869. The diary was chiefly kept by Cornelius Dabney; there is
one entry written by his father in April 1863, on the date of his
birthday. Cornelius began his diary on 10 August 1863 while he
was spending his summer at his parents' home in King William
County, Va. He wrote about his daily activities and the
activities of his family, including work on the farm as well as
social activities. One of the Dabneys's major crops was wheat,
and Cornelius wrote about their taking the wheat to the mill. He
and his brothers would occasionally help Mr. Harris, the miller,
with his work. Other crops mentioned are corn, potatoes, and
oats.
Cornelius also occasionally mentioned his Uncle James White,
his Uncle Bushrod and Aunt Jennie who lived close by at Oakwood,
and other relatives. Cornelius noted playing many games of
chess.
Cornelius was a member of the Baptist Church, and he recorded
his attendance at prayer meetings and Sunday school at churches
in Beulah and Hebron, Va. On 19 September, he mentioned
attending a meeting of the "Association" in Beulah.
There are scattered references in the diary to the Civil War
and its effects. On 15 August, Cornelius mentioned that a friend
of his had been killed at Gettysburg. While on an expedition to
Richmond, he noted the high prices of some articles he purchased.
He also mentioned meeting with Lt. Roane and his squad, who were
searching for deserters and conscripts.
On 30 September 1863, Cornelius left for the University of
Virginia with his friend, Josie Gwathmey, who was perhaps a
cousin. They boarded with two other young men, Luther Broaddus
and Joe Clarke, at the home of Dr. William F. Broaddus, a Baptist
preacher. Cornelius described matriculating at the University,
attending lectures, and studying Latin and other subjects. He
commented on his professors, including Basil Lanneau Gildersleeve
(1831-1924) and Maximilian Schele De Vere (1820-1898), who taught
Latin. Cornelius frequently mentioned visiting Kate Fife and
other young ladies. He was involved with organizing a young
men's Baptist prayer meeting and conducted one of the sessions.
On 31 October, Cornelius noting attending a meeting of the
Albemarle Mutual Relief Association. This organization was
formed to try to combat the high prices brought about by the war,
by buying in bulk at good prices and selling the items to
shareholders.
After December 1863, the diary entries are less frequent. In
April 1864, Cornelius described some of the events of the
previous months, including Christmas, which was pleasant in spite
of the war and the absence of slaves, who had fled to the
protection of the Northern troops. The next entry is dated 7
October 1864. In the preceding six months, his brother Alfred
had been wounded and his Uncle Bushrod was taken prisoner.
On 19 January 1865, Cornelius was back at the University of
Virginia boarding with Dr. Broaddus. The next entry is dated 7
April 1865. In it, Cornelius described his return to his home in
February and being forced to walk back to the University of
Virginia. He had just heard that Richmond had been evacuated and
was debating whether to return home or remain where he was.
Cornelius did not write again until August 1868. His
remaining three entries--dated 5 August 1868, 12 November 1868,
and 9 February 1869-- relate to his efforts after the war to
support himself by teaching school. He taught for a time at his
parent's home in King William County, and later went to teach in
association with his brother-in-law, Dr. Tucker, in Magnolia,
Miss.
Folder 1 Diary, 1863-1869
2 Typescript