A Guide to the Munford-Merrill family papers, 1765, 1818-1998 (bulk 1860-1950)
A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Accession Number 39628
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Processed by: Renee M. Savits
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Use Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Preferred Citation
Munford-Merrill family. Papers, 1765, 1818-1998 (bulk 1860-1950). Accession 39628. Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Ms. Jon Jones Montgomery, Richmond, June 2002.
Biographical Information
The Munford and Merrill families were residents of Chesterfield and Hanover Counties and Richmond, Virginia. Dr. Robert Munford (1816-1843) was the son of William Munford (1775-1825) of Mecklenburg, Virginia, and Sarah Radford Munford (1785-1864). He married Anne Elizabeth Curtis (1821-1917) in 1838, daughter of Henry Curtis (1793-1862) and Christiana Booth Tyler Curtis (1795-1842) of "Puccoon" Hanover County. Christiana Booth Tyler Curtis was the daughter of John Tyler (1747-1813), Governor of Virginia (1808-1811), and sister of John Tyler (1790-1862), President of the United States (1841-1845). Dr. Munford was a physician and died of yellow fever while on a medical mission to Cuba. Their children included: John Henry Munford (1843-1863), who served with Lechter Light Artillery Regiment and was killed during the Civil War; Robert Beverley Munford (1841-1900); and Christiana Curtis Munford (1843-1916), who married George Franklin Merrill.
Robert Beverley Munford (1841-1900) was a Commissioner of the Revenue for Richmond and married Mary Gray (1856-1880) daughter of James H. Gray, in 1877. Their children included Robert Beverley Munford Jr. (1878-1952) and Mary Gray Munford (1880-1880). He married for a second time to Lucy Taliaferro Smyth (1858-1906) and their children included John Henry Munford (b. 1888) and Kathleen Beverley Munford (ca. 1890-1957). Robert Beverley Munford Jr. was an author and wrote the book, "Richmond homes and memories" (1936).
George Franklin Merrill (1834-1899) was born in Gilmanton, New Hampshire, and attended Dartmouth College, graduating in 1858. He moved to Mobile, Alabama, where he practiced law and joined the 4th Regiment, Alabama Infantry during the Civil War. After the war he moved to Richmond to work at a school for girls and was principal of the Richmond Normal School. He was married first to Mildred Briggs of Culpeper County, Virginia. He married for a second time to Christiana Curtis Munford and their children included: Mary Page Merrill (1868-1959); Robert Munford Merrill (1869-1947); George Franklin Merrill (1873-1875); Annie Merrill (1877-1965) who married Daniel W. Lindsey (1871-1961); Rosa Merrill (b. 1878); David Batchelder Merrill (1883-1959); William Preston Munford Merrill (1886-1972); and Edith Carleton Merrill (1880-1937) who married Jesse Foster Roache (1881-1975). Their daughter, Edith Merrill Roache (b. 1908) married Sverre F. Tollefsen (1902-1963) in 1946.
Scope and Content
Papers, 1765-1998 (bulk 1860-1950), of the Munford and Merrill families of Chesterfield and Hanover Counties and Richmond, Virginia. Included are correspondence, deeds, estate records, genealogical notes, photographs, publications, and scrapbooks. The bulk of the collection consists of the Photographs and Scrapbooks Series. The photographs include numerous carte de visites, cabinet cards, and a few tintypes from Richmond photographic studios. Included are photographs of family members, African Americans, buildings, college, pets, and vacations and travels. Scrapbooks include clippings of poetry and fiction stories, genealogy, local news, Civil War, historic Richmond homes, and college.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into the following series:
Series I: Papers, 1765, 1818-1998 (bulk 1880-1950) Series II: Photographs and Photograph albums, 1860-1994 (bulk 1860-1950) Series III: Scrapbooks and Ephemera, ca. 1920-1960Contents List
Papers, 1765, 1818-1998 (bulk 1880-1950) of the Munford and Merrill families of Chesterfield and Hanover Counties and Richmond, Virginia. Included are agreements, baby book, certificates, clippings, correspondence, deeds, estate records, genealogical notes, military records, obituaries, programs, publications, stock certificates, and wills.
Of note are several letters from Dr. Robert Munford including a letter, 18 June 1838, from Dr. Robert Munford to Dr. Henry Curtis regarding his proposed nuptials to Anne Curtis, daughter of Henry Curtis; letter, 24 November 1842, from John Rutherfoord regarding the outstanding character of Dr. Robert Munford and his upcoming move to Cuba; letter, 14 December 1843, from Dr. Robert Munford in Havana, Cuba, to his mother Sarah Munford, Richmond, discussing his efforts to spread religious ideas among the soldiers of the island. Also includes letters, 1896-1897, from Robert B. Munford to his wife, Lucy Munford; letter, 1906, from Ann Munford to her son Robert, regarding the division of her estate. Also included are letters, 1926, to Edith Roache, while at Mary Baldwin College, from her parents; letters of consolation for the death of her mother in 1937; and letters, 1944-1945, from future husband, Sverre Tollefson.
Of note are copies of the surrender agreements, 10 April 1865 and 11 April 1865, regarding Army of Northern Virginia. Also included are deeds and plats for land in Chesterfield County and Richmond and estate records of Christiana Merrill, William Preston Munford Merrill, Kathleen Beverley Munford, Robert B. Munford Jr., Robert B. Munford Sr., and Jesse Foster Roache.
Also of note are the genealogical notes on the Curtis, Merrill, Munford, Page, Roache, and Tyler families. Also included are military records, programs, promissory note for the hire of a slave in Mississippi, stock certificates, will of Lucy T.S. Munford, and various sheet music and librettos.
Arranged alphabetically by folder title.
- Box 1
Folder 1
Agreements, 1865 .
- Box 1
Folder 1a
Babybook, Edith Merrill Roache, 1908 .
- Box 1
Folder 2
Bible records, Merrill family.
- Box 1
Folder 3
Calling cards, nd .
- Box 1
Folder 4
Certificate (to practice law), George F. Merrill, 1861 .
- Box 1
Folder 5
Certificates (school), Robert B. Munford, Jr., 1887-1889 .
- Box 1
Folder 6
Certificate (school), Robert B. Munford, Jr., 1952 .
- Box 1
Folder 7
Certificate (military), John H. Munford, ca. 1962-1964 .
- Box 1
Folder 8
Clippings, architecture, 1949-1989 .
- Box 1
Folder 9
Clippings, obituaries, 1843-1899, 1944-1954 .
- Box 1
Folder 10
Clippings, society, ca. 1940-1950 .
- Box 1
Folder 11
Clippings, miscellaneous, 1954-1989 .
- Box 1
Folder 12
Composition book, Edith Merrill Roache, ca. 1940-1950 .
- Box 1
Folder 13
Correspondence, 1818-1843 .
- Box 1
Folder 14
Correspondence, 1855-1888 .
- Box 1
Folder 15
Correspondence, 1891-1899 .
- Box 1
Folder 16
Correspondence, 1900-1917 .
- Box 1
Folder 17
Correspondence, 1925 .
- Box 1
Folder 18
Correspondence, 1926-1928 .
- Box 2
Folder 1
Correspondence, 1932-1937 .
- Box 2
Folder 2
Correspondence, 1940-1944 .
- Box 2
Folder 3
Correspondence, 1945-1949 .
- Box 2
Folder 4
Correspondence, 1963-1998 .
- Box 2
Folder 5
Correspondence, nd .
- Box 2
Folder 6
Deeds, 1870-1958 .
- Box 2
Folder 7
Estate records, Christiana M. Merrill (d. 1916), 1916 .
- Box 2
Folder 8
Estate records, William Preston Munford Merrill (d. 1972), 1972-1974 .
- Box 2
Folder 9
Estate records, Kathleen Beverley Munford (d. 1957), 1948-1957 .
Includes will.
- Box 2
Folder 9a
Estate records, Robert Beverley Munford Sr. (d. 1900), 1900 .
- Box 2
Folder 10
Estate records, Robert Beverley Munford Jr. (d. 1952), 1952 .
- Box 2
Folder 11
Estate records, Jesse Foster Roache (d. 1975), 1976 .
- Box 2
Folder 12-13
Genealogical notes.
- Box 3
Folder 1
Ledger, 1890 .
- Box 3
Folder 2
Memorial booklets, Edith Merrill Roache (d. 1937), 1937 .
- Box 3
Folder 3
Military records, John H. Munford, 1863 .
- Box 3
Folder 4
Military records, William Preston Munford Merrill, 1912 .
- Box 3
Folder 5
Military records, Sveere Tollefsen, 1945-1950 .
- Box 3
Folder 6
Oaths (copy), 1765 .
- Box 3
Folder 7
Plat (Richmond, Va.), 1877 .
- Box 3
Folder 8
Poems, ca. 1843-1920 .
- Box 3
Folder 9
Programs, 1907-1926 .
- Box 3
Folder 10
Promissory notes, 1861 .
- Box 3
volume
Publications, Bertini's Piano Method, ca. 1898 .
- Box 3
Folder 11-13
Publications, Librettos and sheet music, ca. 1920-1940 .
- Box 4
Folder 1
Publications, Manual of Grace Street Presbyterian Church (Richmond), 1901 .
- Box 4
Folder 2
Publications, Sweety Chalbeate Springs (Alleghany Co., Va.), 1907 .
- Box 4
Folder 3
Publications, Miscellaneous, 1952-1978 .
- Box 4
Folder 4
Receipts, 1922, 1985 .
- Box 4
Folder 5
Speech, 1974 .
- Box 4
Folder 6
Stock certificates, 1880-1896 .
- Box 4
Folder 7
Wedding announcement, 1946 .
- Box 4
Folder 8
Will, Lucy T.S. Munford (d. 1906), 1906 .
- Box 4
Folder 9
Miscellaneous, ca. 1930-1950 .
Photographs, ca. 1860-1994 (bulk 1860-1950), of the Munford, Merrill, Roache, and related families. The collections strength is the 19th century photographs, including numerous carte de visite and a few tin types. Many of the photographs are from Richmond area studios such as Anderson, C.R. Rees & Co., Vannerson & Jones, G.W. Davis, G.W. Minnis, and Richmond Photograph Co.
Arranged into two subseries: Subseries 1. Loose photographs; Subseries 2. Photograph Albums.
- Subseries 1. Loose photographs, ca. 1860-1994 (bulk 1860-1950) ..90 cu. ft. (2.5 boxes)
- Box 4
Folder 10
Curtis/Custis family, ca. 1870-1900 .
- Box 4
Folder 11
Merrill family, ca. 1869-1959, 1994 .
- Box 4
Folder 12
Munford family, ca. 1891-1910 .
- Box 4
Folder 13
Roache family, ca. 1900-1920 .
- Box 5
Folder 1
Semple family, ca. 1900 .
- Box 5
Folder 2
Settle family, ca. 1890 .
- Box 5
Folder 3
Warden family, ca. 1930 .
- Box 5
Folder 4-5
Buildings, ca. 1900-1950 .
- Box 5
Folder 6
Dogs, 1955-1963 .
- Box 5
Folder 7
Forest Hill Park, 1902-1904 .
- Box 5
Folder 8
Horses, ca. 1940-1960 .
- Box 5
Folder 9
Unidentified children, ca. 1860-1900 .
- Box 5
Folder 10
Unidentified groups, ca. 1860-1900 .
- Box 5
Folder 11
Unidentified men, ca. 1860-1900 .
- Box 5
Folder 12
Unidentified women, ca. 1860-1900 .
- Box 6
Folder 1
Unidentified women, ca. 1860-1900 .
- Box 6
Folder 2
Unidentified children, ca. 1900-1930 .
- Box 6
Folder 3
Unidentified groups, ca. 1900-1930 .
- Box 6
Folder 4
Unidentified men, ca. 1900-1930 .
- Box 6
Folder 5
Unidentified women, ca. 1900-1930 .
- Box 6
Folder 6
Unidentified family, ca. 1940-1970 .
- Box 6
Folder 7
Miscellaneous, ca. 1930-1960 .
- Box 6
Folder 8
Negatives.
- Box 4
Folder 10
- Subseries II: Photograph Albums, ca. 1860-1971 .2.25 cu. ft. (8 boxes)
- Box 7
Photograph Album, ca. 1860-1870 .
Carte de visite photograph album of the Merrill and Munford families including: Annie Merrill, Andrew Merrill, David. B. Merrill, Edith Merrill; Elvira Page Merrill, Mary Page Merrill, Munford Merrill, Rosa Merrill; and Annie E. Munford.
- Box 8
Photograph Album, ca. 1860-1870 .
Carte de visite photograph album of Miss Mary P. Merrill. Includes photographs of: Bessie Dennison, Ceta Curtis, Mary and Kate Duval, Ida Gray, Christiana Curtis Munford Merrill, George F. Merrill, Mary Page Merrill, Ann Munford, John H. Munford, Robert B. Munford, Sallie Munford, Dr. Read, Frank Rowers, Lizzie Starke, Dr. Tabler, and Mrs. Tazewell Tyler. (Due to the poor condition of the album the photographs were removed from the album and individually sleeved).
- Box 9
Photograph album, ca. 1870-1890 .
Carte de visite and cabinet card photograph album of the Munford and Merrill families. Includes photographs of: Robert Munford August, Ceta Curtis, Christiana Curtis Munford Merrill, David B. Merrill, George F. Merrill, Beverley Munford, John H. Munford, Lucy T.S. Munford, Robert Beverley Munford, Reed Radford, Sherrard Tabb, and Richard Toms. Includes photographs of two African American women, Jenny Coles and Julia Jeter. Also includes memorial carte de visite to the Confederate States and Robert E. Lee.
- Box 10
Photograph album, ca. 1870-1897 .
Carte de visite and cabinet card photograph album of the Munford and Merrill families. Includes photographs of: Graham family, Jones family, Christiana Curtis Munford Merrill, David B. Merrill, William Preston Munford Merrill, Anne Elizabeth Curtis Munford, Fannie Munford, John Henry Munford, Kathleen Beverley Munford, Lucy T.S. Munford, and Smyth family. (Due to the poor condition of the album the photographs were removed from the album and individually sleeved).
- Box 11
Photograph Album, ca. 1890-1920 .
Includes two unidentified photograph albums of family members at vacations on the beach, picnics, graduations, horseback and buggy rides, christening, and family gatherings.
- Box 12
Photograph Album, ca. 1920-1930 .
Includes two photograph albums of school, family travels and vacations. The albums are annotated with names, dates, and locations.
- Box 13
Photograph Album, 1948-1971 .
Includes photographs of family dogs, family travels, and vacations in Connecticut and at home in Midlothian, Virginia. The albums are annotated with names, dates, and locations.
- Box 14
Photograph Albums and Oversize Photographs, ca, 1930-1960 .
Includes two photograph albums: One album includes photographs from an unidentified wedding (18 August 1943) and of family pets; Second album includes unidentified family photographs. The Oversize photographs include unidentified family studio photographs and a signed photograph of the Pirates baseball team (city unknown), ca. 1930-1940.
- Box 7
Scrapbooks and ephemera, ca. 1861-1968, of the Munford and Merrill families. Included are scrapbooks of Christiana Curtis Munford, Robert B. Munford, Robert B. Munford Jr., Rosalie Merrill Noland, and Edith Merrill Roache Tollefsen. The scrapbooks contain clippings relating the Civil War, poetry, genealogy, college, and local news. Of note are the scrapbooks of Robert B. Munford Jr. containing clippings on historic Richmond homes and buildings that were possibly used for his book "Richmond Homes and Memories (1936)." Also of note are several scrapbooks of Edith Merrill Roache Tollefson documenting New Hanover High School in Wilmington, North Carolina, and her college years at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia. Included are several genealogical scrapbooks containing clippings, copies of death and military certificates, receipts, correspondence, and family trees on the Armistead, Bachelder, Beverley, Bland, Byrd, Carter, Lee, Merrill, Munford, Noland, Page, Randolph, Tyler, and Whittle families.
Included are family Bibles of Edith Merrill and Robert Munford Jr. The family records have been copied and cataloged individually by family name. Also included are loose postcards and souvenir postcard albums, ca. 1920-1960, from various North Carolina, Virginia, and European historic sites.
Arranged chronologically.
- Box 15
Scrapbook of Christiana Curtis Munford, ca. 1861-1880 .
Poetry scrapbook including newspaper clippings of proclamations from Jefferson Davis, tributes and poems to soldiers and battles, and poems of love and religion.
- Box 16
Scrapbook of Robert B. Munford, 1874-1893 .
Poetry scrapbook including newspaper clippings, tributes and poems regarding the Civil War, and poems of love and religion.
- Box 16
Scrapbooks of Robert B. Munford, Jr., 1872-1922 .
Includes newspaper clippings of historic Richmond homes and buildings; articles regarding the sale of Robert A. Brock's collection; poetry and fictional stories; correspondence; certificate from the Richmond Light Infantry Blues Association; and certificates of Mary Gray from the Petersburg Female College.
- Box 17
Scrapbooks of Munford and Merrill families, 1898-1968 .
Includes several scrapbooks with newspaper clippings of poems, religious and fictional stories, postcards, images of Civil War generals, and historic sites in Virginia (one is identified as belonging to Robert Munford Merrill). One scrapbook contains clippings on the genealogy of the Beverley, Bland, Carter, Lee, and Whittle families of Virginia. Another scrapbook belonged to Rosalie Merrill Noland and includes obituaries, marriage notices, memorial booklets, poems, photographs, social notes, genealogy, and correspondence.
- Box 18
Scrapbook of Edith Merrill Roache (Tollefsen), 1925 .
The scrapbook was created while in Wilmington, North Carolina, and includes poems, calling cards, newspaper clippings regarding New Hanover High School, and letters from potential colleges. Also includes loose notes with recipes, photographs, and genealogical records.
- Box 19
Scrapbook Edith Merrill Roache (Tollefsen), 1925-1926 .
The scrapbook was created while in college at Mary Baldwin College, Staunton, Virginia. Includes names of favorites classes and friends, clippings, social notices, programs, and correspondence (scrapbook is in poor condition). Also included are oversize sketches and a blank leather folder.
- Box 20
Scrapbooks, Miscellaneous, 1934-1948 .
Includes two scrapbooks with newspaper clippings on historic homes in Virginia (possibly belonging to Robert B. Munford Jr.); and scrapbook including newspaper clippings regarding Richmond and also the anniversary of the Civil War.
- Box 21
Scrapbook, Genealogy.
Includes genealogy on the Armistead, Bachelder, Beverley, Byrd, Carter, Merrill, Munford, Page, Randolph, and Tyler families. Includes copies of death and military certificates, notes, receipts, clippings, and correspondence.
- Box 22
Family Bibles.
The family records (birth, marriage, death) were copied and are cataloged individually by family name. Also includes an artifact, possibly a spinning top.
- Box 23-24
Postcards and postcard album, ca. 1920-1960 .