A Guide to the Executive Papers of Governor Henry Carter Stuart, 1857-1918 (bulk 1914-1917) Stuart, Henry Carter, Executive Papers of Governor 28722

A Guide to the Executive Papers of Governor Henry Carter Stuart, 1857-1918 (bulk 1914-1917)

A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Accession Number 28722


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Processed by: Craig S. Moore

Repository
The Library of Virginia
Accession Number
28722
Title
Executive Papers of Governor Henry Carter Stuart, 1857-1918 (bulk 1914-1917)
Extent
33.15 cubic feet and 72 boxes
Creator
Virginia. Governor (1914-1918 : Stuart)
Language
English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Virginia. Governor (1914-1918 : Stuart). Executive Papers of Governor Henry Carter Stuart, 1857-1918 (bulk 1914-1917). Accession 28722, State government records, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va.

Acquisition Information

Transferred from the Governor's Office on 06/30/1975.

Biographical Information

Henry Carter Stuart was born on 18 January 1855 in Wytheville, Virginia, to William Alexander Stuart and Mary Taylor Carter Stuart. The nephew of renowned Civil War Cavalry commander, Jeb Stuart, Henry attended Emory and Henry College and the University of Virginia where he studied law in 1874-1875. Stuart worked with his father on his successful cattle farms in Southwestern Virginia which became incorporated as the Stuart Land and Cattle Company in 1884. Stuart represented Russell County in the Constitutional Convention of 1902. He also was appointed by Governor Andrew Montague as a commissioner in the newly created State Corporation Commission in 1903. He served as a member of the Board of Visitors for the University of Virginia between 1902 and 1905. Elected unopposed on the Democratic ticket as governor in 1913, Stuart took office on 1 February 1914. During his administration, Stuart helped establish the Prohibition Commission, revise the tax code, quell the disorder in the city of Hopewell, and prepare Virginians for World War I. Significant events during his governorship included his attendance at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, Ca., in 1915, the involvement in Virginia troops on the Mexican Border, and the dedication of the Virginia Monument at Gettysburg, Pa., in 1917. After his four-year term in office, Stuart returned to his cattle business. He died at his estate of Elk Garden on 24 July 1933. Stuart married his cousin Margaret Bruce Carter on 26 February 1896 and had a daughter named Mary Fulton who was born in 1898.

Scope and Content

The Executive Papers of Henry Carter Stuart are housed in seventy-three archival boxes and are arranged in alphabetical order by subject. These papers mainly consist of incoming and outgoing correspondence during Henry C. Stuart's four-year term as governor between 1 February 1914 and 1 February 1918. Correspondence in this collection generally relates to appointments, recommendations, legislation, speaking engagements, extraditions, roads and transportation, convicts and the Penitentiary, crime, immigration, pardons & commutations, state mental hospitals, women's suffrage, Confederate pensions, the Gettysburg Monument unveiling, conferences, requisitions, invitations, education, prohibition, Mexican Border service, quarantine, state boards, the John Tyler Monument, schools and universities, Monticello, the Governor's Mansion, the Panama-Pacific Exposition of 1915, the War in Europe and others. Most correspondence sent to the governor includes a copy of his response, or the response by Alexander Forward, Secretary to the Governor. In addition to correspondence, there are reports, proclamations, telegrams, orders, resolutions, acts, publications, news clippings, invitations, opinions, proceedings, financial statements, photographs, invoices, broadsides, and other sundry items.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into the following series:

Series I: Executive Papers of Governor Henry Carter Stuart, 1857-1918 (bulk 1914-1917)

Separated Material

Oversized items have been separated to Boxes 71-73.

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Contents List

Executive Papers of Governor Henry Carter Stuart, 1857-1918 (bulk 1914-1917).
Extent: 33.15 cubic feet (73 boxes).

Governor Stuart corresponded with many individuals. Noteworthy correspondents includes the following: W.W. Sale, Adjutant General; John Garland Pollard, Attorney General; C. Lee Moore, Auditor of Public Accounts; Dr. W.F. Drewry, Superintendent, Central State Hospital; Giles B. Jackson, President of the Negro Historical & Industrial Association; William A. Bowles, Superintendent of the Deaf, Dumb, & Blind School; Dr. George W. Brown, Superintendent, Eastern State Hospital; William Jennings Bryan & Robert Lansing, Secretaries of State; Thomas S. Martin & Claude A. Swanson, U.S. Senate; John S. Parsons, Commissioner of Fisheries; Dr. Thomas L. Watson, State Geologist; Col. John W. Richardson, Superintendent of Grounds & Buildings; LeRoy Hodges, Secretary, Virginia Commission on Economy and Efficiency; Charles C. Moore, President of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition; J.B. Wood, Superintendent of the Penitentiary; John H. Johnson, Pension Clerk; J. Sidney Peters, Prohibition Commissioner; Dr. J.G. Ferneyhough, State Veterinarian; George Coleman, State Highway Commissioner; Duncan U. Fletcher, President, & Clarence J. Owens, Managing Director, Southern Commercial Congress; Dr. E.H. Henderson, Superintendent, Southwestern State Hospital; R.C. Stearnes, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Harry F. Byrd, President of the Valley Turnpike Company; E.W. Nicholas, Superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute; J.D. Eggleston, President of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute; Lyon G. Tyler, President of William & Mary College; and Lila M. Valentine, President of the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia.

Significant correspondence sent to Governor Stuart includes the following: a letter from Henry Ford inviting the governor to accompany his party to Europe in the interest of peace (Arbitration - 1915 Nov. 29); letter of John G. Pollard resigning as Attorney General (Attorney General - 1917 Jan. 15); letter of President Woodrow Wilson congratulating the governor on his election (Congratulations - 1914 Feb. 6); letter of Dr. L.S. Foster, former Superintendent of Easter State Hospital, enclosing a report of the Legislative Committee appointed to investigate his administration (Eastern State Hospital - 1916 Jan. 3); letter of President Woodrow Wilson requesting the governor to consider Judge Percy M. Moir to the Supreme Court of the Philippine Islands (Federal Affairs - 1917 Apr. 5); letters of Robert E. Lee, Jr., and Mary Custis Lee regarding a flag taken from Robert E. Lee's home by his brother (Flags - 1915 Mar. 31); telegrams from Robert Lansing, Secretary of State, regarding the severance of diplomatic relations between the United States & the German Empire and the protection of the shipyard at Newport News and the munitions plant at Hopewell (German War - 1917 Feb. 7); letter of Harry S. McCartney, Chicago, enclosing a memorial of Congress to the people explaining the specific causes & offenses prompting the declaration of war against the German Imperial Government (German War - 1917 Apr. 6); letter of Edward V. Valentine, Art Commission, advising the state to accept the plaster casts of Karl Bitter's statue of Jefferson (Gifts - 1916 Dec. 4.); letter of William H. Taft, former president, inviting the governor to speak under the auspices of the League to Enforce Peace (Invitations Extended - 1917 Feb. 26); letter of President Wilson regarding his invitation to attend the Confederate reunion (1915 Apr. 9); letter of E.E. McCutchan, Surveyor of Augusta County, enclosing plats & descriptions of two tracts of land surveyed as sites for the State Lime Grinding Plant near Staunton (Lime Grinding Board - 1914 Sept. 25); letter of Eppa Hunton, Jr., regarding a merger between the Medical Department of the University of Virginia and the Medical College of Virginia (Medical College of Virginia - 1914 Jan. 26); letter of Newton D. Baker, Secretary of War, regarding the calling into service of units of the Virginia National Guard (Military - 1916 Jan. 19); letter of Maj. T.M. Wortham, Tobyanna, Pa., enclosing photographs of the 1st Battalion Field Artillery, Virginia Volunteers (Military - 1914 Sept. 4); letter of Frederick W. Sievers enclosing a letter from D.A. Vanderwerken, Superintendent of Tiffany Studios, regarding models for the Lee Equestrian Statue in Gettysburg (Miscellaneous - 1916 Mar. 19); letter of James H. Kennedy, Editor, Hardware Dealers Magazine, regarding an old stove in the Capitol Building (Miscellaneous - 1916 Jan. 14); letter of Westmoreland Davis requesting the governor's support for his domination in the Democratic primary (Miscellaneous - 1916 Jan. 4); letter of Margaret Carter Stuart enclosing a postcard advertising C.F. Sauer Company, Richmond, Virginia, from his exhibit at the Panama-Pacific Exposition (Miscellaneous - 1915 July 17); letter of Mrs. Martin N. Littleton enclosing a joint resolution of the House of Delegates memorializing Congress to acquire Monticello (Monticello - 1914 July 4); letter of Margaret A. Winans regarding her design for a peace emblem that contains a card with the symbol & endorsement of Andrew Carnegie (Organizations - 1915 June 21); letter of W.R. Cassell submitting a drawing of his design for a special flask to be presented to the governor of California at the Panama-Pacific Exposition (Panama-Pacific Exposition - 1914 Mar. 17); letter of John K. Peebles regarding plans for a State Office Building (Requests for Information - 1917 Dec. 29); resignation of James Hay as a member of Congress (Resignations - 1916 July 25); letter of James H. Preston, Mayor of Baltimore, regarding Stuart's attendance at the unveiling of a statue to Col. George Armistead, commander at Fort McHenry (Star-Spangled Banner Celebration - 1914 Apr. 9); letter of Lt. Col. J.P. Jervey, U.S. War Dept. Engineer Office, enclosing an extract of an annual report of the Chief of Engineers containing a report of the construction of the Tyler Monument at Hollywood Cemetery (Tyler Monument - 1916 Jan. 26); letter of Kate W. Barrett, President of the National Florence Crittenton Mission regarding taking over the administration of the Virginia Home & Industrial School for Girls (Virginia Home & Industrial School for Girls - 1914 Feb. 3); letter of E.W. Nicholas offering President Wilson the grounds & equipment of the Virginia Military Institute for the use of the U.S. Army that may be called to serve in the conflict pending between the U.S. & Mexico (Virginia Military Institute - 1914 May 1); letter of E.G. Brounlee enclosing a clipping regarding the death of a cadet Thurber Sweet who reportedly died from a hazing incident (Virginia Military Institute - 1915 Dec. 15); letter of Flora Stuart, widow of Jeb Stuart, recommending John D. Letcher to the Virginia Normal Board (Virginia Normal Board - 1914 Apr. 9); letter of Theodore P. Campbell, Dean, enclosing a statement as to the number of professors & instructors at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and the need for the same (1914 Jan. 16); letter of J.P. Morgan regarding the suit against him for the recovery of the original will of Martha Washington which was the subject of litigation in the U.S. Supreme Court (Washington Will - 1914 Mar. 17 & Apr. 22); and a letter of Lila M. Valentine, President of the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia enclosing a program of the 5th Annual Convention of the Equal Suffrage League (Women's Suffrage - 1915 Dec. 8).

Other noteworthy documents include the following: a "mite" box of the American Red Cross for Belgian Relief (Belgian Relief - 1914 Nov. 20); souvenir program of the Convention of American Educators of the Deaf held in Staunton (1914 June 25); report of Dr. George W. Brown, Superintendent, Eastern State Hospital (Eastern State Hospital - ca. 1914); program of ceremonies attending the dedication of the Virginia Memorial on the Battlefield of Gettysburg (Gettysburg Monument - 1917 June 8); sheet music "Join the Army of Peace Instead of War" (Gifts - 1915); photograph of Governor Stuart riding a horse in the parade with the Capitol in the background (Inauguration - 1917 March 13); broadside for the 17th Annual Confederate Reunion near New Market, Va. (Invitations - Speaking - 1915 Aug. 20); broadside for "First Big Annual Sussex County Fair" (Invitations - Speaking - 1915 Oct. 25); broadside for "Scott County's Great Centennial Celebration (Invitations - Speaking - 1915 Sept. 21); broadside for Farmer's Day (Invitations - Speaking - 1916 May 2); proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson authorizing the U.S. to take over the Jamestown Exposition site at Hampton Roads (Jamestown Exposition - dates); extract of a resolution of the Lee Camp Soldiers' Home to provide for the erection of a Confederate Memorial Institute on the western section of the Soldiers' Home (Lee Camp Soldiers' Home - 1911 Feb. 25); reward poster for Israel Legum, a fugitive from South Africa charged with forgery (Legum Extradition - 1916 Aug. 26); lease between the Governor & Mrs. Ellen W. Putney to rent the house & premises at 921 West Franklin Street (Mansion - 1914 Sept. 18); wallpaper samples sent by W.E. Clark & Company (Mansion - 1914 Dec, 9); inaugural address of Governor Stuart (Messages - 1914 Feb. 2); report of the Camp of Instruction at Tobyanna, Pa., from Maj. T.M. Wortham, 1st Battalion Field Artillery (Military - 1914 Sept. 30); broadside advertising a monument in honor of Capt. John Ericsson, the inventor & constructor of the Monitor (Miscellaneous - 1914 Apr. 13); memorial resolution for Edward Echols adopted by the Senate of Virginia (Miscellaneous - 1915 Jan. 28); reports of the localities to the State Board of Charities & Corrections regarding prisoners, when received, race, sex, & term in jail (Miscellaneous - 1916 June 30); drawings & estimates of the Agricultural, Horticultural & Mineral exhibits submitted by M.V. Richards, Land & Industrial Agent, Southern Railway (Panama-Pacific Exposition - Railroads Exhibit - 1914 July 25); photo of John T. Bellison requesting a pardon (Pardons - 1915 Oct. 14); photographs of John Williams & Zonnie Stewart wanted for murder (Requisitions - 1916 Sept. 16); reward poster for the arrest of J.M. & David Neff wanted in Shenandoah County for resisting arrest & shooting with intent to kill (Rewards - 1917 Dec. 31); monthly lists of convicts sent to serve of the Convict Road Force (Roads - various dates); speech of Governor Stuart at the Panama-Pacific Exposition (San Francisco Trip - 1915 July 6); invitation to the transcontinental telephone celebration of Virginia Day (San Francisco Trip - 1915 July 8); proclamation of Governor Stuart regarding the convention of the Southern Commercial Congress in Norfolk (Southern Commercial Congress - 1916 Aug. 19); program of the 8th Annual Convention of the Southern Commercial Congress held in Norfolk (Southern Commercial Congress - 1916 Dec. 11-14); report of the prison system of the state by Joseph T. Mastin, Secretary, State Board of Corrections (State Board of Corrections - 1917 Dec. 4); report of the Special Joint Committee of the General Assembly on Taxation (Taxation, Report of the Special Joint Committee); invitation for the unveiling of the Tyler Monument at Hollywood Cemetery (1915 Oct. 12); certificate of incorporation of the Virginia Home & Industrial School for Girls (Virginia Home & Industrial School for Girls - 1910 Feb. 7); report of the State Board of Charities & Corrections on the investigation of the Virginia Home & Industrial School for Girls (Virginia Home & Industrial School for Girls - 1913 Aug. 20); resolution of the Board to sell the property at Bon Air and continue at another location with larger dormitory space & facilities for vocational training (Virginia Home & Industrial School for Girls - 1916 Jan. 17); bill of sale for 1,208 acres known as "Maidens Adventure" in Powhatan County opposite the State Penitentiary Farm (Virginia Home & Industrial School for Girls - 1916 Jan. 24); publication entitled "Notes on the Virginia Military Institute: The Academic Situation" (Virginia Military Institute - 1917 March 1); list of graduates between 1850 and 1910 of VMI from the VMI Alumni Association, Richmond Chapter (Virginia Military Institute - undated); and statements of financial transactions sent by Charles I. Wade, Treasurer, Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Polytechnic Institute - 1915 July 15).

Arranged alphabetically.

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