A Guide to the Executive letter books of Governor James L. Kemper, 1874-1877 Governor, Office of the. Virginia. 35358

A Guide to the Executive letter books of Governor James L. Kemper, 1874-1877

A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Accession Number 35358


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Processed by: Craig Moore

Repository
The Library of Virginia
Accession Number
35358
Title
A Guide to the Executive letter books of Governor James L. Kemper, 1874-1877
Extent
2 v. (689 p.)
Creator
Virginia. Governor (1874-1877 : Kemper)
Language
English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

For preservation purposes, please use microfilm (Misc. reel 6193)

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Executive letter books of Governor James L. Kemper, 1874 Jan. 5-1877 Dec. 28. Accession 35358, State government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information unknown

Alternative Form Available

Also available on microfilm (Misc. reel 6193)

Biographical Information

James Lawson Kemper was born 11 June 1823 at "Mountain Prospect" in Madison County, Virginia, to William Kemper (1776-1853) and Maria E. Allison Kemper (1787-1873). He attended the Locust Dale Academy, then Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) in Lexington, Virginia, graduating in 1842. He read law under George W. Summers (1804-1868) of Kanawha County, (West) Virginia, and received a master's degree from Washington College. Admitted to the bar 2 October 1846, Kemper returned to Madison County to practice law. When the Mexican War began, Kemper was appointed captain in the First Virginia Regiment and served until the end of the war. In 1853, Kemper was elected to the House of Delegates and served until 1863. He was Speaker of the House from 1861 to 1863. Kemper also was appointed a general in the Virginia militia in 1858. When the Civil War began, Kemper was appointed colonel of the 7th Virginia Infantry. Due to his performance at the battle of Seven Pines, Kemper was promoted to brigadier general. He was wounded in Pickett's Charge on 3 July 1863, and was captured by Union troops a few days later. Exchanged in September 1863, he returned to his command. Kemper was put in command of the reserve forces of Virginia in 1864.

After the war ended, Kemper returned to his law practice in Madison County and pursued business interests. He was elected governor of Virginia in 1873 and served from 1874 to 1878. Much of his term was spent in dealing with Virginia's debt. On 12 March 1874, Kemper created controversy and angered his Conservative contemporaries by vetoing a bill to transfer control of the city government of Petersburg from elected Republican officials to a board of commissioners appointed by a city judge. Governor Kemper also played an integral part in the unveiling of John Henry Foley's statue to Stonewall Jackson on Capitol Square.

After he left the governor's office, Kemper returned to Madison County, then moved to Orange County in 1882. Kemper married Cremora Conway Cave (ca. 1837-1870) 4 July 1853 in Madison County, and they had seven children. Kemper died 7 April 1895 in Orange County and buried at the family cemetery at "Walnut Hills" in Madison County.

Scope and Content

Executive letter book contains the outgoing correspondence of Governor James L. Kemper between 1874 and 1877, arranged chronologically. Letters were written by Governor Kemper, clerk P. F. Howard, Secretary of the Commonwealth James McDonald, and personal secretaries Meade C. Kemper, S. Bassett French, Baker P. Lee, and Charles Rutledge Whipple. Governor Kemper corresponded with a variety of individuals in federal and state government as well as important private indiviudals,on issues including the state war debt, prisoners and the Penitentiary, the volunteer militia, the Petersburg city government bill veto, requests for patronage, the Centennial Exhibition, the Virginia Military Institute, boundary disputes with West Virginia and Maryland, and the Foley statue of Stonewall Jackson. The letter book also includes a number of messages addressed to the Senate and House of Delegates of Virginia.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into the following series: I. Executive letter books of Governor James L. Kemper, 1874-1877.

Arranged chronologically.

Index Terms

    Corporate Names:

  • Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Company
  • College of William and Mary
  • Eastern State Hospital (Va.)
  • Eastern State Hospital (Va.) Office of the Superintendent
  • Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute (Va.)
  • United States Centennial Commission
  • United States. Adjutant-Generals Office
  • United States. Army. Quartermaster's Departmen
  • United States. Department of State
  • United States. War Department
  • University of Virginia
  • Virginia Military Institute
  • Virginia Military Institute -- History -- 19th century.
  • Virginia Military Institute. Board of Visitors.
  • Virginia Penitentiary.
  • Virginia Penitentiary. Superintendent.
  • Virginia. Department of Military Affairs
  • Virginia. Department of Military Affairs.
  • Virginia. Governor (1874-1878 : Kemper)
  • Virginia. Office of the Attorney General
  • Virginia. Office of the Attorney General
  • Subjects:

  • African Americans -- History -- 19th century.
  • Convict labor -- 19th century. -- Virginia
  • Extradition -- 19th century -- Virginia
  • Flour -- Inspection -- Virginia.
  • Governors -- Virginia.
  • Indians of North America -- 19th century -- Virginia
  • Jackson-Hope Medal.
  • Mattaponi Indians
  • Medals -- Virginia
  • Monuments -- Virginia -- Richmond.
  • National cemeteries -- Virginia.
  • Oyster industry -- Chesapeake Bay (Md. and Va.)
  • Pamunkey Indians
  • Pardons -- Virginia.
  • Prisoners -- 19th century. -- Virginia
  • State governments -- Virginia -- Officials and employees.
  • Statues -- Virginia -- Richmond
  • Tobacco -- Inspection -- Virginia.
  • Genre and Form Terms:

  • Letter books.
  • State government records. -- Virginia.

Significant Places Associated With the Collection

  • Arkansas. -- Politics and government -- 19th century
  • Louisiana -- History -- 19th century.
  • Maryland -- Boundaries -- Virginia.
  • Maryland. -- Politics and government -- 19th century
  • Missouri -- Politics and government -- 19th century.
  • North Carolina -- Politics and government -- 19th century.
  • Petersburg (Va.) -- History -- Reconstruction, 1865-1877
  • Tennessee -- Politics and government -- 19th century.
  • United States -- Centennial celebrations, etc.
  • United States. -- History -- Reconstruction, 1865-1877
  • Virginia -- Boundaries -- Maryland.
  • Virginia -- Capital and capitol.
  • Virginia -- History -- 19th century.
  • Virginia -- Militia -- History -- 19th century.
  • Virginia -- Politics and government -- 19th century.
  • West Virginia. -- Politics and government -- 19th century.