Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434) 560 Drillfield Drive Newman Library, Virginia Tech Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 Business Number: 540-231-6308 specref@vt.edu URL: http://spec.lib.vt.edu
John M. Jackson, Archivist
Repository
Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
Identification
Ms.2009.034
Title
Chapman J. French Papers 1903-1957
Quantity
4.2 Cubic Feet, 9 boxes, 1 oversize folder
Creator
French, Chapman J. (Chapman Johnston)
Language
The materials in the collection are in English.
Abstract
The collection contains papers of Chapman J. French, civil engineer employed by Norfolk & Western Railway from 1903 to 1950.
It includes correspondence, memoranda, working notes, and specifications for projects as well as company and engineering department
procedures. Also includes personal papers, largely relating to purchases for household and farm.
The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University
Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.
Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization
form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition
form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with
forms or to submit a completed form.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder],
Chapman J. French Papers, Ms2009-034, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
Source of Acquisition
The first accrual of the Chapman J. French Papers (1.5 cu. ft.) was purchased by Special Collections in 2009. The papers had
been part of a larger group of railroad-related materials compiled by a collector, then sold to a dealer (see "separated material"
section). Additional materials from the same source were purchased later that year.
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement and description of the first accrual (1.5 cu. ft.) of the Chapman J. French Papers commenced and
was completed in March 2009. Processing of an additional 2.7 cu. ft. of material began in November 2009 and was completed
in May 2010.
Chapman Johnston French, son of Charles D. and Annie C. Johnston French, was born August 15, 1880. He graduated from Virginia
Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute (now Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) in
1902 and soon thereafter became employed by the Norfolk & Western Railway as a civil engineer. He served for many years as
resident engineer at Narrows, Virginia, where he lived with his wife Lela Lee Weatherly French. Later, the couple moved to
Roanoke, where French served in the Engineering Department. He was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and
several fraternal organizations, including the Elks and the Knights of Pythias. French retired in 1950. Following Lela's death,
French married Mildred Greer. Chapman J. French died at Troutdale, Virginia on July 6, 1964.
This collection contains the papers of Chapman J. French, a civil engineer employed by the Norfolk & Western Railway during
the first half of the twentieth century. The collection is divided into two series:
Series I. Professional Papers, 1900-1957. This series contains such items as correspondence, memoranda, working notes, and
specifications for engineering projects, as well as administrative memoranda and rules governing the company's engineering
department and other aspects of the company's operation. The collection includes documentation on topics relating to construction
of railways and associated structures but also includes many papers relating to legal agreements, property acquisition, rights
of way, and court cases. Included among the papers are a number of property plat maps and track diagrams, as well as a collection
of blank forms used in various aspects of the company's operation--particularly contracts and agreements. Geographical areas
substantially represented within the papers include Columbus, Ohio; Narrows, Virginia; Norfolk, Virginia; and Portsmouth,
Ohio.
Series II. Personal Papers, 1911-1945. French's personal papers are largely devoted to various purchases of household and
farm goods and include such items as receipts, invoices and correspondence with various merchants and manufacturers. Also
included are materials relating to French's car (a 1914 Hupmobile), the Virginia Tech Alumni Association, the brewing of alcoholic
beverages, the Matthew French monument, the Giles County Game & Fish Protective Association, numerous fraternal lodges, personal
health (including correspondence relating to French's use of a hair restorative), and a number of letters regarding a contract
between the Virginian Railway and French's parents for some buildings near Narrows.
Series III. Oversize Materials, 1881-1957, n.d. This series contains materials removed from Series I due to size.
The collection essentially retains French's original order, arranged alphabetically by subject (sometimes by topic, sometimes
by geographical area); in processing, some unsorted material was added to the arrangement. The inventory includes a partial
list of those topics in each folder judged most significant by the processor, based on their prevalence or uniqueness. Many
of the folders, however, contain materials relating to additional topics that are not listed.
Virginia Tech Special Collections and University Archives holds several other manuscript collections and books relating to
the Norfolk & Western Railway.
The Chapman J. French Papers were acquired in two separate accessions as part of a larger collection of railway-related material
that had been compiled by a private collector, then sold to a dealer. In the course of processing, the French Papers were
removed to a separate collection. The acquisitions of which these papers were a part also included the following collections:
Note: This list comprises only a partial inventory of the folder contents and includes only those materials deemed most significant,
based on their prevalence, uniqueness, and connection to local or railway history.
box-folder 1 folder: 1
Aa-Ao
Abingdon, Virginia
1910-1928
Agreements
1926-1931, n.d.
Alnwick, Virginia
1925, n.d.
box-folder 1 folder: 2
Ap
Appalachian Electric Power
1910-1943, n.d.
box-folder 1 folder: 3
Ar-Az
Arthur, Virginia
1923-1924
Auvil Yard
1923, n.d.
box-folder 1 folder: 4
Ba-Be
Ballast, Stone
1925-1943
Basic Belt Line
n.d.
Benchmarks
1936-1943
box-folder 1 folder: 5
Bf-Big R
Big Creek Spur
1941
box-folder 1 folder: 6
Big Sandy and Cumberland Railroad
1925-1929, n.d.
box-folder 1 folder: 7
Big Sandy Line
1923-1925, n.d.
[2 folders]
box-folder 1 folder: 8
Bj-Blt
Blackford, Virginia
1942
Blackstone, Virginia
1941-1942
box-folder 1 folder: 9
Blu
Bluefield Virginia/West Virginia
1924-1948
[see also Oversize Materials]
box-folder 1 folder: 10
Blv-Bom
Bombardment Air Base (Lockbourne, Ohio)
1941-1942
[see also Oversize Materials]
box-folder 1 folder: 11
Bon-Bt
Bristol, Virginia
1942-1945, n.d.
box-folder 1 folder: 12
Bua-Buch
Buchanan Branch - Bull Creek Spur (H. E. Harman Coal)
1934-1944, n.d.
[3 folders][see also Oversize Materials]
box-folder 1 folder: 13
Buci-Buck
Buckeye Ordnance Works (South Point, Ohio)
1942
box-folder 1 folder: 14
Bud-Bz
Bumping posts
1927-1933
Burke, Kizzie and Frank v. Norfolk and Western
1949
box-folder 1 folder: 15
Ca-Ch
Car repair shops
1923
Carter Coal Company liquidation
1949
Catawba Branch
1942
Chowan River flood control
1950
Christiansburg, Virginia
1942-1948
box-folder 2 folder: 1
Cia-Cinc
Cincinnati, Ohio
1922-1949
[2 folders]
box-folder 2 folder: 2
Cind-Ciz
Cinder
1928-1929
City Point, Virginia
1946
box-folder 2 folder: 3
Cj-Cn
Clare, Ohio
1925-1927
Clear Fork and Oceana Railroad Company dissolution
1910-1948
Clearances
1928-1930
Clift Yard
1925, n.d.
box-folder 2 folder: 4
Coa-Com
Columbus, Ohio
1928-1950
[see also Oversize Materials]
box-folder 2 folder: 5
Con
Concrete masonry specifications
1907-1950, n.d.
[2 folders]
box-folder 2 folder: 6
Coo-Coz
Cooper to Lick Branch change of line and grade
1935-1947, n.d.
box-folder 2 folder: 7
Cp-Cz
Cross ties
1933-1949
Crossings
1934, n.d.
Culverts
1905
box-folder 2 folder: 8
Da-Dn
Damascus, Virginia
1929-1942
Date plates for masonry
1930
Derailment of Train 214 near White Top Gap
1920
Detroit, Toledo and ironton Railroad Company
1947
Districts, Operating
1949
box-folder 2 folder: 9
Do-Dz
Dooms, D. A. flood claim
1943
Drainage complaint of A. R. Harsh
1947
Dry Fork Branch
1903-1942
Dublin, Virginia
1943-1949
Durham, North Carolina
1940-1945
box-folder 2 folder: 10
Ea-Em
Eggleston, Virginia
1924
Elam, Virginia
1940
Elkhorn Tunnel
1947, n.d.
[see also Oversize Materials]
Elliston, Virginia
1944, n.d.
Emory, Virginia
1923
box-folder 2 folder: 11
Engineering Department memoranda
1923-1948, n.d.
box-folder 2 folder: 12
Engineering Department, rules and instructions for the government of
1924-1937
[2 folders] [see also Oversize Materials]
box-folder 2 folder: 13-14
Engineering instruments
1923-1946
box-folder 3 folder: 1-2
Engineering instruments
1947-1950
box-folder 3 folder: 3
Eo-Ez
Expenditures, Authorities for
1940
box-folder 3 folder: 4
Fa-Fn
Fencing
1900-1948, n.d.
[see also Oversize Materials]
Fieldale, Virginia abandonment
1925
box-folder 3 folder: 5
Fo-Fz
Forms (blank)
n.d.
Fort Gay, West Virginia
1926-1942
French drains
1929
Front Royal, Virginia
1943
box-folder 3 folder: 6
Ga-Gh
Galax, Virginia
1948-1957
box-folder 3 folder: 7
Gilbert Branch - Ben Creek Spur
1941
box-folder 3 folder: 8
Gilbert Branch - Horsepen Spur
1930-1948
box-folder 3 folder: 9
Gj-Gt
Glade Spring, Virginia overhead coaling station
1905
Grading specifications
1947
Graham, Virginia passenger station
1923
box-folder 4 folder: 1
Guyandot and Tug River Railroad
1906-1908
box-folder 4 folder: 2
Guyandot and Tug River Railroad
1926-1928
box-folder 4 folder: 3
Ha-Hn
Hamill Coal siding contract
1944
[see also Oversize Materials]
Hazardous materials, Handling of
1951
box-folder 4 folder: 4
Ho-Hz
Honaker Branch
1933-1948, n.d.
[see also Oversize Materials]
Hopewell, Virginia
1940-1946
box-folder 4 folder: 5
Ia-In
Iaeger, West Virginia
1923-1924
Indeminity clauses
1941
Interchanges
1921
box-folder 4 folder: 6
Io-J
Ironton, Ohio
1928-1944
box-folder 4 folder: 7
K
Kenova, West Virginia
1927-1938
box-folder 4 folder: 8
La-Ld
Lake Erie - Ohio River Canal
1948
Lamberts Point, Virginia
1925-1950
box-folder 4 folder: 9
Lea-Len
Lenore Branch
1939-1948
[2 folders]
box-folder 4 folder: 10
Leo-Lez
Lewis Creek Branch
1938
[see also Oversize Materials]
box-folder 4 folder: 11
Lf-Lz
Luray, Virginia
1924-1941
Lynchburg, Virginia passenger station
1941
box-folder 4 folder: 12
Maa-Map
Map index
n.d.
[2 folders]
box-folder 4 folder: 13
Maq-Maz
Marion, Virginia bridge
1938
Matoaka, West Virginia
1925-1942
Max Meadows
1910-1944
box-folder 4 folder: 14
Mb-Mz
McCarr Branch
1945
Mud Fork dam (proposed)
1910-1928
[see Oversize Materials]
box-folder 5 folder: 1
Naa-Nar
Narrows, Virginia
1903-1949
[6 folders][see also Oversize Materials]
box-folder 5 folder: 2
Nas-Naz
box-folder 5 folder: 3
Nb-Nn
New River
1923, n.d.
New Boston, Ohio
1942-1945
New River, Holston and Western Railroad Company
1916, n.d.
[see also Oversize Materials]
box-folder 5 folder: 4
Noa-Noq
Nolan Spur
1942-1949
box-folder 5 folder: 5
Nora-Norf
Norfolk, Virginia
1923-1949, n.d.
box-folder 5 folder: 6
Norg-Nz
Norton, Virginia
1924, n.d.
box-folder 5 folder: 7
O
Oakvale, West Virginia
1925-1949
box-folder 5 folder: 8
Pa-Pd
Passes
1925-1950
Payne, Virginia
1929
box-folder 5 folder: 9
Pe-Ph
Pembroke, Virginia
1923-1945
Personnel matters
1916-1954
Petersburg, Virginia
1941-1948
[see also Oversize Materials]
box-folder 5 folder: 10
Pi-Pn
Pipes / Culverts
1920-1944, n.d.
box-folder 5 folder: 11
Poa-Porta
Pocahontas electrification
1916
Pocahontas Fuel Company
1923
Pocahontas Mining Corporation
1931-1936
Pond Creek Branch
1923-1945
box-folder 6 folder: 1
Portb-Poz
Portsmouth, Ohio
1921-1950
[3 folders][see also Oversize Materials]
box-folder 6 folder: 2
Pp-Pr
Price, Margaret J. v. Norfolk & Western Railway
1923-1924
Prices to be charged for construction of side tracks
1937-1943
Progress colors
1924
box-folder 6 folder: 3
Ps-Q
Public roads
1946
Pulaski, Virginia
1917-1945, n.d.
box-folder 6 folder: 4
Ra-Rd
Radford Arsenal
1946-1950
[see also Oversize Materials]
Radford, Virginia
1923-1943, n.d.
Rail
1925-1936
box-folder 6 folder: 5
Rea-Ree
Reed Island Branch
1941-1942, n.d.
[see also Oversize Materials]
box-folder 6 folder: 6
Ref-Rez
Rental of equipment
1923-1945
Requisition procedures
1925-1931
box-folder 6 folder: 7
Rf-Roam
Rights-of-way
1926-1942
Riverton Lime and Stone Company
1940
Roadbed width
1937-1946
box-folder 6 folder: 8
Roanoke River
1945-1948
box-folder 6 folder: 9
Roanoke, Virginia
1930-1948
box-folder 6 folder: 10
Rp-Rz
Rock slide - Clinch Valley District
1909
box-folder 6 folder: 11
Sa-Sg
St. Paul, Virginia
1923-1941
Saltville, Virginia
1910-1923
Sargents, Ohio
1947
Sewells Point, Virginia
1923-1926
box-folder 6 folder: 12
Sh
Shelton, J. H. v. Norfolk & Western Railway
1910
[see also Oversize Materials]
Shenandoah, Virginia
1923-1926
box-folder 6 folder: 13
Si
Sidings
1926-1949, n.d.
[see also Oversize Materials]
Signs
1948
box-folder 6 folder: 14
Sj-So
South Point, Ohio
1942
box-folder 6 folder: 15
Sp-Sz
Speedwell Branch
1937, n.d.
Steel storage tanks, painting of
1936
Stepp, Alice and David v. Norfolk & Western Railway
1950
Streamliner
1946
box-folder 7 folder: 1
Ta-Th
Talbot Spiral
1930
Telephone companies
1911
box-folder 7 folder: 2
Ti-Tn
Timber
1929-1932, n.d.
Tinker Creek Spur (proposed)
1946
box-folder 7 folder: 3
To-Tt
Town Hill Branch
1923-1940
Tracks
1920-1947
Trestle, Coal (proposed for Southern Chair & Novelty Corporation)
Note: This list comprises only a partial inventory of the folder contents and includes only those materials deemed most significant,
based on their prevalence, uniqueness, and connection to local or railway history.
box-folder 8 folder: 1
Aa-As
Alcohol, Brewing
1920-1921, n.d.
Alumni Association, Virginia Polytechnic Institute
1920-1930
American Society of Civil Engineers
1922-1930
box-folder 8 folder: 2
At-Az
Atwood, Thomas v. Weyanoke Coal & Coke Company
1926
Automobile (Hupmobile)
1914-1931, n.d.
box-folder 8 folder: 3
B
Banks (First National Bank of Narrows)
1920-1927, n.d.
box-folder 8 folder: 4
Ca-Cl
Camping supplies
1920-1921, n.d.
Chickens
1925-1931, n.d.
Cigars
1919-1928
box-folder 8 folder: 5
Cm-Cz
Coal
1917-1931
box-folder 8 folder: 6
D-E
Electricity
1923
box-folder 8 folder: 7
F
French, Matthew monument
1931
Furnace
1926-1930
Furnishings
1919-1928
box-folder 8 folder: 8
G
Giles County Game & Fish Protective Association
1928-1931
Giles County magisterial districts
1945
Givens, French
1928
box-folder 8 folder: 9
H
Health and medicine
1917-1929
Home and farm
1916-1932, n.d.
box-folder 8 folder: 10
I-K
Insurance
1916-1931, n.d.
Jones, C. C. farm
1930
Kress Mail Order Stores
1918-1919
box-folder 8 folder: 11
La-Ln
Lloyd, E. C. (trance reading)
1911
box-folder 8 folder: 12
Lo-Lz
Lodges, Fraternal
1925-1932, n.d.
[3 folders]
box-folder 8 folder: 13
M
Montgomery Ward
1917-1934
[3 folders]
box-folder 9 folder: 1
N-O
Narrows, Virginia
1928-1930
Neal, J. Y.
1926-1929
Nelson Hardware
1924-1930
box-folder 9 folder: 2
P-Q
Paint and painting
1924-1931
Postal service - Narrows, Virginia
1920
box-folder 9 folder: 3
Ra-Rd
Rent
1916-1922
Roadmasters' and Maintenance of Way Association of America