Washington and Lee University, University Library Special Collections and Archives
204 W. Washington St.The materials from Washington and Lee University Special Collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used should be fully credited with the source. Permission for publication of this material, in part or in full, must be secured with the Head of Special Collections.
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Preferred citation: [Identification of item], Schoenbrun Collection, WLU Coll. 0394, Special Collections and Archives, James G. Leyburn Library, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VAIn some cases the citation format may vary. Please contact Special Collections' staff to verify the appropriate format.
This collection includes individual or small collections of letters to the Custis, Lee, Davidson, McDowell, Reid, and Hale families. Subjects include the Custis family involvement in the American Colonization Society, John Brown's Raid as recounted by V.M.I. cadet Charles A. Davidson of Lexington, Va., Henry "Lighthorse Harry" Lee's life, Lee family genealogy, Anne Lee Marshall's death, the Markoe family of Baltimore, Md.,Edgar Allan Poe, and Washington College (Va.) history including a letter from Cyrus Hall McCormick. The material was found in upstate New York in the mid 20th century and given to Washington and Lee University Archives in 2013.
William Ambers writes a 3.5 page response to Ms. Davidson's (likely Mary Davidson of Lexington, Va.) request for information on the early life of Edgar Allan Poe. Ambers shares reminiscences gathered from James A. Clarke, of Manchester Va., who was a childhood friend of Poe. The contests of the letter were published November 19, 1885 in an article in the State, a Richmond, Virginia newspaper.
Ambers writes a second letter offering a few more names of those who were childhood friends of Edgar Allan Poe. He wishes Ms. Davidson success on her Poe research project.
A five page letter, dated December 2, 1859, written by Virginia Military institute cadet Charles A. Davidson, of Lexington, Va. to his mother Hannah. The letter documents the events leading up to and the execution of abolitionist John Brown at Charles Town. Davidson vividly describes the V.M.I. cadets' journey from Lexington to Charles Town including noteworthy events that transpired along the way, and offers a detailed account of the actual execution. Eighty-five V.M.I. cadets along with V.M.I. faculty attended the execution, by order of the governor of Virginia,to deter any potential protests or uprisings by Brown's supporters.
Item is likely a copy of a paycheck from the State of Virginia for his service.
Mary G. Markoe of Baltimore, Maryland writes to General R.E. Lee describing the final days, death, and burial of her friend Anne Kinloch Lee Marshall, Lee's sister, in 1864. Anne Lee married Revered William Louis Marshall also of Baltimore, Md. In the final section of the letter, the author asks that General Lee provide her son, Francis "Frank" Markoe, a former Confederate officer, advice regarding taking the oath of allegiance to the United States. She includes the compelling three page letter from her son, Frank, dated May 25, 1865, written to her from Canada where he had travelled just after Lee's surrender at Appommattox. In it he clarifies his circumstances and his wishes to come home to Baltimore, but is unwilling to take the oath and return without Lee's blessing.
Letter explaining why Mr. Wyvill's son is not returning to Washington College for the 1867 session.
Dr. Charles H. Smith, Medical Examiner for the Arlington Mutual Life Insurance Company writes to Robert E. Lee to ask if he is interested in being the president of company. Lettter is two pages and describes the company. Also included is a published prospectus of the company, a published chart of insurance price tables, the company's charter and bylaws, and two published lists of all who are insured by the company and and the envelope addressed to Lee in which these items were delivered. Eight items total including the letter and its enclosure.
Lexington, Virginia lawyer James D. Davidson writes a one page note to Robert E. Lee asking him to explain his family relationship to Arthur Lee, signer of the Virginia's Deed of Cession in 1784. Lee responds initially on the same page. The note was then delivered back to Davidson who corrected his initial question and asks for an updated response which Lee provides on the reverse of the page.
Henry Jewett Fuber, Sr., the Vice President of Universal Life Insurance Company basedin New York, writes to Robert E. Lee to once again offer him an opportunity to join the company as its Southern officer or agent. According to the letter, Lee had turned down a previous offer from Furber and his company. The letter is ten pages.
The publication was signed by Robert E. Lee's daughter Mildred Childe Lee and dated 1871.
This is a photographic copy of a document generated by the Commonwealth of Virginia's Second Auditor's Office. The document notes Washington and Lee University's official surrender of Virginia bonds and certificates which included George Washington's gift of James River Company stock.
Hannah Turner writes from "Rutland" (perhaps Rutland, Vermont)to her son Thomas Hale, Esq. about day to day business, family matters, and Hannah (perhaps her daughter?)planning for travel to a school called Windsor. The letter is addressed to Thomas E. Hale, Esq. "at the Legislature, Boston."