Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Oliver Family Papers, Accession 10307, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library

Acquisition Information

This collection was given to the Library by Mrs. Hugh R. Leavell of Richmond, Virginia , on December 14, 1978 .

Funding Note

Funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Scope and Content

This collection, comprised of ca. 250 items, 1807-1864, consists of correspondence of Ann Carter Oliver , Lucy H. Oliver , Lucy (Oliver) Cocke , and other members of the Oliver family and Cocke family of central Virginia . The correspondence, 1807-1830, is primarily that of Benjamin Oliver , originally from Hanover County and later a resident of " Union Hall , " Albemarle County, Virginia , and his wife, Lucy H. Oliver . These letters are chiefly concerned with family news or business matters. Correspondents include: M. Braxton ; George Clark , brother-in-law of Benjamin Oliver and Lucy H. Oliver , of Lexington, Virginia ; Charles C. Page ; Ann Tomlin and W. W. Tomlin , sister and brother-in-law of Lucy H. Oliver , of " Oak Hill , " Richmond County, Virginia ; Newman Williamson Barnes ; and, Lucy H. Barnes of Falmouth, Virginia . There are two letters, August 19, 1807 and January 18, 1817, concerning payment of tuition for the "little girls," probably Tomlin 's nieces; one letter is addressed to Mrs. Ann Hackley of a school at Wilderness in Spotsylvania County, Virginia . An 1813 letter to Lucy Tomlin contains news of the British burning Hampton, Virginia , and the militia being called. There is also correspondence between Lucy H. Tomlin of " Clifton , " Hanover, Virginia , and Sarah B. Campbell of Lynchburg, Virginia , regarding the death of Mrs. Campbell 's brother, who had been engaged to Lucy.

Later correspondence, 1831-1864, is primarily that of Ann Carter "Nannie" Oliver and Lucy (Oliver) Cocke , daughters of Benjamin Oliver and Lucy H. Oliver . Benjamin Oliver died in 1820, and Lucy H. Cocke sometime shortly after 1830, leaving their daughters Ann Oliver and Lucy Oliver as wards of Dr. Corbin Braxton of " Chericoke , " King William County, Virginia . Lucy Oliver married Dr. Cary Charles Cocke , third son of John Hartwell Cocke , and resided at " Lower Bremo , " Fluvanna County, Virginia . Correspondence chiefly concerns news of family and friends. Two letters, December 24, 1833 and April 4, 1834, from Ann Coleman to Lucy Oliver , describe life at Cedar Park School at " West River , " Anne Arundel County, Maryland , mentioning her course of studies, her work for a colonization society, and the objections of local gentlemen of Prince Georges County, Maryland to a black Sunday school conducted by the students and teachers. Margaret Mercer , daughter of John Mercer , governor of Maryland , operated the Cedar Park School . Of interest are four letters, 1842-1843, from Corbin Braxton and Carter Braxton to Cary Charles Cocke regarding their use of Cyrus McCormick 's new reaper for harvesting crops.

Other correspondents include: Balsora Barnes of Falmouth, Virginia ; Margaret Mercer ; Philip St. George Cocke , second son of John Hartwell Cocke ; M. E. Fitzhugh of Falmouth, Virginia ; Sally Elizabeth Courtney (Bowdoin) Cocke , wife of Philip St. George Cocke ; Nora Macon ; Mira Rosa Wilson of Norfolk, Virginia ; Fanny Coalter of " Ingleside "; Mikosa Wilson ; Mary W. Braxton of " Chericoke , " King William County, Virginia ; Olivia [ ] of Baltimore, Maryland ; Fanny Braxton ; Lucy Braxton ; and Tomlin Braxton .

There are several letters of interest. There is a July 4, 1840 letter written on The Delaware . A letter of December 8, 1841 describes a slave wedding. Letters of May 9 and May 14, 1843 mention the deaths of [Corbin] Braxton and Louisa Cocke , respectively. A letter in 1844 discusses politics--the lower class democrats and that every lady should be a Whig. A July 24, 1846 letter refers to a thieving slave who should either be hung or sold. There is a May 21, 1847 letter which discusses the marriage of two servants; General John Hartwell Cocke inquires about the character of the girl and feels it necessary to say that her intended is lazy. On November 12, 1847, Corbin Braxton writes regarding problems with the faculty at William and Mary . A 1850 letter mentions hearing Jenny Lind sing.

Organization

The letters are arranged chronologically.