Administrative Information

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Preferred Citation

Papers of Alfred Dickinson Barksdale, 1893-1940, Accession #10230-a, Special Collections, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville Va.

Acquisition Information

This collection was given to the Library on May 2, 1988 by Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Garbee of Lynchburg, Virginia.

Funding Note

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

Scope and Content

These papers of a prominent Virginia figure consist of ca. 1400 items, 1893-1940, and include correspondence, financial, legal, and military papers, photographs, and miscellaneous. The papers pertain chiefly to Alfred Dickinson Barksdale (July 17, 1892 -August 16, 1972) and his life, including his service in the United States Army during World War I and his legal and political careers.

Alfred Dickinson Barksdale was the son of William Randolph Barksdale and Hallie Bailey (Craddock) Barksdale of Halifax County, Virginia. He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1911 and received his Bachelor of Law from the University of Virginia in 1915. He began his law practice in Lynchburg in September of that year. During World War I, he served with distinction in the United States Army. On July 15, 1917, he was appointed first lieutenant, Headquarter Company, 116th Infantry, 29th Division, of the American Expeditionary Forces, and was sent overseas on May 26, 1918. He was promoted to captain on July 4, 1918, and assigned to command Company M. of the same regiment. For his participation in a defensive sector and in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, he received a citation and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by his country and the Croix de Guerre and the Chevalier de Legion d'Honeur by France. After the war he returned to Lynchburg and resumed his law practice. He was elected to the Virginia State Senate from his district, serving 1924-1928. In July 1938 he was appointed by the governor as Judge of the Sixth Judicial Court of Virginia, and in 1940 he was appointed Judge of the United States District Court, Western District of Virginia, which he served until his death. In addition, he was a Trustee of Hollins College, on the Board of Visitors at the University of Virginia, and a member of Lynchburg bar associations. He and Estill Winfree (February 19,1905-) were married on December 15, 1934, and had two daughters, Louisa Estill Winfree Barksdale (May 26, 1936-) and Mary Owen Barksdale (July 11, 1937-).

William Randolph Barksdale, the son of Elisha Barksdale and Judith Armistead (Barksdale) Barksdale, was born on January 6, 1849 in Halifax County and died April 5, 1925. After assisting the Virginia Militia during the Civil War, he attended the University of Virginia, receiving his M.A. in 1870. He was admitted to the bar and was elected Judge of Halifax County, serving from 1874 to 1880, and again from 1886 to 1904. In 1904 he was elected Judge of the Sixth Judicial District of Virginia, which he held until his death. He and his first wife, Hallie Bailey Craddock (July 26, 1854-April 23, 1900), were married on November 14, 1872 at Halifax, Virginia. They had nine children: William Randolph Barksdale (February 11, 1874-); Fanny Poindexter Barksdale (May 16, 1876-); Charles Craddock Barksdale (November 6, 1878-); Elisha Barksdale (March 18, 1881-); Louise Jasper Barksdale (December 4, 1883-); Helen Barksdale (January 31, 1887-); Mary Owen Barksdale (July 15, 1889-); Alfred Dickinson Barksdale (July 17, 1892-August 16, 1972); and John Craddock Barksdale (June 26, 1896-). William Randolph Barksdale married Virginia Douglas Watson (April 4, 1863-December 9, 1937) on June 28, 1905, at South Boston, Virginia.

Letters, 1917-1921, from William Randolph Barksdale, Houston, Virginia, to his son, Alfred Dickinson Barksdale while in Paris, France, with the American Expeditionary Forces, include news and thoughts of the war, local news and politics, mentions of Halifax County court cases, and word of family and friends. Throughout his letters, William Randolph Barksdale refers to the war, expresses his pride in his son, and includes letters from another son, John Craddock Barksdale. A September 30, 1918 letter from John Craddock Barksdale (enclosed with an October 3, 1918 letter) describes the Liberty Loan parade. A November 14, 1918 letter mentions John Craddock Barksdale being gassed and working on a farm in France while recovering. In his letter of March 26, 1919, John Craddock Barksdale encloses letters from Charles J. Faulkner, Jr., Charles C. Barksdale, Volney Erskine Howard, Elizabeth Sydnor Boland, and Avis Walker Carrington about Alfred Dickinson Barksdale 's citation. William Barksdale was interested in politics and often referred to various aspects such as Woodrow Wilson 's administration and the Republican control of the House of Representatives (November 7, 1918); the appointment of Carter Glass as Secretary of the Treasury (December 11, 1918); Carter Glass and Virginia State Congress (January 2 & 20, 1919); Dick Booker 's political scheme (March 4, 1919); and, a speech by Glass (April 19, 1919). Letters of October 25, November 14, and December 3, 1918 are concerned with the death of his son-in-law, Henry Maury Vaughan, and the resulting situation of his wife, Fanny Poindexter (Barksdale), and their children. Included with William Barksdale 's letter of November 14, are letters from his sons, John Craddock Barksdale and Charles Craddock Barksdale, offering assistance for Fanny Pointdexter Barksdale. Other items of passing interest include mention of: the wounding of Murrell Alexander in action (October 25, 1918); a horse-trading case (February 20, 1919); hearing Dr. Claudius Smith of Lynchburg at Rustburg Episcopal Church and the death of Taylor Ellison (March 20, 1919); the death of their clerk, Gran Craddock (March 26, 1919); the death of Tucker Watkins (April 4, 1919); the Victory Liberty Loan Campaign (April 19, 1919); a drowning incident involving a boy, William Johnson (June 3, 1919); and, Col. [Aubrey] Strode, a visit to the University of Virginia and Monticello, and hearing speeches of Judge [Richard Thomas Walker] Duke, Jr. and [Calvin] Coolidge (June 30, 1921).

Letters, 1919-1920, from Irene Le Ckazal describe some of the conditions in France. In her letter of September 13, 1919, she refers to the strike of dockers and other workers causing a delay in obtaining a boat for their safe passage to Ile Maurice, Mauritius. On May 13, 1920, she writes that her family is preparing to leave for their sugar estate, " Saint Antoine, " on Ile Maurice, Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. After their arrival, she writes on November 9, 1920, describing life at " Saint Antoine " and a tennis championship.

Letters, 1920-1926, from Betty Oldfield reveal the personal and professional life of a young actress and mention "doing moving picture work" (April 1, 1920); joining the `Little Whopper' Company (April 19, 1920); the attendance by Woodrow Wilson on a certain night (February 8, 1921); divorce proceedings (April 17, June 7, 1921; January 22, 1922; June 4, 1925; and May 3, 1926); her "Grandfather Webb" reluctantly defending Charles J. Guiteau, the assassin of James A. Garfield, and his being a friend of Grover Cleveland (January 22, 1922); and, feelings toward married women and divorced women (September 15, n.y.).

Letters, 1918-1925, from Katharine Vallandigham represent the life of an intelligent young woman pursuing a medical career. The first letter, January 3, 1918, apparently represents the beginning of their correspondence, as it includes personal information and seeks certain knowledge about the recipient. In the postscript she also mentions that her father's uncle, Clement J. Vallandigham, was a famous copperhead. During the fall of 1918 through the spring of 1919, Katharine Vallandigham was a student at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. Her letters during this period mention Germany 's near-collapse, the influenza epidemic and innoculations, and one of her roommates with nurses' training going to New York City as a volunteer nurse (October 21, 1918); wanting to meet American troops arriving in the United States on the Cretic (January 24, 1919); Alfred Dickinson Barksdale taking a course at the University in France or at Oxford and Cambridge, and her travels to Europe (March 11, 1919); plans to go to Crawford Camp at Paul Smith 's after graduation (April 15, 1919); and, Alfred Dickinson Barksdale 's homecoming (May 31, 1919). On October 27, 1919, she writes a thoughtful letter from Auburn, New York, concerning wounded privates from Green Hill Hospital, fourteen soldiers living at the `Beach House,' and her feelings about the war and the disabled veterans. On March 14, 1920, she mentions her disappointment in Virginia not ratifying the suffrage amendment. Letters, 1922-1923, concern Katharine Vallandigham 's medical studies and touch upon various aspects: her interest in anatomy and a dissection in the region of the hip (October 9, 1922); the theory of Dr. [ ] Stockard about the correlation between anatomy and how the mind works, depression and her heart not being in medicine (October 17, 1922); her decision to commit to medicine, being a member of the medical students branch of the Young Men's Christian Association, and a dissecting project (October 21, 1922); a lecture in the ampitheatre in Bellevue Hospital for a class in surgery at New York University (November 8, 1922); a problem with her nutrition course (November 13, 1922); and, examinations in Hygiene, Medicine, and Immunology and studying for the State Board Exams (June 1923). Her letters of 1925 reveal that she is a medical doctor, and mention that she is currently giving ether in obstetrics (November 29, 1925). Katharine Vallandigham 's correspondence follows her relationship with Alfred Dickinson Barksdale from the initial stages through their engagement and back to friendship.

Two letters from "Dorothy" mention the drowning of Angus Duke (September 6, 1923) and an upcoming polo game to be attended by the Prince [Edward VII] and the World Flyers exhibition (September 9, 1924).

Letters, 1920-1923, from "Ethel" chiefly describe her trips across the United States and abroad, including cross country to Santa Barbara and Beverly Hills, California through Chicago, Illinois, and Colorado Springs and Grand Canyon, Colorado (July 14, 1920); a boat trip in Florida with visits to St. Petersburg, Belleair Heights, and Palm Beach (February 12 & 21 and March 3, 1923); seeing the Follies in New York (March 9, 1923); a voyage to Europe, with stays in various cities in France, Switzerland, Italy, and England (August-November 1923). She also mentions a speech that Alfred Dickinson Barksdale made at the Centennial in Charlottesville, Virginia (July 7, 1921) and her new job at a children's hospital (January 21, 1922).

Letters, 1920-1922, from "Helen" reveal her interest in music and dance. She writes about music--ragtime vs. the `other kind' (October 24, 1920); Anna Pavlova dancing in Racine, Wisconsin on Christmas Eve (December 31, 1920); being offered a position as a reacher of piano at the National Park Seminary (March 24, 1921); taking a course in "the art of pedagogy of the piano" in Chicago, Illinois (August 1, 1921); and, going to teach piano lessons in Mrs. Jack Miller 's studios (September 9, 1921). There is an interesting letter of May 16, 1921 in which she mentions distant relatives with the name Huqueinin and gives a brief history of French Huguenots, her public duties, her "double," Mrs. Guilford Dudley (Anne Dallas Dudley), from Nashville being a famous suffrage leader. In her letter of September 9, 1921, she mentions the arrest of Gordon Guilbert, the Wisconsin State Golf Champion, following an accident, and wanting to travel to Russia to help in the famine-stricken regions.

Among the letters from the Barksdale family are several from Louise Jasper Barksdale to her brother which mention Jack Lee 's Liberty Loan talks, the Spanish influenza, Camp Lee being under quarantine, and John Martin (September 23, 1918); Red Cross ladies at warehouses soliciting help from the farmers (October 4, 1918); and Alfred Dickinson Barksdale 's citation (March 1919). There are also letters from Helen (Barksdale) Martin, Fanny Poindexter (Barksdale) Vaughan, Mary Owen Barksdale, and John Craddock Barksdale.

There are many miscellaneous letters to Alfred Dickinson Barksdale from friends and acquantainces concerning various subjects, especially war-related topics. There are three letters (December 2, 1918; January 22, 1919; and, November 7, 1920) from Belle B. Howe and one (December 26, 1918) from her son, Dan D. Howe concerning the death of her son, Elliott Howe, and requesting official notification. There are two letters (December 18, 1918 and April 2, 1919) from "Gus" ( Augusta Glass ), daughter of Carter Glass, discussing her father's wanting her to leave hospital work and mentioning her father's appointment as Secretary of the Treasury and her mother [ Aurelia McDearman (Caldwell) Glass ]. There are also two letters (November 25, 1919 and ca. 1919) from author and artist Mary K[outouzoff] Tolstoy, whose husband was a nephew of Leo Tolstoy, in which she mentions having to see the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about her papers. There are four letters (September 1, November 24, and n.d. 1924; and April 30, 1925) from "H" revealing her interest in golf, and mentioning James Branch Cabell 's new book [ The High Place ], hearing a black orchestra at "Doc Freeland's," and studying costume design. Other correspondents include: Fannie W. Moescheu, August 15, 1918, on duty in one of the largest hospitals in Paris, France ; "Mary," September 22, 1918, knitting for the Red Cross and two airplanes from Washington being in Lynchburg ; "Leila," October 28, 1918, from Annistown, Alabama, re the camp and town being quarantined due to the epidemic of influenza, the organization of the 98th Division, a depot brigade of some 60,000 men; Travis White, November 30, 1920, of Charlottesville, Virginia, re a lung ailment and treatment by artificial pneumothorax; W. J. H. "Jim" Tennis, December 3, 1920, from Phoebus, Virginia, revealing the life of a former law student at the University of Virginia ; "Abe," December 11, 1920, from Paris, France, where he was sent by the American Express Company, describing the cruise, life in Paris, and the old World War I battlefields; Thomas Lee Turner, July 7, 1921, from Baltimore, Maryland, about a reunion of the old 29th Division and the `Buddie Week Celebration': "Dot," December 24, 1925, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, describing a train mishap in Charlottesville, Virginia ; United Daughters of the Confederacy Memorial Exercises in South Boston, Virginia, wishing to bestow a War Cross on Alfred Dickinson Barksdale and enclosing his uncle Armistead Barksdale 's war record from May 1861 to April 9, 1965; Edith G. Lindley, November 28, 1926 and December 6, 1928, and Ruth Draper, November 22, 1926, about the death of a local woman, Maggie Hutchinson, in an accident and the resulting estate affairs; Mary C. C[ ], June 23, 1927, traveling to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and watching the national open golf tournament at Oakmont Country Club and attending a night club, " New China, " where she feared a raid; "Isabelle," August 31, 1928, from Hinton, West Virginia, discussing the Greenbrier County Fair in Lewisburg, seeing Chief Justice William Howard Taft, and hearing a concert and a dance with Fletcher's Victor Recording Orchestra; "Eva," November 7, 1930, from Kiptopeke, Northampton County, Virginia, writing a selfish letter re a "domestic crisis" involving their "nigger man" and "nigger woman" having to leave for awhile; "Martha," May 24, 1931, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, re acting in a play and being in a horse show; "Blackrock," June 20, 1938, from Baltimore, Maryland, discussing a visit to the University of Virginia, mentioning the Corner, the Lawn, and the Esplanade of the Rotunda; "Else," September 4, n.y., from Huntington, New York, re winning the "swing cup" in a race; and, "R," n.d., sending a clipping of Louis Bromfield with brief discussion of him.

There are many letters to Alfred Dickinson Barksdale re the death of his father in 1925, and among the correspondents are: Claude Augustus Swanson (April 8), John Martin (April 9 & 23), Charles O'Conor Goolrick (April 13), Harry Flood Byrd (April 17), and Volney Erskine Howard, Jr. (April 27). A copy of the will and an appraisement are included in John Martin 's letter of April 9.

The legal papers of Alfred Dickinson Barksdale, 1919-1939, consist of correspondence and documents concerning various suits in which Alfred Dickinson Barksdale was an attorney. Legal matters include: petition suit involving Robert L. Perrow and James A. Cocke (January-March 1920); Mayo Brown 's amendment to his Uniform Small Loan Act of 1918 and judgments against A. T. Quick (January-June 1920); an account against Clarence Holt by N. I. Walthall & Son (January-September 1920); a bankruptcy petition filed by C. C. Hogshead in which the death of Garrett Gooch on January 23, 1920, is mentioned, and a suit against J. K. Marshall, with both cases involving Roland T. Hamner suing for money (January 1920 -February 1921); petition for pardon of L. W. Wrenn, for the offense of illicit distilling, with letter from Claude Augustus Swanson of the United States Senate (February-April 1920); bill of lading, Owen & Barker Brothers vs. B. C. Glass (May 1920 -December 1921); certificate of incorporation for American Malleable Iron Company (June-July 1920); and, suits involving Piedmont Business College (July 1920 -January 1921). Correspondents include lawyers Richard W. Carrington (January-June 1920), John Lewis Abbott (February 10, 1920), Andrew D. Christian (June 30-July 7, 1920), Travis White (July 26, 1920), Landon Lowry (March 12, 1921), Beverley Broun (September 14, 1933 and July 10, 1936), and John Martin (May 25, 1935).

Among the military papers of Alfred Dickinson Barksdale, October 1918 to October 1919, are United States Army Headquarters 29th Division field messages and orders and memoranda; muster roll and roster for Company M, 116th Infantry; Notes on Recent Operations No. 4; "Brief History of the 116th Infantry" (April 26, 1919); and, appointment certificates. There are also two interesting letters, December 1918 and February 1919, from Marvin James Menefee, from Base Hospitals in France, about his facial injuries and reconstructive surgery, his "little attachment to the quadrant sight for the 37 m.m. gun," and receipt of the Distinguished Service Cross and citation. There are also papers from the Treasury Department Bureau of War Risk Insurance (November 1919 -July 1920); military and war service records of Alfred Dickinson Barksdale ; a printed booklet Lafayette Escadrille Memorial ; a "History of Company M, 116th Infantry," and, some notes and testimony about the shooting of a runner from the front by Major Hierome Opie of Staunton, Virginia.

The political papers concern the candidacies of Harry St. George Tucker for governor, 1921, and Alfred Dickinson Barksdale for state senator, 1925. Correspondents include Collins Denny (copies), Col. D. H. Leake, M. S. Stringfellow, and H. S. G. Tucker (1921). There is also a "Report of the Virginia Commission on County Government. .. January, 1940."

University of Virginia material consists of correspondence and printed matter concerning Jefferson's Day Centennial Celebration, Paris, April 12-13, 1919; the University of Virginia Hospital, medical education in Virginia, and the location of the state medical school (April 2, 1921); "Ceremonies of the Alumni of the University of Virginia Who Served in the World War... The Rotunda, June first at three o'clock, 1921"; and, the European Bureau (n.d.)