Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Graham, Tate and related families Papers, Accession 9232-q, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library

Acquisition Information

This collection was made a gift to the Library on May 9, 1991, by Mrs. Agnes Graham Sanders Riley, of Lexington, Kentucky; and, Mr. Andrew Trigg Sanders, Sr., of Richmond, Virginia.

Funding Note

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

Scope and Content

This material, 1853-1991, of ca. 220 items, concerns the Graham , Sanders , and Tate families of Wythe County, Virginia , and includes correspondence, financial and legal papers, genealogical and historical information.

The correspondence is chiefly of Nannie Montgomery (Tate) (Feb. 8, 1843-Jan. 30, 1923) and David Peirce Graham (Oct. 24, 1838-Nov. 5, 1898) and their immediate family, including two of her brothers, James Graham Tate (Dec. 14, 1840-Aug. 25, 1864) and William Hanson Tate (Sep. 9, 1837-May 15, 1864), and the couple's children, David Graham (Feb. 21, 1872-July 14, 1942) and William Tate Graham (July 30, 1873-Dec. 13, 1953). There are letters written to two other children: Elizabeth Graham (Aug. 6, 1870-Mar. 23, 1956), from her parents; and Catherine Friel Graham (June 1, 1880-Oct. 13, 1964), from her brother, David.

Among the miscellaneous correspondence of the Graham , Sanders , and Tate families, are: a letter, August 2[6], 1864, from George M. Hanson to [ Charles Campbell Tate ] informing him of the death of [ James Graham Tate ] near Shepherdstown ; a letter, April 8, 1916, from Fanny (Mrs. Charles Beverly) Tate to her sister-in-law, Nannie Graham , concerning teaching at the Cedar Run School ; and, a letter (electrostatic copy), July 23, 1921, from J. T. Trolingen , to Curran F. Sanders , concerning the capture of his father, A. T. Sanders , at Kernstown , on March 23, 1862.

Letters from David Graham, of Roanoke, Virginia , to his family are concerned with news of family and friends, personal matters, the local Sunday School and other religious activities, and life in Roanoke , and are full of descriptive phrases, witticisms, and humorous anecdotes. The first group of his letters are addressed chiefly to his sister, probably Elizabeth. A December 17, 1899 letter refers to the trial in Wytheville of the Commonwealth of Virginia vs. H. G. Wadley , which had been called for trial on the eleventh. [According to the Richmond Times, December 12, 1899, there were forty-three counts against Wadley, charging him with the embezzlement of $196,000 of the assets of the Wytheville Banking and Insurance Company . ] There is an interesting (incomplete) letter, December 28, 1903, from San Diego, California , with impressions and descriptions of Santa Fe , "Tia Juana" [ Tijuana ], and La Jolla, [California] , Mexico , and their inhabitants, and references to life in San Diego with Margaret, Elizabeth, and Lizzie. In 1923, he reminisces about Rev. Beverly Tucker Lacy , relates life in Roanoke , and mentions moonshining and bootlegging (February 15); mentions Fanny Tate 's death and the new pastor, Rev. Spencer Edmunds (March 31); and, relays news of Charles Beverly Tate 's operation and recovery (August 13). A November 11, 1936 letter includes an anecdote involving Carter Glass ; and, a January 11, 1937 letter refers to Henry McIlwaine at the Virginia State Library and the suicide of a Thomas Sexton . An incomplete letter, 1923, discusses a divorce and custody case with Clifton A. Woodrum as the attorney for the husband, and includes a humorous anecdote about Woodrum's actions in court. Letters to his sister, Catherine Friel Graham , refer to life in Roanoke , social visitation, a musical affair fundraiser for Mary Van Doren (September 29, 1923); and, Billy [ William Ashley ] Sunday preaching in Staunton (May 6, 1926) and his prohibition lectures (n.d.). Letters to his mother, Nannie Montgomery (Tate) Graham , make frequent references to his involvement with the Sunday School and local news in Roanoke . An early letter of February 24, 1903, from Port Antonio, Jamaica , describes the beauty of Jamaica . Graham mentions a variety of topics, including the Twenty Mule Team Borax advertising parade (March 30, 1919), Victory Bond speeches (May 11, 1919), a beating of a boy, John Fox , at Virginia Polytechnic Institute (May 25 and June 1, 1919), the rail road shop men being on strike (June 8 and June 15, 1919), soldiers' homecoming and the arrival home of Dr. Charles Fox Graham and his wife (June 15, 1919), Tate Crockett 's interesting accounts of war experiences and the sight of his gas equipment (July 27, 1919), the John Ribinson circus (August 24, 1919), along with references to family and friends.

Letters, 1896-1898, from William Tate Graham at the Medical Department, University of Virginia , to his family are of a personal nature. On March 30, 1898, he writes to his mother, Nannie Montgomery (Tate) Graham , concerning a successful business trip for the Anatomical Department and a related meeting with the mayor of Norfolk . While there he saw the launching of two battleships from Newport News and took a tour through an insane asylum. Letters, March 24 and April 6, 1909, written from Long Island Hospital , Boston, Massachusetts , give medical advice for a baby in the family. The letter letter also mentions diagnosing cases for army surgeons.

Letters, 1861-1864, from James Graham Tate , written from various camp sites, were sent to his sister, Nannie, and his father, Charles Campbell Tate . The letters reveal the hardships of Civil War camp life and rumors and news of nearby battles. On April 5, 1864, he refers to a snowball battle between several Confederate brigades during which "enemy" field officers were taken prisoner and a strand of colors taken earlier in the day by the enemy were given up. He also mentions his views on "negro property" and claims for lost negroes.

Letters, 1858-1864, from William Hanson Tate , written from various camp sites, were sent to his sister, Nannie, and his father, Charles Campbell Tate . On May 7, 1860, he writes about a meeting of the Wythe Presbytery at Anchor and Hope and a "big muster" in which they paraded the streets in the rain, because the fields were too wet. An August 31, 1861 letter from Lewisburg describes his trip from Max Meadows and reveals the location of two regiments of John Buchanan Floyd's Brigade, CSA as being beyond the Gauley River and Cox's Brigade (the enemy) as being near the Gauley Bridge. He mentions the accidental drowning of four men crossing the Gauley, and describes a battle on Monday, August 26. On September 25, 1861, he writes from Camp Meadow Bluff following their retreat, mentioning General Henry Alexander Wise and his men being involved in a skirmish, the men suffering from disease, Wise returning home, and a Mississippi regiment joining Floyd's Brigade. On August 2, 1862, he writes to his father from Headquarters 51st Virginia Regiment , Camp Narrows, Gile County, Virginia , noting changes in brigades and their commands. An August 10, 1863 letter, from Camp Liberty Mills , tells of marching six days to the encampment, located between Gordonsville and Orange Court House , and mentions word of enemy locations (near Brandy Station and in the Kanawha Valley ). An October 17, 1863 letter from Abingdon gives news of the enemy leaving Bristol (Tennessee) , destroying railroads and bridges.

Letters to Nannie Montgomery (Tate) Graham include two, December 27, 1871 and June 1, 1872, from Robert Craig Graham concerning religion and offering spiritual support. An August 7, 1904 letter from I. Roedel, refers to Republicans and the changes for blacks, and mentions that 12,000 soldiers were camped nearby for a week. On December 30, 1904, Mary G. Hull mentions a disastrous [train] wreck near Charlottesville .

Financial and legal papers include material on the Union Lead Mine Company Board of Directors, 1870; Cedar Run Mines royalties, 1905, and statements of ore shipped, 1913-1916; and, the estate of Nannie Montgomery (Tate) Graham , 1923-1926. Printed material includes The Horticulturist (December 1853) and Southern Literary Messenger (January 1862) [see Rare Book Division for this issue], and miscellaneous articles on the Graham , Sanders , and Tate families, and Wythe County .