A Guide to the Roller Family Papers 1828-1974 Roller, Family Papers, 1828-1974 Mss1R6498bFA2

A Guide to the Roller Family Papers 1828-1974

A Collection in
the Virginia Historical Society
Collection Number Mss1R6498bFA2


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Virginia Historical Society
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Email: reference@virginiahistory.org
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© 2001 By Virginia Historical Society. All rights reserved.

Funding: Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Processed by: L. Eileen Parris, September 1995

Repository
Virginia Historical Society
Collection number
Mss1R6498bFA2
Title
Roller Family Papers 1828-1974
Physical Characteristics
This collection consists of ca. 3.400 items, held in 33 manuscript boxes.
Language
English
Abstract
Includes correspondence, account books and loose accounts, commonplace books, and miscellaneous materials documenting the close relationship between members of the Cabell and the related Micklem and Eubank families, especially among the women. Prominently represented are Elizabeth Willis (Eubank) Cabell of "Inglewood," Nelson County, Va., who maintained a large household made up of her immediate family, her husband's sister, children who attended the school run by her son and daughter, and summer boarders; and her daughters, Mary Caroline Cabell, a teacher who ran the school at Inglewood; Lucy Brown (Cabell) Roller, who married John Edwin Roller of Harrisonburg, Va., and had an active domestic and social life; and Margaret Etta (Cabell) Matthews, who married an Anglican missionary and lived with him for several years in Liberia; and Elizabeth Henry (Roller) Bottimore, of Richmond, Va., and Glens Falls, N.Y., daughter of Lucy Brown (Cabell) Roller, who maintained an extensive social correspondence with friends, many of whom lived in or frequently travelled to foreign countries. In general the correspondence concerns domestic activities, including courtship and marriage, the births of children, illnesses and deaths, problems with servants, and the procurement of clothing and other household articles; the running of the Inglewood school and the work of other family members, split between teaching and the law; and social activities in Nelson County, Harrisonburg, and Richmond, Va., among the Cabell and Roller families and a wide network of friends and relations. Also included are the papers of John Edwin Roller, a Harrisonburg, Va., lawyer and active member of the Republican Party, largely concerning his plans to run for the Virginia House of Delegates in 1872 and his relationships with his wife, her daughters, and his daughters from his first marriage.

Administrative Information

Access

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Roller Family Papers, 1828-1974, Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, Va.

Acquisition Information

The Roller Family Papers were received by the Virginia Historical Society in 1989 as the gift of Mrs. Elizabeth Henry (Roller) Bottimore. They were accessioned 25 September 1995.

Biographical/Historical Information

Records of three generations of the Cabell family of "Inglewood," Variety Mills, Nelson co., Va., and two generations of the Roller family of Harrisonburg, Va.

Represented are George Washington Cabell (1802-1869), farmer and planter, and his wife, Mary Anne (Anthony) Cabell (1808-1868), daughter of Christopher Anthony, Jr. (1776-1835), attorney of Lynchburg, Va.; their son-in-law, Joseph Laidley (1829-1861); their daughter, Lucy Brown Cabell (1836-1911), called "Lucie," who never married; their son, Patrick Henry Cabell (1837-1907), called "Pat," professor at Lynchburg Military College, Superintendent of Schools for Nelson co., and employee of Southern Railway; Patrick Henry Cabell's wife, Elizabeth Willis Eubank (1843-1907), called "Bettie," daughter of Royal H. Eubank of Nelson co., Va.; and their children, Patrick Henry "Carey" Cabell (1864-1920), of Richmond, Va., lawyer and representative of the Travelers Insurance Company; Mary Caroline Cabell (1866-1942), called "Callie," a Hollins Institute graduate who ran a school at the family home, "Inglewood"; Anne Woolston (Cabell) Flowers (1869-1958), graduate of the State Female Normal School at Farmville, Va. [now Longwood College], who married Charles H. Flowers of Vandemere, N.C.; Lucy Brown (Cabell) Roller (1871-1914), called "Lily," teacher, who married John Edwin Roller of Harrisonburg, Va.; George Washington Cabell (1873-1943), of "Inglewood," Nelson co., Va., farmer and justice of the peace, graduate of the Virginia Military Institute who later studied law at the University of Virginia and ran, with his sister, Mary Caroline Cabell, the Inglewood school; Margaret "Etta" (Cabell) Matthews (1876-1969), who attended the State Female Normal School at Farmville, Va. [now Longwood College], and taught at schools in western Virginia, married the Rev. Nathan Matthews, Anglican missionary and priest from Newfoundland and lived with him in Liberia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Massachusetts; Royal Eubank Cabell (1878-1950), who attended Roanoke College, Salem, Va., Princeton University, the University of Virginia, and Richmond College (now the University of Richmond), lawyer of Richmond, Va., later U.S. Postmaster of Richmond, 1906-1909, and Commissioner of Internal Revenue under President Theodore Roosevelt before returning to Richmond to resume his law practice; and Somers Eubank Cabell (1885-1919), who studied electrical engineering at Virginia Polytechnic Institute at Blacksburg, Va., and later worked for General Electric and the Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company.

Also represented are Lucy Brown (Cabell) Roller's husband, John Edwin Roller (1844-1918), prominent lawyer of Harrisonburg, Va., Confederate veteran, instructor at the Virginia Military Institute, which he attended, and active member of the Republican Party; his daughters by his first marriage, Frances Lewis (Roller) Grattan, called "Lewie," of Harrisonburg, Va., and Margaret Stuart (Roller) Cannady Ogilvie Merryman, called "Marco," of Harrisonburg, Va., and W. Va.; and his daughters with Lucy Brown Cabell, "Lucy Cabell" Roller (1899-1949) of Harrisonburg and Richmond, Va., who attended Randolph-Macon Women's College and Columbia University; Elizabeth Henry (Roller) Bottimore (1902-1993) of Harrisonburg and Richmond, Va., who attended Chatham Hall, Randolph-Macon Women's College, and Wellesley College, and married William Gordon Bottimore of Richmond and Glens Falls, N.Y.; and Anne Woolston (Roller) Pyle (1904-1977) of Richmond, Va., who attended Chatham Hall and Wellesley College and married Wilfred Pyle (b. ca. 1907), son of artist Howard Pyle.

Also included are scattered letters of the Micklem, Eubank, Calwell, and related families.

Scope and Content Information

Chiefly the papers of Elizabeth Willis (Eubank) Cabell, her daughters Mary Caroline Cabell and Lucy Brown (Cabell) Roller, Lucy's husband, John Edwin Roller, and Lucy and John's daughter, Elizabeth Henry (Roller) Bottimore, consisting primarily of correspondence among the various members of the Cabell family.

Elizabeth Willis (Eubank) Cabell's correspondence with her nine children documents their attendance at various Virginia universities, their work as lawyers, teachers, and engineers, their marriages and the births of their children, and her domestic activities running the large household at Inglewood and the taking of summer boarders.

Papers of Mary Caroline Cabell include correspondence with her siblings concerning the activities of various family members, social events in Nelson County, and the running of the Inglewood school.

Papers of Lucy Brown (Cabell) Roller include correspondence with female family members and friends concerning her marriage, the births of her daughters, the activities of her Cabell relatives, and her involvement with several patriotic societies.

Papers of John Edwin Roller consist primarily of correspondence concerning his plans to run for election to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1872, and, after his marriage in 1896, the well-being of his wife and daughters, especially the activities of daughters Frances and Margaret while attending the Woman's College, Frederick, Md. [now Hood College], and Virginia Female Institute, Staunton, Va.

Papers of Elizabeth Henry (Roller) Bottimore consist mainly of correspondence with aging Cabell and Roller relations and with friends in America and abroad while she lived in Glens Falls, N.Y., and concern her social life and family news.

Organization

The papers of the Cabell and Roller families are arranged into series as follows:

Series 1.
George Washington Cabell (1802-1869) account book, 1833-1839.
Series 2.
Mary Anne (Anthony) Cabell (1808-1868) commonplace book, 1828-1834.
Series 3.
Joseph Laidley (1829-1861) diary, 1853.
Series 4.
Lucy Brown Cabell (1836-1911) papers, including correspondence, 1854-1906; accounts, 1882-1893; commonplace book, 1849-1859; materials concerning Margaret Clifford Cabell (1835-1888), 1887-1888; and miscellaneous materials, 1852-1888.
Series 5.
Patrick Henry Cabell (1837-1907) papers, including correspondence, 1859-1906; accounts, 1898-1899; school materials, including school exercise books, 1854- 1858, commonplace book, 1858-1859, and class notes, 1858; and invitations, 1899-1906.
Series 6.
Elizabeth Willis (Eubank) Cabell (1843-1907) papers, including correspondence, 1897-1907; accounts; and miscellaneous materials.
Series 7.
Patrick Henry Carey Cabell (1864-1920) papers, including correspondence, 1896-1920; issues, 1877, of the Amateur Press, published in Monte Vista and Montreal, Va.; and miscellaneous materials.
Series 8.
Mary Caroline Cabell (1866-1942) papers, including correspondence, 1899-1940; financial materials, 1931-1932; school materials, 1853-1932; scrapbook; and miscellaneous materials.
Series 9.
Anne Woolston (Cabell) Flowers (1869-1958) correspondence, 1890-1951.
Series 10.
John Edwin Roller (1844-1918) papers, including correspondence, 1870-1916; financial materials, 1894-1918; historical manuscripts; school materials; and miscellaneous materials.
Series 11.
Lucy Brown (Cabell) Roller (1871-1914) papers, including correspondence, 1888-1914; accounts, 1896-1912; materials concerning the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Virginia; materials concerning the Daughters of the American Revolution, Massanutten Chapter; invitations; visiting cards; and miscellaneous materials.
Series 12.
George Washington Cabell (1873-1943) papers, including correspondence, 1899-1920; and accounts, 1911-1914.
Series 13.
Margaret Etta (Cabell) Matthews (1876-1969) papers, including correspondence, 1888-1954; and miscellaneous materials.
Series 14.
Royal Eubank Cabell (1878-1950) correspondence, 1897-1912.
Series 15.
Somers Eubank Cabell (1885-1919) school materials, 1903-1904.
Series 16.
Frances Lewis (Roller) Grattan correspondence, 1897-1959.
Series 17.
Margaret Stuart (Roller) Cannady Ogilvie Merryman correspondence, 1899-1947; and school materials, 1897-1898.
Series 18.
Lucy Cabell Roller (1899-1949) correspondence, 1899-1947.
Series 19.
Elizabeth Henry (Roller) Bottimore (1902-1993) papers, including correspondence, 1927-1960; financial materials, 1955; certificates; commonplace books, 1942 and n.d.; invitations; and miscellaneous materials.
Series 20.
Anne Woolston (Roller) Pyle (1904-1977) correspondence, 1912-1959.
Series 21.
Miscellaneous Cabell, Micklem, and Roller family correspondence, 1872-1907.

Contents List

Series 1.: George Washington Cabell (1802-1869) account book 1833-1839
Box 1
1 v.

Kept at "Inglewood," Nelson co., Va. Concerns farming operations and lumber trade. Includes short stories written by Lucy Brown Cabell (1836-1911).

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Series 2.: Mary Anne (Anthony) Cabell (1808-1868) commonplace book 1828-1834
Box 1
1 v.

Kept at "Inglewood," Nelson co., Va. Includes essays and lines of verse, chiefly on religious topics.

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Series 3.: Joseph Laidley (1829-1861) diary 1853 August 12-28
Box 1
1v.

Kept in Richmond, Va., at Huguenot Springs, Powhatan co., Va., and on a railroad trip from Richmond to Boston, Mass. Concerns activities as an officer of the American Pharmaceutical Association. Also, includes lists of members of the American Pharmaceutical Association, notes, and accounts.

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Series 4.: Lucy Brown Cabell (1836-1911) papers
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Series 5.: Patrick Henry Cabell (1837-1907) papers.
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Series 6.: Elizabeth Willis (Eubank) Cabell (1843-1907) papers.
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Series 7.: Patrick Henry Carey Cabell (1864-1920) papers.
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Series 8.: Mary Caroline Cabell (1866-1942) papers, 1853-1940
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Series 9.: Anne Woolston (Cabell) Flowers (1869-1958) correspondence, 1890-1951
Box 14
116 items

Correspondence of Anne Woolston (Cabell) Flowers, chiefly with her sisters, Margaret Etta (Cabell) Matthews (concerning her life in Africa, 1904), and Lucy Brown (Cabell) Roller (including letters to Lucy from Anne describing her teaching experiences in Timberville, Va., Scotland, Ky., and Vandemere, N.C.).

Arranged alphabetically by correspondent.

Correspondents include:
Bottimore, Elizabeth Henry (Roller)
Cabell, George Washington
Cabell, John Willis
Cabell, Lillian Hoge (Lorraine)
Cabell, Royal Eubank
Flowers, Charles H.
Gardner, Alice
Mason, S. B.
Matthews, Margaret Etta (Cabell)
Pence, Gertrude
Roller, John Edwin
Roller, Lucy Brown (Cabell)
Roller, Lucy Cabell
Wierman, Rosamond
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Series 10.: John Edwin Roller (1844-1918) papers, 1835-1918
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Series 11.: Lucy Brown (Cabell) Roller (1871-1914) papers, 1888-1913
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Series 12.: George Washington Cabell (1873-1943) papers, 1899-1920
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Series 13.: Margaret Etta (Cabell) Matthews (1876-1969) papers, 1888-1954
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Series 14.: Royal Eubank Cabell (1878-1950) correspondence, 1897-1912
Box 28
7 items

Chiefly with niece Lucy Cabell Roller of Harrisonburg, Va., while Cabell was travelling to the West Coast. Of particular interest is a letter of Mrs. Thomas B. Land enclosing an advertisement for the Woodstock School, Mathews co., Va., 1899.

Cabell, George Washington
Cabell, Somers Eubank
Fox, L. A.
Lane, Thomas B. (Mrs.)
Roller, Lucy Cabell
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Series 15.: Somers Eubank Cabell (1885-1919) school materials, 1903-1904
Box 28
4 items

Include monthly reports from Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

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Series 16.: Frances Lewis (Roller) Grattan correspondence, 1897-1959
Box 29
20 items

Correspondence of Frances Lewis "Lewie" (Roller) Grattan, primarily with her half-sister, Elizabeth Henry (Roller) Bottimore, and other female relatives concerning family affairs. Included are two love-letters from P. Howell Lightfoot of Petersburg, Va., 1901.

"Whistles" (otherwise unidentified)
Margaret [?]
Baker, Miriam Lee
Bottimore, Elizabeth Henry (Roller)
Lightfoot, P. Howell
Mayo, Louisa R.
Merryman, Margaret Stuart (Roller) Cannady Ogilvie
Penets, S. V.
Pyle, Anne Woolston (Roller)
Roller, Lucy Cabell
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Series 17.: Margaret Stuart (Roller) Cannady Ogilvie Merryman papers, 1899-1947
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Series 18.: Lucy Cabell Roller (1899-1949) papers, 1899-1947
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Series 19.: Elizabeth Henry (Roller) Bottimore (1902-1993) papers, 1927-1960
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Series 20.: Anne Woolston (Roller) Pyle (1904-1977) correspondence, 1912-1959
Box 33
12 items

Scattered correspondence of Anne Woolston (Roller) Pyle including correspondence with camp directors at Green Cove and Mondamin concerning her children, reports from Chatham Episcopal Institute, Chatham, Va., and a letter from Mrs. Margaret S. Rothert, Richmond, Va., enclosing a bank note on the Central Bank of Virginia signed by J. S. Roller.

Unidentified
Huston, Alice S.
Matthews, Margaret Etta (Cabell)
Pyle, Anne Roller
Pyle, Howard
Rothert, Margaret S.
Chatham Episcopal Institute, Chatham, Va.
Green Cove Camp
Mondamin Camp
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Series 21.: Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1872-1907
Box 33
21 items

Miscellaneous correspondence of various Cabell, Micklem and Roller family members, and others. Chiefly letters to Caroline Elizabeth (Micklem) James while attending school at "Inglewood," Nelson co., Va., including letters from John Willis Cabell, Lettie R. Goodwin, and Margaret Etta (Eubank) Micklem. Also included are letters of Anne Woolston (Cabell) Cabell to Margaret Clifford Cabell and Sallie Laidley Cabell; letter of Ellen B. (Roller) Robertson to Frances Antoinette (Roller) Calwell; and a letter from George S. Gibbs, White Sulphur Springs, W. Va., 1873, to Robert Douglas Roller concerning the gaiety of fellow patrons of the springs. Caroline Elizabeth (Micklem) James correspondence is grouped together. All other correspondence alphabetically by author.

James, Caroline Elizabeth (Micklem) correspondence
Miscellaneous correspondence
Charlotte [?] to Miss Edythe Cornell
Nettie [?] to Sallie [?]
Cabell, Anne Woolston (Cabell), to Margaret Clifford Cabell
Cabell, Anne Woolston (Cabell), to [Sallie Jordan Laidley Cabell]
Gibbs, George S., to Robert Douglas Roller
Halsey, Virginia H., to Mrs. W. H. "Anna" Whelan
[Higginbotham], Lula [Coleman], to Allen [?]
Higginbotham, Mary Ida (Day), to Mary Frances Coleman Higginbotham and Jessie Woods (Higginbotham) Matthews
Rialto grain and securities company, St. Louis, Mo., to Willis Milton Eubank
Robertson, Ellen Booker (Roller), to Frances Antoinette (Roller) Calwell
S[?], J[?] C[?], to Margaret Etta (Eubank) Micklem
Surber, Thad, to Michael Bowyer Calwell
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