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Virginia Military Institute Archives
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Funding: Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Processed by: Virginia Military Institute Archives Staff
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Giles Gunn Papers, mss 00292, Virginia Military Institute Archives, Lexington, Virginia.
The Giles Gunn Papers were donated to the Virginia Military Institute in 1933 by Mary Maigret, Gunn's niece.
Giles Gunn was born in Connecticut on December 19, 1825, most likely at Washington, Litchfield County. He was the son of John Northrup Gunn, Jr. (1798-1883) and Lora Smith (1800-1841), who were married on June 16, 1819. By 1848, Giles Gunn was working as a teacher in Lexington, Rockbridge County, Virginia, where he married Virginia W. Morrison of Rockbridge County on December 19, 1859. Virginia, the daughter of William and Mary Morrison, was twenty-four years old at the time of her marriage. Birth records indicate that the couple had several children, all born in Rockbridge: Lora (b. 1860), Johnella (b. 1871), Effa or Effie (b. 1875), Fred (b. 187?). This listing of children may not be complete. Giles Gunn died on November 24, 1892. No other biographical information was available at the time the collection was processed.
The papers consist of five letters (1848-1854) written by Giles Gunn, a native of Connecticut, while he was a schoolteacher in Lexington, Rockbridge County, Virginia. The letters, addressed primarily to his sister Mary (living at the Gunn home in Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut), include discussions of interesting local events as well as references to family. Topics include commencement at the Virginia Military Institute; a detailed description of his school and his methods of instruction; a description of the communion service at a local church, including references to black communicants; references to the townspeople's reaction to a rumored slave insurrection; and a discussion of the murder of VMI Cadet Thomas Blackburn.
Written at Lexington, Virginia to his sister in
Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut. Topics
include commencement at the Virginia Military Institute
and a speech by the governor of Virginia.
"This was my first sight of a real Gov. and it did
not give me a very good opinion of the race."
Written at Lexington, Virginia to his sister in
Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut. Topics
include description of communion at a local church
"You would like to see them partake. A table is
made in front of the pulpit and all that can get round
it set down, then the minister at the head of the table
cuts the bread, and blesses it, and gives it to another
priest who takes it on one side of the table and passes
it to each person and says 'may this emblem of the dying
savior be blessed to your sanctification.' Thus a
minister on each side of the table goes through with his
ceremony and the same motions over the blood, or wine,
then the head priest gives a short exhortation and a
prayers and these rise and make room for another table
full. Thus they go it till all have had a bite. Then
they call upon the colored brethren, or part of the
ministers do, to come down out of the gallery. In some
of the churches they climb up to the gallery by a ladder
on the outside and go in a the window."
Written at Lexington, Virginia. Topics include a
detailed description of teaching at the local school,
including a discussion of the curriculum and his
discipline methods.
"Mary if you go into teaching begin right at
first. Make them know that you are the master. If any
thing comes up that you don't know never let the
scholars see that you are at a loss. Give your opinion
freely and if they show you a book different declare
that you are right and the book wrong."
Written at Lexington, Virginia. Topics include
description of the town's response to rumors of a slave
insurrection.
"You had better believe that it made some stir.
The militia was called out and they now parade the
streets from night to morning. It is curious how quick
the people of this country can be roused to a state of
watchfulness for their all depends upon this."
Written at Lexington, Virginia. Topics include the
murder of Virginia Military Cadet Thomas Blackburn by
Charles Christian, a local law student.
"You see how nice a sense of honor the southerners
have. In law here if one man calls another a liar and he
beats him almost to death for it the law does nothing
with him for it is considered sufficient
provocation."