Administrative Information

Access

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

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Preferred Citation

Samuel A. Mann Papers, 1863, 1914, Accession #1959-6, Special Collections and Archives, Johnston Memorial Library, Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA.

Acquisition Information

Gift to Virginia State University by Charles E. Mann in 1959.

Biographical/Historical Information

Samuel A. Mann was born in Matoaca, Virginia in 1842. He grew up on a small tract of land that the family farmed. The Mann's were not slave holders and according to the 1860 United States Census, Samuel Mann's father Randolph was a Millwright.

In January 1862 Samuel Mann left home and joined the Southside Heavy Artillery unit of Virginia Volunteer. This unit was made up exclusively of men from Chesterfield County Virginia. In February Mann was elected Third Corporal. Samuel Mann served in the Confederate Army for three years. During that time he was involved in a number of battles including "Drewery's Bluff" which was fought in May of 1862. Samuel Mann remained in the military until he was paroled at Appomattox in 1865. Samuel Mann returned to Matoaca and the family farm in the spring of 1865. In 1870 Samuel Mann was elected tax assessor in the village of Matoaca. During the next thirty years Samuel Mann held a number of elected and appointed positions in Chesterfield County Virginia.

Scope and Content Information

This collection contains a number of diaries detailing Samuel A. Mann's daily activities, his work as a county assessor, and other activities in the village of Matoaca. There is some material that couments the African- American population and, in particular, political activities and land holdings.

Organization

SERIES I. CORRESPONDENCE
Letters and postcards, all having to do with personal and business matters. Arranged chronologically 1874-1914. Some material about school. (Container 1)

SERIES II. FINANCIAL
Personal and tax receipts arranged by type, 1871-1892. (Container 1)

SERIES III. SURVEYS
Land surveys for two schools, one located on river Road, the other in Clover hill, 1884. (Container 1)

SERIES IV. LEGAL DOCUMENTS
Copy of promotion order for Emmett J. Mann from second Lt. To first Lt., Army of Northern Virginia, 1863. (Container 1)

SERIES V. BUSINESS RECORDS
Records of wages paid in 1879. (Container 1)

SERIES VI. PRINTED
Red Man Certificate. (Container 1)

SERIES VII. DIARIES
Eight boxes of diaries concerning a time period from 1869-1914, the diaries are a record of life in the village of Matoaca concerning mostly, farming practices, home life, some political observations and some information concerning the black community. (Containers 2-9)