A Guide to the Elizabeth L. Van Lew papers, 1842-1911
A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Collection Number 52783, 52880
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Processed by: Trenton Hizer
Use Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Preferred Citation
Elizabeth Van Lew papers, 1842-1911. Accession 52783, 52880. Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
Acquisition Information
Purchased (52783). Gift of Elizabeth Carrington Shuff, Richmond, Virignia (52880)
Biographical Information
Elizabeth L. Van Lew was born 15 October 1818 in Richmond, Virginia, to John Van Lew (1790-1843) and Eliza Louise Baker Van Lew (1798-1875). She attended an academy in Richmond, then was sent to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to finish her education. After her father's death, Van Lew and her mother supported individual slave manumission and African colonization as means to end the institution. Before the Civil War, Van Lew secretly freed some of her slaves. During the war, Van Lew established an interracial spy ring that assisted Union escapees and provided intelligence to the Union army. After the war ended, Van Lew was appointed postmaster of Richmond by President Ulysses S. Grant and held the post from 1869 to 1877. She later served as a clerk in the Washington D.C. post office from 1883 to 1887. Van Lew died in Richmond 25 September 1900 and was buried in Shockoe Cemetery.
Scope and Content
Papers, 1842-1911, of and relating to Elizabeth Van Lew (1818-1900) of Richmond, Virginia, consisting of articles, broadsides, correspondence, currency, envelopes, ephemera, insurance documents, photographs, receipts, and reminiscences. Papers concern Van Lew's personal life, her family, and her activities as a Union spy during the American Civil War; as well as reminiscences by Elizabeth Griffin Carrington Nowland (1827-1913) of Richmond, information on William C. Carrington, mayor of Richmond; and the Carrington family coat-of-arms.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged
Series I: Letters and Papers, 1842-1911. Series II: Articles and Reminiscences. Series III: Photographs, 1876-1902. Series IV: Ephemera.Contents List
Series I: Letters and papers, 1842-1911, consists of correspondence to and from Elizabeth Van Lew, her mother Eliza Van Lew (1798-1875), her brother John Newton Van Lew (1825-1896) (all of Richmond, Virginia), and her sister Anna Van Lew Klapp (ca. 1820-1891) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, regarding family and social news, and business; as well as correspondence to and from Elizabeth Griffin Carrington Nowland (1827-1913) about her family and with William Henry Bymer regarding Elizabeth Van Lew. Also, receipts, 1852 and 1865, for money received in payment; Confederate currency; broadside, 1870, for an appeal for aid after the collapse at the state capitol; Fireman's Fund Insurance Company documents, 1872, to Eliza Van Lew as executor of John Van Lew (1790-1843); check, 8 May 1871, on the Planters National Bank; and a calling card for Miss Klapp. Of particular interest is a letter, 31 October 1870, from M. J. Denman to Elizabeth Van Lew. M. J. Denman was Mary Bowser, an African American who was part of Van Lew's spy ring.
- Folder 1
Letters, 1842-1855
- Folder 2
Letters, 1866-1870
- Folder 3
Letters, 1874-1911
- Folder 4
Letters, undated
- Folder 5
Envelopes
- Folder 6
Papers, 1852-1872
Series II: Articles and reminiscences contains a manuscript copy of William Gilmore Beymer's (1881-1969) article "Miss Van Lew" published in Harper's Magazine in June 1911; reminiscences and responses by Elizabeth G. Nowland about Elizabeth Van Lew for Beymer; reminiscences about Van Lew by an unidentified acquaintance; articles on Mary Bowser/Mary Jane Denman (b. ca. 1840) by author Lois Leveen; and reminiscences about William C. Carrington as mayor of Richmond by an unidentified author.
- folder 7
"Miss Van Lew " by William Beymer. Manuscript copy of article for Harper's Magazine , June 1911
- folder 8
Elizabeth G. Nowland's recollections, comments on William Beymer's article on Elizabeth Van Lew
- folder 9
Recollection of Elizabeth Van Lew (Elizabeth G. Nowland--possibly dictated to or transcribed by someone else)
- folder 10
Articles by Lois Leveen on Mary Bowser/Mary Jane Denman-- "The Vanishing Black Woman Spy Reappears " ( Los Angeles Review of Books ) and "She Was Born Into Slavery, Was a Spy and Is Celebrated as a Hero--But We're Missing the Point of the Mary Bowser Story " ( Time ), 19 June 2019
- folder 11
William C. Carrington as mayor of Richmond by an unidentified author
Series III: Photographs, 1876-1902 contain a silhouette, possibly of Elizabeth Van Lew; photographs of Mary Hawes Tyler (Davis Gallery, Richmond, Virginia); G. W. Carrington, and "Mary and Anna" (W. H. Illingworth photographer, St. Paul, Minnesota). Also includes unidentified photographs from the following studios: W. G. R. Frayser, Richmond (5); Lee Gallery, Richmond (4); C. R. Rees, Richmond (2 of the same person); H. N. Weavere, Richmond (1); M. J. Powers and Company, Richmond (1); Anderson and Company, Richmond (2); Walzl's Imperial Portrait Studio, Baltimore, Maryland (1); South and Hay, York, Pennsylvania (1); and Wykes, Quincy, Illinois (1). Also contains two photographs with no name or studio identification. Also includes Carrington family coat-of-arms.
- Folder 12
Silhouette possibly of Elizabeth Van Lew, undated
- Folder 13
Davis Gallery, Richmond, Virginia--photograph of Mary Hawes Tyler, Christmas 1902
- Folder 14
W.H. Illingsworth Photographer, St. Paul, Minnesota--G. W. Carrington and "To Aunt Lizzie with love from Mary and Anna, " undated
- Folder 15
W. G. R. Frayser Photographer, Richmond, Virginia--5 unidentified photographs, 1879 (1) and undated (4)
- Folder 16
Lee Gallery, Richmond, Virginia--4 unidentified photographs, undated (see also C. R. Rees)
- Folder 17
C. R. Rees, Richmond, Virginia--2 photographs of the same unidentified person, 1876 (see also Lee Gallery)
- Folder 18
H. N. Wevere Photographer--Richmond, Virginia--1 unidentified photograph, undated
- Folder 19
M. J. Powers and Company--Richmond, Virginia--1 unidentified photograph, undated
- Folder 20
Anderson and Company--Richmond, Virginia--2 unidentified photographs, 16 November 1877 (1) and undated (1)
- Folder 21
Walzl's Imperial Portrait Studio--Baltimore, Maryland--1 unidentified photograph, undated
- Folder 22
South and Hay--York, Pennsylvania--1 unidentified photograph, undated
- Folder 23
Wykes--Quincy, Illinois--1 unidentified photograph, undated
- Folder 24
No studio--2 unidentified photographs, undated
- Folder 25
Carrington family coat-of-arms