Smith, F. H., Letter F. H. Smith Letter, 1867 Ms.1964.002

F. H. Smith Letter, 1867 Ms.1964.002


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Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech

Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061
Business Number: 540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu
URL: http://spec.lib.vt.edu

Stephanie Wenger and LM Rozema, Archivist

Repository
Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
Identification
Ms.1964.002
Title
F. H. Smith Letter 1867
Quantity
0.1 Cubic Feet, 1 folder
Creator
Smith, Francis H. (Francis Henney), 1812-1890
Language
The materials in the collection are in English.
Abstract
This collection contains a carbon copy of a 1867 letter written to Captain M. F. Maury from Francis Henney Smith at Virginia Military Institute, describing his time in Richmond and discussing a state agricultural and mechanical arts school.

Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials. Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], F. H. Smith Letter, Ms1964-002, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

This collection was acquired by Newman Library prior to 1964.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the F.H. Smith Letter was completed prior to January 2011. Additional description was completed in January 2011 and November 2022.


Biographical Note

Francis Henney Smith was the first Superintendent of Virginia Military Institute (VMI). He served there from 1839 to 1889. In the Civil War, Smith was a Colonel in Companies F and S of the 9th Virginia Infantry. Smith was also the President of the United States Military Academy Board of Visitors.

Captain M. F. Maury may be Matthew Fontaine Maury (1806-1873), a former U.S. Navy commander and Confederate commander who taught at VMI starting in 1868. Maury advocated for the establishment of an agricultural and mechanical arts college in Virginia and was offered the presidency of Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College (now Virginia Tech) but declined.

Sources:

"VMI Archives," http://www.vmi.edu/archives.aspx?id=6287 , archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20150908010843/http://vmi.edu/archives.aspx?id=6287 , accessed Nov. 28, 2022.

Trask, Benjamin H. 9th Virginia Infantry . 1984. Print.

DuVal, Captain Miles P., Jr. "Matthew Fontaine Maury: Benefactor of Mankind", Naval History and Heritage Command, U.S. Navy (A Naval Historical Foundation Publication), Nov. 13, 2017. https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/m/matthew-fontaine-maury-benefactor-of-mankind.html , accessed Nov. 28, 2022.

Scope and Content

This collection contains a carbon copy of a 1867 letter written to Captain M. F. Maury from Francis Henney Smith at Virginia Military Institute. The letter discusses Smith's recent visit to Richmond where he spoke on the behalf of the Virginia Military Institute. During the visit, he was concerned with the issue of a land-grant endowment for a school that would concentrate on agriculture and mechanic arts. Later, two land-grant schools were established in Virginia - Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College (now Virginia Tech) and Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute (now Hampton University). (In 1920, what-is-now Virginia State University took over the land grant status from Hampton Institute.)

Subjects and Indexing Terms

  • University History
  • Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College (1872-1896)

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the F. H. Smith Letter by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).

Significant Persons Associated With the Collection

  • Smith, Francis H. (Francis Henney), 1812-1890

Container List

folder 1
Correspondence
1867