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Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.

Conditions Governing Access

No special access restriction applies.

Preferred Citation

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Donovan H. Bond, Compiler, Research Papers regarding Vandalia Colony and West Virginia Forts, A&M 3702, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.

Scope and Contents

Research papers of Donovan Bond, a professor of Journalism at West Virginia University, regarding the 1772 proposal for a Colony of Vandalia in western Virginia territory, and histories of frontier forts (ca. 1749-1794) in western Virginia. Also includes photocopies of original 18th century documents.

Papers regarding Vandalia include manuscripts of chapters one and two from Bond's Vandalia book project, and biographies of those involved in the venture to found the new colony; there are also files of repositories visited by Bond, research correspondence, indexes and files of research sources and notes, photocopies of original 18th century documents (originals held by the former Public Record Office of the UK and Stafford County Record Office), and a working bibliography.

Papers regarding forts in western Virginia include research notes and correspondence, maps, and manuscripts of historical narratives by Bond.

There are also miscellaneous materials such as notes, manuscripts, and correspondence regarding the history of newspapers in Morgantown, the formation of a Monongalia County in Minnesota, Mills and Milling, Viking Ships, and the Melungeon people in West Virginia.

There are three rolls of microfilm containing:

1.) Correspondence of British Crown Governor Jeffery Amherst (1754-1764) with Virginia Lieutenant Governors John Blair and Francis Fauquier, among other colonial officials, regarding defensive frontier forts and other matters relating to the war with the French and Indians, and Pontiac's Rebellion (120 feet).

2.) Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin (1768-1772) regarding the proposed Vandalia Colony.

3.) The 1772 Report of the Council of Trade and Plantations pertaining to the petition of Robert Walpole, Benjamin Franklin, and John Sargent to establish the Colony of Vandalia.

Notes regarding the microfilm:

1.) Correspondence of British Crown Governor Jeffery Amherst -- Property of the Library of Congress, Gift of the Council of Learned Societies, 7/18/1945: P.R.O. ACLS British Manuscripts Project, Reel Public Record Office 275.

2.) Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin -- Copyright of the British Library Board: P.S. 76 5928; 93.i.8.

3.) The 1772 Report of the Council of Trade and Plantations --- Copyright of the British Library Board: P.S. 765925. P B. mic; 3750.103.k.52. (See labeling on this microfilm.)

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Fortification
• Vandalia.