Administrative Information

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Preferred Citation

Venable, Minor, Wilson and Related Families, Accession #3750-d, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

This material was given to the Library by Walter Klingman of Houston, Texas on June 19, 1996.

Scope and Content Information

This collection pertains to the Venable, Minor, Wilson and related families. Included are correspondence, papers, photographs, artwork, memorabilia, and bound volumes. The majority of the collection consists of letters addressed to Anne C. J. Minor, daughter of Natalie Embra (Venable) and Raleigh Colston Minor, and wife of Walter O. Klingman. There are also letters to other members of the Venable and Minor families.

There are several letters addressed to Charles Scott Venable (1827-1900) and Raleigh Colston Minor (1869-1923) among the correspondence of the Venable and Minor families. There are two letters, July 21, 1875 and October 24, 1895, from T[homas] F[rancis] Bayard (1828-1898) to Charles S[cott] Venable. In 1875, he mentions Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "Morituri Salutamus"; discusses national politics and finances; and, comments that "men of conscience and convictions" have always had problems of adaptation. In 1895, from the Embassy of the United States in London, he mentions [ ] Price receiving the Waterloo medal and Lord [Welseley] being the new commander-in- chief; comments on the Venezuelan matter (the boundary dispute between Venezuela and Great Britain) and the journalists' coverage which seems to create sensation; comments on Life of General Thomas Pinckney by his grandson (Rev. Charles Cotesworth Pinckney) and that "it is a pity the South does not take care of the history of it's men... On February 7, 1896, W[alter] H[eron] Taylor (1838-1916) writes to Charles S[cott] Venable, commenting on [James] Longstreet (1821-1904) and his book [ From Manassas to Appomattox; Memoirs of the Civil War in America ]. On April 11, 1918, Charles Henderson writes from Camp Lee, Virginia, to Raleigh C[olston] Minor, while serving in the 320th Regiment in its Headquarters Company. He describes his duties while at the Depot Brigade and the organization of each regiment's Headquarters Company; relates news that he will probably be assigned to the Signal Platoon; writes that he saw "William" and other friends at O. S. C. where there was little work; and, comments that "Easter Week makes me fear for the sanity of the present student body" [at the University of Virginia] and that there seems to be a lack of steadying influences.

There are letters, 1915-1927, to Anne C. J. Minor from various family members and friends. On November 7, 1915, [Robert Kent] Gooch (1893- ) writes from Christ Church, Oxford, commenting on the great variety of people riding bicycles and the beauty of the colleges and describing some of the war scenery in France. On February 24, 1917, Edmund Minor Wilson (1895-1972) of the 111th Field Artillery mentions the parade with twenty-eight thousand men; comments on Anne Minor's education, being a bridesmaid, and corresponding with French soldiers; and, writes about activities which include having inspections and grooming horses. Raleigh Colston Minor at the University of Virginia writes his daughter on June 15, 1918, with news of [C.] Venable [Minor], Thomas Barringer, Arthur [Barksdale] Kinsolving, and Isabel Perkinson. There are postcards, September-December 1918, from French and American soldiers, including A[rmistead] M[ason] Dobie (1881- ). A March 27, 1919 letter from "Minor," Camp Meade, Baltimore, finds him back from France and expecting to be discharged. It also mentions needing volunteers for the victory loan and news of Charles Henderson. On May 9, 1924, Thomas Manning writes from the Columbia Country Club, Chevy Chase, Maryland, a humorous letter mentioning the orchestra playing a tune "Will Spearmint Keep Its Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight?" There are two letters, June 7 and December 18, 1925, and a postcard from Port-au-Prince, Haiti discussing the weather, activities and daily life in Haiti, native Haitians, and its being undeveloped. There are postcards, June-July 1925, from Italy and France, mentioning cabarets and other shows, including Rose Marie . A June 7, 1927 letter from Milton C. Elliott concerns the Law Class of 1902 presenting the University of Virginia with a portrait of her father, Raleigh Colston Minor.

There are also letters, 1928-1931, to Anne C. J. Minor from family and friends. Letters from July 1928 are from "Harrison" and "Billy" on an overseas voyage and visit to various places in Europe, apparently with a group of University of Virginia students. Persons mentioned on the trip include: 'Mike' [Morton Morris] Pinckney, 'Sunny' [Russell Lee] Post, Jouett [Ross] Todd (1903-1967), "Harry" [Henry Kennedy] Benham, 'Andy' Anderson, "Bill" [William Hamilton] Roper, "Jim" [James Miller] McCready, "Tom" Winston, "Jack" [John Samuel] Poindexter, Howard [Weaver] McCall, Jr., and Garrison Elder. These letters discuss activities and plans on the voyage, seeing the play Bachelor Father in New York, plans to see John Stewart Bryan (1871-1944) in London, activities and travel in Switzerland, living quarters and inhabitants in Hotel Malherbe, travel around England's Devonshire, London, and Shakespeare country, and activities in Paris, France. There is also a postcard, Sep 1928, from Karlovy Vary, Czechoslovakia. There are also letters, May 30 and August 19, 1929, from "Janie" in Paris, France, relating plans for an exploration trip to Heidelburg and Cologne, Germany, Brussell, Belgium, and the coast of Normany, France; discussing activities and a typical school day in Toul, France and future travel plans; and, commenting on All's Quiet on the Western Front and "the utter futility of war." There are also postcards, late 1920s, from Canada, Mexico, London, and Costa Rica. A letter, ca. July 1928, from "Ted" [Edmund George] Laird from Paris, France, discusses travel activities in Great Britain, the beach of Dinard, Notre Dame, the Louvre, and St. Denis, France.

There are several letters, 1918-1919, to Anne C. J. Minor from Fred A. Broomall of the 6th U. S. Engineers stationed in France and Germany. While in France, May 1918 - November 1918, Broomall mentions being with the British Expeditionary Forces but attached to the Australian Imperial Force and later with the American troops, the official status of the unit at the University of Virginia, Thomas Smedley Butler of the Marines, the war developing into one of movement instead of one of position, and harvest season in France with crops worked mostly by French soldiers and peasant women. Broomall also discusses fighting with the infantry, the regiment's capture of prisoners and important ground, the armistice being signed, going forward again but with no shells or machine guns, expecting to be part of the Army of Occupation, and the feelings of the allies. During February 1920, Broomall is assigned to Ochtendung, German with the Army of Occupation, where he writes concerning activities in the Claire Chesnes in the Argonne Meuse region, action near Malancourt (Esnes), and his progress in the war since December 20, 1917. The activities of the U. S. Engineers include erecting barracks at Haute Sa�� building steel bridges, destroying the big Engineer dump at Chaulnes, building bridges over the Somne Canal, joining the 3rd Division or the Marne Division, bridging the Vesle River at Tismes, taking over the road from Montzeville to Malancourt, relieving the 79th Division, crossing into Luxemburg, and reaching the area near Coblenz. Current activities include athletics and military competitions such as horse shows and rifle teams, and being in charge of the regimental mounted section. In May 1919, Broomall is still in Germany on detached service and writes that they took over some road work from the 318th Engineers, 6th Division. He comments on returning soldiers to the United States and the parades of welcome and the 6th U. S. Engineers wishing to take their colors up Pennsylvania Avenue as a D. C. regiment. He also describes the scenery of mountains, vineyards, gardens and potato fields, and the daily life of German children.

Among the letters, 1940-1946, to Anne C. J. (Minor) and Walter O. Klingman are several from her brother, C. Venable Minor. A November 8, 1940 letter and its attachments concerns a legal matter involving an African-American, Robert Ellis, in the employ of the Klingmans in New York. On January 21, 1943, Minor writes a verbose and witty letter concerning his trip to Washington, D. C. to procure a position in the service and the obstacles encountered. He describes at length his contact with various officers in different branches of the service and other officials, including Ed[ward] [R.] Stettinius (1900- 1949), [T. Munford] "Munny" Boyd, and [James] Hardy Dillard, and, visits to the Judge Advocate General's Office, the Pentagon Building, Lend- Lease, the Marine Recruiting Office, and Selective Service Headquarters. He also mentions teaching Virginia Procedure and Contracts in the University of Virginia Law School and the arrival of [Mary] "Polly" [Southall Venable] Barclay Dulaney [Mrs. Robert Leroy Dulaney]. On May 3, 1943, Minor discusses the Aircraft Warning Services, Mrs. Dulaney, 'Radar' in the Marine Corps, his difficulty in being commissioned into service, and his position with the archaic office known as Examiner of Records. A June 24, 1943 letter from Minor expresses concern for their ailing mother, [Natalie Embra (Venable) Minor] and requests that all of her children and grandchildren attend her birthday celebration on July the 15th; discusses further obstacles with being commissioned into service; and, mentions servants Annie, Blondie, and Isaiah. A letter, December 1, 1944, from Dr. Charles Scott Venable, San Antonio, Texas, to Walter O. Klingman, requests that he give serious consideration to moving to San Antonio following his release from service in order to assist the only neuropsychiatrist at the medical center. A July 28, 1945 letter from Charles E. Thompson concerns swords sent from Belgium and France. On September 12, 1945, Minor writes a brotherly letter expressing his affection following an apparent misunderstanding in which he also mentions the death of Murray [Mason] McGuire (1872-1845) and news of his wife Clara [Winston Cabell] McGuire, and news of the release of "Staige" and Walter [Klingman] from the Army. A letter dated December 21 from Julius Barclay in London includes information on the illustrated book Coaching Days of England.

Letters, ca. 1870s, to Mary L. Minor from Nannie C. Minor, chiefly relate to personal and family matters and various cloths or materials for making garments and also mention cases of the measles among the children, the death of young "Cooke," Lizzie Maury, Bertha Rives, and Jeannie Colston.

There are other papers and printed materials relating to the families. The biographical and genealogical data contains information, in the form of Bible records, sketches, and newspaper articles, on the Colston family (1785-1822), Elizabeth McDowell Benton (1794-1854), Elizabeth (Henry) Russell (1749-1825), and the Venable, Wilson, Minor and related families. The material for educational institutions include: catalogue (1896) for Hampden-Sidney, a poem (1921) by Moncure Lyne, "The Centennial of the University of Virginia," flyer (1925) for a celebration of the Episcopal High School of Virginia, and an anonymous card from the Seven Society with its symbol. Among the medal and memorabilia are an IMP charm, a Republican National Convention medal and ribbon (1904), and a medal for the dedication of the Stonewall Jackson statue (1891). The miscellaneous material includes a sketch on John S. Skinner's visit to Albemarle in 1820, auctions (1988) for "Midmont" and Michie Tavern, postcards for the Edgar Allan Poe Shrine, art work, and a Valentine Day's card.

There are photographs of members of the Minor, Venable, and Wilson families. Persons included are: John Barbee Minor, John B[arbee] Minor, Jr., Raleigh Colston Minor, Charles Scott Venable, Mary Minor, Susan Colston (Minor) Wilson, Mattie Minor, Nannie Jacquelin Minor, [Mary] Cantey (McDowell) Minor, Natalie Embra (Venable)