A Guide to the William Couper Papers, 1901-1964
A Collection in
Virginia Military Institute Archives
Accession Number MS 0053
Virginia Military Institute Archives
Virginia Military Institute ArchivesPreston Library
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, Virginia 24450-0304
USA
Phone: (540) 464-7566
Fax: (540) 464-7279
Email: archives@vmi.edu
URL: http://www.vmi.edu/archives
© 2002 Virginia Military Institute
Funding: Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Processed by: Virginia Military Institute Archives Staff
Administrative Information
Access
There are no restrictions.
Use Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Preferred Citation
William Couper Papers, MS 0053, Virginia Military Institute Archives, Lexington, VA.
Acquisition Information
The bulk of the collection was donated by John Lee Couper in 1964.
Biographical/Historical Information
William Couper spent the majority of his professional life devoted to the Virginia Military Institute and to the study of VMI, Lexington and Rockbridge County , and Virginia history. His terms as VMI's Business Executive and Historiographer encompassed thirty years, but before, during and subsequent to that period he served in many other official and unofficial capacities. He was a noted authority on local and regional history, and on the life and times of General Stonewall Jackson. At VMI, in addition to his official duties, he was responsible for the initial organization and preservation of the Institute's rich historical holdings, including it's unique collection of alumni biographical and genealogical materials.
Scope and Content Information
The William Couper Papers document a portion of the life and career of a man notable for his research and publications about the history of the Virginia Military Institute; the Lexington, Rockbridge County and Shenandoah Valley (Virginia) areas; Virginia history and genealogy; Civil War General Stonewall Jackson; and Claudius Crozet.
A significant portion of the papers consist of publication manuscripts (drafts, galleys, proofs), notes, and other material related to Couper's major historical research projects (many of which were published). These include One Hundred Years at VMI , a four volume comprehensive history of the Institute from it's founding in 1839 through 1939; The VMI New Market Cadets , containing biographical information about the VMI students and staff who fought in the Civil War battle on May 15, 1864; Claudius Crozet, a biography of the notable 19th century Virginia Civil Engineer; History of the Shenandoah Valley ; and "Stonewall Jackson Day by Day," a chronological account including events, anecdotes, clippings, transcribed correspondence, notes, and maps.
Couper's passion for the history of Lexington and Rockbridge County (VA) is evident in the substantial amount of local history research material found in his papers. Included are notes on a wide range of local history topics, as well as extensive research material (notes and maps) concerning the history of many local properties and the Lexington cemetery.
The papers also include material concerning the construction of Fort Jackson, South Carolina; Couper's speeches and addresses; maps; scrapbooks; photograph albums; and miscellaneous correspondence.
Organization
The papers are organized into 12 series.
1. Books and Articles by William Couper-- Research,
drafts, related materials.
2. Stonewall Jackson Research Materials.
3. Lexington and Rockbridge County (Virginia) History.
4. Genealogy
5. Gen. William Harvie Richardson Subject File.
6. VMI Class of 1904.
7. Fort Jackson, South Carolina, construction.
8. Correspondence.
9. Speeches and Addresses.
10. Maps.
11. Photograph Albums.
12. Printed Material.
Related Material
Researchers should note that, because Couper served in several different positions at VMI, many of his professional papers are located in various record groups in the VMI Archives. These include records of the Business Office, Alumni Association, and various administrative subject files (e.g. Southern Conference).
The Virginia Historical Society (Richmond, Virginia) holds additional William Couper and Couper Family papers.
Separated Material
In 1974, at the request of the Fort Jackson (SC) Museum, selected Couper papers relating to the construction of Fort Jackson were placed on indefinite loan to the Museum.
Contents List
Research, drafts, related materials
- Box 1 - 7
One Hundred Years at VMI 1935-1939
Materials relating to the research and publication of Couper's four volume history of the Virginia Military Institute, published in 1939. Related items are located in oversized.
- Box-folder
1:1-2
Galley Proofs
- Box-folder
1:3 - 2:1
Page Proofs
- Box-folder
2:1 - 4:2
Manuscript
- Box-folder
4:3 - 7:5
Research notes related to manuscript
- Box-folder
28:1-8;
Research notes: Miscellaneous VMI-related.
- Box-folder
1:1-2
- Box 8 - 9
The VMI New Market Cadets 1930-1933
Notes, correspondence, and financial records related to the publication of Couper's book about the VMI cadets who fought at the Battle of New Market (Virginia) in May 1864. This book was published in 1933.
- Box-folder
8:1
Notes - "The VMI New Market Corps. "
- Box-folder
8:2
Notes - correspondence of Cadet J. Beverly Stanard
- Box-folder
8:3
Reference file - Battle Accounts
Thom, Morton, Sturm.
- Box-folder
8:4
Reference file - Notes on opposing commanders
Notes by Joseph Reid Anderson, Jr., Torbett and Echols, re: Gen. Breckinridge and Gen. Sigel.
- Box-folder
8:5
Reference file - printed materials
- Box-folder
8:6-8
Correspondence 1933-1934
- Box-folder
8:9
VMI New Market Cadets
Paperback copy of the final publication
- Box-folder
8:10-11
Financial Records
Bank books, account book, balance sheets relating to the publication of the New Market book.
- Box-folder
9:1
Speech May 15, 1939
New Market anniversary address delivered in Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hall. Typescript draft.
- Box-folder
9:2-3
New Market pamphlet 1942
Correspondence re: publication of the pamphlet; printed copies with corrections by William Couper.
- Box-folder
9:4
Reinterment of New Market Cadets; Headstones
- Box-folder
8:1
- Box-folder
9:5-7
Claudius Crozet 1936
Galley proofs, manuscript, notes
- Box 12-14
History of the Shenandoah Valley 1952
- Box
12-13
Manuscript for publication
- Box-folder
14:1-6
Research material
Materials related to the manuscript and publication, including notes, correspondence, and newspaper clippings.
- Box
12-13
- Box-folder
30:4-5; 32-5
Articles by or about William Couper
"Stonewall Jackson Day by Day, "Research Material.
Unpublished research material concerning the life of Thomas J. Jackson (General Stonewall Jackson).
- Box 10
Stonewall Jackson- chronological notes
Detailed notes regarding Jackson's life, proceeding chronologically from birth to death.
- Box-folder
10:1
Notes for period 1818-1853
- Box-folder
10:1A
Notes for period 1854-1860
- Box-folder
10:2
Notes for period 1861 Jan-1862 May 14
- Box-folder
10:3
Notes for period 1862 May 15-Aug 26
- Box-folder
10:4
Notes for period 1862 Aug 17-Nov 30
- Box-folder
10:5
Notes for period 1862 Dec 1-1863 May 15
- Box-folder
10:1
- Stonewall Jackson- Subject files and supplementary materials
- Box-folder
11:1
Subject index to supplement
- Box-folder
11:2
Addresses and articles about Jackson
- Box-folder
11:3
Abilities - Correspondence
- Box-folder
11:4
Estimates - Letters
- Box-folder
11:5
Maps - Poems
- Box-folder
11:6
Portraits - Sundays
- Box-folder
11:7
Miscellaneous notes
- Box-folder
11:8
Addresses by William Couper re: Jackson
- Box-folder
11:9
Correspondence (misc.) re: Jackson
- Box-folder
11:10; 36:00
Jackson genealogical material
- Box-folder
11:11; 36:00
Map by Couper, "Movements of Gen. T. J. Stonewall Jackson, 1861-1863 "(printed copies).
- Box-folder
11:12
Photocopies- Jackson's report of the Battle of Port Republic.
- Box-folder
11:13
Clippings.
- Box-folder
11:1
One of Couper's primary research interests was the
history of the Lexington and Rockbridge County area.
This series, including notes, clippings, & other
material, covers a wide range of local history topics.
In addition to the files listed below, related material
is located separately in oversized (map cases).
For related series, see
Maps.
- Subject Files, Local History topics.
- Box-folder
14:7
Misc. local history topics, articles, clippings
- Box-folder
14:8
VMI and Washington and Lee University
- Box-folder
14:9
Churches
- Box-folder
14:10
Troubadour Theater
- Box-folder
15:1
Post Office
- Box-folder
15:2
Prison Bounds
- Box-folder
15:3
Mills
- Box-folder
15:4
New Stonewall Jackson Hospital
- Box-folder
15:5
Rockbridge Historical Society - notes
- Box-folder
15:6
Rockbridge Historical Society - proceedings, 1939-1960.
- Box-folder
14:7
- Property Files
Research material concerning local properties, including notes on plats, deeds, lots, property owners.
- Box-folder
15:7
"Large Plats "
- Box-folder
15:8
Notes-Lexington/RC Property
Concerning lots, deeds, grants, early lots and annexations, maps.
- Box-folder
15:9
Notes-Lexington/RC Property
Concerning property owners, "old places ", "development So. of Lexington ".
- Box-folder
15:10
Notes-Lexington R/C property, "old deeds "
- Box-folder
16:1
Notes-Lexington R/C property; maps on deeds, grants.
- Box-folder
16:2
"Index of deeds in my notebooks "; Notebooks #16-#21.
- Box-folder
16:3
Notes re: 106 White St; misc. notes.
- Box-folder
16:4
Notes re: Lexington zoning.
- Box-folder
16:5
Notes from Rockbridge Co. Property Books #1 - #2.
- Box-folder
16:6
Notes from Rockbridge Co. Property Books #3 - #6.
- Box-folder
17:1
Notes from Rockbridge Co. Property Books #7 - #8.
- Box-folder
17:2
Notes from Rockbridge Co. Property Books #9 - #10.
- Box-folder
17:3
Notes from Rockbridge Co. Property Books #11 - #12.
- Box-folder
17:4
Notes from Rockbridge Co. Property Books #13 - #14.
- Box-folder
18:1
Notes from Rockbridge Co. Property Books #15 - #16.
- Box-folder
18:2
Notes from Rockbridge Co. Property Books #17 - #18.
- Box-folder
18:3
Notes from Rockbridge Co. Property Books #19 - #20.
- Box-folder
18:4
Notes from Rockbridge Co. Property Books #21 - #22.
- Box-folder
19:1
Notes from Rockbridge Co. Property Books #23 - #24.
- Box-folder
19:2
Notes from Rockbridge Co. Property Books #25 - #26.
- Box-folder
19:3
Notes from Rockbridge Co. Property Books #27 - #28.
- Box-folder
19:4
Notes from Rockbridge Co. Property Books #24 - #25.
- Box-folder
15:7
- Lexington Cemetery (Stonewall Jackson Cemetery)
- Box-folder
20:1
History of the Lexington Cemetery
- Box-folder
20:2
Index to Cemetery Notebooks (1962); alphabetical listing of names
- Box-folder
20:3
Cemetery Notebooks, #1-2
- Box-folder
20:4
Cemetery Notebooks, #3-5
- Box-folder
20:5
Notebook- grave locations
- Box-folder
20:6
Cemetery Maps (hand drawn by Couper).
- Box-folder
20:1
- Box 31-32;
34-35
Local History- clippings and scrapbooks. 1890-1962
General William Harvie Richardson had a long and close association with VMI. He served as the Adjutant General of Virginia and on the VMI Board of Visitors from 1841-1876. The transcriptions of correspondence are of letters found in the official correspondence of VMI Superintendent Francis H. Smith. The original letters are located in the VMI Archives, Records of the Superintendent.
- Box-folder
21:3
Biographical information, correspondence about Richardson, misc. notes.
- Box-folder
21:4
Correspondence to VMI, 1863 - transcriptions
- Box-folder
21:5
Correspondence to VMI, 1864 - transcriptions
- Box-folder
21:6
Correspondence to VMI, 1865-1870 - transcriptions
- Box-folder
21:7
Miscellaneous notes
Couper graduated from VMI in 1904, and maintained contact with his classmates throughout his life.
- Box-folder
22:1
Correspondence regarding reunions 1909-1910; 1914; 1918-1919; 1924
- Box-folder
22:2
Notes regarding the Class
- Box-folder
22:3
Form letters re: reunions
- Box-folder
22:4
Reunion book correspondence, 1925
- Box-folder
22:5
Class book letters and reunion books. 1907-1924
- Box-folder
22:6
Class reunion photograph. June 13, 1954
Fort Jackson was constructed in 1917 to meet Army training needs during World War I. Couper served as construction Quartermaster.
- Box-folder
23:1
Ft. Jackson Suspension File, 1923
- Reports. 1917-1918
- Box-folder
23:2
"Completion Report, Camp Jackson, Columbia SC. " January 17, 1918
Written by William Couper
- Box-folder
23:3
Financial Report
"Analyses of Costs. Original Cantonments. From start to Dec. 31, 1917. "Camps Custer, Grant, Jackson, Lee, Sherman.
- Box-folder
23:4
"Consolidated Daily Report of Cars Handled. " Jan-Oct 1917
- Box-folder
23:5-6
U. S. Army Base Lighter Construction. 1918
-
Final Report on Lighter Construction
- Box-folder
23:2
- Ft. Jackson Printed Materials
- Box-folder
24:1-2; 4
Manual for Constructing Quartermaster s
- Box-folder
24:3
Specifications for the sale of thirteen Army camps.
- Box-folder
24:5
Organization and Operation of the Mobilization, Procurement, and Delivery System of the Construction Division of the Army
- Box-folder
24:6
Manual for Field Auditors
- Box-folder
24:7
Report of the Board of Review of Construction. 1920
- Box-folder
24:8
The Work of the Construction Division of the Army. 1920
- Box-folder
24:9
50th Anniversary History, Ft. Jackson, SC, 1917-1967
- Box-folder
24:1-2; 4
Index, notes and/or full-text of Couper's speeches.
- Box-folder
26:1
Index to addresses
Typescript list of speeches, compiled by Couper.
- Box-folder 27:2
- 28:4
Speeches- notes and/or text
Many of the items in this series were hand drawn by William Couper and are annotated, and/or are accompanied by related correspondence and notes. Some additional maps are filed separately in oversized (map case).
- Box-folder
29:1-2; 36.
Virginia Military Institute Maps
Includes notes, keys
- Lexington (Virginia) Maps
Many of these, particularly the plat maps, were drawn by William Couper.
- Box-folder
29:3
Lexington- lots, street maps, Campbell Farm
- Box-folder
29:4
Lexington - printed
- Box 36
Lexington street map
- Box 36
Lexington street map. 1912
Drawn by J. A. Champe, Jr. (1912); reprinted 1952.
-
Lexington street map, unmarked. 1958
- Box 36
Sketch from aerial map of Lexington
- Box 36
"Lexington in the Benjamin Borden Grant. " 1955
By D. E. Brady, with notations by William Couper.
- Box 36
"Borden's Grant. " September 1927
By D. E. Brady
- Box 36
"Lexington, 1932 Charter. "
- Box 36
"Map showing Borden Grant Line "
- Box 36
Plat map. John W. Fuller, David McKinley, William Taylor.
- Box 36
Plat Map. Land of John Hoffman, surveyed 9-2-1819.
- Box 36
Plat Map. HH-356. 8-18-1860. Sold to Sally C. P. Miller. Col Alto. Survey by Jas. C. C. Moore (1853).
- Box 36
Plat map, DB A-350. Isaac Campbell to George Brown.
- Box 36
Plat map, B-460. William Moore to John Hoffman.
- Box 36
- Box 36
Plat map, NN-367. E. S. Tutwiler's lots. Recorded 1-3-1874
- Box 36
- Box 36
Plat map. The Campbell Farm, EE-229.
- Box 36
"Plat of Town Lots Laid Off and Sold by William A. Rhodes, 5th Oct. 1867. "
- Box 36
- Box 36
Plat map. 27 Lots on Plat of 1845
- Box 36
Plat map. Division of Campbell Land, East Area between South Main-Taylor-Houston Sts. By D.E. Brady.
- Box 36
Plat map. W. A. Rhoads Development (Taylor St.)
- Box 36
"Sketch of street map of Lexington from Insurance maps. "
- Box 36
"Plan for Defending Lexington when there was only four hours to do it in, from an attack of infantry. "(3 copies- From National Archives).
- Box 36
Reconnaissance Map, U. S. Geological Survey, reproduced 1923.
- Box-folder
29:3
-
- Box 36
- Box 36
- Box 36
Plat map, Richard Woods.
- Box 36
Plat map, C-232. Lapsleys to Zachariah Johnson.
- Box 36
Plat map, C-393. William Graham to Andrew Reid.
- Box 36
Plat map, DB-5-257. Borden to Craighead to John Bowyer.
- Box 36
Plat map. "Sunnyside "in 1858. " Telford "(Tedford).
- Box 36
Plat map, A-7. Joseph Walker to William Graham.
- Box 36
Plat map, DB 117-167. L. D. Hamric and Carolyn E. to T. B. Martin.
- Box 36
Plat map. Will Book 20-280. Unidentified.
- Box 36
Plat map. The Home Place. Ruff Estate. Will Book 20-280.
- Box 36
Plat map. 1-103. C. W. Barger Estate. Attached EE-228.
- Box 36
Plat map. DB 135-57. Surveyed for T. B. Martin. (1922).
- Box 36
Plat map. C-431. Dower of Elizabeth Moore.
- Box 36
Plat map. 1-104. Survey by D. E. Brady, 1953.
- Box 36
Plat map. DB 130-477. White Farm.
- Box 36
"Plat of Area around Wilson Suphur Spring, compiled Dec. 1941 by D.E. Brady. "
- Virginia/West Virginia Misc. Maps
- Box 36
- Box 36
Jefferson Co., West Virginia.
- Box 36
Berkeley Co., West Virginia.
- Box 36
The Valley of Virginia.
- Box 36
Clarke Co., Virginia.
- Box 36
- Box 36
Geological Survey, Monterey Quadrangle, 1941.
- Box 36
Geological Survey, Staunton, 1944.
- Box-folder
33:1
Personal Album 1901
Topics include: Campbell family and home (1901); VMI and Lexington (1901); Col. and Mrs. Robert A. Marr; Willoughby Beach.
- Box-folder
33:2
VMI Cadetship. circa 1901-1904
Includes drawings, sports photographs.
- Box-folder
33:3
"A Book of Memories. " 1902-1912
Topics include: Richmond Hill, NY (1910); Norfolk, VA (1910); Washington, DC (1910, 1912); Willoughby Beach, VA (1910, 1911); Corps at Jamestown Exposition (1907); VMI (1910); International Aviation Meet, Belmont Park, Long Island, NY (Oct. 1910); VMI Football Squad (Nov. 1902); Family pictures; PA RR, NY Tunnel; Bear's Den, VA (1912); Trip through West (1911).