Joseph R. Killen Collection, 1692-1985

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888
Restrictions:

There are no restrictions.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Joseph R. Killen Collection, 1692-1985. Accession 51897. Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Summary

Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Joseph R. Killen Collection, 1692-1985. Accession 51897. Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

Collection, 1692-1985, of Joseph R. Killen (1941-2014) of Newport News, Virginia, containing Virginia county court records, papers of the Collier, Askew, and Edwards families of Halifax and Northampton Counties, North Carolina, and Norfolk, Virginia, papers of William H. Joyner of Suffolk, Virginia, papers of the Deverell and Kimball families of Surry County, Virginia, and miscellaneous records.

The Virginia county court records include agreements, bonds, deeds, guardian's accounts, inventories and appraisements, powers of attorney, suit papers, and wills from the counties of Albemarle, Caroline, Fluvanna, Gloucester, King and Queen, King George, King William, Nansemond, New Kent, Norfolk City, and York. Most of the records, however, are from Charles City, Isle of Wight, Middlesex, Richmond, and Westmoreland Counties. There are also a few items from the District Court and General Court. The records are arranged by county, and thereunder alphabetically by surname. Dates given are recordation dates.

The Collier-Askew-Edwards Family Papers cover the years 1872 to 1950. The bulk of the papers is correspondence dating from 1896 to 1902 between Lillian Irene (Collier) Askew (1875-1902) of Scotland Neck, Halifax County, North Carolina, and her sister Rosa Lee (Collier) Edwards (1878-1963) in Garysburg, Northampton County. Other correspondents are Charity F. Askew (1878-1938), Jerry Dunn Askew, Jr. (1871-1914), Elizabeth Collier (1838-1909), Irene (Edwards) Renn (1904-1993), Annie M. Shields (1875-1908), and William S. Shields (1878-1929). Topics include health, visits, weather, family news, marriages and deaths, church meetings, and courtship. There are also greeting cards, invitations, and poetry.

The papers of William H. Joyner (1908-1998) of Suffolk, Virginia contain Bible records, clippings, correspondence, genealogical notes, histories of Nansemond County, Franklin, and Suffolk, and numerous area churches, and programs.

The papers of the Deverell and Kimball families of Surry County, Virginia cover the years 1905 to 1941, and include accounts and receipts, correspondence, greeting cards and poetry. There is correspondence written to Persse H. S. Deverell (1852-1930) concerning the deaths of his wife Malinda Arvilla (Keck) Deverell (1850-1905) and their son Henry Deverell (1888-1907). There are also letters written to Edna (Deverell) Kimball (1882-1970) from her aunt in Dublin, Ireland.

The miscellaneous records contain a wide variety of materials, include accounts and receipts, correspondence, programs, suit papers, and other items. There are no locations listed for many of the items. There are numerous court records from Charles County, Maryland, including a probate docket covering the years 1815-1826, and also court records from St. Mary's County, Maryland. There is also a journal of Elizabeth Ann (Flower) Wheeler (d. 1778) of Philadelphia dating from 1758 to 1772.

Biographical / historical:

Joseph Roy Killen was born on 9 November 1941 in Pulaski County, Virginia. He grew up in Indian Head, Maryland, and attended Charles County Community College in Maryland and Mars Hill College in North Carolina. He died in Newport News, Virginia on 13 January 2014.

Acquisition information:
Purchased.
Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into the following series:

  • Series I. Virginia County Court Records.
  • Series II. Collier-Askew-Edwards Family Papers.
  • Series III. William H. Joyner Papers.
  • Series IV. Deverell-Kimball Family Papers.
  • Series V. Miscellaneous Records.
Physical description:
4.2 cubic feet (10 boxes).