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The daughter of John Wilson and Susan Colston Minor Wilson (see Minor-Wilson papers), Susan was born in Pennsylvania and attended private schools in Virginia. She was trained in occupational therapy work in New York and from 1918-1919 served as a reconstruction aide in France and the U.S. In 1924, she became the Chief Occupational Therapist at the Brooklyn State Hospital. In the early forties she was a lecturer on occupational therapy at NYU and soon became an occupational therapy officer at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Seattle, Washington. The events in her life are well documented in letters, particularly to her mother, and numerous photographs. Also included is correspondence of her siblings, and parents. A strong collection for 19th century family life. #10489

Letters to Susan Dabney Smedes from Augustus Hare, Lord Northington, Sir Henry Ponsonby, C. M. Yonge, William E. Gladstone, John Murray, J. A. Froude, Charles Dudley Warner, Jeanie D. Hogg, John Murray, and Andrew Lang. #2655.

Letters and diary of Susan Dabney Smedes, author of A Southern Planter. The diary and letters pertain to her visits to Great Britain. Typescripts and originals. #38-373

Three miscellaneous letters, Lucy C. Parham to her sister Amanda Parham (January 21, 1841), news to her sister who is in Maryland, implores her to visit, talks about a visitor from a Northern city who was neglecting her new baby and thinks this is typical of city women character, Carrie writes to Mollie about teaching and religion in the two remaining letters. (July 31, 1853 and October 1859). #38-431

Papers of the King George County, Virginia family, primarily Henry A. Benjamin Ogle, and Edward Thornton Tayloe. An indenture, dated December 2, 1822, related the conveyence of a "Mulatto" girl to Henrietta Key; and several property transactions involving women are of interest. #38-630.

Relates chiefly to Richmond, Virginia blacks and includes a minute book for The Clocks Social Club detailing the regular and business meetings of the club, and recording dues and attendance. Also included are a list of sewing instructions: a letter, February 1935, to the Clocks urging them to buy tickets to hear the Eva Jessye Choir at the Ebenezer Baptist Church: a copy of the Rev. John Jasper's sermon "De sun do move" and a photograph of Jasper. Of interest is a letter, February 11, 1839, from Sarah McPhail, Franklin, Tennessee, to her brother, Thomas Glass, Winchester, Virginia, giving family and farm news and mentioning the loss of a Negro woman. #8979-u

Financial and business papers of Thomas Garland of Charlottesville, Virginia. Correspondence with family in Richmond, Virginia, discusses local politics, economic matters, and the Civil War in Virginia. Thomas Garland purportedly lived with or possibly married a Black woman (by whom he had children) after his wife, Jane Taylor Garland, left him at the beginning of the War. Documents to substantiate this story include a letter, March 11, 1861, from Jane Garland to "Mr. Garland" requesting support; and letters to "Mother or Mama" in the 1870's and 1890's (when Jane Taylor Garland would be dead or at the least past child bearing age). A collection which deserves more attention. #2020

Includes letter, August 8, 1780, from Martha Jefferson to Madam. #3668

The papers of Thomas L. Rosser, Confederate Brigadier General, and chief engineer of the Northern Pacific Railroad. The papers fall into four distinct sets. The first collection (1171, -a, -b), 1860-1950, contains material regarding his wife Elizabeth (Betty) Winston Rosser, whom Rosser met and married during the Civil War, including correspondence (1875-1917), poetry, and a scrapbook she kept during the Civil War. Also included in the collection is the correspondence of the Rossers' granddaughter, Barbara Rosser. The second collection (1171-c), 1764 (1834-1910) 1969, concerns both the Gordon and Rosser families. The pre-Civil War correspondence between the Gordon sisters is not extensive, but provides a view of nineteenth century domestic life, as well as home manufacturing activities. Also included in this set of papers are more letters between Elizabeth (Betty) Winston Rosser and her husband. Topics include discussions of their upcoming wedding (April and May 1863), and denials of being involved and perhaps having been married to another woman (mid-summer 1863), and his promises that he will give up drinking. Also of interest is a letter from Elizabeth Custer to Mrs. Rosser regarding her involvement in a girls' club in New York City, Barbara Winston's will (1764), and some correspondence of Barbara Rosser. The third set of papers (1171, -d, -e, -f), 1858-1918, includes family correspondence. The last set of papers (1171-g, -h, -j), 1774 (1856-1899) 1980, contains Elizabeth Winston Rosser correspondence, 1862-1916, n.d.; Thomas L. Rosser, Jr. and his wife, Harriet Gordon Rosser correspondence, 1875-1951, n.d.; Barbara Rosser correspondence, 1906-1983, n.d.; financial and legal papers, 1865-1890; diaries of Elizabeth (Betty) Winston Rosser, 1866 April 28-May 16, 1872, 1913-1914; diary and letter book of Barbara Rosser, 1913-1915, 1916, 1865: a recipe book (ante 1860); and a poetry album of Harriet Hirtland or Kirkland, 1841-1842, 1844, 1877. #1171, -a-j

Baptist minister and educator. Correspondence, printed matter and other papers dealing with general, social, religious, and educational conditions in the counties of King and Queen and Nottaway, Virginia, where Sydnor was superintendent of schools. Includes Elementary lessons in English, pt. 1, by Nelly Lloyd Knox Heath (1880). Names of schools mentioned in the collection include Danville Female College, Danville, Virginia; George Washington University, Washington, D.C.; Hollins College, Hollins, Virginia; and the University of Richmond. #38-146