Collections

The Alexander Lockhart Nelson Papers consist of materials related to Nelson's life as mathematician at Washington and Lee University; Nelson, Guy, Matthews, Archer, and Rennick family genealogy; an address by Nelson on his teaching experience during Robert E. Lee's presidency of Washington College; some family and miscellaneous correspondences; and photographs. Included and, perhaps, the primary aspect of the collection is Nelson's notebook used during his time as both student and professor of mathematics during the mid through late 19th century. The notebook also contains a range of content unrelated to his career as mathematician such as an extensive family tree, a journal/day book which includes details about weather from December 1880 through March 1881 in Lexington, Va.; a pencil drawing of his property and its improvements in downtown Lexington; and notes about payments made to a hired laborer for his Lexington home and grounds. There is an albumen photograph of a group of young girls of the Ann Smith Academy in Lexington – including an image of Nelson's daughter Evelyn. The collection is in two series – each formerly a unique accession from unique sources and different dates. The collections have recently been combined. Each series includes a control folder explaining its provenance. Series two includes a letter from WLU student Jack C. Desha in 1871 to his father Lucius Desha of Kentucky. In the letter Jack shares his travel experiences from Cincinnatti, Ohio to Lexington, Va., including an overnight visit in Washington DC. Series two also includes student Randolph Preston's (WLU class of 1902)typescript reminiscence of his Washington and Lee University student experience fifty years earlier.

This collection includes copies and originals of 18th and 19th century land grants for acreage in Rockbridge County, Augusta County, Bath County, and other areas in southwestern Virginia. Three folders relate to the Borden land grant, which established Rockbridge County. There is a fragment of an undated, handwritten copy of the Borden land grant. Other folders related to the Borden grant include historical analysis and recounting of the development of the grant by E.P. Tompkins. Some land grants pre-date the Borden grant. Folders with the parenthetical note of "Copy" only include photocopies of the original land grants. The Trimble land grants can be found in oversized drawer 33.

This collection consists of essays, reports, financial documentation, and other historic records documenting the presence, arcitecture, development, or evolution of local houses in and around Rockbridge County and Lexington, Virginia.

Published lecture by retired professor John McKenzie Gunn, dated April 25, 1994; "Can Economics be Both Relevant and 'good'?"