Collections

Account book, 1842-1849, of B. F. Garrett, attorney, Williamsburg, Va. Includes account with John Tyler, Jr.

The records of the Board of Visitors of the College of William and Mary includes meeting minutes, financial reports, photographs, agendas, matriculation books, correspondence, material from Board of Visitors Rectors Oscar L. Shewmake and Roy Harvey Chappell, Jr., publications, and audio recordings of meetings from 1961-1999.

The collection includes: correspondence and land records of Robert "King" Carter; correspondence and land records of his sons Robert Carter (1704-1731) and Landon Carter (1710-1778); correspondence, accounts, land records and the appointment to the Virginia Council of Robert Carter (1728-1804), son of Robert Carter (1704-1731); correspondence, diaries, land records and accounts of Robert Wormeley Carter (1734-1804), son of Landon Carter of Sabine Hall; and correspondence and land records and papers concerning the estate of Robert Carter's grandson, Landon Carter (1757-1820).

Letters, accounts, and legal papers of Dr. Charles Brown. Collection includes letters, 1813-1818, concerning patients (including slaves).

The collection consists of one letter written by journalist, politician, and then-supporter of President John Tyler, Duff Green. The letter is marked confidential and the recipient is unnamed. It concerns the rumor in Washington, D.C. that the president would veto a forthcoming bank bill, as he had a prior bill, and that his cabinet had agreed to resign if the bill was vetoed. Green also mentions an alternative bank plan developed at the president's request.

The nucleus of this collection was created from papers given to the Association by Ann Pamela Cunningham around the time of her retirement as Regent. Several other Vice Regents followed her example and later donated their papers as well. These records were referred to as the "Early Records" since the time they were first established as an archival collection. A large portion of this collection is correspondence concerning the founding of the MVLA and the operation of Mount Vernon as a historic site. Other important resources are the appeals written by Ann Pamela Cunningham and the Vice Regents, governing documents, subscription or donation lists, printed material or publications, and bound volumes such as ledgers or scrapbooks. Individual items were added to the collection as they were acquired. The Early Records includes items dated 1852-1951, however the bulk of the material dates from 1858 to around 1880.

On July 6, 1825, William & Mary law professor, James Semple, submitted his views on how to promote the good of the College to Board of Visitors member and alumnus John Tyler. He's responding to what appears to be a call by the Board of Visitors to the faculty to offer suggestions for how to improve the state of the school and bring it back to its "former standing." His views are submitted in draft form and include strikeouts and changes he made. He suggests ending the term in early June, rather than the 4th of July. He also suggests reducing student tuition to make it more affordable to attend. He writes, "expenses of the students should be reduced so low as to enable parents of moderate fortunes to send their sons to College." He then goes into detail as to how the College can cut student expenses. Additional suggestions include, but are not limited to, establishing a Grammar School, repeal the resolution which authorizes and requires W&M's president to oversee the conduct of professors, and allowing faculty to determine if students can stay or have to leave due to behavior.

Papers, 1831-1863, of John B. Floyd, governor of Virginia, United States Secretary of War and Confederate general. The papers, chiefly 1850-1862, concern the three positions he held. Correspondents include James Buchanan, Jefferson Davis, Samuel Houston, Benjamin Huger, Alexander von Humboldt, R. M. T. Hunter, Charles James Faulkner, Jenny Lind, James Murray Mason, William Ballard Preston, Winfield Scott, John Tyler, Daniel Webster and the Duke of Wellington.

Letter written by John Jordan Crittenden to John Bell, dated Dec. 21, 1841. Acknowledges receiving Bell's recent letter, states that Bell should not withdraw from politics because his services" and also talks about U. S. President John Tyler.

This collection consists of a Daguerreotype of three individuals, possibly U.S. President John Tyler, his son John, Jr, and an unidentified woman. The daguerreotype was taken by J.H. Whitehurst.