Collections

This collection consists of ten items, 1864-1869, a manuscript diary and miscellaneous papers pertaining to David Probert of Patterson, New Jersey, a carpenter employed by the United States Military Railroads in Virginia during the Civil War. The diary itself is a small bound volume ("Diary 1864") of approximately forty pages. Researchers should note that several entries were not recorded on the appropriate daily page; a sequence guideline has been appended to this guide.

A collection, evidently incomplete, of ca. 340 letters, 1882-1903, to David Quin Eggleston, 1857-1909, an attorney of Smithville, Charlotte County, Virginia. He was active in the Democratic Party, and senator for Charlotte and Mecklenburg counties from 1897-1900, then delegate from those counties to the Constitutional Convention of 1901-1902. He was a member of the State Central Committee in 1899, and Secretary of the Commonwealth in 1901. The letters of 1882-1883 are all personal correspondence, while those of 1885 and later pertain to legal business, or occasionally, to political matters. The only eminent correspondent was Carter Glass.

Letter dated 1862 April 18 from Camp on Chessman's Creek addressed to his parents. Everett was in "I" company of the 7th New Jersey Volunteers, 3rd Brigade of Hooker's Division. He describes his unit's travel to Norfolk and then the Yorktown area and the anticipation of a hard battle with the Confederate troops who are assumed to be numerous and well fortified.

David R. Goodman (Charlottesville) letter from "Minton" in Waynesboro, Virginia dated February 20, 1868, 0.03 cubic feet, about having trouble with his cook, hiring black women, a toothache, doctor visits, and foreigners in the area.

This collection includes an agreement (1 p.), a receipt (1 p.), and a property list (1 p.) pertaining to David Ross (1739-1817) of Albemarle, Botetourt, Buckingham, Campbell, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Goochland, Mecklenburg Counties, and Richmond, Virginia. Agreement, 28 Jan. 1813, between David Ross' son, David Ross, Jr. (1768-1857), and Walter Lloyd Fontaine (1787-1860) for the purchase of two mules. Receipt, 1 Feb. 1822, issued by Robert Hill for funeral services rendered and payed for by Walter Lloyd Fontaine and George M. Payne (b. 1768), executors of David Ross. List, n.d., of 22 slaves and 4 horses appraised by Buckingham County Court commissioners following the death of David Ross in 1819. For related material see Acc. 37824.

David S. Baker Journal, 1860-1874, records the transactions of Byrd Plantation in Fluvanna County. It records transactions as they occurred on a daily basis from January 1860-February 1865. Information found in each entry includes name of individuals doing business with the plantation, items purchased or payment of debt by customers, items purchases or payments made by plantation, and amount owed or paid. Merchandise sold and purchased include turkeys, ox hide, butter, oats, straw hats, and whiskey. Payments made by plantation to individuals to build a church, weave cloth, hiring slaves, and nails. Also included in volume are contracts signed by David S. Baker related to hauling lumber from the estate of Thomas Baker.