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Start Over Places Harpers Ferry (W. Va.) -- History -- John Brown's Raid, 1859
West Virginia and Regional History Center

Felix G. Hansford Papers, 1790/1862

0.1 Linear Feet 1/2 in. (1 folder)

Correspondence, business and legal papers, and Justice of the Peace documents of Felix G. Hansford, Kanawha County J.P., entrepreneur, and President of the Giles, Fayette, and Kanawha Turnpike.

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Felix G. Hansford Papers, 1790/1862 0.1 Linear Feet 1/2 in. (1 folder)

Hansford, Felix G.

Correspondence, business and legal papers, and Justice of the Peace documents of Felix G. Hansford, Kanawha County J.P., entrepreneur, and President of the Giles, Fayette, and Kanawha Turnpike.

George Mason University

George Mason letters to John Augustine Washington III

0.25 Linear Feet 1 folder
Two letters from George Mason (the grandson of George Mason IV through his son William) to John Augustine Washington III (great-grandnephew of George Washington) after John Brown's raid at Harper's Ferry.
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George Mason letters to John Augustine Washington III 0.25 Linear Feet 1 folder

Mason, George, 1797-1870
Two letters from George Mason (the grandson of George Mason IV through his son William) to John Augustine Washington III (great-grandnephew of George Washington) after John Brown's raid at Harper's Ferry.
West Virginia and Regional History Center

John Brown (1800-1859) Clippings, 1859/1909

0.01 Linear Feet Summary: 8 items (1 folder, 8 items); (2 oversize folders, 5 items)
Clippings and illustrations regarding abolitionist and activist John Brown, who led a raid on Harper's Ferry in 1859, precipitating the American Civil War. Includes: 1) facsimile of a page of the newspaper "Independent Democrat" of Charlestown, Virginia from 10-25-1859 including article giving an account of the raid by John Brown; 2) facsimile of a page of the newspaper "Daily Enquirer" of Richmond, Virginia from 11-21-1859 including copy of Brown's petition for a writ of error in his trial; 3) original copy of pages from "Frank Leslie's" illustrated newspaper from 12-10-1859 featuring article of final interviews with John Brown and an illustration of John Brown's execution; 4) photocopy of pages from "Harper's Weekly" from 1909 featuring article titled "How Patrick Higgins Met John Brown, His Story of What He Saw of the Raid on Harper's Ferry", October 16, 1859". Also includes two small undated newspaper clippings of images of "John Brown's House on Franklin Street", and of Brown's "Wool Warehouse on Railroad Row"; and two small undated magazine clippings of images of the schoolhouse John Brown used as an arsenal, and of insurgents thrown off a bridge at Harper's Ferry.
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John Brown (1800-1859) Clippings, 1859/1909 0.01 Linear Feet Summary: 8 items (1 folder, 8 items); (2 oversize folders, 5 items)

Clippings and illustrations regarding abolitionist and activist John Brown, who led a raid on Harper's Ferry in 1859, precipitating the American Civil War. Includes: 1) facsimile of a page of the newspaper "Independent Democrat" of Charlestown, Virginia from 10-25-1859 including article giving an account of the raid by John Brown; 2) facsimile of a page of the newspaper "Daily Enquirer" of Richmond, Virginia from 11-21-1859 including copy of Brown's petition for a writ of error in his trial; 3) original copy of pages from "Frank Leslie's" illustrated newspaper from 12-10-1859 featuring article of final interviews with John Brown and an illustration of John Brown's execution; 4) photocopy of pages from "Harper's Weekly" from 1909 featuring article titled "How Patrick Higgins Met John Brown, His Story of What He Saw of the Raid on Harper's Ferry", October 16, 1859". Also includes two small undated newspaper clippings of images of "John Brown's House on Franklin Street", and of Brown's "Wool Warehouse on Railroad Row"; and two small undated magazine clippings of images of the schoolhouse John Brown used as an arsenal, and of insurgents thrown off a bridge at Harper's Ferry.
West Virginia and Regional History Center

John Brown Records, 1859

0.01 Linear Feet Summary: 1/4 in. (1 folder)

Letter from Brown's cousin, Luther Humphrey, dated Windham, Portage Co, O. November 12, 1859 extolling Brown's course of action; Brown's reply, dated Charlestown, Jefferson Co, Va., November 19, 1859, in which he upholds the righteousness of his cause.

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John Brown Records, 1859 0.01 Linear Feet Summary: 1/4 in. (1 folder)

Letter from Brown's cousin, Luther Humphrey, dated Windham, Portage Co, O. November 12, 1859 extolling Brown's course of action; Brown's reply, dated Charlestown, Jefferson Co, Va., November 19, 1859, in which he upholds the righteousness of his cause.

West Virginia and Regional History Center

John Brown Records, 1859/1860

0.25 Linear Feet Summary: 2 1/2 in. (2 folders)

Photostat copies of court records from the 13th Judicial Circuit of Virginia, Jefferson County, (W) Va., relating to the trial of John Brown and the others for the raid on Harper's Ferry.

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John Brown Records, 1859/1860 0.25 Linear Feet Summary: 2 1/2 in. (2 folders)

Photostat copies of court records from the 13th Judicial Circuit of Virginia, Jefferson County, (W) Va., relating to the trial of John Brown and the others for the raid on Harper's Ferry.

West Virginia and Regional History Center

John Brown's Fort, Harpers Ferry, Stereocard Photograph, 1890

.01 Linear Feet 1 item (1 folder)

A stereocard of John Brown's fort at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. This photograph would have been taken prior to 1891, when the fort was sold, dismantled, and transported cross-country for display at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The fort was eventually returned to West Virginia, first to the grounds of Storer College of Hapers Ferry and then closer to its original location under the auspices of the National Park Service.

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John Brown's Fort, Harpers Ferry, Stereocard Photograph, 1890 .01 Linear Feet 1 item (1 folder)

A stereocard of John Brown's fort at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. This photograph would have been taken prior to 1891, when the fort was sold, dismantled, and transported cross-country for display at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The fort was eventually returned to West Virginia, first to the grounds of Storer College of Hapers Ferry and then closer to its original location under the auspices of the National Park Service.

West Virginia and Regional History Center

"Personal Reminiscence of John Brown" by Edward White, 1887

0.02 Linear Feet 1 folder (0.25 in.)

Handwritten personal account of John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, [West] Virginia in 1859, dictated by Edward White to his daughter Margaret White Longley. Edward White would later serve for the Confederate army and his viewpoints on enslavement and abolitionists are apparent in this account.

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"Personal Reminiscence of John Brown" by Edward White, 1887 0.02 Linear Feet 1 folder (0.25 in.)

Griffiths, Diane M.

Handwritten personal account of John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, [West] Virginia in 1859, dictated by Edward White to his daughter Margaret White Longley. Edward White would later serve for the Confederate army and his viewpoints on enslavement and abolitionists are apparent in this account.

West Virginia and Regional History Center

Roy Bird Cook (1886-1961), Collector, Papers, 1774/1943

5.5 Linear Feet 5 ft. 6 in. (10 document cases, 5 in. each); (2 document cases, 2 1/2 in. each); (2 large flat storage boxes, 3 1/2 in. each); (1 large flat storage box, 3 in.); (3 oversize folders, 1 in.)
Includes genealogy and Civil War records collected by Roy Bird Cook of Lewis County, West Virginia. Series 1 through 5 were compiled by Marcellus W. Zimmerman. They include correspondence, church records, academic records, genealogical records, research manuscripts, and clippings regarding primarily the genealogy and history of Lewisburg and Greenbrier County, and the life and career of Confederate Brigadier General Alexander W. Reynolds. Series 6 through 8 were collected by Roy Bird Cook. They include military records and clippings regarding West Virginia units, the Confederate 31st Virginia Infantry, and other Confederate units from Virginia; there are also business and miscellaneous records, including ledgers, clippings, research notes, etc. Series 9 includes oversized material from earlier series.
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Roy Bird Cook (1886-1961), Collector, Papers, 1774/1943 5.5 Linear Feet 5 ft. 6 in. (10 document cases, 5 in. each); (2 document cases, 2 1/2 in. each); (2 large flat storage boxes, 3 1/2 in. each); (1 large flat storage box, 3 in.); (3 oversize folders, 1 in.)

Cook, Roy Bird, 1886-1961
Includes genealogy and Civil War records collected by Roy Bird Cook of Lewis County, West Virginia. Series 1 through 5 were compiled by Marcellus W. Zimmerman. They include correspondence, church records, academic records, genealogical records, research manuscripts, and clippings regarding primarily the genealogy and history of Lewisburg and Greenbrier County, and the life and career of Confederate Brigadier General Alexander W. Reynolds. Series 6 through 8 were collected by Roy Bird Cook. They include military records and clippings regarding West Virginia units, the Confederate 31st Virginia Infantry, and other Confederate units from Virginia; there are also business and miscellaneous records, including ledgers, clippings, research notes, etc. Series 9 includes oversized material from earlier series.
West Virginia and Regional History Center

Roy Bird Cook (1886-1961), Collector, Tavenner Family Papers and Other Material, 1772/1955, bulk 1855/1866

1.1 Linear Feet 1 ft. 1 in. (2 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 large flat storage box, 3 in.)
Papers of Thomas Tavenner and the Tavenner family of western Virginia, including correspondence; memoirs; journals; financial and legal documents; pamphlets; newspapers; and other material. Much of the material in this collection regards the Civil War. The Tavenner family were Confederate sympathizers.
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Roy Bird Cook (1886-1961), Collector, Tavenner Family Papers and Other Material, 1772/1955, bulk 1855/1866 1.1 Linear Feet 1 ft. 1 in. (2 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 large flat storage box, 3 in.)

Cook, Roy Bird, 1886-1961
Papers of Thomas Tavenner and the Tavenner family of western Virginia, including correspondence; memoirs; journals; financial and legal documents; pamphlets; newspapers; and other material. Much of the material in this collection regards the Civil War. The Tavenner family were Confederate sympathizers.
James Madison University

Shenandoah Valley Regional Studies Seminar Records, 1990/2009

1.65 cubic feet 5 boxes
This collection consists of administrative records and papers by scholars from colleges, libraries and other institutions for the monthly presentations of the Shenandoah Valley Regional Studies Seminar (SVRSS). The collection contains financial records, announcements, correspondence, information about presenters, and academic papers.
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Terry Alford, John Wilkes Booth and the John Brown Raid: An Episode and its Portents, 1991 Box 5, Folder 14

Describes the aftermath of John Brown's raid on the United States arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, in 1859. Brown was later apprehended, tried, and sentenced to hang on December 2, 1859, at Charles Town, Virginia. Documents the life and theatrical career of John Wilkes Booth, who would assassinate President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. Recounts Booth's journey to Charles Town in 1859, with several Richmond, Virginia militia companies comprising part of the security detail at Brown's execution. Discusses possible psychological effects the execution may have had on Booth, and similarities between Brown's actions at Harpers Ferry and Booth's assassination of Lincoln.

  1. Papers, 1990/2009
  2. Papers, 1990/1994

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