Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
Thomas David Perry Collection
Perry, Thomas David
Ms.2008.006
19 Cubic Feet
19 boxes
ca.1979-2007
The Thomas David Perry Collection includes the papers relating to the history of Patrick County, Virginia, and native son James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart, a Confederate General during the American Civil War, particularly Stuart's genealogy and birthplace, Laurel Hill.
The materials in the collection are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.
Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction. Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Thomas David Perry Collection, Ms2008-006, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
Source of Acquisition
The Thomas David Perry Collection was donated to Special Collections in 2002. Additional materials were donated in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008.
Processing Information
The collection is unprocessed. This inventory is adapted from a guide created by the donor. A digital version of the donor's guide, which provides a more detailed description of its contents, may be found online.
Biographical Note
Born in 1960, Thomas David Perry graduated from Virginia Tech in 1984. He founded the J. E. B. Stuart Birthplace Preservation Trust in 1990, serving as its president from 1990 to 1992; he has also served at various times on the trust's board of directors and has served on the boards of directors of the Jubal Early Homeplace and the Patrick County Historical Society. In North Carolina, Perry has been a founding member of both the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History and the Surry County Civil War Round Table. Perry has presented numerous speeches on Patrick County, "Jeb" Stuart, and the Civil War; he has also conducted several symposia and tours and published several works on these topics.
Scope and Content
This collection contains materials gathered by Virginia Tech graduate (class of 1984) and historian Thomas David Perry during more than 20 years of research and writing on the history of Patrick County, Virginia. Much of the material is devoted to the life, family, and birthplace of James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart, a Confederate General during the American Civil War. The collection contains such materials as manuscript drafts, printed materials, correspondence, scrapbooks and photographs. Much of the material relates to the research and writing of three of Perry's books,
Ascent to Glory: the Genealogy of Jeb Stuart; Stuart's Birthplace: a History of Laurel Hill Farm; and The Free State of Patrick: Patrick County, Virginia in the Civil War. The collection also contains press and promotional material relating to the effort to preserve Stuart's birthplace.
Arrangement
The collection is unprocessed and remains largely in the order in which it was received. Generally, the collection is arranged within the following categories: Patrick County in the American Civil War; genealogy of J. E. B. Stuart; history of Laurel Hill Farm, Stuart's birthplace; records of the J. E. B. Stuart Birthplace; general American Civil War and Patrick County history files; and Perry's personal papers.
Other Finding Aids
A guide developed by the donor, providing a more detailed inventory of the collection, is available online.
Separated Materials
The following books were transferred to the Rare Book Collection:
Perry, Thomas David,
Stuart's birthplace: the history of the Laurel Hill farm ([S.l.: The Author], 2007). Call number: E467.1.S9 P45 2007 Spec Civil War.Perry, Thomas David,
Ascent to glory: the genealogy of J. E. B. Stuart ([S.l.: The Author], 2007). Call number: CS71.S93 P47 2008 Spec Civil War.Brown, Dean W.,
Boyhood adventures of General JEB Stuart, Civil War Hero (Bloomington, Ind.: Authorhouse, 2005). Call number: E467.1.S9 B67 2005 Spec Civil War.Wood, Karenne and Diane Shields,
The Monacan Indians: our story ([Madison Heights, Va.: Monacan Indian Nation, 1999?]). Call number: E99.M85 W66 1999 Spec Large.Garren, Terrell T.,
The Secret of war: a dramatic history of Civil War crime in western North Carolina (Spartanburg, S.C.: The Reprint Company, 2004). Call number: PS3607.A768 S43 2004 Spec Civil War.Krick, Robert K.,
The Smoothbore volley that doomed the Confederacy: the death of Stonewall Jackson and other chapters on the Army of Northern Virginia (Baton Rouge, La.: Louisiana State University Press, 2002). Call number: E470.2 .K75 2002 copy 2 Spec Civil War.Allison, Roger A.,
A Brief history of Saltville ([Saltville, Va.: Saltville Centennial Committee, 1996?]). Call number: F234.S17 A55 1996 Spec Civil War.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the Thomas David Perry Collection by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/).
Civil War
Local/Regional History and Appalachian South
Patrick County (Va.) -- History
Students and alumni
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
University History
Stuart, Jeb, 1833-1864
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (1970-)
The Free State of Patrick: Patrick County, Virginia in the Civil War by Thomas David PerryResearch notes, drafts (including final draft), back-up copies, and related materials1Research notes, drafts and materials related to the book 2Draft copies and miscellaneous material 3Ascent to Glory: the Genealogy of J. E. B. Stuart by Thomas David PerryNotes and rough drafts of Stuart genealogy; drafts, copies and compact disc back-ups of second edition 4Stuart's Birthplace: the History of Laurel Hill Farm by Thomas David PerryBooks and materials relating to chapter 1 about Native Americans, geography, geology, William Byrd and Peter Jefferson 5Books and materials relating to chapters two through six 6Books and materials relating to time period after the Stuarts; materials relating to family of Archibald and Elizabeth Letcher Pannill Stuart 7Archives of the J. E. B. Stuart BirthplaceNewsletters, newspaper clippings, correspondence, videocassettes 8Archaeological assessment reports by the college of William and Mary; scrapbooks 9Photo album, scrapbooks; loose photos 10Speeches and Tours Given by Perry on J. E. B. Stuart and the Civil WarVarious material on tours and speeches given from 1990 to 2002 11Patrick County HistoryMaterial on various topics relating to the history of the county, particularly the Patrick County Oral History Project, together with books relating to the history of Patrick County and the surrounding region 12Miscellaneous Materials Relating to J. E. B. Stuart and Patrick County HistoryBooks and programs such as Tracing Your Civil War ancestor, Stoneman's Raid and civic group presentations13Laurel Hill Teacher's and Reference Guides, Jeb Stuart's North Carolina Connections, the Play the Last Cavalier by Frank Levering and Patrick County World War II book 13Stoneman's Raid (March-May 1865)Papers and speeches relating to George Stoneman's raid and William Jackson Palmer 14Civil War Research17th Tennessee Infantry15Notes for proposed tour of Civil War sites west of Blacksburg15Material on various aspects of Civil War history 15Genealogical ResearchJonathan Hanby Carter: research material relating to naval career of Carter, of Surry County, North Carolina16Hairston family: books and papers relating to the Hairstons of Virginia and North Carolina16Perry and Hobbes family 16Book DiscussionsNotes and annotated books for discussions led by Perry 17Personal PapersPapers relating to Perry's activities2003-200518College text books and class notes of Perry while a student at Surry Community College and Virginia Tech19