<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><ead xmlns="urn:isbn:1-931666-22-9" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="urn:isbn:1-931666-22-9 https://www.loc.gov/ead/ead.xsd"><eadheader countryencoding="iso3166-1" dateencoding="iso8601" findaidstatus="completed" langencoding="iso639-2b" repositoryencoding="iso15511"><eadid countrycode="US" mainagencycode="US-vihart">vihart00045</eadid><filedesc><titlestmt><titleproper>A Guide to the Charles Spitzer Letters, 1833-1886 <num>SC 0137</num></titleproper><author>Special Collections Staff, Kayla Payne</author></titlestmt><publicationstmt><publisher>James Madison University Libraries Special Collections</publisher><p id="logostmt"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://cdn1.lib.jmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/JMU-Logo_ASpace2VAHeritage.png" xlink:show="embed" xlink:type="simple"/></p><p><date>November 1994, July 2012</date></p><address><addressline>820 Madison Drive</addressline><addressline>MSC 1706</addressline><addressline>Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807</addressline><addressline>Telephone: (540) 568-3612</addressline><addressline>library-special@jmu.edu</addressline><addressline>URL: <extptr xlink:href="https://www.lib.jmu.edu/special/" xlink:show="new" xlink:title="https://www.lib.jmu.edu/special/" xlink:type="simple"/></addressline></address></publicationstmt></filedesc><profiledesc><creation>This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on <date>2025-12-03 07:01:39 -0500</date>.</creation><langusage>Description is written in: <language langcode="eng" scriptcode="Latn">English, Latin script</language>.</langusage><descrules>Describing Archives: A Content Standard</descrules></profiledesc></eadheader><archdesc level="collection">
  <did>
    <repository>
      <corpname>James Madison University Libraries Special Collections</corpname>
    </repository>
    <unittitle>Charles Spitzer Letters</unittitle>
    <origination label="Creator">
      <persname rules="rda" source="local">Spitzer, Charles, 1807-1865</persname>
    </origination>
    <origination label="source">
      <corpname authfilenumber="nr2001039707" role="auc" source="lcnaf">Green Valley Auctions, Inc.</corpname>
    </origination>
    <unitid>SC 0137</unitid>
    <unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/4/resources/449</unitid>
    <physdesc altrender="whole">
      <extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">0.08 cubic feet</extent>
      <extent altrender="carrier">1 folder</extent>
    </physdesc>
    <unitdate datechar="creation" normal="1833/1886" type="inclusive">1833-1886</unitdate>
    <abstract id="aspace_57d8c3ca6c0375666de172ee890ae526">The Charles Spitzer Letters, 1833-1886, are comprised of 35 letters written between members of the Charles Spitzer family of New Market, Virginia.</abstract>
    <langmaterial>
      <language langcode="eng">English</language>
    </langmaterial>
  </did>
  <accessrestrict id="aspace_d6a6fd901aedc400d70e0e5ad3c97573">
    <head>Access Restrictions</head>
<p>Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.</p>  </accessrestrict>
  <userestrict id="aspace_30d936971bb4abb02ae7ee5754be22b6">
    <head>Use Restrictions</head>
<p>The copyright interests in this collection have been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).</p>  </userestrict>
  <prefercite id="aspace_df2dfe1f7abc907f8261db32aaee468d">
    <head>Preferred Citation</head>
<p>[identification of item], [box #, folder #], Charles Spitzer Letters, 1833-1886, SC 0137, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.</p>  </prefercite>
  <acqinfo id="aspace_3598b7b3afba40ec51dcd041bd5c2a9d">
    <head>Acquisition Information</head>
<p>Purchased by Friends of Carrier Library at Green Valley Auctions, Inc. on July 23, 1994.</p>  </acqinfo>
  <processinfo id="aspace_9063177762ef51f353753acd7a95476c">
    <head>Processing Information</head>
<p>In order to streamline the process of applying collection numbers, Special Collections staff completed a large-scale renumbering campaign in the spring of 2017. <emph render="bold">This collection was previously cataloged as SC 3065.</emph></p>  </processinfo>
  <bioghist id="aspace_b3e8947454dbc5a99d66e72d774bdd12">
    <head>Bio/Historical Note</head>
<p>Charles Spitzer (1807-1865) was a gunsmith based out of New Market, Virginia who learned the trade under his father Henry Spitzer. Charles married Elizabeth Frances Amiss in 1833 and they went on to have four children.</p>  </bioghist>
  <scopecontent id="aspace_4d217c2afd6d2607afea98b5a7d5d89a">
    <head>Scope and Content</head>
<p>The Charles Spitzer Letters, 1833-1886, are comprised of 35 letters written between members of the Charles Spitzer family of New Market, Virginia. Selected letters of interest include eight letters (May 19-October 14, 1833) between Charles and fiancé Elizabeth Amiss discussing preparations for marriage; a December 2, 1838 letter from Thomas Amiss to sister Elizabeth in which he expresses his preference for life in St. Louis, Missouri, his business is good and life is cheaper than in New Market, mentions Moses Spitzer, who in <emph render="italic">A History of Shenandoah County</emph> by John Wayland (1927) is said to have died with the infamous Donner party in the California Sierras in 1846; and a July 25, 1849 letter from Thomas Amiss in which he describes a massive fire and cholera outbreak in St. Louis. Also included are two Sunday school certificates (1850, 1851) and two tax receipts (1849, 1852). Most letters deal with day to day matters including illness and birth and death of family members. Two letters (1861, 1886) concern Charles Spitzer's services as a gunsmith.</p>  </scopecontent>
  <arrangement id="aspace_10a5150682bb1a2b3bec5965b59cd2d2">
    <head>Arrangement</head>
<p>The letters are arranged in one folder.</p>  </arrangement>
  <controlaccess>
    <subject source="local">Gunsmiths -- Virginia -- Biography</subject>
    <subject authfilenumber="sh85057944" source="lcsh">Gunsmithing</subject>
    <subject authfilenumber="sh85048535" source="lcsh">Firearms -- Design and construction</subject>
    <subject source="local">Rifles -- History -- 19th century</subject>
    <geogname source="local">New Market (Va.) -- Sources</geogname>
    <geogname source="local">Saint Louis (Mo.) -- History -- Sources</geogname>
    <geogname source="local">New Market (Va.) -- History</geogname>
    <geogname source="local">Harrisonburg (Va.) -- History</geogname>
    <genreform authfilenumber="300026879" source="aat">Letters (correspondence)</genreform>
    <geogname source="local">New Market (Va.) -- Social life and customs</geogname>
    <corpname authfilenumber="nr2001039707" role="auc" source="lcnaf">Green Valley Auctions, Inc.</corpname>
    <famname authfilenumber="sh85004518" source="naf">Amis family</famname>
    <famname authfilenumber="sh91005112" source="naf">Spitzer family</famname>
    <persname rules="dacs" source="local">Spitzer, Moses</persname>
  </controlaccess>
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