<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<ead><eadheader countryencoding="iso3166-1" dateencoding="iso8601" findaidstatus="completed" langencoding="iso639-2b" repositoryencoding="iso15511"><eadid countrycode="US" mainagencycode="US-vihart">vihart00531</eadid><filedesc><titlestmt><titleproper>A Guide to the Bettie E. Miller Stoutamyer Papers, 1866-early 20th century <num>SC 0426</num></titleproper><author>Tiffany Cole</author></titlestmt><publicationstmt><publisher>James Madison University Libraries Special Collections</publisher><p id="logostmt"><extref actuate="onLoad" href="https://cdn1.lib.jmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/JMU-Logo_ASpace2VAHeritage.png" show="embed" type="simple"/></p><p><date>August 2026</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 href="https://www.lib.jmu.edu/special/" show="new" title="https://www.lib.jmu.edu/special/" type="simple"/></addressline></address></publicationstmt></filedesc><profiledesc><creation>This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on <date>2026-08-18 20:00:05 -0400</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>Bettie E. Miller Stoutamyer papers</unittitle>
    <origination label="Creator">
      <persname rules="dacs" source="local">Stoutamyer, Bettie E. Miller (Elizabeth Ellen Miller), 1854-1919</persname>
    </origination>
    <origination label="source">
      <corpname role="bsl" rules="local" source="local">Tim Abbott Americana</corpname>
    </origination>
    <unitid>SC 0426</unitid>
    <unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/4/resources/810</unitid>
    <physdesc altrender="whole">
      <extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">0.1 cubic feet</extent>
      <extent altrender="carrier">3 folders</extent>
    </physdesc>
    <unitdate datechar="creation" normal="1866/1915" type="inclusive">1866 - early 20th century</unitdate>
    <abstract id="aspace_c61370e77d49917d4a3ef1044e3ca8df">Comprises correspondence, photographs, and financial documents relating to Bettie E. Miller Stoutamyer of Rockingham and later Augusta County and family.</abstract>
    <langmaterial>
      <language langcode="eng">English</language>
    </langmaterial>
  </did>
  <accessrestrict id="aspace_5efba1dceef6bd8e0a0306283b17ad0e">
    <head>Access Restrictions</head>
<p>Collection is open to 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_6d6c1eecdb6319c756beb8188466be04">
    <head>Use Restrictions</head>
<p>The copyright interests in this collection have not 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_7a9347111d1a4bba33d55774c71dcbb8">
    <head>Preferred Citation</head>
<p>[identification of item], [box #, folder #], Betty E. Miller Stoutamyer papers, 1866-early 20th century, SC 0426, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.</p>  </prefercite>
  <acqinfo id="aspace_98cd014b17d85b89146f21b3fd900356">
    <head>Acquisition Information</head>
<p>Purchased from Tim Abbott Americana in May 2026.</p>  </acqinfo>
  <processinfo id="aspace_9efb3970480977876378c4a77d756e63">
    <head>Processing Information</head>
<p>A previously assigned numbering scheme was applied to each of the photographs, letters, and envelopes.</p>  </processinfo>
  <bioghist id="aspace_749891ac169881685153dd37f520bac7">
    <head>Biographical / Historical</head>
<p>Bettie E. Miller Stoutamyer (1854-1919) was born in Rockingham County to Adam Miller and Mary Ann Craun Miller. </p><p>Bettie married Francis Mcnut Mack Stoutamyer (1852-1929) of Augusta County with whom she had one child, Earl V. Stoutamyer. Bettie is frequently referred to as Ellen or Ella in correspondence.</p>  </bioghist>
  <scopecontent id="aspace_b728ce8eac06d7a061f7ef6fc34aed80">
    <head>Scope and Contents</head>
<p>Comprises correspondence, photographs, financial documents, and receipts relating to Bettie E. Miller Stoutamyer of Rockingham and later Augusta County and family.</p><p>Correspondence includes personal letters from friends and family (a niece Elsie) as well as multiple love letters from "Cornelius."</p><p>References in the documents as well as correspondence to F. M. Stoutamyer, Bettie's husband, are included. The collection also includes documents and a photograph relating to R. B. Dunlap, presumably Robert Bailey Dunlap (1843-1934) who married into the Stoutamyer family. A letter and photograph reference William A. Rife (1948-1926). Rife's letter includes a sketch of a hay, straw, and fodder cutter and his inquiry about a potential patent. Rife's specific connection to the Stoutamyers is unclear.</p><p>A portion of the photographs are identified as Stoutamyer family members and neighboring friends while others have no identifying information. Photographers include A. L. Hook (Staunton), J. M. Hill (Bridgewater), and Dean Studio (Harrisonburg).</p><p>A few documents not obviously connected to Stoutamyer or her family are included.</p>  </scopecontent>
  <controlaccess>
    <genreform authfilenumber="300046300" source="aat">Photographs</genreform>
    <genreform authfilenumber="300026879" source="aat">Letters (correspondence)</genreform>
    <genreform authfilenumber="300026904" source="aat">Love letters</genreform>
    <genreform authfilenumber="300027573" source="aat">Receipts (financial records)</genreform>
    <corpname role="bsl" rules="local" source="local">Tim Abbott Americana</corpname>
  </controlaccess>
  <dsc><c id="aspace_74ed950a8696ef1a9a92ff0566a9699a" level="file"><did><unittitle>Correspondence</unittitle><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/4/archival_objects/32789</unitid><unitdate datechar="creation" normal="1866/1877" type="inclusive">1866-1877</unitdate><container altrender="Legal manuscript box" id="aspace_01e2c4f947aa5117a441fd46ef7e4fcd" label="Mixed Materials [1000908417]" type="box">1</container><container id="aspace_f63fc8393d10e5679985bb3840292e21" parent="aspace_01e2c4f947aa5117a441fd46ef7e4fcd" type="folder">1</container></did></c><c id="aspace_1998fafec1673c44ac35d07710165694" level="file"><did><unittitle>Financial documents</unittitle><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/4/archival_objects/32791</unitid><unitdate datechar="creation" normal="1870/1903" type="inclusive">1870-1903</unitdate><container altrender="Legal manuscript box" id="aspace_b9fc5f6ae2288765f9583b36c35e82fb" label="Mixed Materials [1000908417]" type="box">1</container><container id="aspace_2d12a857e0106c2c0cb2e6f0b033e511" parent="aspace_b9fc5f6ae2288765f9583b36c35e82fb" type="folder">2</container></did></c><c id="aspace_e94f30e72d3afa30403fca77437865dd" level="file"><did><unittitle>Photographs</unittitle><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/4/archival_objects/32790</unitid><unitdate datechar="creation" normal="1875/1915" type="inclusive">late 19th - early 20th century</unitdate><container altrender="Legal manuscript box" id="aspace_e7717044f8c97db8b6d2eea271030825" label="Mixed Materials [1000908417]" type="box">1</container><container id="aspace_6e48e6c0802382c54b929c47600c7db2" parent="aspace_e7717044f8c97db8b6d2eea271030825" type="folder">3</container></did></c></dsc>
</archdesc>
</ead>

