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[Identification of item], Rutherford R. Houston Papers (RG 62.0037), Special Collections and Archives, James G. Leyburn Library, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA.
Gift of Harriet Houston Donaldson, Houston's granddaughter, in 1988.
Rutherford R. Houston graduated from Washington College, now Washington and Lee University, in 1854.
This collection includes a paper written by Houston entitled "A trip on foot to the top of the House Mountain," which details a trip he made on May 22, 1852 while a Washington College student. House Mountain is located in Rockbridge County, Virginia. The collection also includes his Graham Philanthropic Society membership certificate. The certificate wasn't formally dated. The date 1800 appears on the certificate but the actual year he was presented the certificate was not entered. It was typical at the time to print certificates from a lithograph and handwrite in the month, day, and the last two digits of the year. The certificate is signed by Society members. The Society was one of a few literary societies that formed at Washington College.