Biographical/Historical Information
Biography
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
Edwin Gilliam Boothwas born on January
11, 1810, at "
Shenstone, "
Nottoway County, to
Gilliam Boothand
Rebecca (Hicks) Booth. At age ten he
was sent to
Winfield Academyin
Dinwiddie County, where he began a
friendship with
Theodorick Pryor, who later became one
of the most influential and successful ministers in
southeastern
Virginia. His chief preparation for
college was at
Oxford, North Carolina; he
matriculated at the
University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hillin 1824, (at the age of fourteen) after an
arduous course in classics and mathematics. Subsequently,
he studied law at
Fredericksburgunder the supervision of
Judge
John Taylor Lomax, a professor at the
University of Virginiaand a judge of
the
Court of Appeals; and, although not a
well-disciplined student, he was diligent in his quest for
legal knowledge, and afterward returned to
Nottoway Countyto practice law in the
five southeastern counties of
Virginia.
In 1833, he married
Sarah Tanner Jones(May 10, 1811,
-August 29, 1860) with whom he had five children:
Edwin Gilliam Booth, Jr., (February
27, 1839 -January 5, 1922);
Archer Jones Booth(May 22, 1844
-November 22, 1864);
Frances Rebecca Booth(December 17,
1846 -June 7, 1885);
Sarah Tanner Booth(June 3, 1848
-September 23, 1865); and,
William Travis Booth(July 12, 1850
-June 25, 1861).
Booth was known for his public spirit and devotion to
politics, his activities for the welfare of man and for the
promotion of Christianity. On August 30, 1838, he made a
public profession of his faith in Christ, and was soon made
the ruling elder in the
Nottoway Church. In 1847, he was
elected from the Nottoway District to serve in the
Virginia Legislaturefor the 1848 and
1849 sessions, and took part in the revision and
codification of the civil laws of
Virginia. During the Civil War, he
attempted to alleviate the miseries of military prisons by
obtaining permission to assist friends in prison. He
received permission from President
Abraham Lincolnto pass through the
blockade in April 1863, and dined with Lincoln and Davis
over the month, by their invitations. In 1876, he erected
the Old Virginia Building at the
National Centennial Exhibitionin
Fairmont Park, Philadelphia.
Edwin Gilliam Booth, Sr., passed away
on February 13, 1886 in
Philadelphia.
More information on Booth may be found in
The Life and Character of Edwin Gilliam
Boothby
Henry Edwin Dwight(F230.B74).
Edwin Gilliam Booth, Jr., was born on
February 27, 1839, in
Nottoway Countyto
Edwin Gilliam Boothand
Sarah Tanner (Jones) Booth. He
attended
Winfield Academy,
Dinwiddie County, and was prepared for
college by
David Comfort, a Princeton graduate.
He then attended
Hampton-Sydney Collegefor two years,
graduating in 1859, and spent part of a session at the
University of Virginiabefore enrolling
in the
University of Pennsylvaniaat
Philadelphia where he graduated as a doctor of medicine in
1861.
During the Civil War, he enlisted in the
Confederate Armyas a member of the
Nottoway Cavalryin the G and E
companies of the
Third Virginia Regiment. His company
fought at the Battle of
Big Bethelon June 10, 1861. On May 1,
1863, he was commissioned as assistant surgeon in the
Confederate Navy, and was a surgeon on
the C. S. S. Selma during the Battle of
Mobile Bay, where their fleet was
defeated and the steamer was sunk on August 5, 1864. He was
taken prisoner and sent to
Pensacola, and later released on
parole.
After the war he visited
Europe, then returned to live at "
Shenstone" until ca. 1886 when he
moved to "
Carter's Grove, " James City County.
In October 1870, he married
Clara Haxall Thomsonof
Jefferson County, West Virginia; they
had the following children:
Lucy Almira Booth(July 15, 1871
-1960);
Frances Rebecca Booth(October 1, 1873
-? );
Henrietta Edwina Booth(January 6,
1876-? );
Edwin Gilliam Booth, III(July 14, 1878
-? );
Clara Thomson Booth(July 10, 1880 -?
);
John Thomson Booth(May 13, 1883 -? );
and,
William Harris Booth(June 16, 1885 -?
).
In 1907, he settled in the old
George Wythehome at
Williamsburg, and was a member of the
Board of Visitors of the College of William and
Mary. He died at home on January 5, 1922.
Biography
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
See entries from:
Who Was Who In America, Volume II, 1943 -1950, page 139;
Who's Who in America, 1984-1985, 43rd edition, Volume I, A-K, pp.
723-724; the
National Cyclopedia of American Biography, pp. 279-280, and the obituary for
Hugh S. Cumming, Jr.from the November
26, 1986 "Washington Post."
Scope and Content Information
Scope and Content
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The
Cumming Familypapers consist of ca.
53,100 items (23 Hollinger boxes, ca. 8 linear shelf feet),
1777-1778, 1806 (1820-1977) 1984, including correspondence,
financial and legal papers, newspaper clippings,
photographs, bound volumes, writings, printed material, and
miscellaneous related items pertaining to the life and
activities of Dr.
Hugh Smithand
Lucy Booth Cumming, Sr., and their
son, Ambassador
Hugh S. Cumming, Jr., (1900-1986), and
his wife,
Winifred Burney West, as well as other
family members. Also present are papers relating to the
Booth Family.
Dr. Cumming (1869-1948) was Surgeon General of the
U. S. Public Health Servicefrom 1920
to 1936; Ambassador Cumming (1900-) was a career diplomat
and served primarily in
Europeand
Indonesiafrom 1933 until his
retirement in 1963.
The majority of the collection is chiefly correspondence
dealing with family, professional, and diplomatic matters.
In addition, Ambassador Cumming maintained extensive files
containing additional correspondence, photographs, reports,
memoranda, notes, and other related materials regarding his
public and personal activities.
The collection has been divided into three subgroups: I.
Booth FamilyPapers, II. Papers of Dr.
and Mrs.
Hugh Smith Cumming, Sr., and III.
Papers of Ambassador
Hugh Smith Cumming, Jr.There are
various series and subseries within each subgroup. A more
detailed description of the papers, especially biographical
and organizational information, can be found later in this
guide, under each subgroup. The descriptions were compiled
by Robin D. Wear (Subgroup I), T. Sharon Defibaugh
(Subgroup II), and Ervin L. Jordan, Jr. (Subgroup III).
This collection contains 6922-b, 6922-d, 6922-e, 6922-f,
6922-h, 6922-h, 6922-i, 6922-k, 6922-l, 6922-m, 6922-n,
6922-p, 6922-r, 6922-s, 6922-u, 6922-w, 6922-ab, 6922-ac
and 6922-ad.
SUBGROUP I BOOTH FAMILY PAPERS
SCOPE AND CONTENT
This subgroup of the Cumming Papers pertains chiefly to
the
Booth family, and consists of ca. 270
items, (Boxes 1 and 2), encompassing the years 1814-1978.
Included are correspondence, legal papers, and photographs
of the
Booth family; and biographical and
genealogical information in the form of correspondence,
notes, copies of family documents, and printed material
concerning the
Boothand allied families such as
Armistead,
Thomson,
Throckmorton,
Gilliam,
Rootes,
Bernard, and
Terry.
Correspondents include
Rebecca Hicks Booth,
Robert Henry Booth,
Edwin Gilliam Booth, and the latter's
children,
Edwin Gilliam Booth,
Archer Jones Booth,
Francis Rebecca Booth, and
Sarah Tanner Booth, as well as
Clara Haxall Thomson Booth,
Lucy Almira Booth,
Hugh Smith Cumming,
Charles J. Cabaniss, and
William Cabell Rives.
Edwin Gilliam Booth's two older sons
fought in the Civil War on the Confederate side in
Virginia.
Archer Jones Boothwrote to his father
from
Clark County, and to his grandmother
from a camp near
Fredericksburgmentioning long marches
and various campsites.
Edwin Gilliam Booth, Jr., wrote to his
father from a camp near
Yorktown(June 5, 1861), discussing
camp life, the hardships of warfare, and their hopes that
President
[Jefferson] Daviswould send an
additional 25,000 men; and, later writes from the C. S.
Steamer Selma off
Mobile, Alabama(April 13, 1864)
mentioning the occupation of
Vicksburgby Yankees, the defense of
Richmond, and news of Archer's
regiment and an anticipated battle.
Other letters of interest include those from
E. C. Cabellto
Edwin Gilliam Booth(November 22, 1846
and November 14, 1847) concerning a controversy between
Booth and his brother, Archer, and the
Bank of Florida; two letters from
William Cabell Rivesto
Edwin Gilliam Booth(July 5, 1858 and
November 24, 1862); and a lengthy letter from
Edwin Gilliam Booth, Jr.to his sister,
Frances Rebecca Booth, from
Paris, France(February 5, 1866).
Scope and Content
SUBGROUP II PAPERS OF DR. AND MRS.
HUGH SMITH CUMMING, SR.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
This subgroup of the
Cumming familypapers includes papers of
Dr.
Hugh Smith Cumming, Sr.(1869-1948) and
his wife,
Lucy Booth Cumming(1871-1960), and
contains ca. 825 items, (Boxes 3-7, 4 Hollinger boxes, 3.5
linear shelf feet), 1897-1956. They consist of
correspondence, memoirs, essays, speeches, invitations,
printed items, photographs, legal papers, bound volumes,
and oversize items.
Correspondence forms the largest series of the papers;
there are letters of congratulation to Dr. and Mrs.
Hugh S. Cummingconcerning the birth of
Lucy Cumming, 1897, and
Hugh S. Cumming, Jr., 1900, as well as
letters of condolence regarding the death of
Lucy Cummingin 1898.
Letters from
Hugh S. Cumming, Sr.to his wife, Lucy,
1900-1938, were usually written during his absences from
home due to work connected with his appointments to the
U.S. Public Health Service(1894-1920)
and as Surgeon General (1920-1936); they contain references
to his inspection and quarantine duties, departmental
gossip, family news, and personal observations about the
various places that he visited. Notable topics include: the
endorsement of the
Public Health and Marine Hospital
Serviceby the
American Medical Association(July 13,
1905); the case of an insane Russian alien (November 12,
1911); Lucy's appointment to the
Sanitation Committee(November 15,
1912); Surgeon General
Rupert Blue's and Cumming's chances of
an assignment in
Philadelphia(August 17, 1912), and his
VirginiaSurvey and other inspection
work along the
Atlantic Seaboard, especially of
sewage systems and oyster beds (1914-1915). The majority of
Dr. Cumming's letters to his wife were written during his
service in
Europe, 1918-1920, where he visited
and inspected ports of embarkation, evacuation points,
departing ships, and camps used by the American forces in
Francefor evidence of epidemics or
disease. He also represented the
United Statesin 1919 at the
Cannesconference which organized the
League of Red Cross Societiesand
headed a medical mission to
Poland. Topics in this group include:
post-war conditions in
England(December 20, 1918);
American University Unionin
Europe(December 29, 1918); abominable
conditions at the American camp at
Brest, France(January 9, 1919);
effects of shelling on the ruins at
Rheims, France(February 9, 1919);
typhoid fever outbreak at
Rotterdam, Netherlands(February 20,
1919);
Red CrossConference at
Cannes(March 20, 1919); chances for an
enduring peace (March 28, 1919); work on a committee on
preventive medicine and hygiene and a subcommittee on
Public Health Laboratories(April 3-23,
1919); and comments on the high cost of food and its affect
upon the morals of civilians in
Europe(April 24, 1919). These letters,
in general, describe Cumming's itinerary while in
Europe, including
England,
France,
Belgium,
Poland,
Spain,
Italy,
Greece, and
Turkey, his duties of inspection, and
the appearance of post-war
Europe.
Letters to
Lucy Booth Cumminginclude the
following topics: a sketch of the life of
Archer Jones Booth, (an uncle of hers)
as a Confederate soldier, by
James F. Epes(November 26, 1903);
Leakeand
Haxallgenealogy (October 21, 1905);
Thomsongenealogy (March 29, 1914;
[February 9, 1934]; November 15, 1929);
Cabanissgenealogy (September 27, 1933)
and photographs of celebrities attending the
Lausanne Peace Conference(December 26,
1922).
Lucy Cumming also corresponded with her mother,
Clara Booth, and sister,
Henrietta Wise, while residing in
Yokohama, Japan, (1906), and while
visiting her husband in
Europein 1919-1920.
The miscellaneous correspondence of Hugh and Lucy
Cumming contains: a copy of
Charles J. Hatfield's comments
introducing
Hugh S. Cummingat the
University of Pennsylvania(October 20,
1930); copy of Mrs. Cumming's comments in a prologue to a
series of radio broadcasts regarding the health of young
people for the
Committee on Periodic Health
Examinations(January 12, 1932), and a copy of
Herbert Hoover's letter of
appreciation to Cumming about his work in the
Public Health Service(February 25,
1933).
Dr. and Mrs. Cumming's letters to their son,
Hugh S. Cumming, Jr., generally
contain family news and descriptions of trips undertaken in
connection with Cumming's work as Surgeon General, with
occasional references to Dr. Cumming's viewpoints amd
opinions, including the technical meeting of the
Commission on Nutrition(May 24 and 31,
1937) and his opinion of his successor,
[Thomas] Parran(May 12, 1939).
The letters of
Winifred Burney (West)
Cumming(1907-1978) to
Lucy B. Cumming, 1948-1956, furnish a
varied picture of the life of the wife of a diplomat and
her responsibilities in the work of an embassy. These
letters were written while her husband,
Hugh S. Cumming, Jr., (1900-1986) was
stationed in
Sweden,
Russia, and
Indonesia. Two letters in particular
(March 5 and 19, 1951) describe the city of
Moscow, its living conditions, and the
Lubianka prison, which was near the
Cumming's
Moscowquarters.
This collection also contains the typescript of Dr.
Hugh S. Cumming's personal memoirs,
beginning with his birth on August 17, 1869, in
Hampton, Virginia, and ending with his
last day at the
Pan American Sanitary Bureauon
February 1, 1947, and Lucy Cumming's memoirs of her
childhood in
Nottoway County, Virginia.
Other items of note include two speeches of
Hugh S. Cumming, Sr., "Toast at Tennis
Club" (N.D.) and "Address at the opening session of the
Septima Conferencia Sanitaria" (November 1924), and a Power
of Attorney re the estate of
Lucy B. Cumming's grandfather,
Edwin G. Booth, "
Beechwood" in
York County, Virginia, (June 19,
1919). The collection also contains a diary and date book
of
Lucy Booth Cumming; a pictoral record
of the Medical Conference held at
Cannes, France, (April 1-11, 1919) at
the invitation of the
Committee of Red Cross Societies; a
scrapbook of
Hugh S. Cumming, Sr., containing
academic diplomas, official certificates, honorary degrees,
appointments, photographs, newsclippings, obituaries, etc.;
Lucy Cumming's membership certificate
in the
United Daughters of the Confederacy;
and a charcoal-and-chalk profile sketch of
Hugh S. Cumming, Sr.
Scope and Content
SUBGROUP III PAPERS OF AMBASSADOR
HUGH SMITH CUMMING, JR.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
This subgroup consists of ca. 5,200 items (Boxes 7-23,
ca. 4.5 linear shelf feet), 1777-1778, 1806, 1820,
1861-1892, 1907 (1931-1977) 1984, correspondence,
photographs, financial and legal items, newspaper
clippings, tape recordings, bound volumes and miscellaneous
items relating to
Hugh S. Cumming, Jr., a career
diplomat. These papers are chiefly comprised of personal
and diplomatic correspondence. Topics of interest in the
subgroup include: Cumming's life as a diplomat in
Moscow,
Stockholm,
Paris, and
Indonesia; European economic
conditions, 1939-1945; the
University of Virginia; American
activities in
Icelandand
Greenlandbefore and during World War
II; diplomacy, family and personal matters; and
involvements in civic and professional organizations.
As a diplomat, Cumming corresponded with several
prominent contemporaries, especially his fellow diplomats,
but the majority of their letters are concerned with
routine matters. The correspondence was written in various
places: Austria, Belgium, China, Cuba, Egypt, France, Great
Britain, Greece, Greenland, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy,
Liberia, the Netherlands, Poland, South America, the Soviet
Union, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Among the noted correspondents are:
Dean Acheson;
Joseph W. Alsop;
John A. Blatnik;
Daniel J. Boorstin;
John Stewart Bryan;
Harry F. Byrd, Jr.;
Richard E. Byrd;
Bernard P. Chamerlain;
Virginius Dabney;
C. Douglas Dillon;
Thomas N. Downing;
Allen W. Dulles;
John Foster Dulles;
Homer Ferguson;
J. Allen Frear, Jr.;
Douglas Southall Freeman;
J. William Fulbright;
Wilson D. Gillette;
Joseph C. Grew;
Christian A. Herter;
Lou Henry Hoover(Mrs. Herbert Hoover);
Cordell Hull;
Herschel V. Johnson;
Walter Lippman;
Henry Cabot Lodge;
John O. Marsh, Jr.;
Christopher C. McGrath;
David C. Mearns;
L. Quincy Mumford;
Stanley F. Reed;
Eleanor Roosevelt;
Elliot Roosevelt;
Dean Rusk;
Hugh D. Scott, Jr.;
John W. Snyder;
John Sparkman;
Maurice Stans;
Edward E. Stettinius, Jr.;
Potter Stewart;
Robert Taft, Jr.;
Edward Thye, Jr.;
Harry S. Truman.
In addition, there are references to:
Edwin Barclay;
Chiang Kai-shek;
Andrei Gromyko;
George Kennan;
Hunter Holmes McGuire;
Raoul Wallenberg.
Cumming's correspondence, 1907-1984, relates to his life
and career and includes letters from and to his wife, his
mother, relatives, friends, and colleagues. There are
several letters congratulating him on his marriage to
Winifred Burney West(1907-1978), 1935,
as well as her letters to members of her family, 1930-1932
and 1951-1952, while she was living in the American
Consulate in
Hankow, China, and in
Moscowwhere her husband was counselor
to the American Embassy. In these letters, which were
primarily addressed to her brother-in-law,
Frank A. West, she discusses her
social and personal activities. The letters contain
references to contemporary events and individuals such as:
executions taking place near the American Consulate in
Hankow, January 30, 1931; the U.S.S.
Panay's attempt to pay ransom to secure the release of a
kidnap victim, February 27, 1931;
Chiang Kai-shek, December 16, 1930;
May Day celebrations in
Moscow, May 11, 1951; and meeting
Andrei Gromyko, November 11 and 18,
1951. Her Moscow letters were signed "jed."
Letters of interest include several from Mr. and Mrs.
Cordell Hull, 1933-1950;
Walter Lippmandiscussing the case of
Raoul Wallenberg, December 8, 1947; a
thank-you letter from
Eleanor Roosevelt, June 13, 1950;
Richard E. Byrdregarding his efforts
on behalf of the
U.S. Antarctic Service, August 21 and
December 27, 1941; and President
Harry S. Truman's appointment of
Cumming to the personal rank of Minister while serving as
deputy chief of mission and counselor of the embassy at
Moscow, August 14, 1951; condolence
letters, 1948-1949, regarding the death of his father,
Hugh S. Cumming, Sr., and of his
mother,
Lucy Booth Cumming, 1960.
Correspondence from Cumming's diplomatic service,
1926-1964, includes copies of correspondence with the
State Department, a report on economic
and political situations in Nazi
Germany, November 15, 1939, and an
incomplete report of an assassination attempt against
Liberian President
Edwin Barclaywhich involved the use of
medicine men and magic, 1934, as well as several
confidential reports and related papers pertaining to his
service in
Latin America,
Europe, and
Asia.
The subject files, 1934-1984, comprise the largest
section of the collection; arranged alphabetically by name
or subject, they contain correspondence and related papers
pertaining to Cumming's civic and professional activities.
These include appointments and efficiency reports, papers
regarding members of the
Cumming family, the
Alibi Club, the
John Foster Dulles Oral History Project at
Princeton University,
Bath County Community Hospital, the
National Cathedral Association, the
State Department, Diplomatic and
Consular Officers, Retired (DACOR) and other similar
subjects.
Correspondence and files regarding the
University of Virginiainclude the
Raven Society, the
Hugh S. and Lucy Booth Cumming Memorial
Fund, the
O.W.L.S. Society, and others. As a
consequence, he corresponded with several members of its
faculty, students, and staff such as
Julius P. Barclay,
Edmund Berkeley, Jr.,
Colgate W. Darden, Jr.,
Ernest H. Ern,
Arthur P. Gray III,
Frank L. Hereford, Jr.,
William H. Runge,
B. F. D. Runk,
Edgar F. Shannon, and
John Cook Wyllie.
The photographs, 1918-1961, pertain to: life at the
Virginia Military Institutein 1918,
U. S. Coast Guardactivities in
Greenlandduring 1941; the first
commerical flight between
Reykjavik, Iceland, and
Washington, D.C.Of special interest is
a 1923 photograph of Cumming as a park ranger in
Mesa Verde National Park,
Colorado, and four photographs of
Richard M. Nixonduring a visit to
Indonesiaas part of his 1953 Asian
tour.
Bound volumes, 1777 -1778, 1806, 1820, 1850-1892 and
1941, include a scrapbook regarding Sunday School
conventions in
Albemarle County, Virginia, 1868-1875,
a journal containing entries regarding the issuing of
military rations, 1777-1778; and a 1866-1868 diary and
commonplace book of
Diana Whiting Smith Cumming, a school
teacher and resident of
Hampton, Virginia. Also present is
Cumming's diary of his official trip to
Greenlandduring 1941.
Other items of interest include: passsports of Hugh and
Winifred Cumming, 1922-1947; invitations, a 1909 school
report, guest tickets to the
1924 Democratic National Convention;
three 1913 visitor passes to public viewing galleries in
Congress from
Bird McGuire,
James P. Clarke, and
Claude A. Swanson; two tape recordings
of Cumming interviews, 1954 and 1969; an article by him
regarding
Liberia, February, 1937; three pages
from the New York Daily Tribune, April 23, 1861, with
references to the early phase of the Civil War, a 1940
Cumming article on the
U.S. Antarctic Service; and a pass for
Cumming as an official observer at a nuclear test explosion
("Diablo") in
Nevadaduring 1957.