West Virginia and Regional History Center
William C. Tavenner, Civil War Correspondence and Other Material
Tavenner, William C.
Tavenner family
A&M 3763
Archival Resource Key
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/repositories/2/resources/2221
0.2 Linear Feet
Summary: 1 1/2 in. (6 folders)
1846-1873, 1940
1861-1865
Letters of William C. Tavenner and members of his family. The family had ties to Lewis and Harrison Counties. Tavenner's letters include both personal and military correspondence from the Civil War, most relating to his service as a soldier in the Confederate Army (as Lieutenant Colonel of the 17th Virginia Cavalry) and his death at the Battle of Monocacy. There are also letters from other members of Tavenner's family from before and after the Civil War. See "Scope and Contents" for details.
West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
English
Conditions Governing Access
No special access restriction applies.
Biographical / Historical
William Cabell Tavenner was the eldest child of Cabell Tavenner and Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner. During Tavenner's childhood the family lived in Weston, (West) Virginia. The extended family had ties to Lewis County, Harrison County, and Wood County. Tavenner had three siblings, a younger brother, Thomas Alexander (referred to as "Tat" in the letters), and two sisters, Elizabeth M. and Jennet A. (who is often referred to as "Jen" in the letters). William Tavenner's paternal grandfather was Colonel Thomas Tavenner, one of the early settlers of Wood county and a prominent man in local affairs. Tavenner's maternal grandfather was Alexander Scott Withers, the author of "Chronicles of Border Warfare", an important early history of the settlement of western Virginia. Two of Tavenner's maternal aunts also appear in the collection's correspondence, including Mrs. Mary T. Owen of Galveston, Texas (referred to as "Poca" in letters), and Elizabeth Ann Thornhill of New Orleans (referred to as "Bettie").
The exact date and circumstances of Tavenner's entry into the military are unknown. He was stationed in New Orleans during the first years of the war, later moving northward to Virginia sometime between the spring of 1862 and January 1863. He was elected Lieutenant Colonel of the newly formed 17th Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment in January 1863. Tavenner was fatally wounded at the Battle of Monocacy on 9 July 1864. He died of his injuries on 11 July 1863 at the nearby Gambrill Mill, which was used as a field hospital after the battle.
For more genealogical and historical information regarding the Tavenner family, see: A&M 81; Cook, Roy Bird (1886-1961), Collector. Tavenner Family Papers and Other Material; Folder 1a.
Preferred Citation
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], William C. Tavenner, Civil War Correspondence and Other Material, A&M 3763, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.
Scope and Contents
Letters of William C. Tavenner and members of his family. The family had ties to Lewis and Harrison County. Tavenner's letters include both personal and military correspondence from the Civil War, most relating to his service as a soldier in the Confederate Army (as Lieutenant Colonel of the 17th Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment) and his death at the Battle of Monocacy. There are also letters from other members of Tavenner's family from before and after the Civil War.
Series include:
Series 1. Correspondence of Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner; 1846-1858, undated; Folder 1
Series 2. Correspondence of William C. Tavenner; 1860-1864; Folder 2
Series 3. Correspondence Regarding Battle of Monocacy and William C. Tavenner's death; 1864; Folder 3
Series 4. Postbellum Correspondence; 1865-1873, 1940; Folder 4
Series 5. Artifact; undated; Folder 5
Series 6. Miscellaneous; undated; 10 fragments, Folder 6
See Also:
A&M 81, Cook, Roy Bird (1886-1961), Collector. Tavenner Family Papers and Other Material
A&M 858, Cook, Roy Bird (1886-1961), Collector. Tavenner Family Papers and Other Material
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.
Lewis County.
Civil War - Virginia 17th Volunteer Cavalry Regiment.
Civil War battles - Monocacy.
Tavenner, William Cabell.
Tavenner family
Series 1. Correspondence of Jennet S. (Withers) TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470501846-1858, undated1Scope and ContentsThis series contains letters between William C. Tavenner's mother Jennet and her father, Colonel Thomas Tavenner, and her siblings, mostly regarding the death of Jennet's husband Cabell Tavenner and the disposal of his property. Mentioned in one of the letters is the steamship Landis, which was part of the Confederate Navy during the Civil War.
From Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Weston; to Colonel Thomas TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470561846 January 241From Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Weston; to Colonel Thomas TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/14705718[49?] December 141From Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Weston; to Colonel Thomas TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470581850 January 111From Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Weston; to Colonel Thomas Tavenner, ParkersburgArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/14705918[50?] March 131From Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Weston; to Colonel Thomas Tavenner, in ParkersburgArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/14706018[50?] June 241From "G.E.B.", in Parkersburg; to Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in WestonArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/14706118?? March 81From "G.E.B.", in Parkersburg; to Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in WestonArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/14706218?? April 281From Enoch Thornton Withers, in Birdville, Texas; to Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in WestonArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470631858 May 201From Mary T. Owen, "on board the Landis"; to Jennet (Withers) Tavenner, in WestonArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/14706418?? December 211Series 2. Correspondence of William C. TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470511860–18642Scope and ContentsThis series includes correspondence between William C. Tavenner and his mother, sister, and other family members, mostly concerning Tavenner's military service and the Civil War; and correspondence between Tavenner and members of the Confederate Army. Letters dating between 1860 and 1862 were sent while Tavenner was living in or stationed in New Orleans. Letters between Tavenner and his family discuss the possibility that western Virginia will secede along with other Southern states and Tavenner's willingness to fight. Tavenner also asks for more frequent letters from his family, news from western Virginia, and local newspapers. While in New Orleans he remarks upon railroad transportation, food prices, health conditions, and the mood of residents in their speculation of imminent attack. Military correspondence includes a letter from a Colonel Ferguson (most likely Milton J. Ferguson) informing Tavenner of his election to the position of Lt. Colonel (28 January 1863). An unsigned letter, believed to be in Tavenner's hand, describes skirmishing with Union troops (31 May 1864).
From William C. Tavenner, in New Orleans; to Jennet A. TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470651860 May 132From William C. Tavenner, in New Orleans; to Jennet S. (Withers) TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470661860 December 242From William C. Tavenner, in New Orleans; to Jennet S. (Withers) TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470671861 January 252From William C. Tavenner, in New Orleans; to Jennet S. (Withers) TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470681861 February 252From William C. Tavenner, in New Orleans; to Jennet A. TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470691861 March 292From William C. Tavenner, in New Orleans; to Jennet S. (Withers) TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470701861 April 102From William C. Tavenner, in New Orleans; to Jennet A. TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470711861 April 152From Elizabeth Ann Thornhill; to William C. Tavenner, in New OrleansArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470721862 March 12From Mary T. Owen, in Galveston, Texas; to William C. TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470731862 March 232From Col. Milton J. Ferguson, "near Salem, Va."; to William C. TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470741863 January 282From E. Richardson, in Huntsville, Alabama; to William C. Tavenner, in Richmond, VirginiaArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470751863 February 82From "Lucy", in Big Lick; to William C. TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470761863 April 142From "Lucy", in Big Lick; to William C. TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470771863 May 92From "Lide"; [Elizabeth M. Tavenner?]; to William C. TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470781864 May 272From William C. Tavenner; to unknownArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470791864 May 312Series 3. Correspondence Regarding Battle of Monocacy and William C. Tavenner's DeathArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/14705218643Scope and ContentsThis series contains letters between Tavenner and other members of the Confederate army prior to the Battle of Monocacy, as well as personal correspondence between members of Tavenner's family and those who had witnessed Tavenner's injury and subsequent death. Military correspondence includes a pencil copy of an order from Brigadier General John McCausland, Jr. (4 July 1864) and a list of horses for the use of the 17th Virginia Cavalry (5 July 1864). Personal correspondence includes letters between Tavenner's mother, brother, and other relatives, as well as several letters from James H. Gambrill, who was with Tavenner when he died. Also included in the series is a letter from Lemuel Thomas Foote, a Chaplain in the Union Army who was entrusted with passing a "wallet" (or notebook) of Tavenner's onto his family (10 September 1864). The notebook is included with the letter.
From Brigadier General John McCausland, Jr.; to William C. TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470801864 July 43From unknown, in "Camp Sheppardstown, Va."; to William C. TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470811864 July 53From Florence Armstrong, in Ripley, Virginia; to Jennet S. (Withers) TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470821864 August 43From James H. Gambrill, in Frederick, Maryland; to Thomas Alexander TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470831864 August 133From James H. Gambrill, in Frederick, Maryland; to Thomas Alexander TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470841864 August 183From Elizabeth Ann Thornhill, in Masion, Alabama; to Jennet S. (Withers) TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470851864 August 223From James H. Gambrill, in "Araby Mills"; to Thomas Alexander TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470861864 September 13From Lemuel Thomas Foote, "near Berryville, Va."; to Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Parkersburg (includes "wallet" or notebook)Archival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470871864 September 103Series 4. Postbellum CorrespondenceArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470531865-1873, 19404Scope and ContentsThis series includes letters between members of the Tavenner family dating after the Civil War regarding miscellaneous financial assets of William C. Tavenner, among other topics. Also includes one letter addressed to Roy Bird Cook regarding the history of the Tavenner family (15 April 1940).
From James M. Laidley, in Charleston; to D.R. NealArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470881865 June 94From H. H. Michaels, in "Gilmer Co."; to Thomas Alexander TavennerArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470891868 January 214From Robert W. Withers, in "Castel Craig, Campell Co."; to Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Green MeadowsArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470901873 June 164From Robert W. Withers, in "Castel Craig, Campell Co."; to Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Green Meadows (includes transcript with fragments of original letter in envelope)Archival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470911873 November 134From Emma Withers, in Buckhannon; to Roy B. Cook, in CharlestonArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/1470921940 April 154Series 5. ArtifactArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/147054undated5Scope and ContentsThis series contains a lock of William C. Tavenner's hair.
Lock of William C. Tavenner's hairArchival Resource KeyPrevious Archival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/147093undated5Series 6. MiscellaneousArchival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/147055ca. 1860-18806Scope and ContentsThis series includes fragments of letters, notes, envelopes, etc.
Fragments of letters, envelopes, notes, etc.Archival Resource KeyPrevious Archival Resource Key/repositories/2/archival_objects/147094ca. 1860-18806