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Correspondence, 1888

 File — Box: 15, Folder: 14
Identifier: id81495

Scope and Contents

Family, friend and business correspondence. Cousin Bettie Gaines has organized a female reading club and is still teaching, Major Gaines reports that Col. Whitehead has nominated Gaines to the State Board of Agriculture, Mrs. Viola Minor asks for beef steak "I wanted to ask you this but could not summon up courage", and other correspondence from neighbors and relatives who write of family and local news, the illness of his Mother, and send replies or requests to invitations for visits or functions. Telegram from his Mother about the birth of Robert Ware Galt, son of Mary Blair Grigsby and William Wilson Galt. Appears that Mrs. Grigsby is staying at Edgehill during the later part of the year where friends and neighbors care for her. Letters from "cousins" suggest that he is leading a boring and dull life and sympathize that he cannot find a companion, though there are many notes about "dates" with ladies. Cousin Berta Lackey writes in February of a horse and carriage accident that injured her, about not knowing what love is and implies there might be something going on between the two of them but in March she writes "I will ever regard you with the cousinly interest that first led me to address a letter to you". She later writes more letters, mentioning going to Richmond to get a fragment of bone removed due to her carriage accident. Her writing style is Victorian and her subject matter introspective and analytical. She is a teacher and lives near Lexington, Virginia. By the end of the year, after meeting Carrington and his family in both Lexington and Richmond, the "relationship" seems to be completely platonic. A Mrs. Minor and her daughter, Viola, write to Mrs. Grigsby about an incident at Edgehill where the daughter was either renting rooms or staying as a housekeeper. Evidently Carrington Grigsby became enraged by an incident, suggesting Viola did something dishonest, but Mrs. Minor has found that no one else is surprised by his behavior, and her children are raised to be honest people.

Dates

  • Creation: 1888

Creator

Language of Materials

From the Collection:

English Spanish;Castilian

Conditions Governing Access:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Extent

From the Collection: 16.75 Linear Feet

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Research Center Repository

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