The Charles Campbell papers consist of papers received or collected by Charles Campbell (1807-1876), Virginia historian. The papers fall into four general headings: historical papers collected by Charles Campbell, correspondence, manuscript volumes, and miscellaneous. These include personal and professional correspondence as well as eighteenth century documents collected by Charles Campbell, newspaper clippings, diaries, scrapbooks, and notebooks, covering then period 1743-1896. The papers reflect Charles Campbell's interests in history, teaching, newspaper editing, railroad engineering, politics, genealogy, publication of his works, and the town of Petersburg where he lived for most of his life.

The personal papers include Charles Campbell's correspondence with his father John Wilson Campbell, brother Alexander Campbell, sister, wife and children as well as cousins in Tennessee, Alabama, and Virginia. These include copies of Charles Campbell's letters, as well as letters received by him; biographical material; genealogical material; autograph collecting material; and letters received by Charles Campbell's second wife Anna Burdsall Campbell. These also include correspondence relating to organizations with which he was affiliated, such as the Petersburg Library and the Petersburg Lyceum.

His professional correspondence consists of letters to the editors of the "Southern Literary Messenger", to historical societies, to publishing firms, and to other historians and authors. The writing, publishing and critic of Charles Campbell's book "Virginia History", concerns much of these material. Charles Campbell also corresponded with genealogists and antiquarians interested in Virginia history.

The eighteenth century documents collected by Charles Campbell include letters by John Quarles, John Byrd, George Dabney, William Degge, Edward Hill, John Jameson, Alexander Moore, William Aylett, and Theodorick Bland, as well as parts of William Aylett's account books (1770-1776).

The manuscript volumes include Charles Campbell's diaries (1861-1864), Anna Burdsall Campbell diaries (1840-1870), scrapbooks, Charles Campbell's historical notes, newspaper clippings, Anderson Seminary account books, Charles Campbell's pupil exercise books, pamphlets, copies of Charles Campbell's articles, and household account books (1848-1863).

There are many letters from Mary B. Carter of "Shirley," Charles City County, Virginia to Mildred Walker (Moore) Campbell, Charles Campbell's mother.

Acc. 1977.17 Addition:

Genealogical information of the Moore Family.

Acc. 1992.33b:

Series 5 on the inventory: Typescript by William Cryer of the Charles Campbell diaries, 1860s (in 3 parts).