Benjamin Stoddert Ewell Papers
Collection
Identifier: Mss. 39.1 Ew3
This collection contains materials dated 1784-1934. It includes correspondence, legal papers, and accounts, chiefly 1830-1892, of Benjamin S. Ewell, professor at the U.S. Military Academy, Hampden-Sydney College, Washington and Lee College, and the College of William and Mary (which he served as acting president, 1848-1849, and president, 1854-1888). Letters from Ewell during the Civil War when he was assistant adjutant-general to Gen. Joseph E. Johnston are included as well. Among the correspondents are members of the Tyler, Ewell, Campbell, and Brown families of Virginia and Tennessee. The collection also contains the memorandum book on the Ewell family by Elizabeth S. Ewell.
English
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.
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Benjamin Stoddert Ewell was born in Georgetown, D. C., June 10, 1810, the son of Thomas Ewell and Elizabeth Stoddert. He graduated from United States Military Academy and taught there. He taught at Hampden- Sydney College and at Washington College (now Washington and Lee University). In 1848, he was elected professor of mathematics and acting president of College of William and Mary and in 1854, became president. He was colonel of 32nd Virginia Infantry Regiment and later assistant adjutant-general to Joseph E. Johnston. He was president of William and Mary 1854-1888 and died in 1894. He was the brother of Richard Stoddert Ewell, had another brother, William Stoddert, a sister Elizabeth S. Ewell, and a daughter, Elizabeth S. Ewell Scott.
3.5 Linear Feet
This collection has been organized into six series.
Series 1 includes letters arranged alpabetically by writer. A uniform entry has been adopted for each name, and persons of the same name have been identified and distinguished from each other by indicating their relationship to Benjamin S. Ewell or other persons. For example, the entry Brown (Harriot S.) is used for letters signed H. S. Brown and Hattie, and the entry Ewell (Elizabeth), daughter of Benjamin S. Ewell, is used for letters signed Lizzy Ewell or simply Lizzy.
Series 2 includes papers from various sources.
Series 3 is the plat of Ewell property.
Series 4 contains the Ewell Family Bible, published by Williams and Whiting in 1810, and signed by Thomas Ewell. Family records are in the center of the Bible. The first entry is the birth of Thomas Ewell in 1784 and the last entry is from 1918.
Series 5 is a scrapbook of mostly newspaper clippings from mid to late 1800's. Page 15 has an article, "A Yankee's description of Williamsburg." Page 66 has a clipping, "The Old Garden" by Elizabeth J. Galt. Page 155 has an article about lightning striking the home of Beverly S. Scott, son-in-law of Benjamin Ewell. There are some handwritten poems and many published poems in the newspaper clippings. (Acc. No. 2008.196)
Series 6 is the diploma of Benjamin Stoddert Ewell from the United States Military Academy at West Point. (Acc. No. 2011.020)
The original finding aid references "Photographs of pages from the Ewell Family Bible"; however, these were not located with the collection as of April 11, 2018. Karen King, SCRC Staff.
Gift: 1,128 items of Mrs. R. M. Crawford, 12/31/1935. Gift: 100 items, Elizabeth S. Hamlin, 03/30/1936. Gift: 25 items, Mrs. C. Hughes Lyon, 05/1/1957. Gift: 1 item, Percy Hamlin, 04/1973. Gift: 1 item, Kenneth Lemley, 03/1973. Acc. No. 2001,14A, gift, 1 item, of Staunton Aylor, 04/14/2001. Acquisition information for material received after 7/13/2009 is available by consulting a Special Collections Research Center staff member. The West Point Diploma was acuired in 2001 (Mss. Acc. 2011.020)
The following letters and papers were originally included in the Benjamin Stoddert Ewell Papers, but have been removed:
Letter from 'V. Jefferson Davis' (Varina Davis) at Beauvoir House, Beauvoir, Mississippi, to Benjamin S. Ewell at Williamsburg, Virginia. 1890 January 25. This letter acknowledges receipt of the resolutions passed by the citizens of Williamsburg and James City County on the death of Jefferson Davis. This item has been transferred to the Jefferson Davis Papers.
Letter from Sallie Munford at Williamsburg, Virginia, to Elizabeth Ewell. 1865 May 16. This item has been transferred to Virginia Cities - Williamsburg Papers (Folder 3).
Mason family data, undated. Transferred to Virginia genealogy, Mss. 39.4 G29.
Neale family data, undated. Transferred to Virginia genealogy, Mss. 39.4 G29.
Photograph of Malachi Gardner, carriage driver of Benjamin S. Ewell. Undated. As of 5/2016, this item has been transferred to the Portrait File: University Archives Photograph Collection, F and S, Gardiner, Malachi. 2 copies.
The letters below were transferred to the William and Mary College Papers:
Letter from Robert Nelson at Shanghai, China, to Benjamin S. Ewell at Williamsburg, Virginia. 1873 November 10. This item has been transferred to the William and Mary College Papers, folder 139.
Letter from F. N. Page at Shelby, Gloucester County, Virginia, to Professor Benjamin S. Ewell. 1849 April 18.
Letter from Charles F. Richardson at New York, to Col. Benjamin S. Ewell. 1877 March 9.
An act to establish a normal school at William and Mary College. 1888 March 19.
Resolution of the alumni association of William and Mary College, upon the death of Benjamin S. Ewell. 1894 October 1.
Two pages from a report of Benjamin S. Ewell as president of William and Mary College. Undated.
Page 17 of a report by Benjamin S. Ewell as president of William and Mary College. Undated. The report includes a quotation from an address by former president John Tyler to the alumni of William and Mary on the 166th Anniversary.
Page 19 of a paper concerning the establishment of a normal college. Undated.
Printed card containing information about William and Mary College. Undated.
Black certificate of proficiency. College of William and Mary Papers. Undated.
Braxton (Corbin) to Benjamin S. Ewell, at Buckland, Prince William County, Virginia Postmarked Richmond, Virginia, 1848 July 24
Burgess (B.J.), at Wilmington, North Carolina, to Benjamin S. Ewell, at Williamsburg, Virginia, 1878 November 2
Craik (James), at Louisville, Benjamin S. Ewell at Williamsburg, Virginia, 1876 September 2
Davies (Charles), at New York, to John Tyler, 1848 April 27. Letter recommending Benjamin S. Ewell for a professorship.
Ewell (Benjamin S.), at Washington, D.C., to Charles W. Porter, 1872 February 16
Ewell (Elizabeth) to Richard Ewell, 1858 July 9. (See William and Mary Papers, Folder 17, Item 3.)
Ewell (Elizabeth) to William Stoddert, 1858 July 22
Forest (Douglas F.), at Washington, D.C., to the President and Faculty of William and Mary College, 1879 March 26
Fulton (William), at Salisbury, Maryland, to Benjamin S. Ewell, 1872 July 29
Gilman (D. C.), at Baltimore, Maryland, to President Benjamin S. Ewell, 1887 May 28
Griffin (J. L. C.), at Sharon, Mississippi, to President Benjamin S. Ewell, 1855 January 12
Grisby (Hugh Blair), at Charlotte Court House, Virginia, to Benjamin S. Ewell, at Williamsburg, Virginia, 1868 January 2
Grisby (Hugh Blair), at Edgehill, to Col. Benjamin S. Ewell, at Williamsburg, Virginia, 1872 June 2
Hall (J. Lesslie), at Williamsburg, Virginia, to Mrs. Beverly Scott, at Ewell, James City County, Virginia, 1902 February 7
Hobson (Annie J. W.), at Richmond, to Col. Ewell, 1877 September 29
Hoge (Addison), at Oxford, Mississippi, to Col. B. S. Ewell, at Williamsburg, Virginia, 1888 May 18
Hough (M.), at Baltimore, to Elizabeth Ewell, daughter of Benjamin S. Ewell, 1859 February 9
Lee (J. F.), at Annapolis, to Col. Benjamin S. Ewell, 1868 January 23
McLane (Robert), at Washington, D.C., to John Tyler and the Board of Visitors of William and Mary College, Virginia, 1848 April 5. Letter recommending Benjamin S. Ewell for a professorship. Transferred to William and Mary College Papers, folder 82, page 2, item 2m papers relating to the appointment of Benjamin S. Ewell to the chair of mathematics, 1848 April 5-27
Meade (William), at Millwood, Clarke County, Virginia, to Professor Ewell, at William and Mary College, Williamsburg, Virginia, 1849 March 18. Transferred to William and Mary College Papers, folder 99.
Munford (Maria), at Williamsburg, Virginia, to Elizabeth S. Ewell, 1859 October 30
Munford (Maria) to Elizabeth S. Ewell, undated
Smith (R. McF.), at Nashville, Tennessee, to Benjamin S. Ewell, at Ewell, Virginia, 1892 October 3. Original letter was transferred to the William and Mary College Papers, folder 127, page 5.
Sweet (Drew), at Waynesville, Ohio, to Col. Benjamin S. Ewell, at Williamsburg, Virginia, 1887 May 15
Turner (Harriot S.), at Washington, D.C., to Dr. [?] Wise, undated
Turner (Harriot S.) to Dr. Wise, undated
Watkins (F. N.), at Hampden Sidney College, to the Visitors of the William and Mary University, 1848 April 7. Letter recommending Benjamin S. Ewell for a professorship.
West (Robert), at North East P.O., Cecil County, Maryland, to Benjamin S. Ewell, at Williamsburg, Virginia, 1866 April 8
Wyatt (Charles B.), at San Francisco, California, to Benjamin S. Ewell, at Williamsburg, Virginia, 1869 April 8
Letter from unknown person to Elizabeth Ewell, undated. Incomplete. Transferred to the William and Mary College Papers, folder 120.
Letter from R. McCandlish at Williamsburg, Virginia, to Benjamin S. Ewell at Washington College, Lexington, Virginia. Forwarded to Buckland, Prince William County. 1848 July 15.
Additional information may be found at http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaead/published/wm/viw00084.frame
Acc. 2011.020 added by Benjamin Bromley in January 2011.
Part of the Special Collections Research Center Repository