Correspondence to and from members of the Fairfax Harrison Family regarding the Virginia Historical Index and ownership of the publishing rights. Individuals involved are Fairfax Harrison, Mrs. Ursula Harrison Baird, Mrs. Sally Harrison Dieke, Earl Gregg Swem and G. Jeter Jones of the First and Merchants National Bank.
Upon the death of Mrs. Hetty Fairfax Harrison, lawyers were trying to determine who had the publishing rights to the Virginia Historical Index. Correspondence between 1927 and 1959 tracks these rights. Fairfax Harrison contributed money for the publication via bank notes. Per a 1939 letter from First and Merchants National Bank to Mrs. Fairfax Harrison, the agreement was that after the notes had been paid, Mr. Harrison would receive the proceeds of future sales until the total amount of his advances are paid. Swem states in another letter that he turned over the copyright to Harrison. In 1960, a legal document transfers all rights to the Virginia Historical Society.
English
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Acquired after 1960. Possibly given to Earl Gregg Swem by one of Fairfax Harrison's daughters.
Processed by Anne Johnson in September 2010.
Part of the Special Collections Research Center Repository