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Alexander Brown Papers (I)

 Collection
Identifier: 01/Mss. 65 B83

  • Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Inventory contains the papers of Alexander Brown (1843-1906), farmer, merchant and author who lived in Nelson County, Virginia.

Includes correspondence relating to his books, The Genesis of the United States, The First Republic in America, The Cabells and Their Kin, New Views, and other correspondence and business papers of Brown including letters written from Australia, England, Wales, and Egypt1(1867-1869). Correspondents include Herbert Baxter Adams, Jabez Lamar Monroe Curry, Charles Deane, and Lyon Gardiner Tyler.

The collection also includes papers of Mayo Cabell and ledgers of Mayo Cabell & Co., Lynchburg, Virginia, and of the Lynchburg Female Seminary; accounts of "Belmont," "Benvenue," and "Norwood" plantations (in Nelson County); and genealogical material on the Brown and Cabell families.

In 2011, the following items were added to Box 1, Folder 25: January 24, 1876 letter from R.V. Pierce, M.D. of "Chronic Diseases of Either Sex" to Alexander Brown where Dr. Pierce states "the affection you describe is some form of venereal disease" with an enclosure about remittance of money .

Alexander Brown Papers, Box 1. 112 letters from Brown to Charles Deane is available on microfilm in Swem Library’s microforms area, 1 reel, call number Mss. 65 B83. NOTE: original letters are with the Massachuestts Historical Society.

Dates

  • Creation: 1815-1910

Creator

Language of Materials

English

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.

Conditions Governing Use:

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.

Biographical / Historical

Born at Glenwood, Nelson County, Virginia, Alexander Brown was deafened while serving in the Confederate Army in the explosion of a powder-boat near Fort Fisher, N.C. He married Caroline Augusta Cabell and after her death, Sarah Randolph Cabell. He was the author of The Genesis of the United States, The First Republic in America, The Cabells and Their Kin and other works.

Administrative History: Born at Glenwood, Nelson County, Virginia, Alexander Brown was deafened while serving in the Confederate Army by the explosion of a powder-boat near Fort Fisher, N.C. He married Caroline Augusta Cabell and after her death, Sarah Randolph Cabell. He was the author of The Genesis of the United States, The First Republic in America, The Cabells and Their Kin, and other works.

Biographical Information:

Born at Glenwood, Nelson County, Virginia, Alexander Brown was deafened while serving in the Confederate Army in the explosion of a powder-boat near Fort Fisher, N.C. He married Caroline Augusta Cabell and after her death, Sarah Randolph Cabell. He was the author of The Genesis of the United States, The First Republic in America, The Cabells and Their Kin and other works.

Administrative History:

Born at Glenwood, Nelson County, Virginia, Alexander Brown was deafened while serving in the Confederate Army by the explosion of a powder-boat near Fort Fisher, N.C. He married Caroline Augusta Cabell and after her death, Sarah Randolph Cabell. He was the author of The Genesis of the United States, The First Republic in America, The Cabells and Their Kin, and other works.

Extent

7.50 Linear Feet

Arrangement of Materials:

This inventory has been organized into ten series: 1. Correspondence of Alexander Brown; 2. Business Receipts of Alexander Brown; 3. Business Receipts and Papers of Various Members of the Cabell Family; 4. Papers of Mayo Cabell; 5. Papers concerning the books written by Alexander Brown; 6. Bills, Receipts and Papers of Mayo Cabell and His Son; 7. Correspondence of Alexander Brown; 8. Miscellaneous Materials of Alexander Brown; 9. Papers of R. L. Brown, the son of Alexander Brown; 10. Page Proofs of the Books Written by Alexander Brown.

Acquisition Information:

Purchase of 2914 items from Mrs. Arthur Dugdale on 5/6/1941; gift of 5 items by John Stewart Bryan on 3/22/1944; and purchase of 30 items on 5/9/1946.

Related Materials:

Letters, 1885-1890, from William Cabell, England, to Alexander Brown, are located in the Cabell-Brown Collection within the Manuscripts and Rare Books Department, Swem Library.

Cabell-Brown Papers, Manuscripts and Rare Books Department, Swem Library, College of William and Mary. Cabell-Brown Papers, 1885-1890. 12 items. Collection number: Mss. Sm. Coll. Cabell-Brown.

The letters of Alexander Brown have been separated into another inventory located within Manuscripts and Rare Books Department, Swem Library

Alexander Brown Papers (II), 1748-1900, Manuscripts and Rare Books Department, Swem Library, College of William and Mary. Call number: Mss. 65 B86.

The letters from Alexander Brown to Charles Deane are located within this collection on microfilm only. The originals are in the Massachusetts Historical Society.

Alexander Brown Papers (1), 1815-1910, Manuscripts and Rare Books Department, Swem Library, College of William and Mary. Alexander Brown Papers (1), 1815-1910. 112 items. Collection number: Mss. Acc.65 B83 microfilm cabinet, drawer 3.

Physical Description

949 items

General

Other Information:

Additional information may be found at http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaead/published/wm/viw00002.frame

Title
Guide to the Alexander Brown Papers (I)
Author
Finding Aid Authors: Special Collections Staff.
Date
2007-06-04
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
The collection description/finding aid is written in English

Revision Statements

  • May 24th, 2018: Letter added to Box 1, Folder 25 by Anne Johnson in 2011.

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Research Center Repository

Contact: