Papers, primarily 1770-1907, of the Tucker and Coleman families of Williamsburg, Winchester, Lexington, Staunton and Richmond, including papers of: St. George Tucker (1752-1827), Nathaniel Beverley Tucker (1784-1851), Henry St. George Tucker (1780-1848), Ann Frances Bland (Tucker) Coalter (1779-1813), John Coalter (1769-1838), and John Randolph of Roanoke (commonplace book is in box 64B), as well as other family members.
Members of the family were involved in law, politics, teaching, and historical preservation. The collection includes personal and business correspondence, literary manuscripts, legal documents and accounts.
A video providing an overview of using this collection and other collections related to the Tucker-Coleman family can be viewed at
Poems by St. George Tucker are in Box 80, Folder: Dated Poems 1780-1789.
A letter from Martha Jefferson from August 1780 is in Box 1 of the Tucker-Coleman Thomas Jefferson letters.
See the Finding Aid/Inventory (below) for updated information about some of the boxes in the collection. Former boxes 62 - 74 are part of Series 3 and renumbered boxes 1 - 22.
The PDF versions of this inventory must be viewed in sections.
Collection is open to all researchers. Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Manuscripts and Rare Books Librarian, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library. 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.
Family History:
The Tucker family included St. George Tucker (1752-1827), born in Bermuda, who emigrated to Williamsburg and attended the College of William and Mary. He served in the Revolutionary War, and served as judge of the General Court of Virginia, and as professor of law at the College of William and Mary. He was elected to the Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia.Tucker was appointed to the federal district court for Virginia. He married, firstly, Frances Bland Randolph who was the mother of John Randolph of Roanoke. Ann Frances Bland Tucker (who married John Coalter), Nathaniel Beverley Tucker (1784-1851), professor of law, and Henry St. George Tucker (1780-1848), jurist, were their children. St. George Tucker married, secondly, Lelia Skipwith Carter. Further information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special Collections Research Center Wiki: http://scrc.swem.wm.edu/wiki/index.php/Tucker-Coleman Family.
This collection is currently being arranged and described. Researchers may wish to consult staff with questions. As of October 2013, the correspondence beginning with the former box 4A is being added to the finding aid and will be rehoused and described as Series 1: Correspondence. Former boxes 62 - 74 are part of Series 3 and renumbered boxes 1 - 22.
Acquisition Information:
The materials in this collection were donated to William & Mary Special Collections Research Center in batches by numerous generous friends and family members of the Tucker-Coleman family between 1938 and 1995. The bulk of the collection was donated to William & Mary in batches between 1938 and 1966 by Mr. and Mrs. George P. Coleman, and the collection has continued to grow since from ongoing donations made by Janet C. Kimbrough and by various additional generous donors. Some materials in this collection have also been purchased by William & Mary Special Collections Research Center.
Electronic Format:
Microfilm copy available at Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary, or by inter-library loan.
Related Materials:
A list of theses and dissertations created from accessing the Tucker-Coleman Papers can be obtained at Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.
MS 00007 Cynthia Beverley Tucker Washington Coleman Papers
1995.01 John Quincy Adams to St. George Tucker Letter.
2005.21 St. George Tucker to Joseph Cabell Letters
2006.26 St. George Tucker to Matthew Carey Letter
2001.19 and 2002.63 Cynthia Barlowe Collection (Williamsburg items via WHRA)
Tucker-Coleman Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary. https://scrcguides.libraries.wm.edu/repositories/2/resources/9341 Accessed June 19, 2021.
