Peyton Society of Virginia Records

A Guide to the Peyton Society of Virginia Records, 1952-2004
Call Number Mss3 P4686a FA2


Administrative Information

Access

RESTRICTED. This collection may only be consulted with specific written authorization from the current president, archivist, or genealogist of the Peyton Society of Virginia.

 

Preferred Citation

Peyton Society of Virginia. Records, 1952-2004 (Mss3 P4686a FA2), Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, Va.

 

Acquisition Information

Deposited by the Peyton Society of Virginia, Aquia, Va., through the courtesy of Archivist Harold L. Davey in 2001. Accessioned 22 February 2002. Additional files received in April-May 2002; December 2004; October 2005; and April 2007.

 

Descriptive Summary

 

Collection Number:Mss3 P4686a FA2
Collection Name:Peyton Society of Virginia. Records, 1952-2004.
Size:ca. 1000 items (3 boxes).
Language:English

 

Scope and Content Information

 

The records of the Peyton Society of Virginia include constitutions; materials concerning annual meetings at Aquia Episcopal Church in Stafford County, Va.; minutes of meetings (and related materials) of the executive committee; correspondence of the secretary; financial records maintained by the Society’s treasurer; membership records (including lists of active and deceased members); correspondence of the historian; and correspondence and family history materials compiled and maintained by the Society’s genealogist.

Also, include a scrapbook initially compiled by Bernard Peyton Chamberlain of photographs and related materials concerning historic sites associated with the Peyton family in America and England; correspondence and related materials of the book committee concerning compilation and publication of a new edition of John Lewis Peyton’s Adventures of My Grandfather (1963) and the Society’s publication The Peytons of Virginia ... (1976), and the new publication, The Peytons of Virginia II (2004); and files of approved applications for membership, applications documentation, and family group sheets.

 

Biographical/Historical Information

 

In May 1952, descendants of John Peyton (1691-1760) of “Stony Hill,” Stafford County, Va., met at Aquia Episcopal Church in commemoration of the 192nd anniversary of the death of their ancestor. They founded the John Peyton Memorial Association with the intention of “honoring ... the heritage handed down to succeeding generations of Peyton descendants,” collecting and preserving records of family members, and restoring and maintaining historic places associated with Peytons. Each year the organization has met at Aquia Church, to which the remains of John Peyton had been moved from “Stony Hill” in 1936. By 1959 it had broadened its membership to all descendants of the children of Henry Peyton (1590-1656), English emigrant to Westmoreland County, Va.; and in 1971 it was again enlarged to any Peyton descendant who could establish a line to a Peyton immigrant who arrived in Virginia before 1800. That same year the organization became known as The Peyton Society of Virginia. Today, it is chartered as a genealogical association with related interests in education and history.

 

Container List

 

Series 1. Corporate Records.

This group of records includes constitutions of the organization and amendments passed by the membership. Also, includes an invitation to the first memorial service for John Peyton, at which the John Peyton Memorial Association was established, and sporadic records (invitations, programs, reports, lists of members attending, minutes, etc.) of subsequent yearly gatherings at Aquia Episcopal Church, Aquia, Va. (See also Series X: Supplemental Materials.)

Box 1:Folder 1Constitution, 1973
Folder 2Constitution, 1982
Folder 3Amendments to the Constitution, 1989-1990
Folder 3AConstitution and By-Laws, 1992
Folder 4Invitations to the Memorial Service, 1952
Folder 4AAnnual Meeting, 1953
Folder 5Annual Meeting (John Peyton Memorial Association), 1954
Folder 5AAnnual Meeting, 1955
Folder 6Annual Meeting, 1956
Folder 6AAnnual Meeting, 1957-1959
Folder 7Annual Meeting, 1960
Folder 8Annual Meeting, 1969
Folder 9Annual Meeting, 1971
Folder 10Annual Meeting (Peyton Society of Virginia), 1972
Folder 11Annual Meeting, 1974
Folder 12Annual Meeting, 1982
Folder 13Annual Meeting, 1983
Folder 14Annual Meeting, 1984
Folder 15Annual Meeting, 1985
Folder 16Annual Meeting, 1988
Folder 17Annual Meeting, 1989
Folder 18Annual Meeting, 1990

Series 2. Executive Committee’s Records.

These files largely consist of minutes of meetings, along with meeting notices and agendas.

Box 1:Folder 19Meetings, 1983-1984
Folder 20Meetings, 1989
Folder 21Meetings, 1990
Folder 22Meetings, 1992
Folder 23Roster of Executive Committee members, ca. 1992-1997

Series 3. Secretary’s Records.

The secretary was the chief communications officer for the Peyton Society of Virginia. For a portion of the time covered by this collection, when the office was occupied by the first secretary, he became known as the secretary-general. The records that survive here were largely compiled by Bernard Peyton Chamberlain and his successor George Mason Peyton.

Box 1:Folder 24Correspondence, 1955-1956
Folder 24AAquia Church file, 1955-1991
Folder 25Correspondence, 1957-1959
Folder 26Correspondence, 1960-1969
Folder 27Correspondence, 1970-1976
Folder 28Correspondence, 1988-1989
Folder 29Correspondence, 1990-1995

Series 4. Treasurer’s Records.

During the period for which records survive in this collection, the treasurers were John S. Sullivan, Jr., and George S. Moore.

Box 1:Folder 30Correspondence, 1988-1992
Folder 31Correspondence, 1993-1995
Folder 32Reports, 1975-1992
Folder 33Report of outstanding unpaid dues, 1992

Series 5. Membership Records.

Membership records not only include lists of active and deceased members of the organization, they also contain information on the abortive attempt to start a Society newsletter in the late 1980s, materials concerning various family reunions (normally held in conjunction with the annual meetings) and tours of historic Peyton family sites in the Virginia and England, and photographs of Peyton family members and historic sites.

Box 1:Folder 34Lists, 1974-1976 (with corrections and outline of descents)
Folder 35List, 1977
Folder 36List, 1982
Folder 37List, 1984
Folder 38List, 1985
Folder 39List, 1987
Folder 40Changes to members registry, 1989
Folder 41List, 1992
Folder 42Deceased members, 1994
Folder 43List, 1997
Folder 44Membership roll, 1997
Folder 45Membership certificates, 1994
Folder 46Death notices, B-M
Folder 47Death notices, P
Folder 48Death notices, R-W
Folder 49Newsletters (drafts and issues), 1988-1990
Folder 50Peyton family reunions and tours, 1969-1993
Folder 51Photographs of Peyton and allied family members, historic sites, etc.

Series 6. Historian’s Records.

The historian originally handled issues of factual authentication regarding Peyton family traditions and historic sites. During the period represented by these surviving Society records, the office was held by Katherine Elizabeth Fowke Weaver. See also her correspondence with the secretary and the Society’s genealogist.

Box 1:Folder 52Correspondence, 1974-1989
Folder 52ASt. Andrew's Church, Isleham, England
Folder 52BHistory of Isleham Parish and St. Andrew's Church by the Reverend H. Wilson Robinson, vicar
Folder 52CCoats of Arms research

Series 7. Genealogist’s Records.

The Society’s genealogist handles lineage issues relating to acceptance of applications to membership, as well as general questions of family history received by the Society. Also, the genealogist maintained files prepared by or concerning specific Peyton Society members. During the period for which records survive in this collection, the office of genealogist was held by John Williamson Moore.

Box 1:Folder 53Correspondence, 1972
Folder 54Correspondence, 1973
Folder 55Correspondence, 1974
Folder 56Correspondence, 1975
Folder 57Correspondence, 1976-1980
Folder 58Correspondence, 1982-1983
Folder 59Correspondence, 1984
Folder 60Correspondence, 1985
Folder 61Miscellaneous genealogical notes, Peyton and allied families
Folder 61AEnglish Peyton records and Henry Peyton
Folder 61BValentine Peyton (1627-1665)
Folder 62Patricia Joan Allen descent
Folder 63Esther W. Arnsparger, Peyton family study
Folder 64William H. P. Bristow ancestry
Folder 65Croslegh/Crossle genealogy
Folder 66S. M. Duncan, Peytons of Ky. & Va.
Folder 67James Peyton Perry family
Folder 68Lt. Francis Peyton
Folder 69George Mason Peyton research file
Folder 70George Q. Mason family file
Folder 71Descendants of John Peyton (1793-1862)
Folder 72John Peyton records (American Revolution–Virginia)
Folder 73John Howe Peyton, Peyton family of Virginia (photocopy)
Folder 74William H. Peyton family Bible records
Folder 75Peyton family genealogies (mimeographed)
Folder 76L. Q. Powell, Jr., Peyton/Peden/Pattone families
Folder 76AJames G. Peyton file
Folder 77Mrs. Kenneth Rutherford, “Genealogical History of Our Ancestors”
Box 2:Folder 75Miscellaneous copied records (Part I)
Folder 76Miscellaneous copied records (Part II)
Folder 77Stafford County Tax Book (photocopy), 1845 (kept by Elias A. W. Hore)
Folder 78Scrapbook (initially compiled by Bernard Peyton Chamberlain) containing photographs of historic Peyton family sites in the United States and Great Britain, along with maps, prints, and related materials
Folder 79Loose materials removed from scrapbook

Series 8. Book Committee Records.

Almost from the inception of the John Peyton Memorial Association, members envisioned the compilation and publication of books of Peyton family genealogy. Bernard Peyton Chamberlain proved to be the first and most energetic advocate for such projects. The book committee’s efforts ultimately resulted in the publication of a new edition of John Lewis Peyton’s The Adventures of My Grandfather (1963), edited by Chamberlain; The Peytons of Virginia ... (1976); and The Peytons of Virginia II (2004).

Box 2:Folder 80Correspondence, 1961-1962
Folder 81Correspondence, 1972-1974
Folder 82Correspondence, 1975
Folder 83Correspondence, 1976-1977
Folder 84Correspondence, 1984-1993 (proposed update)
Folder 85Miscellaneous genealogical notes
Folder 86Peyton family chart for Adventures of My Grandfather
Folder 87Peytons of Virginia: Book draft (incomplete)
Folder 88Book draft–corrected (incomplete)
Folder 88AMock-ups of The Peytons of Virginia II (Vol.I)
Folder 88BMock-ups of The Peytons of Virginia II (Vol.II)
Folder 88CIllustrations for The Peytons of Virginia II
Folder 88DNew copyright pages (with diskettes)
Folder 88E-LThe Peytons of Virginia--Page proofs
Folder 88MThe Peytons of Virginia--Color proofs

Series 9. Applications Records.

This series includes a limited number of approved applications from recent years; several sets of documentation for various specific applicants; general files containing a variety of applications documentation; and five folders of family group sheets.

Box 3:Folder 89Applications Approved (#589-619)
Folder 89AApplication check lists and applications (#388-600)
Folder 89BApplication check lists and applications (#601-642)
Folder 90Applications Approved (#625, 638-649)
Folder 91General documentation for applications (Part I)
Folder 92General documentation for applications (Part II)
Folder 93Application and documentation (Robert Y. Evans)
Folder 94Application and documentation (William Warburton Hicks, #804)
Folder 95Application and documentation (Eleanor King Hookham)
Folder 96John H. Peyton family documentation
Folder 97Family group sheets (Part I)
Folder 98Family group sheets (Part II)
Folder 99Family group sheets (Part III)
Folder 100Family group sheets (Part IV)
Folder 101Family group sheets (Part V)

Series 10. Supplementary Materials.

Box 3:Folder 102Notebook binder compiled by Tom Lewis Peyton, past-president, containing copies of meeting minutes, reports, and other records of the John Peyton Memorial Association and the Peyton Society of Virginia, 1952-2000.

Last updated: May 30, 2007