Dabney, Charity – Duval, Sarah Dandridge Cooke

Dabney, Charity, Papers, 1873–1898. 24 items. Mss2D1123b.
This collection consists primarily of receipts documenting the payment of state and city taxes issued to Charity Dabney, an African American woman living in Jackson Ward in Richmond. There are a few other financial accounts of family members and her attorney, as well as a letter, 1897, from Henry C. Burnett to Lucy Williamson Stewart (1851–1947) of Brook Hill in Henrico County about Dabney's life insurance policy.

Dabney, Elizabeth Lewis Towles, Papers, 1840–1882. 32 items. Mss2D11255b. Microfilm reel C454.
The collection consists primarily of letters, 1868–1882, written to Elizabeth Lewis (Towles) Dabney (1801–1883), of Franklin County and Richmond, from her adult children, female friends, and other kin concerning their activities. Also included are a letter of condolence written upon the death of her husband, the Reverend John Blair Dabney (1795–1868), and two of his letters, 1840–1841, concerning the alumni association of Princeton University.

Dale, Jewell T., Scrapbook, 1948–1989. [31] p. Mss5:7D1526:1
Scrapbook, compiled on the occasion of Jewell T. Dale’s retirement from the packaging division of A. H. Robins Co. in Richmond, Va., on March 6, 1986. Contains photos of co-workers and Jewell T. Dale ([1931–2005] of Richmond and Mechanicsville, Va.), and memorabilia. Jewell T. Dale began working for A. H. Robins Co. in 1948 in the packaging division. She served the company in various capacities, working on sample card mailings, liquid packaging, and in the sample room. Jewell retired in 1986 after 38 years with the company.

Dame Family Papers, 1836–1901. 436 items. Mss1D1825a. Microfilm reels C454–455.
This collection centers on George Washington Dame (1812–1895), Episcopal minister and educator of Danville, and his wife, Mary Maria (Page) Dame (1813–1895). Letters, ca. 1850–1859, from George Dame to Mary Dame discuss his work as a minister and the operation of their household during her absence (section 2). Letters, 1846–1863, to Mary Dame from her sister, Lucy Jane (Page) Cushing (1804–1872), include information on religion and the activities of family members, as well as events in the neighborhood and beyond (section 3). The collection also contains Jonathan Cushing Dame's (b. 1836) letters to his parents, as well as letters to Mary Dame from her other children, her nieces, and other female relatives (section 6). A letter, 1851, from Jonathan Dame offers a detailed account of the escape of one of the family's slaves, and one, ca. 1850, from his brother, William Meade Dame (1844–1923), provides a similar account of a murder allegedly committed by a free black. A small amount of correspondence pertains to schools operated by George Dame, sometimes in conjunction with his wife, including one for girls in the 1850s (sections 2, 3, 6 and 7). The papers contain little information on the Civil War, but offer insights into family relationships and gender roles and expectations in the mid-nineteenth century.

Daniel Family Papers, 1790–1854. 64 items. Mss1D2278a. Microfilm reel C297.
The letters of Elizabeth Susan (Tabb) Riddle Daniel (b. 1801) to her husband, Raleigh Travers Daniel (1805–1877), make up three-quarters of this collection and reveal the evolution of their marriage during its first twenty-three years (section 3). A few letters from Elizabeth Daniel to other family members also appear. Letters, 1831–1844, from Raleigh Daniel to his brother, John Moncure Daniel, discuss his marriage, common friends, and business matters (section 4). Also included in the collection is a letter of condolence from his sister to John Daniel concerning the death of his wife, as well as one item of male erotica, 1790 (section 5).

Daniel Family Papers, 1805–1877. 116 items. Mss1D2278b. Microfilm reel C298.
The collection consists primarily of letters, 1847–1853, from Peter Vivian Daniel (1784–1860), a United States Circuit Court judge and Supreme Court justice, to his daughter, Elizabeth Randolph Daniel (1810–1879), who never married (section 3). Daniel's letters from Washington, D.C., discuss politics and social life in the capital and offer advice to his daughter on managing the household in Richmond. He also wrote to her while riding circuit as a judge in Arkansas and Mississippi. A few letters from Peter Daniel's wife, Lucy Nelson (Randolph) Daniel (1788?–1847), to Elizabeth and her other children, including Raleigh Travers Daniel (1805–1877), appear in this collection (section 6), as well as letters, 1839–1866, to Elizabeth Daniel from a network of female family members and friends (section 7). Also included is a memorial, 1847, to Lucy Daniel written by her husband shortly after her death (section 4) and a memorial, 1810, concerning her mother, Elizabeth (Nicholas) Randolph (1753–1810), attributed to her father, Edmund Randolph (1753–1813) (section 2). This collection illuminates gender ideals and actualities, as well as gentry family life and relationships between fathers and daughters in antebellum Virginia. A few of Daniel's letters to his daughter have been published in the Journal of Mississippi History 4 (1942): 168–171; the Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine 24 (1941): 127–130; and West Virginia History 3 (1941–1942): 267–274.

Dashiell, Landonia Randolph Minor, Album, 1898–1925. 1 volume. Mss5:5D2604:1.
This typescript volume, autographed by the author for Alexander and Virginia Weddell, contains poems by Landonia Randolph (Minor) Dashiell (1855–1925), a civic activist who worked to improve rural education in Virginia.

Daughters of the American Revolution. Nathaniel Bacon Chapter (Richmond). Records, 1928–1938. 20 items. Mss4D2655b.
Papers include chapter meeting minutes (2 vols.), 1935–1938 (folder 1); Board of Management minutes (2 vols.), 1935–1938 (folder 2); a yearbook, 1937–1938 (folder 4); treasurer's reports, 1936–1938 (folder 3); registrar's reports, 1935–1936 and 1937–1938 (folder 5); a report, 1936, of the Special Committee on the Memorial Shelf of Books (in honor of deceased members) (folder 6); a report, n.d., of the Committee on Girl Homemakers (folder 7); and the Nominating Committee report, 1938 (folder 8). Also included is a circular letter, n.d., from Mrs. Alfred J. Brosseau, President General, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, defending her conduct as president general (folder 9).

Daughters of the American Colonists (Virginia), Scrapbooks, 1921–1939 and 1941–1946. 9 volumes. Mss5:7D2655:1–9.
This series of scrapbooks, compiled for the Pocahontas and Chanco chapters of the Daughters of the American Colonists by Blanche (Adams) Chapman, Russell Syer Barrett, Mary Adelia Johns, Rena (Gray) Fazel, and Anabel (Green) Pilcher, includes programs of annual meetings, invitations, and newspaper clippings. Clippings concern the D.A.C. and their efforts on behalf of historic preservation; persons, places, and events deemed historically significant in colonial Virginia; and some articles on World War II. The 1941 volume also contains a history of the chapters, a list of officers, a membership roster, and information on the group's support for the restoration of colonial records of Virginia counties. A series of newspaper articles by Elwood Street about Virginia courthouses appear in the 1942 and 1943 scrapbooks. Each volume, except the one for 1944–46, includes an index.

Daughters of Colonial Wars, National Society, Papers, 1921–1995. 4,000 items. Mss3D2653a.
The Daughters of Colonial Wars, a patriotic lineage society, was organized in 1921 to honor the men and women who participated in the establishment, defense, and preservation of the American colonies. Records consist primarily of minutes of meetings of members (cabinets A and B), of council (cabinet B), and of the National Officers Club (cabinet B); proofs of members' applications and applications for membership (cabinets C–E); histories of state chapters (box 13); and financial records and accounts (boxes 7–12). There are also yearbooks, handbooks, directories, a scrapbook, and various published material and genealogical notes (boxes 14–16).

The collection also includes information on the Frontier Nursing Service in Hyden and Wendover, Ky., which was adopted by the DCW as a special service project (box 9); financial reports, 1962–1968, of donations to the Frontier Nursing Service, Inc.; a folder of copies of correspondence of Mary Breckinridge (1881–1965) concerning her research on maternal mortality statistics; and commercial efforts to make a movie about the FNS (box 15).

Daughters of the American Revolution, Patrick Henry Chapter, Records, 1966. 1 volume. Mss4D2655a1.
This volume, compiled by members of the Martinsville branch of the DAR, contains typed copies of genealogical forms used by applicants for membership in this hereditary organization. The forms document Revolutionary War service of an ancestor and contain vital statistics for soldiers and their male and female relatives. Also included is a list of the founding members of the chapter and a list of honorary regents (1905–1965).

Davidson, Julia H., Papers, 1984–1992. ca. 210 items. Mss1D2816a.
Chiefly everyday administrative papers concerning the career of Julia H. Davidson ([b. 1934] of Richmond, Va.) at A. H. Robins Co. of Richmond, Va. The majority of papers regard her position as Supervisor of Customer Service at Quinton Instruments in Seattle, Wash. Quinton was a subsidiary of A. H. Robins Co. Julia H. Davidson started work at A. H. Robins Co. in 1962 as a secretary. She moved around the company working in the Medical Department, Sales Office, and Corporate Sales. She eventually was promoted to be the Customer Service Manager at Quinton Instrument Co. Davidson retired from the company in 1992.

Davies, Glenna Montague Latimer, Papers, 1904–1980. 302 items. Mss1D2873a.
The collection consists primarily of drawings by Glenna Latimer (1896?–1980), artist and illustrator of Norfolk. The drawings represent original illustrations for three children's books: The Adventures of Lappy Cushion-Tail (1936) and Lappy in the Forest (1938) by Bessye E. Walton, published under the pseudonym Stera Bosa, and Gertrude Robinson's Chee-Chee's Brother (1937) (sections 4–5). Also included are photographs and newspaper clippings concerning Latimer's work as a portraitist and mural painter (sections 9–12) and membership lists and correspondence for the Art Corner, 1948–1949, and Tidewater Artists, 1955–1956, art organizations in Norfolk (sections 13 and 14). A letter, 1904, from Varina (Howell) Davis (1826–1906) encourages Latimer in her art (section 1).

Davis, Caroline Kean Hill, Diary, 1860–61 and 1861–1865. 2 volumes. Mss5:1D2913:1–2. Microfilm reel C274.
Caroline Kean (Hill) Davis (b. 1833), a Richmond native and a single woman, kept her diaries while teaching in King William County. Both volumes discuss the activities of family members and friends, as well as Kean's social life. The first volume records books that she read and concludes by noting the importance of the Secession Convention. The second volume represents Hill's wartime diary and opens with the fall of Fort Sumter. She rarely mentions teaching, except to note her difficulty controlling boys, but focuses on the local and national ramifications of the war—Winfield Scott's failure to support the Confederacy, Lincoln's call for troops, Robert E. Lee's appointment as commander of the Confederate army and her own contribution to the war effort, including the establishment of a Soldiers' Aid Society by the women of King William County. After the arrival of Federal troops, Hill details "yankee" raids; she also notes the departure of former slaves at the end of the war.

Davis, George W., Papers, 1878–1907. 77 items. Mss1D2934a.
Nineteen account books, 1878–1907, concerning the mercantile operations of George W. Davis at Orleans and Vernon Mills in Fauquier County form the bulk of this collection (section 2). George's wife, Sallie A. Davis (1827?–1900), served as postmistress of Vernon Mills. Materials relating to Sallie’s activities as postmistress include her correspondence, 1891–1900 (section 4); an account book, 1884–1899 (section 5); and loose accounts, 1897–1900 (section 6).

Davis Family Papers, 1902–1944. Mss1D2995a. 126 items.
This collection consists primarily of correspondence, 1902–1906, between James Hurd Davis (1874–1934), an employee of the Norfolk and Western Railway Company in Roanoke, and his fiancee and later his wife, Annie Hairston (Woods) Davis (b. 1884) of Franklin County (section 1). Letters offer insights into their courtship and early married life. The collection also includes a few other family papers (sections 2–3).

Davis, Julia C. V. C. Smith, Album, 1858–1860. 1 volume. Mss5:5D2944:1. Microfilm reel C455.
This autograph album, kept by Julia C. V. C. (Smith) Davis as a student at Wesleyan Female College in Norfolk, contains poems signed by friends. A letter by Davis's niece, Stella B. Stevens, outlines the history of the volume.

Dearing Family Papers, 1810–1927. 132 items. Mss1D3475a.
The collection contains letters, 1861–1864, from Confederate General James Dearing (1840–1865) to his wife, Roxanna (Birchett) Dearing (b. 1844), written while he served in Virginia and North Carolina (section 3). Also included are letters, ca. 1920–1924, from Morris Schaff (1840–1929) of Cambridge, Mass., biographer of Jefferson Davis and Dearing's roommate at West Point, to Dearing's daughter, Mary Lucretia (Dearing) Christian (b. 1864), regarding her father and the South (section 7). Correspondence, ca. 1878, of Cornelia (Burton) Christian at the Women's Hospital in New York, N.Y., with her children in Lynchburg concerns her surgery for an unspecified ailment (section 6). A letter, 1813, of Grace (Cowan) Macon Freeland discusses "old maids" and marriage customs in Virginia (section 1). There are a few letters of other members of the Birchett, Dearing, and Christian families.

Dearing Family Papers, 1864–1911. 33 items. Mss2D3475b.
The collection includes letters, 1900–1904, written to Roxanna (Birchett) Dearing (b. 1844) of Lynchburg concerning the presentation of a portrait of her husband, Confederate General James Dearing (1840–1865), to the United Confederate Veterans and letters reminiscing about the general by men who served under him (section 2). The correspondence of her daughter, Mary Lucretia (Dearing) Christian (b. 1864), consists primarily of letters from Baron William John George Napier of Great Britain (section 3); they contain his observations on European cities and towns and the American South.

DeRieux, Maria Margaret Martini, Commonplace Book, 1806–1823. 1 volume. Mss5:5D4454:1.
This volume contains a list of books read annually by Maria Margaret (Martini) DeRieux (1762–1826) while living successively in Augusta County, Va.; Warrenton and Raleigh, N.C.; and Petersburg and Richmond, Va. It has been partially published in the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 46 (1938): 56–59.

Dewey, Eleanor Gwathmey Powell, Papers, 1905–1997. ca. 4,000 items. Mss1D5154b.
The collection consists chiefly of the correspondence throughout the twentieth century of Dewey and Powell family members, and in particular, that of Eleanor Gwathmey (Powell) Dewey (1909– ) and her husband, Franklin Lenington Dewey (1906–1995) (section 1). Early correspondence, 1905–1929, concerns, in part, the courtship and marriage of Eleanor’s parents, Lewis Franklin Powell, Sr. (1881–1974) and Mary Lewis (Gwathmey) Powell (1881–1964). The letters from the 1920s are chiefly letters written home from school by their children, Eleanor and Lewis Franklin Powell, Jr. (1907–1998) (folder 1–9). The 1930s correspondence includes letters written by the two younger children of Mary and Lewis, Sr., Edward Angus Powell (1914–1979) and Zoe Beall (Powell) Lane (1914–1995), describing their experiences at camp and college. The bulk of the correspondence in this period is between Eleanor and her mother discussing family matters (folders 10–17). The 1940s correspondence chronicles family matters, including the birth of children, illnesses, travel, and life at the family home in Hanover County, Bear Island (folders 18–35). A large portion of the letters from this period are to and from Lewis, Jr., and his brother Angus, who both joined the armed services during World War II.

The 1950s correspondence, the bulk of which is between Eleanor and her parents, discusses family news, trips and holidays, Eleanor and Frank's move to Bronxville, N.Y., news from friends, and comments on current events (folders 36–57). The 1960s correspondence concerns, in part, Eleanor's surgery for breast cancer (1960), and more family news including the marriages of several of the grandchildren (folders 58–68). In the 1970s the correspondence concerns, among other topics, the death of Lewis Powell, Sr., in 1974. The corrrespondence in this period is primarily between Eleanor and her siblings and friends and with her daughter Mary Lewis (Dewey) Grow (1941– ) (folders 69–79). Major events discussed by Eleanor and her friends and family in the 1980s include the marriage of her daughter Mary Lewis Dewey to Roy Grow, the birth of their son Lewis Franklin Grow, in 1980, Eleanor and Frank's move to Williamsburg in 1985, and Eleanor's correspondence with John Calvin Jeffries (1948– ), who was then conducting biographical research on her brother Lewis F. Powell, Jr. (later published by C. Scribner’s Sons in 1994 as Justice Lewis F. Powell, Jr: A Biography) (folders 80–95). The 1990s correspondence consists of news from friends and family concerning the deaths of Eleanor’s sister Zoe, her husband, Frank, and brother Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Major events include the dedication of Powell chapel at 2nd Baptist Church in Richmond, and the Powell wing at Washington and Lee University, Lexington, to house Lewis F. Powell, Jr.'s Supreme Court papers (folders 96–112).

Dickinson, Fannie E. Taylor, Diary, 1865. 9 pp. Typescript. Mss5:1D5605:1.
Fannie E. (Taylor) Dickinson’s (d. 1897) diary, 1865 April 4–18, documents the emotional turmoil of Richmonders during the last few days of the Civil War and the week following its end. Included with the diary is a drawing of the Taylor family home on Franklin Street, Richmond, by Janie Prichard Duggan.

Dimmock, Charles Henry, Poetry, 1854–1861. 6 items. Mss2D5966b.
Charles Henry Dimmock (1831–1873), civil engineer, architect, and lawyer of Richmond, wrote these lines of verse to various female acquaintances.

Dixon, Margaret Collins Denny, The Numbered Years: Five Decades at Jamestown, 1957. 1 volume. Mss5:9D6454:1.
In this printer's copy of an historical novel published by Garrett & Massie (Richmond, 1957), Margaret Collins (Denny) Dixon (1882–1964) tells the story of everyday life in the Jamestown colony from 1629–1676 by focusing on the family of Thomas Rolfe, son of Pocahontas and John Rolfe. The Numbered Years represents a continuation of the author's first novel, The Princess of the Old Dominion (New York, 1953). Dixon also co-authored a genealogical study of some early Virginia immigrants at Germanna. The VHS owns the Germanna manuscript (Mss5:9D6454:2).

Dixon, Margaret Collins Denny, Book manuscript, n.d. 1 volume. Mss5:9D6454:2.
This printer's copy, corrected by the authors, Margaret Collins (Denny) Dixon (1882–1964) and Elizabeth Chapman (Denny) Vann (1884–1977), of a genealogy of the Brumback-Hotsinpiller family lists some descendants of Melchior Brumback, a resident of the Germanna settlement in Virginia in 1714. It was published by the authors in Englewood, N.J., in 1961. The VHS also owns another of Dixon's manuscripts, The Numbered Years (Mss5:9D6454:1).

Donaghe, Virginia, Album, 1850–1882. 1 volume. Mss5:6D7145:1. Microfilm reel C300.
This volume, owned by Virginia Donaghe of Augusta County, contains autographs, including one by Henry Clay (1779–1852), of men and women from Colorado, New Jersey, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Connecticut, Missouri, Kentucky, and Wisconsin, and Virginia. There are also a few sketches.

Dorset, Ada E., Student Notebook, ca. 1890. 1 volume. Mss5:4D7383:1.
This volume, Thomas Blanks for Written Spelling (Richmond: J. L. Hill Printing Co., 1890), contains the penmanship exercises of Ada E. Dorset.

Douglas, Maggie R., Album, 1862–1886. 1 volume. Mss5:6D7465:1.
This album belonged to Maggie R. Douglas (1802–1886) of Oxford, N.C.; it contains the signatures, addresses, and places of surrender for fifty-six Confederate soldiers held prisoner at Fort Warren, Mass., in May 1862.

Dorsey, Frances James La Rue, Diary, 1863. 56 pp. Photocopy. Mss5:1D7385:1.
Frances James (La Rue) Dorsey (1847–1870) kept this diary as a young schoolteacher at Bloomfield in Clarke County. In addition to her observations on the Civil War, it contains geometry problems, sketches of women and animals (possibly by someone other than the diarist), accounts for Dorsey's salary as a teacher, and a few poems. The original remains in private hands.

Doswell Family Papers, 1815–1977. 385 items. Mss1D7424b.
This collection contains papers of the Doswell family of Bullfield in Hanover County, beginning with James Doswell (d. 1825), and his purchase of the tract of land in 1815, and his estate papers dividing the property between his sons, James Turner Doswell (1818–1874/5?) and Thomas Walker Doswell (1823–1890) (sections 1–2). A large portion of the collection consists of the papers of Thomas Walker Doswell and his wife, Frances Anne (Sutton) Doswell (1837–1903). Their papers deal mostly with the horse breeding and horse racing that took place at Bullfield and Frances’s management of the farm in her husband’s absence (section 4). Also included is the Civil War diary kept by Frances Doswell during the fall of Richmond in April 1865 (section 5), as well as letters sent to her by her husband while serving in the Confederate States Army as an aide to Brig. Gen. William Edwin Starke (1814–1862) during the 1862 Maryland Campaign (section 4). The collection also includes information concerning The Meadow, Caroline County, another well-known horse breeding farm, purchased by Christopher Chenery (d. 1973) and maintained by his daughter Helen Elizabeth "Penny" Tweedy; and the records from St. Martin's Parish or "Turfman's Church" built in Hanover County, with the help of the Doswell family (section 10).

Doswell Family Papers, 1837–1933. 29 items. Mss1D7424a.
Papers of the Doswell family of Hanover County include letters, 1837–1847, written by Patsy (King) Harris Wyatt ([1778–1847] of Cedar Hill, Hanover County) to her daughter Evelina Overton (Harris) Doswell (1806–1840), her son-in-law Henley Cowles Doswell ([b. 1802] of Logton, Hanover County), and her grandson Thomas Overton Doswell discussing family life, child care, illness, and religion (a1–6).

Also, letters, 1846–1850, written by Thomas Overton Doswell (while traveling through Ohio and Pennsylvania and while living in Sacramento during the California gold rush) to [?] Cowles, his father, Henley Cowles Doswell, and sister Martha Ella (Doswell) Doswell (b. 1833) (a7–10); and correspondence, 1852–1904, of Martha Ella (Doswell) Doswell (of Hanover County and Newport News) with her granddaughter Ella Elizabeth Doswell (b. 1890) and husband James Marshall Doswell ([b. 1827] concerning their courtship and his job offer from the Lynchburg and Tennessee Railroad) (a11–15).

Other Doswell family papers consist of family letters, 1858–1883, written by or addressed to Juliet Evelina (Doswell) Frey, Laura Cowles (Doswell) Doswell (living in Jacksonport, Ark.), Thomas Douglas Doswell, and Mollie T. Holt (a16–20); marriage notices of Lillie Brown Doswell and William Deane (d. 1927) (a24–25); and a genealogical chart of the Doswell family (a29).

Downman Family Papers, 1699–1909. 102 items. Mss1D7598a.
Papers of members of the Payne and Downman families in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries form the core of this collection. Eighteenth-century materials illuminate commercial and family connections between Virginia, England, and the Caribbean during the late colonial period and the War for Independence. Letters, 1782, from William Payne (d. 1782?), a mariner born in Virginia but living in Mile End, London, to his wife, Olivia (Wilmot) Payne (d. 1784?), discuss his voyage to Jamaica as master of the ship Priscilla, the subsequent loss of the vessel, and family finances (section 2). A few accounts and legal papers, 1783–1784, document Olivia Payne's widowhood after William was lost at sea on his return voyage (section 3). Letters, 1785, from her uncle, James Wilmot (d. 1808), to her son-in-law, Joseph Ball Downman (1756–1799) of Totteridge in Hertfordshire, Eng., address the fate of the younger Payne children after their mother's death (section 5). A few legal and commercial papers, 1775 and 1790, reveal links between Downman and his father in Lancaster County, Va. (sections 4 and 6).

Nineteenth-century correspondence consists primarily of letters, 1862–1865, from Joseph Ball Downman's grand nephew, Rawleigh William Downman (1830–1882), to his wife, Mary Alice (Magruder) Downman, discussing his service in the Confederate army at Sharpsburg and in the Valley of Virginia (section 10). There are also letters, 1863–1864, from his brother, John Joseph Downman (1835–1873), to their mother, Harriet Jane (Downman) Downman (1797–1869), written while serving the Confederacy in the Shenandoah Valley (section 13). Typed transcripts exist for the Civil War letters. A few legal papers survive for other family members (section 12); information, ca. 1909, on Hamilton, Downman, and Wilmot coats of arms offer clues into the ways that twentieth-century descendants interpreted their past (section 16).

Drew, Dorothy Hart, Papers, 1903–1982. ca. 400 items. Mss1D8203a.
Papers consist of correspondence of Dorothy Hart Drew (1912– ), portrait painter; her mother, Anna (Hart) Cross Drew; and her sister, Lorna Drew (1909?–1985), a concert pianist, all of New York City.

Dorothy Drew’s correspondence, 1929–1982, constitutes the bulk of the collection and consists chiefly of letters to female friends in Roanoke and Fredericksburg, discussing their social and family lives, her family and her painting, the prospects for additional commissions, and some references to Christian Science (section 3). Of particular interest are a letter from Angelique Bielaski discussing Dorothy's Christian Science beliefs; and correspondence with R. Stedman Oakey of Stedman House antiques concerning disappointment in one of Dorothy's portraits and her efforts to satisfy him. Other correspondents include Raymond Weeks (1863–1954) of Rochambeau Farm, Manakin, discussing mutual families, plantation life, Dorothy's painting, and his literary efforts.

The correspondence, 1903–1961, of Anna (Hart) Cross Drew, is mostly with her daughter Dorothy Hart Drew while the latter was painting portraits in Roanoke in the 1940s (section 1). Dorothy's letters discuss her painting and social life, as well as her efforts to procure other commissions. Other correspondents include Anna's second husband, Dr. Francis Webb Drew of Ethel, Macon County, Mo., whose letters concern the unsatisfactory behavior of his daughters by his first wife, while living in St. Louis, Mo.; and Raymond Weeks discussing plantation and family life.

The correspondence, 1924–1974, of Lorna Drew, concert pianist and composer, consist of letters chiefly from her sister, Dorothy Hart Drew, while the latter was away painting portraits in Roanoke and other places (section 2). Most contain references to money matters, advice for dealing with their elderly mother, Anna (Hart) Cross Drew, and requests for commissions on the part of various Virginia friends. Some contain references to Christian Science practices. Other correspondents include Raymond Weeks (chiefly discussing his literary efforts and Lorna's musical accomplishments); and Roanoke friends, specifically Mary (Wysor) Smith and Mary (Cox) Fagg Farmer (d. 1985).

Duerson, Nora M., Scrapbooks, 1894–1900, 1895–1904, 1891–1901, 1895–1902, and 1899–1910. 5 volumes. Mss5:7D8697:1–5. Microfilm reel C500.
Nora M. Duerson (d. 1918), of La Grange, Ky., compiled these five volumes of newspaper clippings. The first, 1894–1900, includes articles about contemporary persons, places, and events of national and international significance. Volumes for 1895–1904 and 1899–1910 illuminate Duerson's interest in women's issues; they include information on prominent suffragists—Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Julia Ward Howe—actresses, and other women, and on health, beauty, and woman suffrage. Duerson graduated from the La Grange Academy in 1892, and the 1891–1901 scrapbook contains information about that institution and another co-educational secondary school, the Funk Seminary. A clipping, 1894, from the Louisville Times displays an engraving of Duerson, and the text of one of her speeches, which identifies her as a member of the classical department at the La Grange Academy. The 1895–1902 scrapbook contains miscellaneous clippings of poetry, obituaries, and some articles relating to women. The VHS also owns her commonplace books (Mss5:5D8697:1–2).

Duerson, Nora M., Commonplace Books, 1906 and 1908. 2 volumes. Mss5:5D8697:1–2. Microfilm reel C500.
Nora M. Duerson (d. 1918) of La Grange, Ky., recorded these secular proverbs, many concerning the work ethic, in two small pocket calendars. The VHS also owns her scrapbooks (Mss5:7D8697:1–5).

Dugdale, Elizabeth Catherine Cabell, Papers, 1926–1987. 442 items. Mss1D8782a.
Elizabeth Catherine (Cabell) Dugdale (1902–1990) of Ashland worked as the personal secretary to Ambassador Alexander Wilbourne Weddell from 1930 until 1948. After Weddell and his wife, Virginia, died that year in a train accident, their home, Virginia House in Richmond, went by their intent to the Virginia Historical Society. Dugdale became the custodian of the property and served in that capacity until her retirement in 1972. Even after her retirement she still took an avid interest in Virginia House. These papers include her correspondence, the bulk of which was exchanged with John Melville Jennings, director of the Virginia Historical Society, and deals primarily with her work at Virginia House (section 1). The collection also contains drafts (section 2) of Dugdale's unpublished memoir, "As I Remember Alex and Virginia Weddell and Virginia House."

The collection also contains the school papers of Dugdale's daughter, Elizabeth Cabell (Dugdale) MacIntosh (b. 1935), from the Pan-American School, a private secretarial school in Richmond, including institutional pamphlets, a shorthand workbook with assignments, and a typing workbook and assignments (section 3).

Dugdale, Elizabeth Catherine Cabell, Diary, 1932. 1 volume. Mss5:1D8783:1.
This diary contains daily entries made by Elizabeth Catherine (Cabell) Dugdale (1902–1990) while employed as private secretary to Alexander and Virginia Weddell at their Richmond residence, Virginia House. Dugdale notes her duties for the Weddells, primarily cataloging their library; discusses a house that she and her husband, Arthur Annesley Dugdale, built in Ashland; and records her activities in the St. James the Less Church choir in Ashland, the St. Mary's Junior College Alumnae organization in Raleigh, N.C., and as a gardener. The diary includes a brief will arranging for the transfer of ownership of her house.

Dulany, Mary Eliza Powell, Diary, 1862–1863. 1 volume. Mss5:1D8865:1.
Kept by Mary Eliza (Powell) Dulany (1836–1897) as a young wife in Fauquier and Loudoun counties, this diary reflects her concern for the safety of her husband, a soldier in the Confederate army. Dulany repeatedly tries to reconcile conflicting personal and newspaper accounts of battles and casualties. She also discusses her management of the couple's farm, including harvests, slaves, and the problem of "yankee" plundering.

Dunreath Garden Club, Papers, 1948–1964. 4 items. Mss3D9238a.
The collection consists of four scrapbooks documenting the history of the Dunreath Garden Club in Richmond from its formation in 1948 until 1964. The volumes contain programs, newspaper accounts, magazine articles, and photographs. In addition to gardening and flower arranging, the club sponsored various civic activities, which included purchasing street signs for Henrico County, providing flower arrangements for local churches and for patients at the Medical College of Virginia Hospital, and working with the Richmond Area Community Chest.

Dupuy, Mary Dupuy Edmunds, Commonplace Book, ca. 1835. 1 volume. Mss5:5D9295:1.
The commonplace book of Mary Dupuy (Edmunds) Dupuy (1811–1839), kept in Prince Edward County, contains her analytical notes on Henry Home Kames' Elements of Criticism.

Dupuy, Emily Howe, Papers, 1834–1883. 115 items. Mss1D9295b.
The letters of Emily (Howe) Dupuy (1812–1883) and her sister, Anna (Howe) Whitteker (1808–1900), constitute the bulk of this collection. Both sisters came to Virginia from Princeton, Mass., as young, single women in the 1830s to teach school. In 1838 Emily Howe married Asa Dupuy (1788–1848), a lawyer and planter, and settled in Prince Edward County. Her correspondence contains letters, 1836–1883, to her mother, Sarah Lucinda (Brooks) Howe (1786–1875), and her sister, Sarah Lucinda (Howe) Skinner (1810–1891), who remained in Massachusetts (sections 5–7). Although she was briefly married to a fellow New England emigre, Anna Whitteker spent most of her life as a single woman. She lived and kept schools in Cumberland and Prince Edward counties, Va., Charleston and Lewisburg, Va. (now W. Va.), and Columbus, Ohio. In 1863 she returned to Princeton, Mass., where she remained until her death. Her letters, 1836–1863, to her mother and sisters, Dupuy and Skinner, reveal an outsider's perspective on life in Virginia and Ohio and provide information on the financial affairs of a single woman (sections 1–4). Both Dupuy and Whitteker discuss education, slavery and race relations, religion, national politics, and family relationships in three states. The collection also contains a small amount of correspondence of Dupuy's daughters and information on the migration of former slaves to Massachusetts (section 8–10).

Duval, Sarah Dandridge Cooke, Papers, 1847–1864. 3 items. Mss2D9563b. Microfilm reel C274.
The collection contains a diary, 1847–1852 (b1); a memoir of events in 1864 (b2); and a letter, 1858, written by Sarah Dandridge (Cooke) Duval (1828–1887) of New Kent County (b3). The diary includes copies of poems and hymns, as well as entries kept at various points in the author's life. Early entries contain Duval's observations on courtship rituals and on specific suitors and situations; they appear to have been kept contemporaneously. Later entries appear at intervals and reflect on the events that prompted them: the death of a former suitor, Duval's marriage, and the death of her mother. The memoir, written after the fact, discusses the flight of Duval and her family during the Civil War after the United States Army entered her neighborhood. It describes personal hardships and the behavior of various slaves when Federal troops arrived. Duval's letter to an unidentified aunt discusses pregnancy, strained family finances, and the allocation of slave labor within the household. The constructed quality of Duval's writings suggests that she may have intended to publish them.

This collection contains papers of members of the Early family of Lynchburg. It includes correspondence, 1838–1892, and other papers of Confederate general Jubal Anderson Early (1816–1894) regarding his Civil War service and postwar life (sections 4–6). Correspondence, 1861–1875, accounts, 1856–1867, and related materials of his brother, Samuel Henry Early (1813–1874), illuminate the education of his daughters at the Lynchburg Female Seminary and the Patapsco Female Institute in Ellicott City, Md. (sections 8 and 9). There is also family correspondence, 1864–1888, of Samuel Early's wife, Henrian (Cabell) Early (1822–1890) (section 11). Diaries, 1861 and 1865 (sections 15 and 16); family correspondence, 1864–1913 (section 17); a scrapbook, 1866–1911 (section 19); and other papers (sections 18 and 20) pertaining to her daughter-in-law Mary Washington (Cabell) Early (1846–1917) discuss her life in Richmond and at Fernley in Buckingham County and illuminate her career as an author of novels, essays, and articles on the subjects of southern artists and authors, religion, and poetry. Correspondence, 1867–1927, and other materials of Samuel and Henrian Early's daughter, author Ruth Hairston Early (1849–1928) of Lynchburg, largely concern her local and family histories and her publishing career (section 21–27). Letters, 1917–1935, written to Evelyn Russell Early (1877–1940) of Lynchburg and other materials reveal information about her service in the American Red Cross during World War I (sections 31 and 32). The collection also contains scattered correspondence of other members of the Cabell and Early families, as well as a brief reminiscence of Emma (Lyon) Bryan concerning Richmond during the Civil War and including observations on Jefferson and Varina (Howell) Davis (section 51).

Updated January 13, 2010