Jeffrey T. Wilson Diary, 1913 (Ms2011-015)
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Jeffrey Thomas Wilson (1843-1929) was a former slave who spent most of his life in and around Portsmouth and Norfolk, Virginia. He outlived four wives and had at least twelve children. Wilson's diaries include entries on a range of topics from local news and politics, race issues in the South, and much of his personal history. The 1913 diary contains extra pages on which Wilson recorded events from that date in the past.
According to his obituary, he learned to read and write in secret. Based on his diary, he was the body servant of A[lexander]. P. Grice, likely the son of his owner, who served with Company A, Cohoon's Battalion, Virginia Infantry, at least during a part of 1862. In 1866, after being freed, Wilson enlisted and went to Europe with the U.S. Navy. When he returned home, he lived in the house he inherited from his mother. Wilson worked at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, as a laborer, and as a bailiff for the Federal Court at Norfolk. In his later years, from 1924 until his death in 1929, he wrote a column called "Colored Notes" for The Portsmouth Star. The column included social news, Wilson's political views, and issues of race relations--all themes that occur throughout his diaries. Wilson was active in the Emmanuel AME Church in Portsmouth, where he taught Sunday school. In June of 1929, Wilson was hit by a car. He died at his son's home, two months later, on August 25, 1929.
Entries for the 1913 diary were kept in a Wanamaker's Diary (produced by the department store chain) actually designed for 1911. As a result, Wilson has hand-corrected the days of the week throughout to reflect 1913. The diary includes advertisements, as well as a history of the Wanamaker stores.
In addition to the entries recorded (two to a page), throughout the year, Wilson attached additional pages to continue writing. Many of these consists of reminiscences of his life in previous years on topics from the Civil War, his service in the U. S. Navy, segregation and race issues in Portsmouth and Norfolk, and local news. He also writes of daily events: his family's health, church events, the weather, and his frequent concerns about money.
In addition, the 1913 diary was the subject of a digital exhibit <a href="http://digitalsc.lib.vt.edu/exhibits/show/wilsondiary" target="_blank">available online</a>.
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<a href="http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaxtf/view?docId=vt/viblbv00982.xml" target="_blank">See the Finding Aid for Jeffrey T. Wilson Diaries</a>
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<a href="https://omeka.lib.vt.edu/files/thumbnails/spec_forms/PubPermission.doc" target="_blank">Permission to publish material from the Jeffrey Thomas Wilson Diary must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.</a>
English
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Ms2011-015
Letter, Lewis Wood to his wife from Platte City, Missouri, February 16, 1862 (Ms1991-011)
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A two page letter from Lewis Wood to his wife detailing an experience he had at a slave auction.
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<a href="https://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaxtf/view?docId=vt/viblbv00021.xml" target="_blank">See the finding aid for the Lewis Wood Letters</a>
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Permission to publish material from the Lewis Wood letters must be obtained from the Special Collections, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
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Ms1991-011_F01_Letter_1862_0216
Robert Edmiston Inventory, 1815
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This is a document appraising the values of enslaved persons and lands held by Robert Edmiston, of Washington County, Virginia. The inventory lists an enslaved man and woman, both aged between 12 and 50 years, and an enslaved boy and girl, both aged less than 12 years. The inventory also lists a 207-acre farm and a 120-acre farm, with a description of the dwelling houses and outbuildings on each.
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<a href="https://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaxtf/view?docId=oai/VT/repositories_2_resources_1582.xml&chunk.id=&toc.depth=1&toc.id=&brand=default">See the finding aid for the Robert Edmiston Inventory.</a>
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This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). <a target="_blank" href="https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/?language=en" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/</a>
English
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Ms1988-077_001
James Barnett Inventory, 1811 (Ms2002-022)
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A list of free Negroes and Mulattoes, compiled by James Barnett, district commissioner of revenue, Montgomery County, Virginia. The list includes places of residence of the free persons as well as a brief job description for each. The list divides Mulattoes from Negroes and while the Mulattoes consist of three families totaling fifteen persons, there are only two Negroes, one of whom is John Hope, father of one of the Mulatto families.
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<a href="http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaead/published/vt/viblbv00046.xml.frame">See the Finding Aid for the James Barnett Inventory</a>
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<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1811">1811</a>
<a href="https://omeka.lib.vt.edu/files/thumbnails/spec_forms/PubPermission.doc">Permission to publish material from the James Barnett Inventory must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.</a>
Ms2002-022