Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Letters,
Scope and Content
The Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Letters are two manuscript missives informing former Senator William S. Archer of his election as delegate to the July, 1849, convention of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Company held in Memphis, Tennessee. Other elected delegates included: William C. Riley, John Mason, and Lieutenant M. F. Maury. The letters predate the railroad's construction and thus discuss only the proposed improvement. Also mentioned is the plan to connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans via railroads. The letter of May 4, 1849, was written by the chairman of the electoral meeting, Rich J. Morris, while the letter of May 17, 1849, was written by the committee of correspondence. Signatures of committee members also appear.
Dates
- Creation: 1849 - 1849
Creator
- Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Company (Organization)
Access Restrictions
Collection is open to research.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish material from the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Letters must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
Biographical/Historical Information
After years of proposals from Lynchburg citizens, the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad was chartered in 1849. Built in the 1850s, the V&T connected Southwestern Virginia, from Lynchburg to Bristol. With V&T rail lines came expanded economic markets and new industry. During the Civil War, the V&T served as a Confederate lifeline by moving supplies, weapons, and troops. The Confederate reliance on the V&T resulted in the partial destruction of lines by Union forces. In 1870, the V&T joined the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad and the City Point Railroad to create the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Ohio Railroad. The AM&O later became the Norfolk and Western.
William S. Archer was born in 1841 at "The Lodge" in Amelia County, Virginia. Archer studied law, passed the bar in 1810, and practiced law in Powhatan and Amelia counties. From 1812 to 1819, Archer served four terms in Virginia's House of Delegates. Archer represented the Whig Party in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1819 to 1834 and in the Senate from 1841-1846. After his political career, Archer resumed his law practice. William Segar Archer died on March 28, 1855.
Full Extent
0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Letters to William S. Archer discussing his election as delegate to the July, 1849, convention of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Company. Correspondence also discusses the plan to connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans via railroads.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged chronologically.
Acquisition Information
The Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Letters were purchased by Special Collections.
General Physical Description note
1 container; 0.1 cu. ft.
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement and description of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Letters occurred in September, 2008.
- Title
- A Guide to the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Letters, 1849
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Emily Cook
- Date
- © 2008 By Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. All rights reserved.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Description is in English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections, Virginia Tech Repository
Special Collections, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu