Gabriel C. Wharton Correspondence
Scope and Content
This collection contains two letters addressed to General Wharton. The first letter, dated November 20, 1869, is from Motz & Company, a New York real estate firm, requesting information on a good location for a blast furnace. The letter alludes to Wharton's ownership of "a good iron property." The second letter, written by F. M. Farmer of Dunkard Bottom [Pulaski County, Virginia] on March 21, 1870, relates to the fees due Farmer from Wharton for the use of two mares.
An addition letter, acquired in 2011, was written to Wharton regarding an open petition on some property in Blacksburg. It is dated January 1875.
Dates
- Creation: 1869 - 1875
Creator
- Wharton, Gabriel C. (Gabriel Colvin), 1824-1906 (Collector, Person)
Access Restrictions
Collection is open to research.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish material from the Gabriel C. Wharton Correspondence must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
Biographical Information
Gabriel Colvin Wharton was born in Culpeper County, Virginia on July 23, 1824. After graduating from Virginia Military Institute in 1847, Wharton became a civil engineer, working in Arizona and elsewhere. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Wharton was appointed a major within the 45th Virginia Infantry. Soon after, he was promoted to colonel, commanding the 51st Virginia Infantry. In July 1863, Wharton was promoted to brigadier general, commanding a brigade guarding southwestern Virginia railroads and participating in the battles of New Market and Cold Harbor, among others. Wharton married Nannie Radford in 1863; following the war, the couple made their home in Radford, Virginia. Wharton resumed his civil engineering career and was instrumental in building a railroad in the New River Valley. Gabriel Wharton died in Radford in 1906.
Full Extent
0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Three post-Civil War letters addressed to former Confederate General Gabriel C. Wharton: one regarding potential locations for a blast furnace, one relating to fees for the use of two horses, and one about a petitition on some property in Blacksburg.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged chronologically.
Acquisition Information
The Gabriel C. Wharton Correspondence was purchased by Special Collections in 2008. An additiona letter was donated in 2011.
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement and description of the Gabriel C. Wharton Correspondence commenced and was completed in January 2009. Additional description was completed in July 2017.
- Title
- A Guide to the Gabriel C. Wharton Correspondence, 1869-1875
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- John M. Jackson
- Date
- © 2009 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