Farrier Family Papers
Scope and Content
The collection includes files from the firm of Williams and Farrier, later Farrier and Farrier. Materials include copies of deeds, title searches, land transactions, estate matters, loan contracts, divorce suits, small claims collection suits, ledgers, and correspondence. Additional details of some files are included in the original inventories, available on request.
Dates
- 1894 - 1972
Creator
- Farrier, Andrew L., 1895-1972 (Person)
- Farrier, Martin P., 1869-1946 (Person)
- Farrier family (Family)
Language of Materials
The materials in the collection are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
Permission to publish material from Farrier Family Papers must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech. Since this collection includes legal files, the ability to publish materials may be limited or restricted. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.
Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction. Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.
Biographical Note
Martin Pence Farrier (1869-1946) and his son, Andrew Lewis Farrier (1895-1972) were lawyers in Pearisburg, Giles County, Virginia. Their law firm represented some of the most important industries in Southwest Virginia, including the Norfolk and Western Railway Company, Appalachian Power Company, and several coal and lumber interests.
M. P. Farrier was a clerk for Giles County, Virginia as early as 1894. He qualified to practice law on February 1, 1904, and then formed a partnership with Judge Martin Williams (1858-1934), which lasted until January 1, 1920. Farrier represented Giles and Bland counties in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1922 through 1923. In March 1923, he became Commissioner of Accounts for Giles County. The Williams and Farrier law firm reformed from January 1, 1924 thru July 1, 1934, when Farrier was appointed Trial Justice of Giles County. During this time period, M. P. Farrier also served as Treasurer of Bland County Lumber Company and Vice-President and member of the Board of Directors of Buchanan Coal Land Corp.
A. L. Farrier served during World War I. He studied law under his father and qualified to practice in December 1938. A. L. and M. P. Farrier joined in a legal partnership on January 1, 1939. The partnership lasted until M. P. Farrier’s death in 1946, and A. L. continued to practice law until his death in 1972.
Both men are buried in Birchlawn Burial Park in Pearisburg, Virginia.
Extent
77 Cubic Feet (55 boxes)
Arrangement
The collection is in its original order from the time of its donation. Series are based on original order and descriptions.
Physical Access
Please note: This collection is in off-site storage and requires 2-3 days notice for retrieval. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives for more information.
Source of Acquisition
The Farrier Family Papers were donated to the University Libraries in 1974.
Separated Materials
The following publications (and additional titles) have been separated from the collection, and some are cataloged in the University Libraries:
- South Eastern Reporter
- American and English Encyclopaedia of Law
- Cyclopaedia of Law Procedures
- American Jurisprudence and American Jurisprudence - Legal Forms
- Virginia Reports and Virginia Reports Annotated
- Ruling Case Law
- Pomeroy's Equity Jurisprudence
- Gregory's Forms
- Opinions of the Attorney General
- American Law Report
- South Eastern Digest
- Acts of Assembly
- Virginia State Bar Association
- Virginia and West Virginia Digest
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the Farrier Family Papers by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/).
Processing Information
The collection is in its original order from the time of donation. Several set of files were rehoused in new boxes in 2011. The finding aid is from existing inventories and research done at the time of donation in 1974. Some descriptive information was added in 2013 and 2014. In 2017-2018, efforts were made to clean up the inventory, which had previously identified the materials as "Box #" with a date. Boxes were given titles based on the general contents included and the existing dates. In 2021, additional description was completed, including expanded Biographical Note, added Separated Materials note, updated and new inventory scope notes and box titles, and series imposed based upon 1974 descriptions.
- Title
- Farrier Family Papers, 1894-1972
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Special Collections and University Archives Staff, Charles "Buddy" Litchfield, Graduate Teaching Assistant, and LM Rozema, Archivist
- Date
- 2021 (CC0 1.0)
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech Repository
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu