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Edwin Houston Harman Papers

 Collection
Identifier: Ms-1990-019

Scope and Content

The Edwin Houston Harman Papers consists of letters written in various camps in southwest Virginia to and from Harman and his wife, Jennie. The letters date from 1856 to 1864. Most of the letters are written to Jennie from Edwin Harman. The letters before 1861 are written before their marriage and are addressed to "Cousin Jennie". The majority of the letters come during the Civil War, and Edwin describes his experiences in the war and the different camps he is staying in. The letters from during the war do include letters from Jennie to Edwin, but the majority of the letters are written to her. After his death in 1864, there are some condolence letters written to Jennie. Included throughout the collection are letters written to Jennie from various family members and close friends.

Also included in the collection are transcripts of some letters that came with the purchase of the material. There is also genealogical material about the Hartman family including biographies, newspaper clippings, letters, and photo slides.

Dates

  • 1856 - 1984
  • Majority of material found within 1856 - 1864

Creator

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

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. 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

Edwin Houston Harman was born February 13, 1835 in Tazewell County. He attended Emory and Henry College. He married Nancy Virginia "Jennie" King of Pulaski County, Virginia on April 2, 1861. He was a Lieutenant colonel in Company H, 45th Virginia Infantry, in the Civil War. He had two children, Charles William Harman (1862-1944) and King Edwin Harman (1863-1939). He was wounded in battle at Cloyd's Mountain, and died two days later on May 11, 1864.

Extent

0.5 Cubic Feet (1 box)

Abstract

The Edwin Houston Harman Papers consists of letters written in various camps in southwest Virginia to and from Harman and his wife, Jennie. The letters date from 1856 to 1864. There is also a folder of genealogy materials relating to the Harman family.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by material type. Within each material type, the collection is arranged chronologically.

Source of Acquisition

The majority of the collection was purchased in May 1990. Additional materials were donated in July 1990.

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Edwin Houston Harman 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

Some arrangement and description was completed prior to 2009. Additional processing, arrangement, and description of the Edwin Houston Harman Papers was completed in September 2013.

Title
Edwin Houston Harman Papers, 1856-1984 (bulk, 1856-1864)
Status
Completed
Author
Nicole Hancock, Student Assistant, and Kira A. Dietz, Archivist
Date
2014 (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

Contact:
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308