Oscar L. Whitelaw Letter
Scope and Content
This collection contains a letter by Private Oscar L. Whitelaw of the 15th Vermont Infantry Regiment on December 20, 1862. Whitelaw describes the march from Camp Vermont to the Fairfax County Courthouse, as well as camp life, Confederates in Richmond, and his feelings about the war.
Dates
- 1862
Creator
Language of Materials
The materials in this 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
Oscar Livingston Whitelaw was born on May 10, 1841, in Ryegate, Vermont. He attended Peacham Academy. During the American Civil War, in August 1862, he enlisted in Company K of the 15th Vermont Infantry of the Union Army. He was honorably discharged in August 1863. After the war, he moved to St. Louis, Missouri, and worked as a seller of paints and other chemicals.
Whitelaw was extremely active in professional and religious organizations in his post-war life. He served as vice president of the Merchants Exchange in 1897-1898 and president in 1899. He was president of the National Paint, Oil, and Varnish Association, 1889; president of the National Transportation Association, 1897-1900; and president of St. Louis Public Library. These are just a few of the positions he held in numerous organizations during his life.
Whitelaw married Lillie Dwight Lathrop in St. Louis in 1873. The pair had four children. Whitelaw died in St. Louis on February 11, 1917, and is buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.
Sources:
Leonard, John W. The Book of St. Louisans: A Biographical Dictionary of Leading Living Men of the City of St. Louis and Vicinity. St Louis, MO: St. Louis Republic, 1906. Page 633. https://books.google.com/books?id=MD8VAAAAYAAJ. Accessed September 14, 2022.
"Oscar Livingston Whitelaw" entry. Findagrave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/148407814/oscar-livingston-whitelaw, accessed September 28, 2022.
Extent
0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Abstract
This collection contains a letter written by Private Oscar L. Whitelaw of the 15th Vermont Infantry Regiment of the Union Army on December 20, 1862, during the American Civil War. Whitelaw describes the march from Camp Vermont to the Fairfax County Courthouse, as well as camp life, Confederates in Richmond, and his feelings about the war.
Source of Acquisition
This collection was purchased by Special Collections and University Archives in 2014.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the Oscar L. Whitelaw Letter 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 processing, arrangement, and description of the Oscar L. Whitelaw Letter was completed in August 2022.
- Title
- Oscar L. Whitelaw Letter, 1862
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Miranda Christy, graduate assistant
- Date
- 2022 (CC0 1.0)
- 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