Eliza Duncan Letters
Scope and Content
The collection includes two letters written by Eliza Duncan. The first letter was written on March 5, 1861, a month before the American Civil War, to her son John William Duncan. The letter contains information about the institution of slavery in Virginia and her concerns with the family's finances. The second letter was written July 16, 1861, asking a Mr. Peterson about her son, if he has been called to fight, due to his lack of response to her last letter. Transcriptions are included.
Dates
- 1861
Language of Materials
The material in this collection is 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
Eliza M. Duncan was born 1813 in Charlotte County, Virginia. She was married to Jacob A. Duncan and had six children, the oldest being John Willam Duncan.
External source:
Eliza A Duncan in the 1850 United States Federal Census. Ancestory Library. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/8054/records/14950811. Accessed May 22, 2025.
Extent
0.1 Cubic Feet
Abstract
The collection includes two letters written by Eliza Duncan, written in 1861. One being written to her son before the American Civil War, the other was sent during the war asking about her sons whereabouts.
Source of Acquisition
The Eliza Duncan Letters were purchased by Special Collections and University Archives in December 2022.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the Eliza Duncan Letters 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 Eliza Duncan Letters was completed in May 2025.
- Title
- Eliza Duncan Letters, 1861
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Olivia Tingle, Student Assistant
- Date
- 2025 (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