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Archives and Special Collections, McGraw-Page Library, Randolph-Macon College
McGraw-Page Library© 2005 By Randolph-Macon College. All rights reserved.
Processed by: Special Collections Staff - Judee Showalter
Collection is open to research.
There are no restrictions.
[The Leroy S. Edwards Papers, Accession ,R-MC Shelves 6B2 ,Archives and Special Collections, McGraw-Page Library, Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Va.
The collection belongs to Randolph-Macon College. Much of the collection was donated to the college by Mrs. Frederick N. Thompson, grandaughter of Leroy Edwards.
Leroy Summerfield Edwards was born November 27th, 1839 in Lynchburg, Virginia. He was the oldest of three sons born to Rev. John Ellis Edwards, D.D. and Elizabeth A. Clark Edwards (daughter of Col. John Clark). His father was a prominent Methodist pastor, serving in the North Carolina Conference and then in the Virginia Conference, and as a Trustee of Randolph Macon College. Leroy attended Randolph-Macon College, then in Boydton, VA, from 1857-1859, receiving an A. B. He then attended the University of Virginia from 1859-1860. He was teaching at Farmville Female College in 1861 when he enlisted in the 12th Virginia Infantry, Company E. He was injured in 1862, and captured in May, 1864. He was sent to Point Lookout Prison Camp in Maryland and transferred to Elmira, New York around August, 1864. He returned to Richmond around March, 1865. Apparently he returned to R-MC, where he received an A. M. degree in 1866. On August 8, 1866 he married Elizabeth Ferguson, and their son, Ellis, was born May 14, 1867. By 1868 he and fellow R-MC alumnus E.E. Parham had founded the Female Collegiate Institute at Richmond. Another son, Leroy Jr., was born October 3, 1881. Leroy, Jr.'s Randolph-Macon diary is included in the collection as well. It is assumed there were other children. Leroy Edwards died in 1901 and is buried in Hollywood Cemetery.
The collection contains letters and other personal materials, primarily diaries. Diaries included in the collection were written by Leroy Edwards, his wife, and his son, Leroy Jr., and span 1853-1899. Some additional material onthe Edwards Family is available in the R-MC Alumni files.
The material didvided into letters and other materials. Its arranged chronologically when possible, although several notebooks skip years.
Manuscript copy of Letters of Leroy S. Edwards Written During the War Between the States . Compiled by Terry A. Walton.(E467.1 E48 1985)
Material is by multiple authors, although primarily Leroy S. Edwards.
Arrangement is chronological when possible, although several journals contain non-consecutive material.
The President's Book of "The Lynchburg Youth Debating Society"
Diary - Sophomore and Junior years at Randolph Macon College
Diary - Senior year at Randolph Macon College
Contains "jottings" from University of Virginia, 1859-1860, Civil war diary entries from 1862 (Lynchburg) and 1863 (Richmond)
Rollbook from Farmville Female College, March 25, 1861/also contains diary entries 1865-1868, some written by his wife, Elizabeth
Roll of the members of the H. Chapter of Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity, ab initio, in the order of initiation. Sessions 1854-55, 55-56, 56-57 (UVA),
Thank you note from "the Senior Class"
Resolution of the Jefferson Society of UVA, June 16, 1860, to give $50 to Mrs. Cle(?), mother-in-law to Edgar A. Poe
Class notes and lectures 1868-1869
Class notes
Clippings: ("Man's Life" (poem), "The Dear Dead Woman Up Stairs" (poem), "The Voiceless" (poem))
Notes on Exodus XX: 4-6 / Biblical/Personal notes/ Civil War/ political
Programme of the Commencement Exercises of the Farmville Female College on the 28th of June, 1866.
Leroy Edwards Jr. diary - begins at RMC 1989
chronological
For Senate - W.C. Knight, P.H. Starke