A Guide to the Douglas Southall Freeman Correspondence, 1938-1953 #24334

Library of Virginia

The Library of Virginia
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Funding: Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Processed by: Trenton Hizer

Administrative Information

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Preferred Citation

Douglas Southall Freeman Correspondence, 1938-1953. Accession 24334, Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Gift of the Estate of Douglas Southall Freeman, 1955.

Biographical/Historical Information

Douglas Southall Freeman was born 16 May 1886 in Lynchburg, Virginia. Soon after, his family moved to Richmond, Virginia, where Freeman attended McGuire's University School. He graduated from Richmond College in 1904 and received his Ph.d. from Johns Hopkins University in 1908. Freeman began working for the Richmond Times-Dispatch in 1910 and became editor of the Richmond News-Leader in 1915. An author of several works, his most notable works are his four volume biography of Robert E. Lee, his three volume Lee's Lieutenants, and his biography of George Washington. Freeman had retired from the News-Leader to work on the Washington biography in 1949. He had published five volumes and was working on the sixth when he died. Besides being an author and an editor, Freeman delivered daily news broadcasts from WRNL radio. He served as a director of the Southern Railroad. Freeman died 13 June 1953 and was buried in Hollywood Cemetery.

Scope and Content Information

Correspondence, 1938-1953, between Douglas Southall Freeman (1886-1953) of Richmond, Virginia, and Margaret Wright (b. 1897) of King William County, Virginia, consisting of letters from Mrs. Wright describing her rural home life in King William County and providing news of the highs and lows of her family's life, and of letters from Freeman in response, praising her hard work and dedication to her family. Wright writes of her husband, her children, their home and garden, her faith, local news from King William County, and her views on politics and race relations. Freeman replies that he finds her faith and determination inspiring.