Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

George H. Collins. Collection, 1773-1960. Accession 27237. Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

Gift of George H. Collins, St. Petersburg, Florida, 7 November 1969.

Biographical Information

George H. Collins, U.S. Army, retired, was the secretary of The Fraternity of Five-String Banjoists of America. Collins wrote numerous articles and researched the life of Joel Walker Sweeney.

Joel Walker Sweeney (1813-1860), son of John Sweeney, was born near Appomattox Court House, Virginia. He traveled throughout Virginia and North Carolina playing with a small circus. Later he moved north and gave banjo concerts in the Eastern states, and toured Europe. He is credited with creating the five-string banjo.

Scope and Content

Collection of articles, correspondence, photographs, sheet music, and genealogical notes gathered by George H. Collins, on the life of Joel Walker Sweeney (1813-1860), inventor of the five-string banjo. These materials were the basis of a biography Collins planned on writing on Sweeney, but never completed. Included are copies of typewritten articles and newspaper clippings on the invention of the banjo and the life of Joel Sweeney. Also included are copies of playbills for Sweeney's performances, 1840-1851, sheet music performed by Sweeney, and photographs of the Sweeney family and Sweeney's original banjo, located at the Los Angeles County Museum, c. 1890-1950. Of note is the correspondence between Collins and historical societies, libraries, and organizations, regarding the location of Sweeney memorabilia or biographical information, 1945-1960. There is also correspondence between Collins and the Sweeney family regarding family genealogy and cemetery locations. Also included are death certificates, deeds, and military records of the Sweeney family, and maps of the proposed Sweeney Memorial in Appomattox, Virginia, in 1960. This collection is also a good source for genealogical information on the Sweeney family of Virginia.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged alphabetically by folder title.