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Virginia Military Institute Archives
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Collections in the VMI Archives are made available for noncommercial educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.
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Some items from the Smith papers are available online.
Some annual reports from the Smith administration are available online
Records of the Superintendent. Francis H. Smith Administration. [specific series/item/date]
Francis H. Smith served for fifty years (1839-1889) as VMI's first Superintendent. Smith was born in 1812, graduated from West Point in 1833, and came to Lexington, Virginia in 1839 to lead the newly established Virginia Military Institute. He died in March 1890, a few months after his retirement as Superintendent. He was known as the builder and --after the Civil War-- rebuilder of VMI. His official correspondence spans the period 1839-1889, with few gaps. The Civil War era and earlier letters survived Gen. David Hunter's destruction of many Institute buildings in June 1864. Smith corresponded with the notable military, educational, and political leaders of his time, making the correspondence a rich resource for scholars.
These files constitute the major record series generated by the office of Francis H. Smith, VMI's first Superintendent. He served from 1839-1889. The records, (ca. 30 linear feet) consist of incoming and outgoing correspondence, order books, speeches and publications, annual reports, personal file, and subject files.
Incoming correspondence of VMI's first Superintendent, Francis H. Smith, for the period 1839-1870. The original 19th century filing order has been retained. Each incoming letter was assigned a number by Smith's secretary; these letters were then filed numerically by letter number within each year. Some years were further broken down into alphabetical sections (A-K; L-Z etc.) and thus have more multiple numerical sequences within an individual year. It is therefore the case that some years have more than one letter number 1, 2 etc. Some letters for the year 1870 are missing; occasional other missing letters are identifed on the index; however the series is largely complete. These letters are indexed by name of sender. Outgoing letters for the period are located in bound letter books, which are arranged chronologically.
Francis H. Smith incoming correspondence, 1885-1889. These letters are no longer filed in the numbered sequence that was used for the period 1839-1870; they are filed alphabetically within each year. Corresponding outgoing letters are located in separate letter books for the period. Incoming correspondence for the period 1871-1884, except for a few miscellaneous items, is not extant. This was noted by William Couper in the 1930's, and it is not know at what point or under what circumstances the incoming letters for this period were lost. Outgoing letters for 1871-1884 are extant.
The outgoing letterbooks (bound volumes) of VMI's first Superintendent Francis H. Smith, who served from 1839-1889. There are no outgoing letters from 1864 August 9-1865 October 30.
Subject Files maintained by the office of VMI's first Superintendent, Francis H. Smith
Applications and letters of recommendations for students applying to VMI, 1839-1864 (gaps). Includes successful and unsuccessful applicants and some who were accepted but never matriculated. 5 boxes
Faculty applications, historical. Letters of application and supporting letters of recommendation submitted for several faculty and staff positions. Includes positions of Professor of Modern Languages, Physical Sciences, Steward, Quartermaster. This file only relates to a few specific positions. 1839-1860; 1884.
Washington College (now Washington and Lee University). Several items, 1845, concerning a complaint lodged by Washington College against VMI, which ultimately led to a severance of academic ties between the two institutions. Prof. George Dodd Armstrong represented the College on this issue. For a full account, see the book 100 Years at VMI (William Couper), vol. 1, pps. 139-147. The file also includes one unrelated document from 1860.
Includes letter from Francis H. Smith to Dr. Galt inviting him to the statue dedication; original manuscript of remarks made at the Washington Statue dedication on July 3, 1856 by William B. Taliaferro, Revd. John H. Bowcock, Francis H. Smith. Information (photocopies, 1864-1866) concerning the confiscation of the statue by Gen. Hunter's troops and its return from West Virginia in 1866, including copies of letters from David H. Strother of Gen. Hunter's staff.
Misc. Later documents (post-Smith era) re: Statue
19th century legal documents. Records of VMI attorneys Letcher, Maury and Letcher relating to collection of cadet debts after Civil War, 1871-1873
A chronological file, 1843-1848; 1865-1899, containing examples of academic department annual reports from the 19th century. These reports from the various academic departments were submitted to the Superintendent and help to document the early academic history of the Institute. This file includes early reports by John T. L. Preston (Languages), and Thomas H. Williamson (Engineering), as well as reports by other early faculty members. The series has many gaps; for example, none from the 1850's. The reports reflect some subjects that are no longer taught, e.g., Latin, drawing, mineralogy. 1 box
Three page memorandum of agreement (July 13, 1870) between sculptor Frederick Volck and VMI Superintendent Francis H. Smith. Volck was to complete a bronze equestrian statue of Gen. Thomas J. Jackson, but the project was never finished. (See the book "One Hundred Years at VMI" by William Couper, vol 3, p. 212, for an account of Volck's relationship with VMI).
Biographical material and miscellaneous Smith and Smith family personal papers.
Francis H. Smith individual biographical file, compiled over decades. Contains biographical and genealogical information, clippings, articles and other general information relating to Francis H. Smith and his family.
Unpublished typescript by Francis H. Smith III. This is the only full length biography of Francis H. Smith and is a useful source for information not found elsewhere.
Miscellaneous Francis H. Smith and Smith family personal records. Includes 2 volumes of personal letters written while on his trip to Europe in 1858, along with a scrapbook containing engravings of places visited; misc. personal correspondence, including one letter from Scott Shipp thanking Smith for his condolences upon the death of Shipp's wife.
The United States Military Academy diploma awarded to Francis H. Smith in 1833. The ink is badly faded. Bears the signature of President Andrew Jackson.
Oversized case 9
U. S. Army commission document signed in 1834; commission as Second Lieutenant to date from November 1833.
In 1858, after nearly twenty years as Superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute, Francis H. Smith needed some time off. Consequently, he was granted a leave of absence by the VMI Board of Visitors to travel to Europe to visit military, scientific, and agricultural institutions and to write a report on his findings upon his return.
Smith and several young alumni departed on the 9th of June and returned at the end of December 1858 having visited Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Italy. Each night, he wrote a letter home to his wife Sara describing what he had seen and experienced that day. These letters, possibly Smith's only personal correspondence that has survived, were transcribed into three small letter books on his return.
Over the years, the three volumes passed down through the Smith family, but sadly one was lost. Col. Edwin Dooley, a historian who has done extensive research on Smith, transcribed and annotated the two surviving letter books covering Smith's travels through the United Kingdom and France.
The original letter books were transcribed and annotated by Edwin L. Dooley, Jr.
The original letter books were donated to the VMI Archives in 2013 through the estate of Alexander Morrison, VMI Class of 1939, a descendant of Gen. Smith.
Edwin L. Dooley, Jr., former Executive Assistant to the Superintendent and Secretary to the Board of Visitors, is also a historian who has studied Francis H. Smith in depth. This material comprises some of his research notes. It relates to Smith's biography and tenure as Superintendent/official records.
A chronological file containing originals and copies of Smith's published addresses, speeches, discourses. These were published in pamphlet form. VMI owns originals for many; for those not found in the VMI Archives, the staff obtained photocopies from the Library of Virginia.