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Letters of the Rees and Kirby Families, 1859-1897, Accession 7786-w, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.
These letters were given to the Library by Bruce Engstler of Charlottesville, Virginia, on June 9, 1986, and are unrestricted.
The correspondence of the Rees and Kirby families consists of ninety-three letters, 1859-1897, chiefly to Caroline Rees and her sister and brother-in-law, Emily Rees Kirby and David B. Kirby of New York City. Most of the letters to Caroline Rees are in French and are from Emily [Rees Kirby], and a friend, Mollie, who wrote concerning Alexandria and Mt. Vernon during the Civil War and referred to Richardson's Brigade (October 21 [n.y.]).
The most frequent correspondents of Emily and David Kirby include Bessie McCoy, Maggie B. Kirby, and Joseph L.S. Kirby. Two letters discuss the private relief bill of David Kirby's mother in Congress (May 4, 1876 and April 12, 1888) and two others refer to Richmond's celebration of the centennial of the Revolutionary War (October 22 and 26, 1881). Other topics discussed include news of family and friends, church news, and miscellaneous activities.