A Guide to the Mrs. Edmund Waller Collection, 1780-1825 Waller, Edmund, Mrs., Collection, 1780-1825 22068

A Guide to the Mrs. Edmund Waller Collection, 1780-1825

A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Accession Number 22068

Library of Virginia

The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000
USA
Email: archdesk@lva.virginia.gov(Archives)
URL: http://www.lva.virginia.gov/

Processed by: Trenton Hizer

Repository

The Library of Virginia

Accession Number

22068

Title

Mrs. Edmund Waller Collection, 1780-1825

Physical Description

6 leaves and 19 pages

Collector

Mrs. Edmund Waller

Language

English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Mrs. Edmund Waller Collection, 1780-1825. Accession 22068. Personal Papers Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Mrs. Edmund Waller, October 1942.

Paul Bentalou (d. 1830) was a prominent citizen of Baltimore, Maryland, and a friend and business associate of James Monroe (1758-1831). Bentalou also knew the Marquis Lafayette (1757-1834). Louis Hue Girardin (1771-1825) was an author, teacher and friend of Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826). He taught at the College of William and Mary and edited a Richmond newspaper before settling in Baltimore to teach. Girardin's friend Maximillian Godefroy (1765-1840) was an architect from France who lived in the United States from 1804 to 1819 and constructed several buildings in Richmond, Virginia, and Baltimore. He moved to England, where he lived seven years, then returned to France. Francois-Apolline Guibert (1744-1790) was a general and historian, and the Comte de Rochambeau (1725-1807) commanded the French forces at the Battle of Yorktown. Bentalou also knew Girardin and Guibert, and probably knew Godefroy.

Scope and Content

Collection, 1780-1825, of Mrs. Edmund Waller consisting of letters of James Monroe (1758-1831) to Paul Bentalou (d. 1830), of Baltimore, Maryland, discussing the Richmond Theater fire, business matters and his personal debt, and an invitation for Bentalou's son to visit the Monroes in the Executive Mansion; a letter, 27 August 1825, from the Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834) to Bentalou regarding his travel plans; a letter, 30 January 1825, from Louis Hue Girardin (1771-1825) of Baltimore to Maximilian Godefroy (1765-1840?) of London, England, commenting on family news and on architectural work Godefroy is doing; and letters, 1780 and no date, from Francois Apolline Guibert (1744-1790) to the Comte de Rochambeau (1725-1807), and to unknown recipients. The non-Monroe letters are written in French.

Contents List

Letter, 1 January 1812, from James Monroe to Paul Bentalou discussing personal and business matters and also mentioning the Richmond Theater fire of 26 December 1811.

Letter, 23 May 1818, from Monroe to Bentalou commenting on business matters.

Letter, 21 December 1822, from Monroe to Bentalou inviting Bentalou's son to visit the Monroes in the Executive Mansion.

Letter, 7 March 1825, from Monroe to Bentalou commenting on Monroe's plans to alleviate his personal debt entered while in public service.

Letter, 12 March 1825, from Monroe to Bentalou again commenting on his debt.

Letter, 21 March 1825, from Monroe to Bentalou informing Bentalou that Monroe has been unable to secure a loan and may sell his Albemarle County, Virginia, property.

Letter, 16 July 1825, discussing the upcoming visit of the Marquis de Lafayette and Monroe's continuing efforts to repay his private debts incurred while in public service.

Note, no date, which probably had been part of one of the preceding letters.

Letter, 27 August 1825, from the Marquis de Lafayette to Paul Bentalou informing Bentalou of his immediate travel plans, including a note, in English, to Bentalou telling him to be at Brandywine, Pennsylvania, if he wishes to see Lafayette.

Letter, 30 January 1825, from Louis Hue Girardin of Baltimore, Maryland, to Maximilian Godefroy of London, England commenting on family news and on architectural word Godefroy is doing.

Letter, 1780, from Francois Apolline Guibert to the Comte de Rochambeau.

Letter, no date, from Guibert to an unknown recipient.