Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], R. W. Forbes Poem, Ms2010-017, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The R. W. Forbes Poem was purchased by Special Collections in 2010.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the R. W. Forbes Poem commenced and was completed in March 2010.

Biographical Note

The collection contains no biographical information about R. W. Forbes, other than the letter was written by Forbes on October 16th from Westmoreland County, Virginia. Although little is known about its author, the poem was intended for Ms. Rebecca Simpson of Pensacola, Florida, who was active in the First Presbyterian Church in Pensacola and had at least one sibling, Leah Simpson. Rebecca Simpson was born in Escambia, Florida around 1805 and did not marry until her 41st year to Mortimer Bright, esquire, who died the very same day of their marriage, November 11, 1846.

External sources:

Charlotte Journal , March 18, 1847, https://web.archive.org/web/20101015120045/files.usgwarchives.org/nc/lenoir/newspapers/brightma354nnw.txt , accessed April 25, 2023.

Abercrombie, Lelia, "Early Churches of Pensacola". Florida Historical Quarterly 37, no. 3 (1959): 448

Scope and Content

The collection includes a poem in letter form written by R. W. Forbes to Rebecca Simpson in Pensacola, Florida, on October 16, 1830. The poem is 135 lines long and includes song lyrics in praise of Florida's beauty. Infused with religious imagery, the poem relates a friendly farewell to Ms. Simpson and Forbes' beloved state of Florida.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Poems

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the R. W. Forbes Poem by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).