Conditions Governing Use:

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Conditions Governing Access:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Custodial History:

This collection was previously part of the University Archives Faculty-Alumni File Collection. It was rehoused here 11/17/2010.

Preferred Citation:

Robert Southall Bright Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Acquisition Information:

Gift

Biographical / Historical

Robert Southall Bright was born in Williamsburg, Virginia, on May 24, 1872 to Robert Anderson and Nannie (Munford) Bright. Robert Southall Bright graduated with an A.B. from the College of William and Mary in 1891, then apprenticed under Philadelphia lawyer George H. Earle until he was admitted to the bar in 1894. Bright married Caroline De Beelen. From 1894 to 1926, Bright maintained an independent law firm in Philadelphia, and from 1926 to 1934 he was a member of the Philadelphia banking firm Thomas A. Biddle & Co. In 1932, Caroline died, and on December 1, 1934 Bright married again, this time to Mary (McCaw) Haves. Also in 1934, Bright retired to his farm in Frederick, Maryland, where he lived until his death on December 18, 1943. Further information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special Collections Research Center Wiki: .

Administrative History:

Robert Southall Bright was born in Williamsburg, Virginia, on May 24, 1872 to Robert Anderson and Nannie (Munford) Bright. He graduated with an A.B. from the College of William and Mary in 1891, then apprenticed under Philadelphia lawyer George H. Earle until he was admitted to the bar in 1894. From 1894-1926, Bright maintained an independent law firm in Philadelphia, and from 1926-1934, he was a member of the Philadelphia banking firm Thomas A. Biddle & Co. He died on December 18, 1943.

Biographical Information:

Robert Southall Bright was born in Williamsburg, Virginia, on May 24, 1872 to Robert Anderson and Nannie (Munford) Bright. Robert Southall Bright graduated with an A.B. from the College of William and Mary in 1891, then apprenticed under Philadelphia lawyer George H. Earle until he was admitted to the bar in 1894. Bright married Caroline De Beelen. From 1894 to 1926, Bright maintained an independent law firm in Philadelphia, and from 1926 to 1934 he was a member of the Philadelphia banking firm Thomas A. Biddle & Co. In 1932, Caroline died, and on December 1, 1934 Bright married again, this time to Mary (McCaw) Haves. Also in 1934, Bright retired to his farm in Frederick, Maryland, where he lived until his death on December 18, 1943. Further information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special Collections Research Center Wiki: .

Administrative History:

Robert Southall Bright was born in Williamsburg, Virginia, on May 24, 1872 to Robert Anderson and Nannie (Munford) Bright. He graduated with an A.B. from the College of William and Mary in 1891, then apprenticed under Philadelphia lawyer George H. Earle until he was admitted to the bar in 1894. From 1894-1926, Bright maintained an independent law firm in Philadelphia, and from 1926-1934, he was a member of the Philadelphia banking firm Thomas A. Biddle & Co. He died on December 18, 1943.

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of a handwritten draft of "Memories of Williamsburg and Stories of My Father," written by Robert Southall Bright and published in 1941.  It also includes addresses delivered by Bright and a memorial booklet about him.

Related Material

Bright Family Papers, 1876-1933, Mss. Acc. 1996.24

Southall Papers, 1807-1904, Mss. 39.1 So8

Information about related materials is available at http://scrc.swem.wm.edu/index.php?p=collections/controlcard&id=5781

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• College of William and Mary--Alumni and alumnae
• Manuscripts (document genre)
• Publications