Conditions Governing Use

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Curator of Manuscripts and Rare Books, 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.

Preferred Citation

Railroad Account Book and Diary, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchase in 2008 (2008.145)

Scope and Contents

An account book and diary of a man from Goodman, Virginia which later became Bristol, Virginia. He appears to work for the railroad, possibly as a track repairman. Writer notes payments for work he has done, giving amounts, short description of work, and for whom the work was done. He gives prices for items that he purchases. He mentions a mail train accident that left him crippled. He travels to different towns via the railroad, such as Lynchburg, Bedford and Wytheville. At the end of the book, he records train accidents and problems, by date, from March to August. There is a description of two 1857 deeds involving Elizabeth Peck, Joseph Peck and William Moore.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Railroad accidents--Virginia
• Railroads--Employees
• Railroads--Virginia--History
• Virginia--Railroads