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. Photocopying of these diaries is not permitted.

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:

Robert Skipwith Diaries, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Acquisition Information:

Deposit

Biographical Information:

Robert Skipwith (1810-1904) was born at Amelia County, Va., the son of George and Mary Murray and spent his life in Goochland County, Va., Richmond, Va. and in Powhatan County, Va. He apparently attended the University of Virginia and worked from 1840-1846 on the James River and Kanawha Canal and in Pennsylvania during early 1847. Skipwith married Jane Rolfe Bolling (1809-1867) on July 7, 1847 in Goochland County, and settled at "Bolling Hall," Goochland County, where he remained until Jane's death in 1867. He later moved to Richmond and married Lizzie Jones, then purchased a home, "South East," Powhatan County, and was living there in 1898.

Scope and Contents

Diaries, 1834-1898, of Robert Skipwith kept in Goochland County, Va., Richmond, Va. and Powhatan County, Va. Much of Skipwith's life is documented by these 14 diaries and topics include weather, personal affairs (the loss of his wife, and his aging), farming, social life in his neighborhood, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Virginia politics. He often included genealogical information on individuals when he recorded their deaths.

Skipwith's 1862-1865 diary has been digitized and can be accessed by clicking on the "View associated digital content" link below.  The original is housed in the Special Collections Research Center.  Privately owned Skipwith diaries have also been digitized and made available in the same location with permission of the owner.

Related Material

Robert Skipwith Papers (Mss. 74s Sk3), Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Robert Skipwith Diaries (Originals Privately Owned and Held Outside of Swem Library - Digitized Copies Available)

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Diaries
• Farm management--Virginia--History--19th century
• Goochland County (Va.)--History--19th century
• James River and Kanawha Canal (Va.)
• Photographs
• Powhatan County (Va.)--History--19th century
• Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877)
• Richmond (Va.)--History--19th century
• United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
• Virginia--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
• Virginia--Politics and Government