Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection open for research.

Use Restrictions

Visual materials may require special handling.

Preferred Citation

Confederate Veterans Photograph, ca. 1909 (VC 0056), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.

Acquisition Information

Dixie Sue Mellot Fix, Harrisonville, PA.

Alternative Form Available

Digital surrogate

Accruals

2013.0150

Processing Information

Lisa Dezarn, 17 January 2014

Historical Information

The photograph in this collection was taken by the well-known photographer Rufus W. Holsinger of Charlottesville, distinguished for his visual artistry. The building, constructed in 1906, is located on 201 East Market Street in Charlottesville, Virginia. It previously served as the United States Post Office and Courthouse and now currently houses the Jefferson Madison Regional Library. The photograph was most likely taken in conjunction with an event in 1909 to dedicate a statue memorializing the Confederate common soldier in front of the Albemarle County Courthouse. The occasion was marked by a large public ceremony.

William Phineas Thomas (1845-1915) of Loudoun County, Virginia, appears on the bottom row standing in the third position from the right. He is the only identified person in the photograph. Thomas was one of eight children born to Griffith Enoch Thomas (1814-1899) and Rebecca Burns Wright Thomas (1821-1911). Between 1863 and 1865, Thomas served in the Confederate States of America, specifically the 43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry, Company D, known as "Mosby's Rangers." Thomas was later captured as a prisoner of war and was paroled in 1865 in Winchester, Virginia. He is buried at Mount Zion Baptist Church Cemetery in Aldie, Virginia.

Scope and Content

This collection consists of one black and white photograph measuring 27 x 34 cm. The photograph is in good condition. The estimate of 1909 is based on the style of clothing, lifespan of the photographer, age of the subject, and date of the event.

Related Material

Griffith Thomas Family of Virginia Collection, 1934-1990 (M 047), The Descendents [sic] of Griffith Thomas of Virginia (V REF 929 Thomas).

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Bibliography

Ancestry Library Edition, United States Census

Charlottesville, Now and Then: A Tour Through Time. U.S. Post Office and Courthouse. http://charlottesvillethenandnow.blogspot.com/2011/11/us-post-office-and-courthouse.html (accessed 26 November 2013).

Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Virginia, (NARA M324) The National Archives Administration. http://www.footnotelibrary.com/image/8072254/ (accessed November 26, 2013).

Historic Preservation and Design Planning, Historic Markers. City of Charlottesville. http://www.charlottesville.org/Index.aspx?page=1963 (accessed November 26, 2013).

Holsinger's Charlottesville. University of Virginia Magazine. http://uvamagazine.org/articles/holsingers_charlottesville (accessed December 15, 2013).

"Pvt William Phineas Thomas", Find a Grave Index http://www.findagrave.com/ (accessed November 26, 2013).

The Holsinger Studio Collection. University of Virginia, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library. http://www2.lib.virginia.edu/small/collections/holsinger/ (accessed November 26, 2013).

Thomas, Betsy. The Descendents [sic] of Griffith Thomas of Virginia . Silver Spring, Md.?, s.n., 2006.

Other Finding Aid

Past Perfect Catalog Record

Technical Requirements

None