A Guide to the Kate Burwell Manuscript Notebook Burwell, Kate, Manuscript Notebook 4400-e

A Guide to the Kate Burwell Manuscript Notebook

A Collection in
The Special Collections Department
Accession Number 4400-e

Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library

Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110
USA
Phone: (434) 243-1776
Fax: (434) 924-4968
Reference Request Form: https://small.lib.virginia.edu/reference-request/
URL: http://small.library.virginia.edu/

Funding: Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Processed by: Special Collections Department

Repository

Special Collections, University of Virginia Library

Accession number

4400-e

Title

Kate Burwell Manuscript Notebook ca. 1850

Physical Characteristics

This collection consists of one item.

Language

English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

Loan requests must have the approval of the Avenel Foundation's representative. The Foundation retains full rights to reproduce images from the notebook.

Preferred Citation

Kate Burwell Manuscript Notebook, Accession #4400-e , Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

This notebook was given to the Library by the Avenel Foundation of Bedford, Virginia through Ms. Betty Gereau, on September 22 ,1997. Certain restrictions apply. The Avenel Foundation, Inc., providing appropriate notice, will be permitted to borrow the book for display purposes.

Scope and Content Information

This is a manuscript notebook, ca. 1850, containing sketches by Kate [Catherine Steptoe] Burwell and text of ["Editor Loquitor"] relating to scenes and events near Bedford, Virginia. There are eighteen pen- and-ink sketches with text; fifteen are signed by Kate Burwell.

William McCreery Burwell (1809-1888) and Frances Steptoe Burwell built "Avenel" (ca. 1838) in Liberty (now Bedford), Virginia. Burwell was the editor of the Virginia Patriot in the 1850s. William M. Burwell's father, William Armistead Burwell, was Thomas Jefferson's private secretary during his presidency. Frances Steptoe Burwell's father and grandfather ("Jemmy" Steptoe) were early clerks of the court in Bedford County and also associated with Jefferson. The issue of William McCreery Burwell and Frances Steptoe Burwell are: Letitia McCreery (1831-1905); Catherine "Kate" Steptoe (1833-1899); Mary Frances (1839-1862); James Steptoe (1842-1843); and, Rosalie (1845- ).

This notebook was brought to the Bedford Historical Society, Inc. by James R. Dillon, Jr. of Atlanta, Georgia, who received the book from his father's first cousin Mary Unity Dillon (died ca. 1988) of Indian Rock, Virginia. It was among Miss Dillon's collection of local and regional items. She was acquainted with the Burwell family and may have been related to the Steptoe family. The Bedford Historical Society, Inc. gave the book to the Avenel Foundation, Inc. of Bedford, Virginia, because of the relationship of Kate Burwell to the home.