Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

The McDowell-Miller-Warner Papers, Accession #2969-a, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

This collection was deposited in the University of Virginia Library by Mr. C. Venable Minor, Charlottesville, Virginia on 13 February 1975.

Biographical/Historical Information

Sally McDowell was a daughter of James McDowell, governor of Virginia, 1843-1846, and a niece by marriage of US Senator Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri. She married Governor Franics Thomas of Maryland, but divorced him in 1846; married the Rev. Miller in 1856; and died in 1874. The Rev. Miller was pastor of a large church in Philadelphia prior to their marriage, and traveled widely throughout the northeastern and central states to preach.

One of Sally McDowell's sisters was Mary Cantey McDowell, who in 1856 married Charles S. Venable, later a University of Virginia professor who served as an aide-de-camp to General Robert E. Lee during the Civil War.

Scope and Content Information

McDowell-Miller-Warner Papers, 1700-1876, consist largely of correspondence between Sally Campbell Preston (McDowell) Miller and the Rev. John Miller during the period 1854-1856, of their courtship and marriage. Also included are a number of deeds and legal documents from the Baltimore, Maryland area, 1700-1869, many referring to the Warner Family; a few McDowell family letters from the 1830's and 1840's; daguerrotypes and photographs; a Civil War memoir, unfinished, by Charles S. Venable, later a professor at the University of Virginia; a memoir of Mary Cantey (McDowell) Venable by her son Frank P. Venable; and other papers.

The principle value of the collection is probably for Civil War research using Professor Venable's manuscript and his war letters contained in the memoir of Mrs. Mary Cantey Venable. The courtship letters, other letters, legal documents, and memoir of Mrs. Mary Cantey Venable would be of some value to a biographer or family historian. The courtship letters deal only occasionally with current events or daily life; the tone is affectionate but very proper, with much discussion of religious and philosophical questions.

Arrangement

The letters have been arranged in strict chronological order beginning with Box 1. While the courtship letters make up by far the largest portion, other letters are found in virtually every folder: family letters, a few business letters, letters from friends, and letters on church affairs. Other papers have been placed after the correspondence.