A Guide to the Mattie T. Shackleford Papers, 1899-1948
A Collection in
Special Collections
The University of Virginia Library
Accession Number 13697, 13697-a
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Administrative Information
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See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.
Preferred Citation
Mattie T. Shackleford Papers, Accession #13697, 13697-a, Special Collections, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.
Acquisition Information
This collection was purchased from Beltrone & Company, 6057 Gordonsville Rd., Keswick, VA. 22947 on August 11, 2006.
Biographical/Historical Information
Mattie T. Shackleford, was a resident of Gloucester County, Virginia, a member of the University of Virginia Base Hospital 41 in World War I, and a nurse in the American Red Cross. She graduated from the Protestant Hospital of New York and worked as a Superintendent. In 1914 she volunteered for the American Red Cross and promoted their chapters. She was also a nurse instructor to both white and African American students. In 1918 she was called into service at Camp McClellan and sailed overseas as a member of the Base Hospital 41, University of Virginia. After the war, she worked for the Serbian Relief Committee of America as a nurse and a lieutenant. Two of her sisters were Nellie Shackleford Smith and Mary Henri Mattox who were both teachers. Their mother was affiliated with a pediatric hospital and may have also been a nurse. Nellie married Charles S. Smith Jr. who grew up in Gloucester, Virginia and became an attorney. They had two children Nellie Shackleford Smith and Charles S. Smith III.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of ca. 489 items, 3 hollinger boxes, 1.5 linear feet and contains letters written by Mattie T. Shackleford, a resident of Gloucester County, Virginia who served as a nurse with the American Red Cross in France in 1917-1922 during World War I. After the war, Shackleford served in Serbia and then resided in Tarboro, North Carolina and continued to work for the American Red Cross.
The collection also includes correspondence of Charles S. Smith, Jr., and his family. Smith was an attorney and the husband of Mattie T. Shackleford's sister, Nellie Shackleford Smith. The Smith family lived in Gloucester, and Mathews, Virginia until they later moved to Saluda, Virginia. These family letters constitute a major part of the collection. The letters span from 1899 to 1948.
Early letters in the collection reflect Mattie Shackleford's work in France and Serbia. She often described to her sister, Nellie, the poverty-stricken conditions of the children that she was treating. There is also information about World War I, the abdication of the Kaiser, and the surrender of a German U-boat [1918].
Most of the letters of the Smith family are personal in nature and describe local news as well as concerns for each member of the family. Mattie Shackleford, Nellie Smith, and Mary Henri Mattox were sisters and were characterized as having strong opinions and nervous conditions. Mary Henry Mattox was sent to the Tucker [Sanatorium] and often wrote about her desire for a divorce from her husband. Both Mattie Shackleford as a nurse and Nellie Smith as a teacher were independent women with important careers.
Education played a major role in the lives of the Smith family. Their son, Charles Smith III attended Wake Forest [1932] and their daughter, Nellie Shackleford Smith attended the Richmond Division of William and Mary College [1935]. Both children seemed to struggle with finding good careers after school. Charles Smith III worked at a bank, and then as a taxi cab driver. Nellie Shackleford Smith took courses that seem to indicate she wanted to be a nurse but the correspondence reveals that she struggled with her coursework in the sciences.
There are references to members of the family coming down with the "grippe" and "influenza." There are also concerns about eating healthy foods and black markets, particularly regarding meat and shortages of sugar.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged chronologically.
Separated Material
Issues of the following newspapers were removed and cataloged separately: The News Reporter , Gloucester Gazette , Mathews Journal , Chicago Tribune , Tidewater Democrat , Southside Sentinel , Virginia Gazette , Rappahannock Times , Daily Southerner , and Tribuna (Belgrade, Serbia).
Contents List
Reference letters and recommendations for teaching positions for Nellie, including J. Boyd Sears, E. E. Worrell; former students and Mary Lou Boston in Africa.
Her mother pleads with Mary not to marry for the wrong reasons.
Letters are from Nellie Smith and Dr. Julian Baker.
Letter from Nellie's mother about local news; letters from Nellie's sister Mary Henry [Mattox] at Tucker Sanitarium, about wanting a divorce; letter from Mary Henry's husband [Ray Mattox] to a Mr. Brown asking him to tell Nellie and Mattie that Dr. Tucker has ordered that Mary Henry stay away from her sisters for awhile; letter from Mary Henry's daughter, Janyce; letter from Mary Lou Boston; letter from Charles Smith Jr. to his son Charlie; notes from Mattie.
Letter from Caleb William Brown about legal guardianship of the Mattox children; letters between Charles and Nellie and their children; letter from Mary Henry Mattox; letter from Dr. White about Mrs. Mattox.
Letters between Charles and Nellie and their children.
Letter from Mary Henry Mattox about her misery with her husband, wanting to spare her daughters from her suffering marriage and money for a visit to Nellie's; letters from Dr. Julian Baker in which he tries to mend a disagreement between Nellie and Mattie; letter from Charles' mother with news of the family.
Letter from Dr. Julian Baker apologizing for trying to mediate the disagreement between Nellie and Mattie; letter from Charles' mother with news of the family
Letter from Little Nellie to her mother, letter from Mattie to her nephew Charles on his graduation from high school; letter from a friend of little Nellie's from St. Agnes School; letter from Mrs. J. B. Henley about the progress of little Nellie at the Tappahannock school and her living with the Wright's; letter from the United States Shipping Board responding with advice for Charles, son of Charles and Nellie Smith on a career in shipping; letters from little Nellie to her mother; letter from little Nellie that mentions John Powell's sister Mrs. Brockenborough coming to her school.
Letters from little Nellie to her mother and father about money, Letter from a nurse and Superintendent of Stuart Circle Hospital to little Nellie; Letter from Mary Henry Mattox to her sister, Nellie about where she would like to be buried.
Correspondence between Mattie and Charles Smith, Jr. about helping her move her furniture to her home since they are moving to Saluda, Virginia; letter to Nellie from her father-in-law Charles Smith; letter from the nurse and Superintendent of Stuart Circle Hospital about little Nellie's grades at the Richmond Division of William and Mary.
Political form letter to Charles Smith III at Wake Forest, requesting support for Saxon W. Holt, candidate for the nomination of Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia; letters from Charles Smith, Jr. to his son Charles Smith III encouraging him to quit his job in Floyd, Virginia and come home where they can find him suitable work.
Letter to Charles at Wake Forest from his mother about his exams and how Wake Forest has helped him with his confidence; letter to Charles at Wake Forest from his father; invitation to a reception at the Governor's Mansion; letter from the doctor about Charles III making an appointment.
There are letters from friends and letters to Charles III from his mother about his job as a taxi cab driver, religion, a black market in meat, and the war. She reminds him that he was one of the first volunteers to the service and her faith in his future is unshakable; a wedding invitation to the marriage of Elsie Meriwether (daughter of James Meriwether Lewis) and Lieutenant William Gregory Rennolds, Jr.
There are letters from friends and family. Little Nellie has had trouble with schools and has a better job; Little Nellie writes to her father thanking him for money; letter from Aubrey Weaver, Senator of Virginia; letter from a friend writing in sympathy about the troubles that Nellie's son, Charles, has had.
List of names and addresses of ammunition users.
There is a newspaper article about a church in Tarboro, N.C. that Mattie Shackleford has restored.
Mattie Shackleford in her nurse uniform and other photographs of Mattie T. Shackleford; photographs of children that were being treated by Mattie T. Shackleford.
Invitation to the Cotillion Club of Gloucester; Brochure on the Blue Ridge Industrial School in Greene County, Virginia; Advertisement for the Garrod Shoe; Invitation to The Harry Flood Byrd Memorial Commission for the Unveiling of the Statue of Harry Flood Byrd, Sr.; Broadside on The Chronicles of America Photoplays, Columbus; Report Card Middlesex County Public Schools; Facts About the American Legion; Hands Across the Sea; Radio Speech Program of Honorable Will R. Wood of Indiana; Serbian Child Welfare Association; American Birthday for Serbian Orphans; Memorial for a New Building for The Florence Nightingale School of Nursing at Bordeaux, France; "The Continuing Needs of Serbia and Her Children " by Dr. R. R. Reeder; The Blue Triangle Investment Campaign of 1919; Weekly Publication of The American Institute At Chachak, Serbia; Oversize map of France; Oversize desk map of France; Field Service 104th Regiment Engineers; Les Reflet Des Souvenirs; American Commission To Serbia; Church program.
Wilson F. Davis for fertilizers; W. T. Fary & Brothers, Dr. for lumber; H. N. Clements Dr. for automobile repairs; Gloucester Pharmacy; Gray's Pharmacy; H.L. Vaughan Dr. General Merchandise; Gloucester Men's Shop; J. H. Martin & Co. Dr. "The Home of Better Things to Eat "; Virginia Railway and Power Company; Tax statements.