Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Brooke Family Papers, Accession 38-137, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library

Acquisition Information

These papers (collection # 38-137 ) were given to the Library by Mr. and Mrs. John Brooke of Staunton, Virginia , on December 17, 1932.

Funding Note

Funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Scope and Content

This collection of material from the Brooke Family , and related Berkeley Family and Carter Family , consists of 102 letters, 1792-1927, chiefly the correspondence between Robert S. Brooke , and his wife Margaret Lyle (Smith) Brooke of Staunton, Virginia , married ca. 1836, written chiefly while Brooke served as a delegate in the Virginia General Assembly representing Augusta County, Virginia , 1831-1832, 1834-1836, and 1841-1843.

Brooke writes his wife Margaret concerning his illness (November 5,7, & 10); the lawsuit of James Lyle 's heirs against James M. Gaines (June 27, 1836; December 14, 1838; and May 7 & 18, 1840); the affairs of the Thomas Family (February 16-17, 1842); the fraud of Senator William Tod against the Bank of Virginia (March 5, 1842); male views about the experience of childbirth (January 16, 1843); and generally discusses his social and political experiences while in Richmond, Virginia . Margaret usually writes with news of their family and community, and her running of the household in his absence. Two of her letters reveal her attitude towards the "correction" of slaves and the difficulties in hiring out their slaves (March 12, and December 26, 1842).

Other topics in the correspondence include: religious attitudes (December 28, 1824); the church consecration at Hanover Court House (April 28, 1832); Robert S. Brooke 's intended marriage (November 2, 1835); a fire at Staunton, Virginia (October 6, 1838); the appointed office of marshal (May 1, 1841); John F. Brooke 's letters to his father while in the United States Navy (June 2,14,22, & July 24, 1841); a petition to Brooke requesting him to be a candidate for the Assembly (ca. 1840) and requesting that the 40th Regiment of Virginia Militia in Pendleton County, Virginia be divided (February 18, 1842); a plea for Brooke to oppose the reorganization of the district to combine Augusta County, Virginia and Rockingham County, Virginia (January 18, 1843); a discussion regarding modification of the law in relation to the Western Asylum at Staunton, Virginia (January 21, 1843); the selling of slave families as a unit (March 6, 1850); a petition of Ann B. Berkeley for settlement of an estate to allow the purchase of a house for her in Staunton, Virginia (ca. 1856; April 22, 1856; March 18, 1861; & March 25, 1863); and a reference to the selling of Indians to the South as slaves by the New England colonies and to supporting the League of Nations (April 25, [19]27).

Copies of the wills of Charles Carter (1806), Nelson Berkeley (February 27, 1849) and Betty Landon Berkeley (March 6, 1866) are also present in the collection.