Earl Gregg Swem Library, College of William and Mary
Special Collections© 2002 By the College of William and Mary
Funding: Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Processed by: Special Collections Staff
Collection is open to all researchers.
Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Curator of Manuscripts and Rare Books, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Page-Saunders Papers, Manuscripts and Rare Books Department, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.
Purchase: 109 items, 1938.
Robert Saunders was born 25 January 1805 in Williamsburg, Virginia. He attended the College of William and Mary and the University of Virginia. Saunders served as professor of mathematics at William and Mary from 1833 to 1848 and was president of the college 1847-1848. He was a captain in the Confederate States Army, head of Eastern State Hospital, mayor of Willamsburg, vestryman of Bruton Parish and served in the Virginia State Senate. Saunders married Lucy Burwell Page in 1828 and had, among other children, Roberta Saunders and Robert Page Saunders. He died 11 September 1868.
This collection includes correspondence of Margaret Lowther Page of "Rosewell," Gloucester County, Virginia and Williamsburg, Virginia with her daughter Lucy Burwell Page Saunders and her son-in-law Robert Saunders. Also included are a diary, 1826, of Robert Saunders while on a trip from New York to Le Havre; published stories of Lucy Burwell Page Saunders; manuscript stories by Roberta Saunders; and correspondence of Robert Page Saunders.
There are references to Benjamin Stoddert Ewell and to the College of William and Mary in the papers; a letter, 16 February 1816, written by William Wirt to Robert Saunders; and letters from Sally M. Galt of Williamsburg.
This collection is organized into 4 Series. Series 1 contains Correspondence; Series 2 contains papers concerning estates; Series 3 contains writtings; and Series 4 contains miscellaneous material.
ArrangementThis collection is arranged mostly chronologically.
Lawsuits and money owed.
Escape of Yarbrough who owes money to Blair from jail. Willing to give Yarbrough a year longer if can get deed of trust.
Death of her sister's fiance. Can't visit but entreats sister to come to her to live. Arrival of General Wayne in Philadelphia. Can she get a letter to sister Penny and Mr. Dawson. Health of her children, Gregory and Peggy.
Sister. Illness of her poor Barbara. Peggy helped. 4 children. Herrings. Dr and Mrs. Sawyer. Unhappy by late proceedings of President and Professors. General impression their conduct equally reprehensible as that of the students. Sorry Samuel signed remonstrance. She would have tried to stop him. Boards with Mr. Tazewell. Piece in Enquirer. Mrs. Byrd's accounts of lots in Lynchburg. Will retract two words. Note: This letter refers to the reprehensible conduct of the faculty and students of William and Mary College.
Margaret Page, Williamsburg, to Mrs. Lowther, at Edenton, North Carolina. Worried re: her. Death of Chancellor Nelson. My John visiting springs. Lucy, Barbara and myself went to Gloster [Gloucester County, Virginia] Expectation of visiting Peggy. Waiting for payment for Grain sale. Lucy delighted at thoughts of visiting William. Dr. Hare appointed Professor of Chemistry at Medical College at Philadelphia. Dear William, Maria and Mr. Skinner.[illegible SAR handwriting] Mr. Skinner returned here.
Birth of Maria's Skinner child. Condition of her shoulder that was operated on 12 years before. Invites her and our dear William to visit. Daughter Barbara has returned from Richmond and granddaughter Peggy, tho unable to walk is thought by physicians to be in a fair way of perfect recovery. Rest of her children quite well.
Death of Mrs. Henry Skipwith. (Elizabeth Byrd). Extreme heat. Son has left.
Her sister's health. At Elmington visiting daughter. Granddaughter Peggy still unable to use leg. Son John has situated at Union Town, Monroe County, Virginia near White and Sweet Sulphur Springs. Disappointed to hear from Mr. Blair that Mr. Skinner has been in Richmond and she had not seen him. "Lucy is delighted at the thought of having William's picture...wishes above all things to see the little Penelope." "Present us most affectionately to our beloved Maria and William... Kiss for us all the sweet little Pen."
" . . . as I am sensible of the deep Interest you take in our dear Lucy's improvement, hasten to inform you that on the 11th Mr. Morse (the gentleman who boarded at Mrs. Peachy's open'd a school for the education of young ladies. . . "Mr. Fontaine ... had much skill in gardening and publish'd a garden calendar for every Month in the Year a Manuscript Copy of which I ought to have among my Papers. The great Botanist Clayton of whom you also enquire was well known to your Father. . . He resided either in gloster or Middlesex . . . I heard the remains of his Garden frequently spoken of, as being at no great Distance. . . " Mr. Clayton's grandson. Death of Mrs. Andrews and terms of her will. Tuckers are relieved from anxiety on Mrs. Cabell's account. Sally Tazewell to be married to Mr. Goode. Mayo advertised the revised code and as I requested Mr. Blair (he having both Cooper Jemmy's and Wison's hire for the last year in his hands) to get and pay for the copy I engaged and send it on to you.
Glad to hear people in Williamsburg interested in religion. Would like more rhymes from E. G. G.
Appreciates his sympathy at death of his father (William's uncle). Bequest under will. Left money and watch with chain and one seal.
Trial of Dr. Ducachet (Episcopal minister).
Rains. Thunder cloud. Dr. Ducachet honorably acquitted. Horrible mob in Baltimore. [note says one of last letters Margaret Lowther Page wrote]
Pleased at continued recovery of daughter. Dr. P at Jamestown. Cannot get away due to accident with boat to return to Bowling Green where daughter, Sally Cary is ill. Health of friends in Williamsburg. Hot, hot weather there.
Clothes she is sewing and clothes she is sending. Mentions what others have been wearing. Fears confinement of teaching will be too much for you.
Has been to hear Cousin Robert Nelson preach. Staunton Institute opens tomorrow. Mrs. Forest has female teacher from the North who taught in Mississippi and Memphis and knew Kate Millington. . . she is keeping a boy's school but it is in town at the Academy."
Three fortifications going up in our immediate neighborhood. Blockade in Virginia. College closed two days ago. Description of defenses at Gloucester Point, Yorktown and Jamestown. Blockade intended to worry people out of a vote for secession. Ewell has commenced erection of plank huts on field on College Landing road. Typescript available.
Is no longer president of the railroad. Mr. Wilmer is chaplain of Ewell's regiment. Professor Morrison died of typhoid fever. Corrects his French.
Has had place in Treasury Dept. conferred on him. Not pleased with position but friends worked so hard to get it for him, he will keep it for awhile to see if he can advance. Mrs. Minnigerode remains unwell.
Bad weather. Mrs. General Gaines. Has not seen Lizzie Ewell but has seen Mr. Stoddert.
Son's demerits at Virginia Military Institute.
Wise is a little above Williamsburg. Probably not going to attack Fort Magruder. Col. Tabb's skirmish at Whitaker's Mill. Went around Williamsburg and Fort Magruder by way of Tutter's Neck. Could have taken Fort Magruder earlier. Mrs. Morison's porch hit by shell.
Has sent money to Gen. Smith. Yankees retook possession of Williamsburg after Gen. Wise left it.
Invited to get some of Miss Rebecca's good tea. Visited General Ewell who is installed on house on Franklin Street near Eighth and just opposite Mrs. Stanard's. Found Lizzie there.
Has visited Ewells.
Description of Ashland. Visit to the household of Bishop Johns and lists who lives there. Has been offered new position (quartermaster).
Description of his travels in his new position as quartermaster collecting taxes.
Wants pardon, land back and something to do.
Celebration of 100th anniversary of Asylum will be 12 October 1873. First patient admitted.
Sends enclosed [invitations to Robert?] Description of wedding.
Invites someone to be guest.
News of friends. Dick Coke to be senator from Texas. Description of wedding.
Bad weather. Leonora. Death of Mary Booth. Death of Alice Brown Hammond, nee Hankins.
Gabriella is too sick to attend to putting up the stone.
"Says Dr. Power wrote to ask her to let Jno. Tyler and his daughter rent rooms in the house but she refused. What can he want there I wonder. He was so intemperate in this city before he left and had his daughter with him." Wants him to contact publisher in Baltimore to see if he would put story for Indian mission of Bp. Whipple.
Delia Braithwaite and her flock. Kindness of Braithwaites to her in her illness. Intends to be in Baltimore on the 11th. Visit from Rev. William Pettus of Kentucky. Protege of Prof. Ro. Saunders. Mrs. Minnegerode has sent me the dr's. sermons.
Appreciate subscription to the Nation. (Christmas present.)
Visits. Hard times in Williamsburg. Even in Yorktown vegetables and ice very high. Food is scarce in Williamsburg. Lack of money.
Thanks for Life of Caesar . Burning of house at Shelly.
Cholera epidemic. Illness of family. Uncle. His son "our poor feeble-minded one is of course a great charge.
Has brought place in Hampton.
Has dispatched sketch. Want of means makes no difference in the Southern manners. Lizzie wrote that Ewell has gone to Texas. Neither herself or her father like it. Mr. Soctt does on Ewell's account.
Mortgage rates.
Subscription to Maryland Churchman . Enclosure: An advertisement of Lycett, stationer.
Death of Mrs. Capron.
Thanks for bread and cheese. Received iron.
Payment for mortgage.
Wants to hear from him concerning his health.
Carmody mortgage.
Glad he feels so well. Wishes they could send box of eats and check.
Afraid she has mislead Lucy Page concerning her health statement. Talks about what her health statement said. Good health for my age.
Lucy teaching in Fincastle. Wants Page book. Jack Munford's death.
Note: Signature of Robert P. Saunders on back of front cover and on fly leaf.
Also a newspaper clipping of an article by B. J. Lossing regarding the subject of this picture which hung in the library of Robert Saunders of Williamsburg, Virginia. 1 item.
This tribute is written on the flyleaf of a copy of the Book of Common Prayer.
Concerns William W. Corcoran.
Includes a book of quotations which probably belonged to Mrs. Lucy Page Saunders.
Includes memorandum book.
Written by Dr. Thomas Parnell, Late Arch-Deacon of Clogher and published by Mrs. Pope.