A Collection in the Special Collections Research Center
Accession Number Mss. Acc. 2008.164
Earl Gregg Swem Library, College of William and Mary
Special Collections Earl Gregg Swem Library College of William and Mary Williamsburg, Virginia 23187-8794 USA Phone: (757) 221-3090 Fax: (757) 221-5440 Email: spcoll@wm.edu URL: http://swem.wm.edu/scrc/
Offley, John Holmes, 1802-1845 Corr, L.P. Hobson, R.P. Offley, Cleand Nelson, 1869-1930 Offley, Edward Murray Offley, John Marbury, 1877-1932 Offley, Robert S. Priestly, Deborah Heaton Remsen, 1801-1887
arrangement
Language of Materials
The papers are in:
English
Abstract:
This collection details the history of the Offley Family from 1826 to 1916 through correspondences, diaries, photographs and
personal effects. Its creators include multiple generations of Offleys and their associates. The papers provide insight
into the daily life of the era as well as major geopolitical events such as the Greek War of Independence, the Spanish-American
War, the Philippine-American War, the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, and World War I. Many of the Offleys served in the
United States armed forces. The collection also includes photographs of individuals unrelated to, but, of the same era as,
the Offley Family.
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections
Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Preferred Citation
Offley Family Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.
Acquisition Information
The materials were acquired by Special Collections Research Center on 05/05/2008.
John Holmes Offley, the son of David Offley and Mary Ann Greer Offley, was born at Brooke Court-House, Virginia on 13 October
1802. Educated in Philadelphia, he first traveled to Smyrna (Izmir), Turkey in 1815 where his father, David Offley, had established
the first American commercial firm, Woodmans and Offley, in the Levant. John Holmes Offley later entered into a commercial
partnership at Trieste with his brother Richard Jones Offley (Richard & John Holmes Offley Co.). He later served as a ship
chandler, contracted to provide provisions for the American squadron then stationed in the Mediterranean. John Holmes Offley
returned to the United States with his family in 1835. He served, for a time, as the Inspector of Customs for the port of
New York City. He moved to Georgetown in Washington, D.C. in 1838. After serving on special assignment for the U.S. War
Department, he was appointed as Corresponding Clerk in the U.S. War Department, and later saw service as the Acting Chief
Clerk of the U.S. War Department. He served as vestryman for St. Johns Episcopal Church of Georgetown from 1840 until the
time of his death. It was at that church that he married Catherine Van Rensselaer Heaton (1806-1887) on 22 September 1823.
John Holmes Offley died on 20 December 1845. Further information about this individual or organization may be available in
the Special Collections Research Center Wiki: <a href="http://scrc.swem.wm.edu/wiki/index.php/John Holmes Offley">http://scrc.swem.wm.edu/wiki/index.php/John
Holmes Offley</a>.
This collection details the history of the Offley Family from 1826 to 1916 through correspondences, diaries, photographs and
personal effects. Its creators include multiple generations of Offleys and their associates. The papers provide insight
into the daily life of the era as well as major geopolitical events such as the Greek War of Independence, the Spanish-American
War, the Philippine-American War, the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, and World War I. Many of the Offleys served in the
United States armed forces. The collection also includes photographs of individuals unrelated to, but, of the same era as,
the Offley Family.
This collection is arranged into twelve series centered around creators. Series One through Five detail the correspondences,
diaries, photographs, and personal effects of J.H. Offley, R.S. Offley, C.N. Offley, and E.M. Offley. E.M. Offley's papers
comprise the bulk of the collection. Series Six covers the diary of Deborah H.R. Priestly, a relative of the Offleys. Series
Seven examines the diary of L.P. Corr, an associate of the Offleys. Series Eight consists of a correspondence between R.P.
Hobson and an unspecified Offley. Series Nine contains photographs of the Young Family. Series Ten includes a photograph
of Cleland Kinloch Nelson. Series Eleven consists of two photographs ascribed to Herman Schreier. Series Twelve consists
of papers and photographs with unknown creators.