West Virginia and Regional History Center
1549 University Ave.P.O. Box 6069
Morgantown, WV 26506-6069
Business Number: 304-293-3536
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URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu
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Preferred Citation
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], John J. Davis (1835-1916) Papers, A&M 1366, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.
Scope and Contents
Davis was a Clarksburg lawyer and a prominent West Virginia Democratic politician who served in the House of Delegates, 1873-1877.
The collection includes Davis' correspondence while a student at Judge John W. Brookenbaugh's law school in Lexington, Va.; letters from his aunt, Margaret Steen, a Mississippi school, 1848-1861 (these letters are a revealing social commentary on the Old South); letters of Emma Davis to her mother, Mrs. John J., 1871-1904; correspondence from Davis' brother Rezin C., a Louisville lawyer and judge, 1871-1910; and letters from Julia T. McDonald to Davis' son, John W., 1897-1900.
Other papers are the records of the Clarksburg and Philippi Turnpike, 1850-1860; account books and estate papers of Davis' father, John, a Clarksburg saddle-maker; Davis' school and legal account books; clipping scrapbooks, 1861-1896; family photographs; Davis' manuscript essays and addresses; broadsides, newspapers, and printed speeches; and the writings of Julia Davis (daughter of John W.), including a manuscript of a published novel.
Subjects covered include: Know-Nothings in Clarksburg, 1855; the Virginia Legislature, 1860; John S. Carlile's financial affairs, 1869; the Virginia Springs in the 1850's; Woodburn Seminary; secession sentiment in Morgantown, 1861; Presbyterian Church in Clarksburg; Bourbon politics in W. Va.; and Kentucky and the Presidential elections, 1896-1908.
Correspondents include: John Taylor Bird, John S. Hoffman, John W. Davis, George W. Atkinson, Daniel B. Lucas, Francis J. Brooke, Granville D. Hall, Jacob B. Blair, John J. Jacobs, and O. G. Schefield.
This collection also contains several artifacts, including three leather billfolds, two of which belonged to John J. Davis and a school slate (or book slate) that belonged to John J. Davis. Davis carved his name into the slate in several places and also carved the name of his hometown of Clarksburg, W. Va. into the frame of the slate.
Related Material
1366, 1946
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- Account books
- Atkinson, Geo. W. (George Wesley), 1845-1925
- Blair, Jacob B., 1821-1901
- Bourbon politics.
- Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878
- Churches -- Presbyterian
- Clarksburg (W. Va.)
- Clarksburg and Philippi Turnpike.
- Confederate States of America - secession crisis.
- Davis family
- Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916
- Davis, John W. (John William), 1873-1955
- Davis, John.
- Davis, Julia, 1900-1993
- Davis, Rezin C.
- Elections
- Genealogy
- Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934
- Jacob, John J.
- Know-Nothingism.
- Lawyers - letters and papers.
- Lexington, V.A.
- Lincoln-Douglas debates
- Lucas, Daniel B.
- Mississippi
- Morgantown (W. Va.) -- History
- Philippi Turnpike Company
- Presidential Elections, 1896-1908
- Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877)
- Secession
- Statehood politics -- West Virginia
- Steen, Margaret.
- Turnpikes. SEE ALSO Roads.
- Virginia Springs
- Woodburn Female Seminary (Morgantown, W. Va.)
Significant Persons Associated With the Collection
- Atkinson, Geo. W. (George Wesley), 1845-1925
- Blair, Jacob B., 1821-1901
- Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878
- Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916
- Davis, John W. (John William), 1873-1955
- Davis, John.
- Davis, Julia, 1900-1993
- Davis, Rezin C.
- Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934
- Jacob, John J.
- Lucas, Daniel B.
- Steen, Margaret.
Significant Places Associated With the Collection
- Clarksburg (W. Va.)
- Lexington, V.A.
- Mississippi
- Morgantown (W. Va.) -- History
- Presidential Elections, 1896-1908
- Virginia Springs
Container List
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 1
General Correspondence1829-1840
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 2
General Correspondence1850-1899
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 3
General Correspondence1900-1909
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 4
General Correspondence1910-1916
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 5
Letters of Julia and John Steen Brown to Mary Berkshire1836-1843
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Family Letters to John J. Davis1853-1855
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Family Letters to John J. Davis1855-1861
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 8
Letters of Lemuel Taylor to John J. Davis1855-1858
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 9
Letters of Margaret Steen to John J. Davis1848-1880
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 1
Correspondence between John J. Davis and Benjamin Wilson1872-1873
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 2
Correspondence of Emma Davis1871-1904
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 3
Letters to John J. Davis from Rezin C. Davis1871-1916
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 4
Correspondence of Julia McDonald Davis1894-1900
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 5
Miscellaneous lettersundated
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 1
Business and Legal papers1824-1909
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 2
John Davis Estate papersundated
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 3
John Davis Estate papersundated
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 4
Legal papers - Turkey Run Farmundated
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 5
Papers on the construction of John Davis residence1874
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 6
Lot Bowen Mining Company stock certificate1881
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 7
Tax receipts1863-1913
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 8
Miscellaneous papersundated
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 1
Clarksburg and Philippi Turnpike Company1850-1860
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 2
Essays and Speeches of John Davisundated
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 3
Essays and Speeches of John Davisundated
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 4
Essays and Speeches of John Davisundated
- Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 1
Newspaper clippingsundated
- Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 2
Newspapersundated
- Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 3
Family photographsundated
- Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 4
Speeches, broadsides, etc.undated
- Mixed Materials Box: 6
Account Books1857-1863
- Mixed Materials Box: 6
Ledger1856-1884
- Mixed Materials Box: 6
Legal Account book1855-1865
- Mixed Materials Box: 6
Notes from lectureundated
- Mixed Materials Box: 6
Miscellaneous acounts and diariesundated
- Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 1
Clipping Scrapbook1875-1895
- Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 2
Clipping Scrapbook1874-1894
- Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 3
Clipping Scrapbook1871-1873
- Mixed Materials Box: 8 Folder: 1
Clipping Scrapbook1861-1896
- Mixed Materials Box: 8 Folder: 2
Writing of Julia Davis (play, short stories, and novel)undated