Roy Bird Cook (1886-1961), Collector, Tavenner Family Papers and Other Material
Collection
Collection Number: A&M.0081
Scope and Contents
Papers of Thomas Tavenner and the Tavenner family of western Virginia, including correspondence; memoirs; journals; financial and legal documents; pamphlets; newspapers; and other material. Much of the material in this collection regards the Civil War. The Tavenner family were Confederate sympathizers.
The collection is organized into ten series, including:
Series 1. Correspondence; 1796-1955, undated; box 1, folders 1A-20
Series 2. Reminiscences; 1861-1866, undated; box 1, folders 21-23
Series 3. Journals; 1840-1863; box 1, folders 24-25
Series 4. Financial papers; 1821-1901, undated; box 1, folders 26-31
Series 5. Indentures and Deeds; 1783-1855, undated; box 2, folders 1-8
Series 6. Subject series; 1859, undated; box 2, folders 9-15
Series 7. Pamphlets; 1845-1935; box 2, folders 16-19
Series 8. Ephemera; undated; box 2, folder 20
Series 9. Miscellaneous; 1932-1940, undated; box 2, folders 21-23
Series 10. Oversize; 1772-1938; box 3, folders 1-6
Series 1. Correspondence; 1796-1955, undated; box 1, folders 1A-20 between members of the Tavenner family in (West) Virginia, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, Louisiana, and Michigan. Other correspondence includes Mason Matthews to his son Joseph William Matthews, CSA; Rev. Enoch Rector and Rector College; Andrew S. Rowan; and Capt John V. Young, 11th Virginia, USA.
Series 2. Reminiscences; 1861-1866, undated; box 1, folders 21-23 includes memoirs of E.D. Camden, Capt. James B. Cassady, and W.T. Kinzer.
Series 3. Journals; 1840-1863; box 1, folders 24-25 includes the Civil War journal (1862-63) of Henrietta Fitzhugh Barr and one unidentified journal (1840-59).
Series 4. Financial papers; 1821-1901, undated; box 1, folders 26-31 includes receipts, tax papers, business contracts and miscellaneous items. Also includes an account book of Thomas Tavenner (1858-59) and a Cow Book.
Series 5. Indentures and Deeds; 1783-1855, undated; box 2, folders 1-8 includes indentures for lands deeded to George Washington by King George III, 19 February 1754 and deeds regarding land purchases by Thomas Tavenner and various members of his family. Most deeds are for land in Wood County, while others are for land located in Monongalia, Kanawha, Wirt, and Harrison counties in western Virginia, and Edwards and Wabash counties in Illinois.
Series 6. Subjects; 1859, undated; box 2, folders 9-15 consists of a Kanawha Valley Economic Petition with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad; an index of articles on the John Brown Raid in the Battle Creek (Weekly) Journal (Michigan); a Civil War play about Gauley Mountain; a short history of the 133rd Virginia Militia; poetry written by Thomas Tavenner; and a typescript history of the property title for Weston State Hospital (5 pages).
Series 7. Pamphlets; 1845-1935; box 2, folders 16-19 includes pamphlets and magazines.
Series 8. Ephemera; undated; box 2, folder 20 includes a States Rights Ticket, photo of Colonel John S. Camden's headstone, and calling cards.
Series 9. Miscellaneous; 1932-1940, undated; box 2, folders 21-23 includes typescripts send to Roy Bird Cook, a Captain's commission (copy) for Henry Harris signed by John Hancock in 1776, and miscellaneous envelopes and paper.
Series 10. Oversize; 1772-1938; box 3, folders 1-6 includes genealogy (1932) of Mary Randolph Cook, citizenship papers for Ian Christian Brevoor (1797), a map of George Washington's land grant (1772) on the Little Kanawha River, and Civil War newspapers including 10 issues of the Richmond Whig (1863-64), 11 issues of the Richmond Daily Dispatch (1862, 1864), and miscellaneous newspapers from Staunton, Virginia, New York, Pittsburgh, and Louisville.
Contents List:
Series 1. Correspondence
Box 1; folder 1A; Cook, Roy Bird Correspondence (Tavenner Genealogy); undated
Box 1; folder 1B; Tavenner Family; 1818-1846
Box 1; folder 2; Tavenner Family; 1847-1854
Box 1; folder 3; Tavenner Family; 1854-1861
Box 1; folder 4; Tavenner Family; 1861-1865
Box 1; folder 5; Tavenner Family; 1867
Box 1; folder 6; Tavenner Family; 1867-1868
Box 1; folder 7; Tavenner Family; 1868-1876
Box 1; folder 8; Tavenner Family; 1876-1878
Box 1; folder 9; Tavenner Family; 1879-1882
Box 1; folder 10; Tavenner Family; 1883-1955
Box 1; folder 11; Tavenner Family; undated
Box 1; folder 12; Tavenner Family; undated
Box 1; folder 13; Tavenner Family (copies); undated
Box 1; folder 14; Matthews, Mason to his son, Joseph William Matthews, CSA (contains transcripts); 1861-1865
Box 1; folder 15; Rector College and Reverend Enoch Rector (contains transcripts); 1822-1936
Box 1; folder 16; Rowan, Andrew S. (contains transcripts); 1823-1937
Box 1; folder 17; Young, John V., Captain, 11th Virginia, Company G (Union) (contains transcriptions); 1862-1864
Box 1; folder 18; Young, John V., Captain, 11th Virginia, Company G (Union) (contains transcriptions); 1864-1865
Box 1; folder 19; Young, John V., Captain, 11th Virginia, Company G (Union) (contains transcriptions); 1864-1865
Box 1; folder 20; Miscellaneous (contains transcriptions); 1796-1937
Series 2. Reminiscences
Box 1; folder 21; Camden, E.D. (contains transcriptions); undated
Box 1; folder 22; Cassady, James B. (contains transcriptions); 1866
Box 1; folder 23; Kinzer, W.T. (contains transcripts); 1861-1864
Series 3. Journals
Box 1; folder 24; Barr, Henrietta Fitzhugh; 1862-1863
Box 1; folder 25; Unidentified; 1840-1859
Series 4. Financial papers
Box 1; folder 26; General; 1821-1842
Box 1; folder 27; General; 1842-1874
Box 1; folder 28; General; undated
Box 1; folder 29; Checks; 1855-1867
Box 1; folder 30; Checks; 1897-1901
Box 1; folder 31; Account Books; 1858-1861
Series 5. Indentures and Deeds
Box 2; folder 1; Miscellaneous; 1783-1808
Box 2; folder 2; Miscellaneous; 1813-1822
Box 2; folder 3; Miscellaneous; 1823-1832
Box 2; folder 4; Miscellaneous; 1838-1843
Box 2; folder 5; Miscellaneous; 1843-1854
Box 2; folder 6; Miscellaneous; 1854-1855
Box 2; folder 7; Miscellaneous; undated
Box 2; folder 8; Miscellaneous; undated
Series 6. Subject series
Box 2; folder 9; Kanawha Valley Economic Petition with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad; undated
Box 2; folder 10; Annotated list of articles in the Battle Creek (Weekly) Journal (Michigan) regarding John Brown and his followers; undated
Box 2; folder 11; Civil War Play -- Gauley Mountain; undated
Box 2; folder 12; 133rd Virginia Militia -- Brief Historical Sketch; undated
Box 2; folder 13; Poetry by T.J. Tavenner; undated
Box 2; folder 14; Poetry by T.J. Tavenner; undated
Box 2; folder 15; Weston State Hospital--History of Property Title; undated
Series 7. Pamphlets
Box 2; folder 16; The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. Vol. 9, no. 1 (July 1901); 1901
Box 2; folder 17; Southern Literary Messenger and Southern and Western Literary Messenger and Review. Vol. 13, no. 9 (September 1847); 1847
Box 2; folder 18; item 1; The Home Circle (July 1856 and October 1856, Nashville); 1856
Box 2; folder 18; item 2; Southern Planter. No. 6 (June 1856); 1856
Box 2; folder 18; item 3; Address of the Hon. Charles. J Faulkner at the Memorial Services in Honor of President Garfield in the Methodist Episcopal Church, Martinsburg, West Virginia, On Monday, September 26, 1881; 1882
Box 2; folder 18; item 4; Daniel Boone: Little-Known History of the Famous Pioneer, Trail-Blazer, Indian Fighter in the Kanawha Valley of West Virginia, by Roy Bird Cook; 1938
Box 2; folder 19; Pages from the Past: Recollections, Traditions and Old Timers' Tales of Long Ago, by George W. Summers; 1935.
Series 8. Ephemera
Box 2; folder 20; Ephemera; undated
Series 9. Miscellaneous
Box 2; folder 21; miscellaneous items and one Commission (copy) dated 1776; undated
Box 2; folder 22; miscellaneous items; undated
Box 2; folder 23; envelopes; 1932-1940, undated
Series 10. Oversize
Box 3; folder 1; Mary Randolph Cook Genealogy (1932); Citizenship Paper for Ian Christian Brevoor (1797); Map, George Washington land grant (1772)
Box 3; folder 2; Richmond Whig, six issues from 1863 and four issues from 1864; 1863-1864
Box 3; folder 3; Richmond Daily Dispatch; ten issues from 1862, one from 1863, and one from 1864; 1862-1864
Box 3; folder 4; miscellaneous newspapers; 1855-1866
Box 3; folder 5; miscellaneous newspapers; 1865-1876
Box 3; folder 6; miscellaneous West Virginia newspapers including Buckhannon Record, Charleston Gazette and Charleston Daily Mail; 1937-1938
See Also:
A&M 858, Cook, Roy Bird (1886-1961), Collector. Tavenner Family Papers and Other Material
A&M 3763, Tavenner, William C. Civil War Correspondence and Other Material
For additional information regarding Captain John V. Young of the 11th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry, see A&M 895, Cook, Roy Bird (1886-1961), Collector. Papers
The collection is organized into ten series, including:
Series 1. Correspondence; 1796-1955, undated; box 1, folders 1A-20
Series 2. Reminiscences; 1861-1866, undated; box 1, folders 21-23
Series 3. Journals; 1840-1863; box 1, folders 24-25
Series 4. Financial papers; 1821-1901, undated; box 1, folders 26-31
Series 5. Indentures and Deeds; 1783-1855, undated; box 2, folders 1-8
Series 6. Subject series; 1859, undated; box 2, folders 9-15
Series 7. Pamphlets; 1845-1935; box 2, folders 16-19
Series 8. Ephemera; undated; box 2, folder 20
Series 9. Miscellaneous; 1932-1940, undated; box 2, folders 21-23
Series 10. Oversize; 1772-1938; box 3, folders 1-6
Series 1. Correspondence; 1796-1955, undated; box 1, folders 1A-20 between members of the Tavenner family in (West) Virginia, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, Louisiana, and Michigan. Other correspondence includes Mason Matthews to his son Joseph William Matthews, CSA; Rev. Enoch Rector and Rector College; Andrew S. Rowan; and Capt John V. Young, 11th Virginia, USA.
Series 2. Reminiscences; 1861-1866, undated; box 1, folders 21-23 includes memoirs of E.D. Camden, Capt. James B. Cassady, and W.T. Kinzer.
Series 3. Journals; 1840-1863; box 1, folders 24-25 includes the Civil War journal (1862-63) of Henrietta Fitzhugh Barr and one unidentified journal (1840-59).
Series 4. Financial papers; 1821-1901, undated; box 1, folders 26-31 includes receipts, tax papers, business contracts and miscellaneous items. Also includes an account book of Thomas Tavenner (1858-59) and a Cow Book.
Series 5. Indentures and Deeds; 1783-1855, undated; box 2, folders 1-8 includes indentures for lands deeded to George Washington by King George III, 19 February 1754 and deeds regarding land purchases by Thomas Tavenner and various members of his family. Most deeds are for land in Wood County, while others are for land located in Monongalia, Kanawha, Wirt, and Harrison counties in western Virginia, and Edwards and Wabash counties in Illinois.
Series 6. Subjects; 1859, undated; box 2, folders 9-15 consists of a Kanawha Valley Economic Petition with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad; an index of articles on the John Brown Raid in the Battle Creek (Weekly) Journal (Michigan); a Civil War play about Gauley Mountain; a short history of the 133rd Virginia Militia; poetry written by Thomas Tavenner; and a typescript history of the property title for Weston State Hospital (5 pages).
Series 7. Pamphlets; 1845-1935; box 2, folders 16-19 includes pamphlets and magazines.
Series 8. Ephemera; undated; box 2, folder 20 includes a States Rights Ticket, photo of Colonel John S. Camden's headstone, and calling cards.
Series 9. Miscellaneous; 1932-1940, undated; box 2, folders 21-23 includes typescripts send to Roy Bird Cook, a Captain's commission (copy) for Henry Harris signed by John Hancock in 1776, and miscellaneous envelopes and paper.
Series 10. Oversize; 1772-1938; box 3, folders 1-6 includes genealogy (1932) of Mary Randolph Cook, citizenship papers for Ian Christian Brevoor (1797), a map of George Washington's land grant (1772) on the Little Kanawha River, and Civil War newspapers including 10 issues of the Richmond Whig (1863-64), 11 issues of the Richmond Daily Dispatch (1862, 1864), and miscellaneous newspapers from Staunton, Virginia, New York, Pittsburgh, and Louisville.
Contents List:
Series 1. Correspondence
Box 1; folder 1A; Cook, Roy Bird Correspondence (Tavenner Genealogy); undated
Box 1; folder 1B; Tavenner Family; 1818-1846
Box 1; folder 2; Tavenner Family; 1847-1854
Box 1; folder 3; Tavenner Family; 1854-1861
Box 1; folder 4; Tavenner Family; 1861-1865
Box 1; folder 5; Tavenner Family; 1867
Box 1; folder 6; Tavenner Family; 1867-1868
Box 1; folder 7; Tavenner Family; 1868-1876
Box 1; folder 8; Tavenner Family; 1876-1878
Box 1; folder 9; Tavenner Family; 1879-1882
Box 1; folder 10; Tavenner Family; 1883-1955
Box 1; folder 11; Tavenner Family; undated
Box 1; folder 12; Tavenner Family; undated
Box 1; folder 13; Tavenner Family (copies); undated
Box 1; folder 14; Matthews, Mason to his son, Joseph William Matthews, CSA (contains transcripts); 1861-1865
Box 1; folder 15; Rector College and Reverend Enoch Rector (contains transcripts); 1822-1936
Box 1; folder 16; Rowan, Andrew S. (contains transcripts); 1823-1937
Box 1; folder 17; Young, John V., Captain, 11th Virginia, Company G (Union) (contains transcriptions); 1862-1864
Box 1; folder 18; Young, John V., Captain, 11th Virginia, Company G (Union) (contains transcriptions); 1864-1865
Box 1; folder 19; Young, John V., Captain, 11th Virginia, Company G (Union) (contains transcriptions); 1864-1865
Box 1; folder 20; Miscellaneous (contains transcriptions); 1796-1937
Series 2. Reminiscences
Box 1; folder 21; Camden, E.D. (contains transcriptions); undated
Box 1; folder 22; Cassady, James B. (contains transcriptions); 1866
Box 1; folder 23; Kinzer, W.T. (contains transcripts); 1861-1864
Series 3. Journals
Box 1; folder 24; Barr, Henrietta Fitzhugh; 1862-1863
Box 1; folder 25; Unidentified; 1840-1859
Series 4. Financial papers
Box 1; folder 26; General; 1821-1842
Box 1; folder 27; General; 1842-1874
Box 1; folder 28; General; undated
Box 1; folder 29; Checks; 1855-1867
Box 1; folder 30; Checks; 1897-1901
Box 1; folder 31; Account Books; 1858-1861
Series 5. Indentures and Deeds
Box 2; folder 1; Miscellaneous; 1783-1808
Box 2; folder 2; Miscellaneous; 1813-1822
Box 2; folder 3; Miscellaneous; 1823-1832
Box 2; folder 4; Miscellaneous; 1838-1843
Box 2; folder 5; Miscellaneous; 1843-1854
Box 2; folder 6; Miscellaneous; 1854-1855
Box 2; folder 7; Miscellaneous; undated
Box 2; folder 8; Miscellaneous; undated
Series 6. Subject series
Box 2; folder 9; Kanawha Valley Economic Petition with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad; undated
Box 2; folder 10; Annotated list of articles in the Battle Creek (Weekly) Journal (Michigan) regarding John Brown and his followers; undated
Box 2; folder 11; Civil War Play -- Gauley Mountain; undated
Box 2; folder 12; 133rd Virginia Militia -- Brief Historical Sketch; undated
Box 2; folder 13; Poetry by T.J. Tavenner; undated
Box 2; folder 14; Poetry by T.J. Tavenner; undated
Box 2; folder 15; Weston State Hospital--History of Property Title; undated
Series 7. Pamphlets
Box 2; folder 16; The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. Vol. 9, no. 1 (July 1901); 1901
Box 2; folder 17; Southern Literary Messenger and Southern and Western Literary Messenger and Review. Vol. 13, no. 9 (September 1847); 1847
Box 2; folder 18; item 1; The Home Circle (July 1856 and October 1856, Nashville); 1856
Box 2; folder 18; item 2; Southern Planter. No. 6 (June 1856); 1856
Box 2; folder 18; item 3; Address of the Hon. Charles. J Faulkner at the Memorial Services in Honor of President Garfield in the Methodist Episcopal Church, Martinsburg, West Virginia, On Monday, September 26, 1881; 1882
Box 2; folder 18; item 4; Daniel Boone: Little-Known History of the Famous Pioneer, Trail-Blazer, Indian Fighter in the Kanawha Valley of West Virginia, by Roy Bird Cook; 1938
Box 2; folder 19; Pages from the Past: Recollections, Traditions and Old Timers' Tales of Long Ago, by George W. Summers; 1935.
Series 8. Ephemera
Box 2; folder 20; Ephemera; undated
Series 9. Miscellaneous
Box 2; folder 21; miscellaneous items and one Commission (copy) dated 1776; undated
Box 2; folder 22; miscellaneous items; undated
Box 2; folder 23; envelopes; 1932-1940, undated
Series 10. Oversize
Box 3; folder 1; Mary Randolph Cook Genealogy (1932); Citizenship Paper for Ian Christian Brevoor (1797); Map, George Washington land grant (1772)
Box 3; folder 2; Richmond Whig, six issues from 1863 and four issues from 1864; 1863-1864
Box 3; folder 3; Richmond Daily Dispatch; ten issues from 1862, one from 1863, and one from 1864; 1862-1864
Box 3; folder 4; miscellaneous newspapers; 1855-1866
Box 3; folder 5; miscellaneous newspapers; 1865-1876
Box 3; folder 6; miscellaneous West Virginia newspapers including Buckhannon Record, Charleston Gazette and Charleston Daily Mail; 1937-1938
See Also:
A&M 858, Cook, Roy Bird (1886-1961), Collector. Tavenner Family Papers and Other Material
A&M 3763, Tavenner, William C. Civil War Correspondence and Other Material
For additional information regarding Captain John V. Young of the 11th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry, see A&M 895, Cook, Roy Bird (1886-1961), Collector. Papers
Dates
- 1772-1955
- Majority of material found within 1855-1866
Creator
- Cook, Roy Bird, 1886-1961 (Person)
Language of Materials
English
Conditions Governing Access
No special access restriction applies.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please contact the West Virginia and Regional History Center.
Biographical / Historical
Roy Bird Cook was born at Roanoke, Lewis County on April 1, 1886, the son of David Bird and Dora Elizabeth Conrad Cook. In 1905, at age 19, he received his pharmacy license, the youngest person to ever do so in West Virginia. His pharmacy career spanned fifty-six years. During his lifetime, Cook served on many pharmacy and state boards and commissions. His interest in local history, the Confederacy and Stonewall Jackson inspired him to collect manuscripts and some 600 volumes on those subjects. His many awards and honors include an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from West Virginia University in 1938.
Extent
1.1 Linear Feet (Summary: 1 ft. 1 in. (2 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 large flat storage box, 3 in.))
Overview
Papers of Thomas Tavenner and the Tavenner family of western Virginia, including correspondence; memoirs; journals; financial and legal documents; pamphlets; newspapers; and other material. Much of the material in this collection regards the Civil War. The Tavenner family were Confederate sympathizers. The collection is organized into ten series, including: 1. Correspondence (1796-1955, undated); 2. Reminiscences (1861-1866, undated); 3. Journals (1840-1863); 4. Financial papers (1821-1901, undated); 5. Indentures and Deeds (1783-1855, undated); 6. Subject series (1859, undated); 7. Pamphlets (1845-1935); 8. Ephemera (undated); 9. Miscellaneous (1932-1940, undated); 10. Oversize (1772-1938). Please see "Scope and Content Note" and "Historical Note" for further information.
Physical Location
West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / Fax: 304-293-3981 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
- Account books
- Barr, Henrietta Fitzhugh
- Brown, John -- Raid
- Brown, John.
- Camden family
- Camden, Gideon D. (1805-1891)
- Camden, John S.
- Cassady, Capt. James S.
- Civil War - Southern sympathizers in WV.
- Civil War - Union soldiers' letters.
- Civil War - Virginia 133rd Regiment.
- Civil War - West Virginia 11th Infantry.
- Civil War -- War diaries
- Civil War -- letters
- Civil War -- Confederate Army
- Civil War -- Confederate letters
- Civil War -- Confederate newspapers
- Civil War -- Confederate sympathizers
- Civil War -- Kanawha Riflemen
- Cook family
- Cook, Roy Bird, 1886-1961
- Diaries and journals.
- Fleischer family
- Harrison County (W. Va.)
- Jackson family
- Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863
- Land.
- Matthews family
- McGrew, James Clark.
- Newspapers.
- Parkersburg (W. Va.)
- Poets and poetry.
- Ravenswood (W. Va.)
- Rector, Enoch.
- Richmond (Va.)
- Rowan, Andrew Summers
- Surveyors and surveying.
- Tavenner family
- Tavenner, Jennet Withers.
- Tavenner, Thomas, 1776-1857
- Tavenner, William Cabell.
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
- Wells family
- Weston (W. Va.)
- Women's history -- 1850-1899
- Wood County (W. Va.)
- Young family
Creator
- Cook, Roy Bird, 1886-1961 (Person)
- Title
- Roy Bird Cook (1886-1961), Collector, Tavenner Family Papers and Other Material, 1772-1955
- Author
- Staff of the West Virginia & Regional History Center
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the West Virginia and Regional History Center Repository
Contact:
1549 University Ave.
P.O. Box 6069
Morgantown WV 26506-6069 US
304-293-3536
1549 University Ave.
P.O. Box 6069
Morgantown WV 26506-6069 US
304-293-3536