Skip to main content

Gideon D. Camden (1805-1891) Papers

 Collection
Collection Number: A&M 1199

Scope and Contents

Papers of Judge Gideon D. Camden (1805-1891) of Clarksburg, Harrison County, West Virginia, and papers of his grandson Wilson Lee Camden (1870-1958). Gideon D. Camden was a lawyer, Democratic politician, member of the Virginia Convention of 1850-1851, circuit judge, and state senator (1872-1876). His papers include correspondence, legal and business papers, surveys and plats, and printed material. Subjects include Virginia, West Virginia, and national politics; the railroad, oil, timber, and coal industries; and Camden's law practice. Wilson Lee Camden papers include correspondence, legal papers, surveys and plats, printed material, business manuscripts, photographs, map, and ledgers. Subjects include the settlement of his grandfather's estate, and extensive coal, timber, land, railroad, and oil interests in West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania.

Gideon D. Camden papers include correspondence (1785-1891); legal and business papers dealing with his extensive law practice, particularly in land claims (1784-1892); surveys and plats (1784-1905, undated); and printed material.

Subjects of the G.D. Camden correspondence include the development of transportation in western Virginia; the tariff of 1846; the election of 1848; Virginia, West Virginia, and national politics; the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1850; the Compromise of 1850; land sales and immigration in Western Virginia; the railroad struggle between Parkersburg and Wheeling; the Whig Party; Secession; the development of the West Virginia oil fields, coal strands, and timber lands; Reconstruction in West Virginia; the state election of 1868; the Flick Amendment; the Constitutional Convention of 1872; the West Virginia Capitol question; West Virginia University; education; the senatorial contest of 1874; railroads in the post-bellum period; the Democratic National Convention of 1876; the 47th Congress; and state politics during the Cleveland Administration.

Correspondents include Lot M. Morrill, Waitman T. Willey, Albert Gallatin Jenkins, John Letcher, John S. Carlile, Peter G. Van Winkle, Francis H. Pierpont, Benjamin Wilson, A.I. Boreman, and many more.

Wilson Lee Camden papers include correspondence (1885-1958, undated); legal papers (1817-1958, undated); surveys and plats (1872-1937, undated); printed material (1895-1951, undated); business manuscripts; photographs; map; and ledgers. Map shows the Camden holdings (mostly mines). Ledgers include a daybook (1903-1904), a record of land owned, and a letter book (1895-1903).

Subjects of the W.L. Camden papers include the settlement of his grandfather's estate, and extensive coal, timber, land, railroad, and oil interests in West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania.

Dates

  • Creation: 1784-1958, undated

Creator

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 see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.

Extent

35.7 Linear Feet (Summary: 35 ft. 7 1/2 in. (84 document cases, 5 in. each); (2 document cases, 2 1/2 in. each); (1 large flat storage box, 5 in.))

Overview

Papers of Judge Gideon D. Camden (1805-1891) of Clarksburg, Harrison County, West Virginia, and papers of his grandson Wilson Lee Camden (1870-1958). Gideon D. Camden was a lawyer, Democratic politician, member of the Virginia Convention of 1850-1851, circuit judge, and state senator (1872-1876). His papers include correspondence, legal and business papers, surveys and plats, and printed material. Subjects include Virginia, West Virginia, and national politics; the railroad, oil, timber, and coal industries; and Camden's law practice. Wilson Lee Camden papers include correspondence, legal papers, surveys and plats, printed material, business manuscripts, photographs, map, and ledgers. Subjects include the settlement of his grandfather's estate, and extensive coal, timber, land, railroad, and oil interests in West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania. See Scope and Content Note for more 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/

Related A&M Collections

1188, 1199, 1221, 1260, 1276, 1495, 1517, 1523, 1868

Title
Gideon D. Camden (1805-1891) Papers, 1784-1958, undated
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