Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Wyndham Robertson Collection, Ms2009-100, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The Wyndham Robertson Collection was purchased by Special Collections in June 2009.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Wyndham Robertson Collection commenced and was completed in June 2009.

Biographical Note

Wyndham Robertson was born near Richmond, Virginia, on January 26, 1803, to William and Elizabeth Gay (Bolling) Robertson. He studied law at the College of William and Mary and was admitted to the Richmond bar in 1824. He married Mary Trigg Smith in 1831. While Robertson worked as an attorney throughout his life, his growing political convictions and devotion to the Whig party caused him to enter state politics. In 1833, he was elected to the Council of the State. Upon Governor Littleton Waller Tazewell's resignation in 1837, Robertson served as the Governor of Virginia until the election the following year. From 1838 to 1841, he served as a member of the House of Delegates in the Virignia General Assembly. Robertson then retired temporarily from politics, partially due to poor health, and moved to his wife's home, Mary's Meadows, in Abingdon, Virginia.

Though Robertson did not hold a political office again until 1859, he continued to influence politicians through personal correspondence and meetings. With the approaching American Civil War, Robertson returned to Richmond in 1858 and joined the Virginia House of Delegates again (1859-1865). In January 1861 he presented the Anti-Coercion Resolution to the House. The resolution rejected the secession of Virginia, but declared the state's willingness to join the southern cause, if the Federal Government coerced the seceded states. Following Lincoln's call for troops a few months later, which did just that, Robertson remained loyal to the Confederate cause in Virginia throughout the Civil War. He also played a vital role in re-establishing Virginia's place in the Union after the war.

Robertson retired from politics a second time around 1865 and returned to Mary's Meadows. In 1887, he published a book entitled, Pocahontas, Alias Matoaka, and Her Descendants Through Her Marriage at Jamestown, Virginia, in April, 1614, with John Rolfe, Gentleman . Robertson died in Abingdon on February 11, 1888. He is buried in Chesterfield County, Virginia.

Scope and Content

The Wyndham Robertson Collection contains five letters from 1846 to 1857 written by Robertson to John G. English. English appears to have acted as a business agent for Robertson for many years. Robertson's letters reveal interests in purchasing land in Mississippi and Alabama, hiring individuals to survey the land, and making solid investments. The letters written to English concern properties in these areas. In addition to the letters, the collection contains a promissory note written in 1874 by Robertson for the amount of $3,000 to be paid to George Palmer. The collection also contains a copy of The Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia, Bulletin from 1996 which features a detailed biography of Robertson.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged chronologically.

Related Material

Robertson, Wyndham. Pocahontas, Alias Matoaka, and Her Descendants Through Her Marriage at Jamestown, Virginia, in April, 1614, with John Rolfe, Gentleman; Including the Names of Alfriend, Archer, Bentley, Bernard, Bland, Boling, Branch, Cabell, Catlett, Cary, Dandridge, Dixon, Douglas, Duval, Eldridge, Ellett, Ferguson, Field, Fleming, Gay, Gordon, Griffin, Grayson, Harrison, Hubard, Lewis, Logan, Markham, Meade, McRae, Murray, Page, Poythress, Randolph, Robertson, Skipwith, Stanard, Tazewel, Walke, West, Whittle, and Others . Richmond: J.W. Randolph & English, 1887. Rare Book Collection: Spec Large CS 71 .R747 1887

The University of Chicago Library's Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center holds the Wyndham Robertson Papers .

The Library of Virginia's State Records Collection holds the Executive Papers of Governor Wyndham Robertson, Accession 43097 .

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• English, John G.
• Local/Regional History and Appalachian South
• Politicians -- United States
• Robertson, Wyndham, 1803-1888

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Wyndham Robertson Collection by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).