Conditions Governing Use:

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.

Conditions Governing Access:

Collection is open to all researchers.

Preferred Citation:

James Poyntz Nelson Manuscript Volumes, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Biographical Information:

James Poyntz Nelson was a Virginian writer and poet. One book, published in 1914 is "Balla, and other Virginia stories" and an address he gave is entitled, "The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway." He was chief engineer of various railroad companies. Further information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special Collections Research Center Wiki: .

Scope and Contents

Manuscripts of James Poyntz Nelson, a chief engineer of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad and the Elizabethtown, Lexington and Big Sandy Railroad.  Includes diaries, a letter copy book and a personal notebook. The Nelson Family lived in Lexington, Kentucky.

MsV Ad121  Pocket diary.  1883. 206 pages.  Nelson was the chief engineer of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad.

MsV Ad122  Logbook used as a diary.  1886.

MsV Ad123  Pocket diary.  1889. Nelson was chief engineer of the Elizabethtown, Lexington and Big Sandy Railroad.

MsV Ad124  Letter copy book.  May 11, 1886 to August 28, 1894.

MsV Ad125  Notebook of either Mr. or Mrs. James Poyntz Nelson, or possibly used by various members of the family.  Includes school exercises, garden notes, recipes, letters, personal notes and newspaper clippings.

Related Material

Mss. 39.2 N33 and Mss. Acc. 2005.24 James Poyntz Nelson Papers and J. P. Nelson's wife's papers; Olive Nelson Commonplace Book, 1901 (Mss. MsV Co4) in Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Company
• Daybooks
• Diaries
• Elizabethtown, Lexington and Big Sandy Railroad Company
• Letter books
• Nelson family
• Newspapers
• Railroad engineers--Diaries
• Railroads
• Railroads--United States
• Scrapbooks
• United States--American Authors