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West Virginia and Regional History Center
1549 University Ave.P.O. Box 6069
Morgantown, WV 26506-6069
Business Number: 304-293-3536
wvrhcref@westvirginia.libanswers.com
URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu
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Preferred Citation
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], William C. Tavenner, Civil War Correspondence and Other Material, A&M 3763, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.
Biographical / Historical
William Cabell Tavenner was the eldest child of Cabell Tavenner and Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner. During Tavenner's childhood the family lived in Weston, (West) Virginia. The extended family had ties to Lewis County, Harrison County, and Wood County. Tavenner had three siblings, a younger brother, Thomas Alexander (referred to as "Tat" in the letters), and two sisters, Elizabeth M. and Jennet A. (who is often referred to as "Jen" in the letters). William Tavenner's paternal grandfather was Colonel Thomas Tavenner, one of the early settlers of Wood county and a prominent man in local affairs. Tavenner's maternal grandfather was Alexander Scott Withers, the author of "Chronicles of Border Warfare", an important early history of the settlement of western Virginia. Two of Tavenner's maternal aunts also appear in the collection's correspondence, including Mrs. Mary T. Owen of Galveston, Texas (referred to as "Poca" in letters), and Elizabeth Ann Thornhill of New Orleans (referred to as "Bettie").
The exact date and circumstances of Tavenner's entry into the military are unknown. He was stationed in New Orleans during the first years of the war, later moving northward to Virginia sometime between the spring of 1862 and January 1863. He was elected Lieutenant Colonel of the newly formed 17th Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment in January 1863. Tavenner was fatally wounded at the Battle of Monocacy on 9 July 1864. He died of his injuries on 11 July 1863 at the nearby Gambrill Mill, which was used as a field hospital after the battle.
For more genealogical and historical information regarding the Tavenner family, see: A&M 81; Cook, Roy Bird (1886-1961), Collector. Tavenner Family Papers and Other Material; Folder 1a.
Scope and Contents
Letters of William C. Tavenner and members of his family. The family had ties to Lewis and Harrison County. Tavenner's letters include both personal and military correspondence from the Civil War, most relating to his service as a soldier in the Confederate Army (as Lieutenant Colonel of the 17th Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment) and his death at the Battle of Monocacy. There are also letters from other members of Tavenner's family from before and after the Civil War.
Series include:
Series 1. Correspondence of Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner; 1846-1858, undated; Folder 1
Series 2. Correspondence of William C. Tavenner; 1860-1864; Folder 2
Series 3. Correspondence Regarding Battle of Monocacy and William C. Tavenner's death; 1864; Folder 3
Series 4. Postbellum Correspondence; 1865-1873, 1940; Folder 4
Series 5. Artifact; undated; Folder 5
Series 6. Miscellaneous; undated; 10 fragments, Folder 6
See Also:
A&M 81, Cook, Roy Bird (1886-1961), Collector. Tavenner Family Papers and Other Material
A&M 858, Cook, Roy Bird (1886-1961), Collector. Tavenner Family Papers and Other Material
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- Civil War - Virginia 17th Volunteer Cavalry Regiment.
- Civil War battles - Monocacy.
- Lewis County.
- Tavenner family
- Tavenner, William Cabell.
Significant Persons Associated With the Collection
- Tavenner, William C.
- Tavenner, William Cabell.
Container List
This series contains letters between William C. Tavenner's mother Jennet and her father, Colonel Thomas Tavenner, and her siblings, mostly regarding the death of Jennet's husband Cabell Tavenner and the disposal of his property. Mentioned in one of the letters is the steamship Landis, which was part of the Confederate Navy during the Civil War.
- Mixed Materials Folder: 1
From Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Weston; to Colonel Thomas Tavenner1846 January 24
- Mixed Materials Folder: 1
From Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Weston; to Colonel Thomas Tavenner18[49?] December 14
- Mixed Materials Folder: 1
From Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Weston; to Colonel Thomas Tavenner1850 January 11
- Mixed Materials Folder: 1
From Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Weston; to Colonel Thomas Tavenner, Parkersburg18[50?] March 13
- Mixed Materials Folder: 1
From Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Weston; to Colonel Thomas Tavenner, in Parkersburg18[50?] June 24
- Mixed Materials Folder: 1
From "G.E.B.", in Parkersburg; to Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Weston18?? March 8
- Mixed Materials Folder: 1
From "G.E.B.", in Parkersburg; to Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Weston18?? April 28
- Mixed Materials Folder: 1
From Enoch Thornton Withers, in Birdville, Texas; to Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Weston1858 May 20
- Mixed Materials Folder: 1
From Mary T. Owen, "on board the Landis"; to Jennet (Withers) Tavenner, in Weston18?? December 21
This series includes correspondence between William C. Tavenner and his mother, sister, and other family members, mostly concerning Tavenner's military service and the Civil War; and correspondence between Tavenner and members of the Confederate Army. Letters dating between 1860 and 1862 were sent while Tavenner was living in or stationed in New Orleans. Letters between Tavenner and his family discuss the possibility that western Virginia will secede along with other Southern states and Tavenner's willingness to fight. Tavenner also asks for more frequent letters from his family, news from western Virginia, and local newspapers. While in New Orleans he remarks upon railroad transportation, food prices, health conditions, and the mood of residents in their speculation of imminent attack. Military correspondence includes a letter from a Colonel Ferguson (most likely Milton J. Ferguson) informing Tavenner of his election to the position of Lt. Colonel (28 January 1863). An unsigned letter, believed to be in Tavenner's hand, describes skirmishing with Union troops (31 May 1864).
- Mixed Materials Folder: 2
From William C. Tavenner, in New Orleans; to Jennet A. Tavenner1860 May 13
- Mixed Materials Folder: 2
From William C. Tavenner, in New Orleans; to Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner1860 December 24
- Mixed Materials Folder: 2
From William C. Tavenner, in New Orleans; to Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner1861 January 25
- Mixed Materials Folder: 2
From William C. Tavenner, in New Orleans; to Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner1861 February 25
- Mixed Materials Folder: 2
From William C. Tavenner, in New Orleans; to Jennet A. Tavenner1861 March 29
- Mixed Materials Folder: 2
From William C. Tavenner, in New Orleans; to Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner1861 April 10
- Mixed Materials Folder: 2
From William C. Tavenner, in New Orleans; to Jennet A. Tavenner1861 April 15
- Mixed Materials Folder: 2
From Elizabeth Ann Thornhill; to William C. Tavenner, in New Orleans1862 March 1
- Mixed Materials Folder: 2
From Mary T. Owen, in Galveston, Texas; to William C. Tavenner1862 March 23
- Mixed Materials Folder: 2
From Col. Milton J. Ferguson, "near Salem, Va."; to William C. Tavenner1863 January 28
- Mixed Materials Folder: 2
From E. Richardson, in Huntsville, Alabama; to William C. Tavenner, in Richmond, Virginia1863 February 8
- Mixed Materials Folder: 2
From "Lucy", in Big Lick; to William C. Tavenner1863 April 14
- Mixed Materials Folder: 2
From "Lucy", in Big Lick; to William C. Tavenner1863 May 9
- Mixed Materials Folder: 2
From "Lide"; [Elizabeth M. Tavenner?]; to William C. Tavenner1864 May 27
- Mixed Materials Folder: 2
From William C. Tavenner; to unknown1864 May 31
This series contains letters between Tavenner and other members of the Confederate army prior to the Battle of Monocacy, as well as personal correspondence between members of Tavenner's family and those who had witnessed Tavenner's injury and subsequent death. Military correspondence includes a pencil copy of an order from Brigadier General John McCausland, Jr. (4 July 1864) and a list of horses for the use of the 17th Virginia Cavalry (5 July 1864). Personal correspondence includes letters between Tavenner's mother, brother, and other relatives, as well as several letters from James H. Gambrill, who was with Tavenner when he died. Also included in the series is a letter from Lemuel Thomas Foote, a Chaplain in the Union Army who was entrusted with passing a "wallet" (or notebook) of Tavenner's onto his family (10 September 1864). The notebook is included with the letter.
- Mixed Materials Folder: 3
From Brigadier General John McCausland, Jr.; to William C. Tavenner1864 July 4
- Mixed Materials Folder: 3
From unknown, in "Camp Sheppardstown, Va."; to William C. Tavenner1864 July 5
- Mixed Materials Folder: 3
From Florence Armstrong, in Ripley, Virginia; to Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner1864 August 4
- Mixed Materials Folder: 3
From James H. Gambrill, in Frederick, Maryland; to Thomas Alexander Tavenner1864 August 13
- Mixed Materials Folder: 3
From James H. Gambrill, in Frederick, Maryland; to Thomas Alexander Tavenner1864 August 18
- Mixed Materials Folder: 3
From Elizabeth Ann Thornhill, in Masion, Alabama; to Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner1864 August 22
- Mixed Materials Folder: 3
From James H. Gambrill, in "Araby Mills"; to Thomas Alexander Tavenner1864 September 1
- Mixed Materials Folder: 3
From Lemuel Thomas Foote, "near Berryville, Va."; to Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Parkersburg (includes "wallet" or notebook)1864 September 10
This series includes letters between members of the Tavenner family dating after the Civil War regarding miscellaneous financial assets of William C. Tavenner, among other topics. Also includes one letter addressed to Roy Bird Cook regarding the history of the Tavenner family (15 April 1940).
- Mixed Materials Folder: 4
From James M. Laidley, in Charleston; to D.R. Neal1865 June 9
- Mixed Materials Folder: 4
From H. H. Michaels, in "Gilmer Co."; to Thomas Alexander Tavenner1868 January 21
- Mixed Materials Folder: 4
From Robert W. Withers, in "Castel Craig, Campell Co."; to Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Green Meadows1873 June 16
- Mixed Materials Folder: 4
From Robert W. Withers, in "Castel Craig, Campell Co."; to Jennet S. (Withers) Tavenner, in Green Meadows (includes transcript with fragments of original letter in envelope)1873 November 13
- Mixed Materials Folder: 4
From Emma Withers, in Buckhannon; to Roy B. Cook, in Charleston1940 April 15
This series contains a lock of William C. Tavenner's hair.
- Mixed Materials Folder: 5
Lock of William C. Tavenner's hairundated