Giles Gunn Papers
The papers consist of five letters (1848-1854) written by Giles Gunn, a native of Connecticut, while he was a schoolteacher in Lexington, Rockbridge County, Virginia. The letters, addressed primarily to his sister Mary (living at the Gunn home in Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut), include discussions of interesting local events as well as references to family. Topics include commencement at the Virginia Military Institute; a detailed description of his school and his methods of instruction; a description of the communion service at a local church, including references to black communicants; references to the townspeople's reaction to a rumored slave insurrection; and a discussion of the murder of VMI Cadet Thomas Blackburn.
Dates
- 1848 - 1854
Creator
- Gunn, Giles (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
There are no restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Extent
5 items
Biographical / Historical
Giles Gunn was born in Connecticut on December 19, 1825, most likely at Washington, Litchfield County. He was the son of John Northrup Gunn, Jr. (1798-1883) and Lora Smith (1800-1841), who were married on June 16, 1819. By 1848, Giles Gunn was working as a teacher in Lexington, Rockbridge County, Virginia, where he married Virginia W. Morrison of Rockbridge County on December 19, 1859. Virginia, the daughter of William and Mary Morrison, was twenty-four years old at the time of her marriage. Birth records indicate that the couple had several children, all born in Rockbridge: Lora (b. 1860), Johnella (b. 1871), Effa or Effie (b. 1875), Fred (b. 187?). This listing of children may not be complete. Giles Gunn died on November 24, 1892. No other biographical information was available at the time the collection was processed.
Physical Location
Acquisition Information
The Giles Gunn Papers were donated to the Virginia Military Institute in 1933 by Mary Maigret, Gunn's niece.
Online Access
- Lexington (Va.) -- History
- Lexington (Va.) -- Schools -- 19th century
- Lexington (Va.) -- Social life and customs
- Virginia Military Institute -- Band -- 19th century
- Virginia Military Institute -- Cadet life -- 1840-1849
- Virginia Military Institute -- Cadet life -- 1850-1859
- Virginia Military Institute -- Finals -- 19th century
- Virginia Military Institute -- History -- 19th century
Creator
- Gunn, Giles (Person)
- Title
- A Guide to the Giles Gunn Papers, 1848-1854
- Author
- Diane B. Jacob
- Date
- © 2002 Virginia Military Institute Archives
- Language of description
- Description is in English
Revision Statements
- finding aid revision date not supplied: Feb 16, 2004. PUBLIC "-//Virginia Military Institute::Preston Library::Archives//TEXT (US::ViLxV::vilxv00030::A Guide to the Giles Gunn Papers)//EN" "vilxv00030.xml" converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (sy2003-10-15).Feb 26, 2004 converted to conform to eadVIVA.dtd by vivastrict.xsl
Repository Details
Part of the Virginia Military Institute Archives Repository
