Arts and Humanities Commons^™

"A Change Has Swept Over Our Land": American Moravians And The Civil War, Adrienne E. Robertson

Master's Theses

When they first came to North America, the Moravians—a pietistic, Germanic Christian sect—settled in isolated communities where only a few people ventured out to do missionary work for the community. They separated themselves from their non-Moravian neighbors, one missionary community serving the North from its seat in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and the other serving the South from Salem, North Carolina, and neither participating in civic or military life. Then, over the course of a few decades, economic and civic circumstances forced the Moravians in North America to adapt their ways to be more like those of their non-Moravian neighbors, adopting styles …

"Carry Me Back To Old Virginny" : Virginia And The Bonus March Of 1932, Steven Patrick Schultz

Master's Theses

On 6 May 1932 the Ways and Means Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives declined to pass along for a full vote in the House a bill that would have provided for immediate and complete payment of the Soldiers' Bonus, a small sum of money due in 1945 to veterans of World War I. In doing so it set in motion a chain of events that led to one of the most sordid affairs in American history, the Bonus March of 1932, when tens of thousands of World War I veterans traveled to Washington to ask their government for …

The Burning And Reconstruction Of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 1864-1870, Gordon Boyer Lawrence

Master's Theses

Although many studies of Chambersburg's devastation during the American Civil War have been researched, all have focused on the military actions taken by both sides during the conflict. This thesis instead attempts to explore some of the effects of military actions upon the permanent civilian population.

The Introduction develops a sense of the events which transpired in the town on the fateful day of July 30, 1864, provides an overview of potential research subjects, and details sources available to complete successfully the research parameters outlined. The early development of the community is explored in Chapter 1. This data is necessary …

Slaveowners And Southern Soldiers : The Military Participation Of The Slaveholding Community In Civil War Lunenburg County, Virginia, Glenn Seiler

Master's Theses

Before the final shot of the Civil War rang out, the phrase "a rich man's war, poor man's fight" was well embedded in the psyche of Confederate citizens. Many historians credit such perceptions with ultimately condemning the Confederacy to failure. While numerous government policies seemed to emphasize a sense of protection toward the men of affluent Southern families, Confederate leaders disputed such claims. To the common Southerner the rich did not contribute in an equitable share of the fighting and often sought personal gain while the masses endured hardships. There can be no doubt internal class dissent plagued the Confederacy …

The Virginia War Department During The American Revolution, Thomas Gregory Tune

Master's Theses

This thesis will provide a comprehensive analysis of the Virginia War Office during the American Revolution. A study of the War Office must start with its origin and, therefore, with the legislation that created it. This thesis will explore the reasons for the creation of the War Office and its legislative evolution into one of the most powerful agencies in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It will also discuss the War Office's legislative demise near the end of the war as the Virginia General Assembly began to shrink the government in cost-saving measures.

The second part of this thesis will examine …

The Old College Goes To War : The Civil War Experiences Of William And Mary Students, Faculty, And Alumni, Sean Michael Heuvel

Master's Theses

A stroll around the modem-day William and Mary campus offers visitors many links to the college's colonial history. The re-created town of Colonial Williamsburg, the Wren Building, and statues and portraits of famous alumni, such as Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe, all conjure up images of William and Mary's eighteenth century grandeur. Conversely, evidence of the college's rich Civil War history is more obscure. Although scholars have recently examined Williamsburg's role in the War Between the States; little is known about the wartime activities of those individuals linked to William and Mary. This study examines the wartime service of …

Richmond, Virginia's Every Monday Club, 1889-1919, Maureen Elizabeth Salmon

Master's Theses

This thesis examines the formation and growth of the Every Monday Club, a woman's literary club in Richmond, Virginia in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Since the group has never been researched before, most of the study concentrates on untouched archives. The study uses the extensive Every Monday Club papers which include club meeting minutes, letters, papers, pictures, yearbooks, and newspaper clippings. This information is also supplemented with obituaries, census, and other primary data. The records disclose issues of class, race and education.

The Troubled Intersection Of The Interests Of Christ And Commerce : Appellate-Court Review Of Virginia Sunday Closing Laws In Historical Overview Through 1942, William Robert Vanderkloot

Master's Theses

Virginia's Supreme Court of Appeals, between 1900 and the conclusion of this thesis in 1942, consistently narrowed Virginia's Sunday closing law, enacted in 1786 to prevent Sunday labor. While paying lip service to the statute's purpose, the court almost unhesitatingly chose statutory interpretations encouraging more Sunday labor, particularly by expanding its ''necessity" and "charity" exceptions. The legislature also granted additional statutory closing law exceptions. This reflected the preferences of the public as well, which increasingly depended on the services of others laboring on Sunday. These results were also due, in part, to inherent confusions and contradictions in the law itself, …

The History Of The One Hundred And Thirtieth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Terrence W. Beltz

Master's Theses

In August 1862, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania quickly responded to President Lincoln's request for more troops. An overwhelming number of Pennsylvania volunteers promptly answered the call that supplied the Union Army eighteen new infantry regiments who were to serve for a period of nine months. This devoted group of central Pennsylvanians, rendezvoused at Camp Simmons, Pennsylvania, in mid-August 1862, was to become soldiers of 130th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers who, with no military experience and little training, would face hardened Confederate veterans at "Bloody Lane" at the Battle of Antietam and "Marye's Heights" at the Battle of Fredericksburg. They were to …

"Enough Glory For Us All" : The "Negro Exhibit" At The Jamestown Tercentennial Exposition, 1907, John Thomas Wilkes

Master's Theses

The Jamestown Tercentennial Exposition of 1907 invited the United States and the world to display their progress in a way befitting the dawn of a new century. Though this exposition fell short of matching the notoriety of other Victorian fairs, African- Americans successfully presented their advancement and historic contributions to American society, despite the shortcomings of the exposition itself and the dismal state of the nation's race relations. Black organizers at Jamestown underscored the rise of their people by maintaining firm control over the entire "Negro" exhibit, an achievement viewed as untenable at earlier fairs. Records of the United States …

The Impact Of The 1918-1919 Influenza Epidemic On Virginia, Stephanie Forrest Barker

Master's Theses

In the fall of 1918 an unparalleled influenza pandemic spread throughout the world. More than a quarter of Americans became ill, and at least 600,000 died. For many Virginians, this was a time of acute crisis that only could be compared to the days of the Civil War. This thesis describes Spanish influenza's impact on Virginia, primarily focusing on the cities of Newport News, Richmond, and Roanoke. It details influenza's emergence in Virginia and explores how state and city officials dealt with this unprecedented epidemic. This study examines how the epidemic disrupted daily routines of life and overwhelmed the state's …

The Struggle Of The Lippian State Church During The Third Reich, 1933-1936, Stefanie Glasel Gordinier

Master's Theses

This thesis examines the struggle (Kirchenkampf) of the Protestant state church of Lippe during the Third Reich, concentrating on the years 1933 to 1936. During this period, the Lippian church struggled to maintain its autonomy in the face of a concerted effort on the part of Nazi authorities to create a united - and Nazi-controlled - German Evangelical Church. This work addresses a number of important questions, such as how the Lippian church tried to confront the threat to its existence, how its pastors reacted to the Nazi regime as well as how they were influenced by various …

Wounded Women: A Study Of Central Virginia's Civil War Pension Widows, Heather R. Racer

Master's Theses

This thesis investigates the lives of Civil War widows who applied for pensions under the 1888 law in Virginia, concentrating on Albemarle, Buckingham, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Goochland, Louisa, and Nelson Counties. The focus of the study centers on both their pre- and post-war lives to determine who these women were before and after the loss of their husbands. Using the Confederate Pension Applications, a group of 156 widows emerged from these counties. The Manuscript Census of 1860 presented a picture of pre-war life while the censuses of 1870, 1880, and 1900, along with the pension applications, helped reveal their lives after …

White Savages In Hunting Shirts : The Rifleman's Costume Of National Identity And Rebellion In The American Revolution, Byron C. Smith

Master's Theses

This thesis relies on primary sources to address the significance of clothing and accoutrements worn by backwoods riflemen during the era of the American Revolution. As North America's rebellious colonies became a nation, they struggled to find cultural symbols that distinguished them from their European cousins. As Europeans often identified America symbolically as the "noble savage," in turn some Americans looked to the Indian for inspiration in their new search for national identity. During the Revolution many Americans from backwoods regions of the middle and southern colonies, wearing uniquely American garments called hunting shirts, openly rebelled against their European heritage …

A Profile Of Virginia Businesswomen During The Civil War Era, Robyn Mundy

Master's Theses

This thesis examines the role of white Virginia businesswomen during the Civil War era, focusing on the three specific communities of Norfolk, Lynchburg, and Staunton. The primary questions addressed are: who were these women; why did they own their own businesses; and how successful were they? After searching the available business directories for each city, the R. G. Dun & Company credit ledgers provide descriptions of business owners, including some of these women, which, along with the manuscript census, give a socio-economic profile of Virginia businesswomen. After the conflict, the numbers of businesswomen increased and the firms they owned became …

Uncertain Identities : Aristocratic Women Of English Renaissance Drama, Kimberly Ann Turner

Master's Theses

Often, women stand out as being some of the most interesting and ambiguous characters in English drama. In this study, I examine moments in five Renaissance plays in which female characters reject the extreme dichotomies that were used by society to describe women. In the first portion of the paper, I look at the ways in which malcontents are similar to unconventional female characters in that they both challenge existing patriarchal structures. Secondly, I explore the characters of Mellida, Sophonisba, and Desdemona who begin to assert their own desires, while at the same time, they continue to embody more traditional …

The Civil War And Social Change : White Women In Fredericksburg, Virginia, Edward John Harcourt

Master's Theses

This thesis concerns the white women of Fredericksburg, Virginia, during and immediately after the Civil War. Between 1861-1865, Fredericksburg existed in the no-man's land between Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Virginia. The town was bombarded, occupied by enemy forces, and ransacked. Military control of the town changed hands 10 times. Four major battles were fought around Fredericksburg, resulting in over 100,000 casualties. Throughout the conflict, Fredericksburg's white women were in the thick of the action - supporting their troops, nursing the wounded, and managing the increasingly desperate struggle to provide food and shelter for their families. By 1865, many lives were …

A Political And Economic History Of Fredericksburg, Virginia, 1840-1860, Christopher Robert Finley

Master's Theses

This thesis explores the political and economic factors in the growth of Fredericksburg, Virginia during the twenty years preceding the Civil War. The town's population growth is examined in relation to occupations, wealth, status, and both the political and economic patterns of living during the period. The impact of the competition with other Virginia towns and the successes and failures of the town as it slowly moved away from being a commercial center toward becoming chiefly concerned with manufacturing is explored. Information on Fredericksburg was obtained primarily from the United States census, public documents, memoirs and newspapers. The data was …

Twixt Ocean And Pines : The Seaside Resort At Virginia Beach, 1880-1930, Jonathan Mark Souther

Master's Theses

America's seashore was virtually untouched prior to the Civil War. The American attitude toward leisure held that any time spent engaging in unproductive activities was time wasted. In antebellum society, industrialization had yet to transform the lifestyles of rank and- file Americans. In a predominantly agrarian society, work and leisure were ill-defined. No widespread notion of"leisure time" existed. To be sure, a few resorts did flourish in the antebellum United States. With the notable exceptions of Newport, Rhode Island, and Cape May, New Jersey, these tended to be health resorts situated in close proximity to inland springs believed to offer …

The Population Of Richmond, Virginia During The Civil War Era, John G. Deal

Master's Theses

This thesis studies the population of Richmond, Virginia during the Civil War era by examining the persistence (those who remained in the city for ten years) of a sample of white, male heads of household from 1860. It focuses on such characteristics as age, nativity, wealth, and occupation. In contrast to other investigations of persistence, individuals who left the city, but remained in the state, also are examined. Further, a sample from Richmond's population in 1850 is traced during that decade to compare persistence rates and characteristics to the 1860 sample. The low persistence rates in both the 1850s and …

Grieving And Reconciliation In Baltimore After The American Civil War, Jennifer Prior

Master's Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to examine how residents of Baltimore, Maryland, grieved their losses after the Civil War. Thantalogical studies of the stages of grief were compared with various public events and institutions throughout the city's culture. Special focus was placed upon Baltimore's internal split during the war as portions of its population opted to fight on opposing sides. This study reveals not only how the city progressed through its bereavement, but also how it found selected outlets of expression to manage emotional pain.

Virginia Celebrates The Yorktown Centennial Of 1881, Julie Anne Sweet-Mcginty

Master's Theses

This study chronicles the planning, execution, and aftermath of the Yorktown Centennial of October 1881 in Yorktown, Richmond, and Norfolk. Beyond its original expectation of memorializing the one hundredth anniversary of the last major battle for independence, as the first nationally prominent celebration to occur on Southern soil after the Civil War, it made reconciliation among the states a significant aspect of the occasion. Also, it marked the first national gathering after the assassination of President James A. Garfield as well as the occasion for the first public speech given by the new President, Chester A. Arthur. The presence of …

Partisanship Within The American Civil Libterties Union: The Board Of Directors, The Struggle With Anti-Communism, And Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Douglas Colin Post

Master's Theses

The American Civil Liberties Union and an overwhelming majority of its historians have maintained that the organization has devoted its efforts solely to the protection of the Bill of Rights. This thesis examines that claim, focusing on the events that culminated in the expulsion of Elizabeth Gurley Flynn from the Union's Board of Directors. Relying primarily on the organization's own publications and archives, as well as several insiders' accounts, the analysis concludes that the issue of communism increasingly polarized the Board and, in a gross violation of its nonpartisan commitment to the defense of civil liberties, led ultimately to the …

The History Of The South Side Railroad, 1846-1870, James M. Bisbee

Master's Theses

The South Side Rail Road, chartered in 1846, was the fourth railroad to serve the city of Petersburg, Virginia, and, upon its completion in 1854, was the only direct rail link the city had through the Virginia Piedmont to Lynchburg and points west. The railroad was a major conveyor of trade through the Southside region of Virginia and served as an engine of economic development for the area. During the Civil War the road was a vital means of transportation of men and materiel for the Confederate government. After the war, General William Mahone, a railroad professional and war hero, …

The Canton Commune, Royce Patrick Grubic

Master's Theses

The Canton Commune is a detailed study of the Communist-led insurrection that occurred in the city of Canton in southern China on December 11-13, 1927, and its fate as history. Attention is paid in the thesis to the Commune's significant presence in the discourse of the Stalin-Trotsky power struggle of the late 1920s. The primary emphasis, however, is on the Commune's inability to become part of the revolutionary mythology of the People's Republic of China or international communism. The author traces the evolution of Soviet and Chinese interpretations of the Canton Commune, using these as a means to explore the …

Richmond's Taverns In The Years 1775 - 1810 : Their Role In The City's Development From Frontier Town To Capital City, Anne Rachel Hedges

Master's Theses

Richmond's taverns provided food, drink and lodging to travelers. They also served as vital community links for various pastimes, such as gambling, but also expanded their sphere of influence during the nineteenth century by providing spaces for auctions and sales, as well as theatrical and musical performances. An examination of contemporary travelers' accounts, as well as newspapers, wills, insurance reports and legislative documents provided an in-depth portrait of the taverns' importance to the city. The development of numerous taverns in Richmond paralleled the city's prominence as the new capital city of Virginia, and preceded the rapid growth Richmond would experience …

They Also Served : The Women Of Southwestern Virginia During The American Revolution, Rebecca A. Vaught

Master's Theses

This thesis looks at the legal status and the daily lives of the women living on the Virginia frontier in the counties of Augusta, Botetourt, Montgomery and Washington during the period of the American Revolution. All ages and all levels of society are given consideration in developing the theme that the service performed by the women who survived the rigors of frontier life during this crucial period in American history was as valuable in its own way as was the service performed by their male contemporaries. Court records give insight into the plight of servants and slaves. Court records also …

I'Ve Been Working On The Railroad : The Saga Of The Richmond, Fredericksburg And Potomac Railroad Company, C. Coleman Mcgehee

Master's Theses

The Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad Company (RF&P) is the only American railroad that has operated for over a century and a half under its original name and charter without reorganization. It is also the last remaining company in which the Commonwealth of Virginia held stock that was purchased in 1834 to encourage the development of transportation within the State.

This thesis covers the history of this company with major emphasis on the period 1955-1991. It was during this time that the RF&P was transformed from a "pure railroad" to a corporation that not only owned a strategic 113 mile …

The Parallel Lives Of Two Displaced Royalists : Moore Fauntleroy And Warham Horsmanden, Cyane Dandridge Williams

Master's Theses

The study is of two displaced Royalists, Moore Fauntleroy and Warham Horsmanden, who left England in the mid-seventeenth century. It examines their motivations for leaving their homeland and the results of their tenure in Virginia.

Research was conducted in England at the British Library in the British Museum, the Public Record Office, London, and the County Archives of Kent, Maidstone, Kent, and the Archives of Southampton, Winchester. In Virginia, research was continued at the Virginia Historical Society Library, Richmond; the State Archives of Virginia, Richmond; and Essex County Court House, Tappahannock.

The research disclosed that a myriad of reasons existed …

A Study Of The Movement To Equalize Virginia's Dual School Systems During The Years 1934-1945 With A Focus On Chesterfield County And Richmond City Public Schools, Michael Stephen Irby

Master's Theses

The efforts to equalize the legally segregated schools in Virginia began in the mid 1930's. It was a movement supported by the N.A.A.C.P. and others that targeted six specific areas: (1) Equality of school term; (2) Equality of pay for black teachers having the same qualifications and doing the same work as white teachers; (3) Equality of transportation for black school children at public expense; (4) Equality of buildings and equipment; (5) Equality of per capita expenditure for education of black students; (6) Equality in graduate and professional training. The major sources of information used included newspapers and magazines, Papers …