Lester J. Cappon Papers, 1809-1981

ID

Mss. 90 C17

Extent

14.01 Cubic Feet

Scope and Contents

Papers, chiefly 1923-1981, of and collected by Lester Jesse Cappon, historian and formerly the archivist for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Director of the Institute of Early American History and Culture, and Senior Research Fellow at the Newberry Library.

Includes personal diaries (1954-1981), correspondence, photographs, and publications, as well as collected primary source material, typescripts, notes, drafts of articles, critiques, maps and historical journals. Topics concern the Southern iron industry, the journals and writings of Jard Sparks, Benjamin Franklin, and Henry Howe, and early American maps. Papers and articles showing Cappon's involvement with archival procedures and principles are also included.<p>

Addition 1989.12 contains a brief sketch of Lester J. Cappon by Walter C. Holzbog for his autobiography. Concentrates on Cappon as his College roommate.

Addition 2008.203 contains photographs, possibly of Lester Cappon's daughter (none of photographs are identified) and members of the Institute. Letter from "JCW" about a note on a 1939 "The Collegian" about a new publication "The Virginia Lyceum."

Two copies of a reprint from the October 1951 "The American Archivist" entitled "Comprehensive Historical Indexing: The Virginia Gazette Index" by Stella Duff Neiman and Lester J. Cappon are filed in Box 13, Folder 14.

The following additions have been added to Box 13 as folders 17, 18 and 19: Minutes for Colonial Williamsburg - Interpretation (Presentation) Division, 1961-1969, Colonial Williamsburg - Presentation Division Minutes,1964-1969 and Library of Congress reports on the National Union Catalog of Mss Collections.

The following addition has been added to Box 17 as folder 33: Reprint of "The Royal Society of London: Retailer in Experimental Philosophy" as a gift of the author, Raymond P. Stearns; pamphlets for "Archives of University of Wyoming" 1946, "University Archives and Western Historical Collections, University of Wyoming" 1948, "Radcliffe Women's Archives" 1953, "The Women's Archive at Radcliffe College" 1954, 1958, 1960 and undated and "Publications of the National Archives and Records Service" 1966; report of the Ad Hoc Committee of Manuscripts of the American Historical Association in 1951; brochure "The Print Collector" from Kenneth Nebenazahl, Inc. of Chicago; Library of Congress "News from the Center: No. 2, Fall 1967; "Library Journal", October 15, 1965 and two American Philosophical Society publications, "Dr. Rush to Governor Henry on the Declaration of Independence and the Virginia Constitution" as a gift of the author, Lyman H. Butterfield and "Franklin and the 'Wagon Affair,' 1755 by Whitfield J. Bell and Leonard J. Labaree.

Other URL

http://scrc.swem.wm.edu/findingaids/Cappon_90_C17.pdf

Creators

Cappon, Lester Jesse (1900-1981)

Subjects

Archival Institute (Radcliffe College)

Archivists--United States.

College of William and Mary--History--20th century.

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation--History.

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

Howe, Henry.

National Archives (U.S.)

Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture

Society of American Archivists

Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866

United States. National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Genres

Correspondence

Diaries

Manuscripts (document genre)

Languages

Detailed Description

Full Finding Aid/Box List

Series 1: Lester J. Cappon Papers

Administrative Information

Acquired

09/01/1981.

Restrictions

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. Â§ 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia Â§ 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Rights

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.

Access Notes

Portions of this collection are stored offsite. Consult a staff member for assistance.

Acquisition Note

Source: Estate and will bequest of Lester J. Cappon, Walter Holzbog and John Haskell..

Gifts in 1981 and 1982.

1989.12 gift of Gift of Walter C. Holzbog through Thad Tate.

2008.203 gift of John Haskell.

Preferred Citation