Monday, October 20, 2008

Some New Historical Libraries

I've added some new Legacy Libraries to the list over the past couple of weeks, as we move forward with plans to really kick off a major new effort:

- Henry Lee (1691-1747), a Virginia planter. Henry was the brother of Virginia governor Thomas Lee (of Stratford) and the grandfather of Revolutionary War general "Light-Horse Harry" Lee. His wife, Mary Bland, was the daughter of Richard Bland and Elizabeth Randolph (a great-aunt of Thomas Jefferson). His small library is known from an inventory included with his will.

- Lady Jean Skipwith, (1748-1826), the most prolific female book collector in colonial Virginia (and quite possibly in all of America). The self-educated daughter of Hugh Miller and Jane Bolling Miller, Lady Jean married Sir Peyton Skipwith at age forty, but outlived him by more than two decades. Her comparatively large collection includes many novels, including important works of gothic literature. She also collected heavily in the areas of travel and history. Her collection is held partly by descendants, with significant portions at the Skipwith plantation, Prestwould, and at the College of William and Mary.

- Hans Peter Gyllembourg Koch (1844-1918), a Danish emigrant to America and collector of books pertaining to the American West and exploration. Koch was a founder of Bozeman, MT's first public library, and was active in the formation of Montana Historical Society and Montana State University.