Peyton Society of Virginia Records
A Guide to the Peyton Society of Virginia Records, 1952-2004
Call Number Mss3 P4686a FA2
Administrative Information
Access
RESTRICTED. This collection may only be consulted with specific written authorization from the current president, archivist, or genealogist of the Peyton Society of Virginia.
Preferred Citation
Peyton Society of Virginia. Records, 1952-2004 (Mss3 P4686a FA2), Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, Va.
Acquisition Information
Deposited by the Peyton Society of Virginia, Aquia, Va., through the courtesy of Archivist Harold L. Davey in 2001. Accessioned 22 February 2002. Additional files received in April-May 2002; December 2004; October 2005; and April 2007.
Descriptive Summary
Collection Number: | Mss3 P4686a FA2 |
Collection Name: | Peyton Society of Virginia. Records, 1952-2004. |
Size: | ca. 1000 items (3 boxes). |
Language: | English |
Scope and Content Information
The records of the Peyton Society of Virginia include constitutions; materials concerning annual meetings at Aquia Episcopal Church in Stafford County, Va.; minutes of meetings (and related materials) of the executive committee; correspondence of the secretary; financial records maintained by the Society’s treasurer; membership records (including lists of active and deceased members); correspondence of the historian; and correspondence and family history materials compiled and maintained by the Society’s genealogist.
Also, include a scrapbook initially compiled by Bernard Peyton Chamberlain of photographs and related materials concerning historic sites associated with the Peyton family in America and England; correspondence and related materials of the book committee concerning compilation and publication of a new edition of John Lewis Peyton’s Adventures of My Grandfather (1963) and the Society’s publication The Peytons of Virginia ... (1976), and the new publication, The Peytons of Virginia II (2004); and files of approved applications for membership, applications documentation, and family group sheets.
Biographical/Historical Information
In May 1952, descendants of John Peyton (1691-1760) of “Stony Hill,” Stafford County, Va., met at Aquia Episcopal Church in commemoration of the 192nd anniversary of the death of their ancestor. They founded the John Peyton Memorial Association with the intention of “honoring ... the heritage handed down to succeeding generations of Peyton descendants,” collecting and preserving records of family members, and restoring and maintaining historic places associated with Peytons. Each year the organization has met at Aquia Church, to which the remains of John Peyton had been moved from “Stony Hill” in 1936. By 1959 it had broadened its membership to all descendants of the children of Henry Peyton (1590-1656), English emigrant to Westmoreland County, Va.; and in 1971 it was again enlarged to any Peyton descendant who could establish a line to a Peyton immigrant who arrived in Virginia before 1800. That same year the organization became known as The Peyton Society of Virginia. Today, it is chartered as a genealogical association with related interests in education and history.
Container List
Series 1. Corporate Records.
This group of records includes constitutions of the organization and amendments passed by the membership. Also, includes an invitation to the first memorial service for John Peyton, at which the John Peyton Memorial Association was established, and sporadic records (invitations, programs, reports, lists of members attending, minutes, etc.) of subsequent yearly gatherings at Aquia Episcopal Church, Aquia, Va. (See also Series X: Supplemental Materials.)
Box 1: Folder 1 Constitution, 1973 Folder 2 Constitution, 1982 Folder 3 Amendments to the Constitution, 1989-1990 Folder 3A Constitution and By-Laws, 1992 Folder 4 Invitations to the Memorial Service, 1952 Folder 4A Annual Meeting, 1953 Folder 5 Annual Meeting (John Peyton Memorial Association), 1954 Folder 5A Annual Meeting, 1955 Folder 6 Annual Meeting, 1956 Folder 6A Annual Meeting, 1957-1959 Folder 7 Annual Meeting, 1960 Folder 8 Annual Meeting, 1969 Folder 9 Annual Meeting, 1971 Folder 10 Annual Meeting (Peyton Society of Virginia), 1972 Folder 11 Annual Meeting, 1974 Folder 12 Annual Meeting, 1982 Folder 13 Annual Meeting, 1983 Folder 14 Annual Meeting, 1984 Folder 15 Annual Meeting, 1985 Folder 16 Annual Meeting, 1988 Folder 17 Annual Meeting, 1989 Folder 18 Annual Meeting, 1990
Series 2. Executive Committee’s Records.
These files largely consist of minutes of meetings, along with meeting notices and agendas.
Box 1: Folder 19 Meetings, 1983-1984 Folder 20 Meetings, 1989 Folder 21 Meetings, 1990 Folder 22 Meetings, 1992 Folder 23 Roster of Executive Committee members, ca. 1992-1997
Series 3. Secretary’s Records.
The secretary was the chief communications officer for the Peyton Society of Virginia. For a portion of the time covered by this collection, when the office was occupied by the first secretary, he became known as the secretary-general. The records that survive here were largely compiled by Bernard Peyton Chamberlain and his successor George Mason Peyton.
Box 1: Folder 24 Correspondence, 1955-1956 Folder 24A Aquia Church file, 1955-1991 Folder 25 Correspondence, 1957-1959 Folder 26 Correspondence, 1960-1969 Folder 27 Correspondence, 1970-1976 Folder 28 Correspondence, 1988-1989 Folder 29 Correspondence, 1990-1995
Series 4. Treasurer’s Records.
During the period for which records survive in this collection, the treasurers were John S. Sullivan, Jr., and George S. Moore.
Box 1: Folder 30 Correspondence, 1988-1992 Folder 31 Correspondence, 1993-1995 Folder 32 Reports, 1975-1992 Folder 33 Report of outstanding unpaid dues, 1992
Series 5. Membership Records.
Membership records not only include lists of active and deceased members of the organization, they also contain information on the abortive attempt to start a Society newsletter in the late 1980s, materials concerning various family reunions (normally held in conjunction with the annual meetings) and tours of historic Peyton family sites in the Virginia and England, and photographs of Peyton family members and historic sites.
Box 1: Folder 34 Lists, 1974-1976 (with corrections and outline of descents) Folder 35 List, 1977 Folder 36 List, 1982 Folder 37 List, 1984 Folder 38 List, 1985 Folder 39 List, 1987 Folder 40 Changes to members registry, 1989 Folder 41 List, 1992 Folder 42 Deceased members, 1994 Folder 43 List, 1997 Folder 44 Membership roll, 1997 Folder 45 Membership certificates, 1994 Folder 46 Death notices, B-M Folder 47 Death notices, P Folder 48 Death notices, R-W Folder 49 Newsletters (drafts and issues), 1988-1990 Folder 50 Peyton family reunions and tours, 1969-1993 Folder 51 Photographs of Peyton and allied family members, historic sites, etc.
Series 6. Historian’s Records.
The historian originally handled issues of factual authentication regarding Peyton family traditions and historic sites. During the period represented by these surviving Society records, the office was held by Katherine Elizabeth Fowke Weaver. See also her correspondence with the secretary and the Society’s genealogist.
Box 1: Folder 52 Correspondence, 1974-1989 Folder 52A St. Andrew's Church, Isleham, England Folder 52B History of Isleham Parish and St. Andrew's Church by the Reverend H. Wilson Robinson, vicar Folder 52C Coats of Arms research
Series 7. Genealogist’s Records.
The Society’s genealogist handles lineage issues relating to acceptance of applications to membership, as well as general questions of family history received by the Society. Also, the genealogist maintained files prepared by or concerning specific Peyton Society members. During the period for which records survive in this collection, the office of genealogist was held by John Williamson Moore.
Box 1: Folder 53 Correspondence, 1972 Folder 54 Correspondence, 1973 Folder 55 Correspondence, 1974 Folder 56 Correspondence, 1975 Folder 57 Correspondence, 1976-1980 Folder 58 Correspondence, 1982-1983 Folder 59 Correspondence, 1984 Folder 60 Correspondence, 1985 Folder 61 Miscellaneous genealogical notes, Peyton and allied families Folder 61A English Peyton records and Henry Peyton Folder 61B Valentine Peyton (1627-1665) Folder 62 Patricia Joan Allen descent Folder 63 Esther W. Arnsparger, Peyton family study Folder 64 William H. P. Bristow ancestry Folder 65 Croslegh/Crossle genealogy Folder 66 S. M. Duncan, Peytons of Ky. & Va. Folder 67 James Peyton Perry family Folder 68 Lt. Francis Peyton Folder 69 George Mason Peyton research file Folder 70 George Q. Mason family file Folder 71 Descendants of John Peyton (1793-1862) Folder 72 John Peyton records (American Revolution–Virginia) Folder 73 John Howe Peyton, Peyton family of Virginia (photocopy) Folder 74 William H. Peyton family Bible records Folder 75 Peyton family genealogies (mimeographed) Folder 76 L. Q. Powell, Jr., Peyton/Peden/Pattone families Folder 76A James G. Peyton file Folder 77 Mrs. Kenneth Rutherford, “Genealogical History of Our Ancestors” Box 2: Folder 75 Miscellaneous copied records (Part I) Folder 76 Miscellaneous copied records (Part II) Folder 77 Stafford County Tax Book (photocopy), 1845 (kept by Elias A. W. Hore) Folder 78 Scrapbook (initially compiled by Bernard Peyton Chamberlain) containing photographs of historic Peyton family sites in the United States and Great Britain, along with maps, prints, and related materials Folder 79 Loose materials removed from scrapbook
Series 8. Book Committee Records.
Almost from the inception of the John Peyton Memorial Association, members envisioned the compilation and publication of books of Peyton family genealogy. Bernard Peyton Chamberlain proved to be the first and most energetic advocate for such projects. The book committee’s efforts ultimately resulted in the publication of a new edition of John Lewis Peyton’s The Adventures of My Grandfather (1963), edited by Chamberlain; The Peytons of Virginia ... (1976); and The Peytons of Virginia II (2004).
Box 2: Folder 80 Correspondence, 1961-1962 Folder 81 Correspondence, 1972-1974 Folder 82 Correspondence, 1975 Folder 83 Correspondence, 1976-1977 Folder 84 Correspondence, 1984-1993 (proposed update) Folder 85 Miscellaneous genealogical notes Folder 86 Peyton family chart for Adventures of My Grandfather Folder 87 Peytons of Virginia: Book draft (incomplete) Folder 88 Book draft–corrected (incomplete) Folder 88A Mock-ups of The Peytons of Virginia II (Vol.I) Folder 88B Mock-ups of The Peytons of Virginia II (Vol.II) Folder 88C Illustrations for The Peytons of Virginia II Folder 88D New copyright pages (with diskettes) Folder 88E-L The Peytons of Virginia--Page proofs Folder 88M The Peytons of Virginia--Color proofs
Series 9. Applications Records.
This series includes a limited number of approved applications from recent years; several sets of documentation for various specific applicants; general files containing a variety of applications documentation; and five folders of family group sheets.
Box 3: Folder 89 Applications Approved (#589-619) Folder 89A Application check lists and applications (#388-600) Folder 89B Application check lists and applications (#601-642) Folder 90 Applications Approved (#625, 638-649) Folder 91 General documentation for applications (Part I) Folder 92 General documentation for applications (Part II) Folder 93 Application and documentation (Robert Y. Evans) Folder 94 Application and documentation (William Warburton Hicks, #804) Folder 95 Application and documentation (Eleanor King Hookham) Folder 96 John H. Peyton family documentation Folder 97 Family group sheets (Part I) Folder 98 Family group sheets (Part II) Folder 99 Family group sheets (Part III) Folder 100 Family group sheets (Part IV) Folder 101 Family group sheets (Part V)
Series 10. Supplementary Materials.
Box 3: Folder 102 Notebook binder compiled by Tom Lewis Peyton, past-president, containing copies of meeting minutes, reports, and other records of the John Peyton Memorial Association and the Peyton Society of Virginia, 1952-2000.
Last updated: May 30, 2007