Finding Aid to the Robert Davis Yancey Papers

JONES MEMORIAL LIBRARY
2311 MEMORIAL AVENUE
LYNCHBURG, VA 24501
(434) 846-0501
ROBERT DAVIS YANCEY (1855-1931) PAPERS
The collection includes letters and papers (1902-1918) chiefly about politics, addressed to
YANCEY, the Commonwealth's Attorney for Lynchburg, Virginia. Correspondents
include: Claude A. SWANSON; S. V. KEMP (Lynchburg); Graham CLAYTOR
(Bedford); A. M. BOWMAN (Salem); Charles O. HOLT (Roanoke); William A.
ANDERSON (Richmond); James P. WOODS (Roanoke); R. C. MARSHALL
(Portsmouth); Julia LANGHORNE (San Francisco); J. Taylor ELLISON (Richmond); J.
Allen WATTS (Roanoke); Thomas S. MARTIN (Scottsville); William Gordon
ROBERTSON (Roanoke); and D. Q. EGGLESTON (Richmond).
The collection also includes an address by YANCEY to the De Molay Commandery No.
4, Lynchburg, Virginia, a brochure entitled "An Appeal to the People," by Senator A. F.
THOMAS, newspaper clippings, calling cards, and several miscellaneous items,
including an insurance policy (Lynchburg Fire Insurance Company), a letter from F. C.
Scruggs (on Lynchburg Home Guard stationery), and a letter from Rebecca Yancey
WILLIAMS, daughter of Robert Davis YANCEY, to her mother (1936).
ROBERT DAVIS YANCEY (1855-1931)
Robert Davis YANCEY, son of William Tudor YANCEY and Lucy Elizabeth DAVIS,
was born 15 September 1855 in Lynchburg, Virginia. He was educated at Virginia
Military Institute, where he graduated in 1875, and at the University of Virginia law
school, where he was graduated in 1877. He was admitted to the Virginia bar in 1878.

[Lyon Gardiner Tyler, Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography, Vol. 4 (New York: Lewis Historical
Publishing, 1915), p. 225; Obituary, Lynchburg News, 4 January 1931, p. 9 col. 1.]

Robert D. YANCEY served as Captain of Battery D, First Batallion, Field Artillery,
Virginia Volunteers, from 14 February 1887 until his resignation on 18 October 1889. [Jo

Lane Stern, comp., Roster Commissioned Officers, Virginia Volunteers 1871–1920 (Richmond: Davis
Bottom, 1921), p. 270.]

Robert Davis YANCEY was elected mayor of Lynchburg in 1891 and served one term.
[Obituary, loc.cit.]

On 17 November 1892, Robert D. YANCEY married Rosa FAULKNER, daughter of J.
W. FAULKNER. [Lynchburg Daily Virginian, 18 November 1892, p. 4 col. 2.]
(Continued)
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ROBERT DAVIS YANCEY (1855-1931) PAPERS (Cont'd.)
ROBERT DAVIS YANCEY (1855-1931) (Cont'd.)
Robert Davis YANCEY served as Captain of Troop C, First Cavalry, Virginia
Volunteers, from 20 December 1894 until he resigned on 11 June 1895. He retired from
service in the Virginia Volunteers on 3 February 1912. [Stern, Roster, loc.cit.]
Robert D. YANCEY was elected as Commonwealth's Attorney for Lynchburg in 1894
and served in that capacity until just before his death. [Obituary, loc.cit.]
Active in the civic and social life of Lynchburg, YANCEY was a member of Marshall
Lodge No. 39 AF&AM, the Lynchburg Bar Association, the Knights of Pythias, the
International Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.), and the Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks (B.P.O.E.). [Ibid.; Robert Davis Yancey Papers, MS1762, Jones Memorial Library, Lynchburg,
VA.]

Robert Davis YANCEY died 3 January 1931 and was buried in the Presbyterian
Cemetery, Lynchburg, Virginia. [Obituary, loc.cit.]

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