Finding aid to the William J. Folkes (ca 1826 -1881) Business Papers

JONES MEMORIAL LIBRARY
2311 MEMORIAL AVENUE
LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA 24501
(434) 846-0501
WILLIAM J. FOLKES (ca.1826-1881) BUSINESS PAPERS
The collection includes a letterpress book and a business account book (1859-1879)
recording book-binding charges for William J. FOLKES, bookbinder of Lynchburg,
Virginia. Also included are the military discharge papers for FOLKES from service in
the Confederate Army.
FOLDER 1

Military discharge papers; Miscellaneous notes

[FOLDER 2] Business account book (1859-1879)
[FOLDER 3] Letterpress book

MS1060

JONES MEMORIAL LIBRARY
2311 MEMORIAL AVENUE
LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA 24501
(434) 846-0501
WILLIAM J. FOLKES (ca.1826-1881)
William J. FOLKES was born ca. 1826 in Virginia. He moved to Lynchburg,
Virginia, before 1850, and entered into the bookbinding trade with Jesse C. YOUNG.
Later, he worked as a bookbinder for the Virginian.
On 17 January 1850, William J. FOLKES married Elvira PETTY, daughter of
Zebedee PETTY and Margaret WALNE, of Lynchburg.
On 23 April 1861, William J. FOLKES enlisted in Latham's Battery in Lynchburg,
and was made Second Lieutenant. On 28 April 1862, he was relieved of duty and
ordered to the Secretary of War. On 30 June 1863, he was listed as a member of a
company commanded by Capt. J. H. WATTS in defense of Richmond. He was
discharged from the reserve forces on 19 May 1864 by order of the Governor. He was
granted an exemption from military duty on 26 July 1864, since he was an employee in
the Sentinel [newspaper] office in Richmond.
William J. FOLKES was president of the Mechanics' Library Association, organized
in Lynchburg ca. 1869. A member of Marshall Lodge No. 39, A.F.& A.M., FOLKES
died 26 March 1881 in Lynchburg and was buried in the Presbyterian Cemetery with
Masonic honors.
[1850 Census, Campbell County (Lynchburg), VA, National Archives and Records Service (hereinafter
NARS), M-432, Roll 938, p. 94, Dwelling 307, Family 321; 1860 Census, Campbell County (Lynchburg),
VA, NARS, M-653, Roll 1338, p. 394, Dwelling 95, Family 95; 1870 Census, Campbell County, VA,
NARS, M-593, Roll 1638, p. 429, Dwelling 271, Family 398; 1880 Census, Campbell County
(Lynchburg), VA, NARS, T-9, Roll 1359, p. 315, Dwelling 30, Family 48; Obituary, William J. Folkes,
Lynchburg Virginian, 28 March 1881, p. 3 col. 1; Obituary, William J. Folkes, Lynchburg Daily News, 27
March 1881, p. 3 col. 1; Robert H. Moore, II, Richmond Fayette, Hampden, Thomas, and Blount's
Lynchburg Artillery (Lynchburg: H. E. Howard, 1991), p. 153; Lester J. Cappon, Virginia Newspapers,
1821-1935 (New York: D. Appleton Century, 1936), p. 183 (The Sentinel operated from 1863 until 1866);
"Marriage of William J. Folkes and Elvira Petty," Lynchburg Virginian, 21 January 1850, p. 3 col. 4;
"Marriage of Zebedee Petty and Margaret Walne, 7 January 1819," Marian Dodson Chiarito, James Hadley
Prendergast, Marriages of Halifax County, Virginia, 1801-1831 (Nathalie, VA: Clarkton Press, 1985), p.
106; William J. Folkes Business Papers, Mss., MS1060, Jones Memorial Library, Lynchburg, VA; Burial
record, Burial Book 1, Range 11, Lot 6, Presbyterian Cemetery Trustees Papers, Mss., MS1817, Jones
Memorial Library, Lynchburg, VA; W. Asbury Christian, Lynchburg and Its People (Lynchburg: J. P. Bell,
1900), p. 272.]

MS1060