Van Deventer Collection

Collection

Identifier: MSC 0809

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection documents the Van Deventer, Rhea, Campbell, Cowan, Lynn, and Russell families. The major donors were Martha Rhea Van Deventer and her children: Robert, Laetitia, and Isabella. The collection includes many small artifacts, textiles, manuscripts, photographs, and artwork. Robert Van Deventer’s art is an important part of the collection. 1877 photographs of Island Home in boxes 52-53. A finding aid is available.

Dates

1820s-1970s

Conditions Governing Access

Material is available for research. Prior arrangement MUST be made by contacting the Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection at mcclung-archivist@knoxlib.org

Biographical / Historical

James Thayer Van Deventer (1830-1910) was the son of Christopher Van Deventer (West Point, 1808) and Sarah Birckhead Van Deventer. He attended Yale Law School and was admitted to the bar in New York. He moved to Clinton, Iowa where he was treasurer and manager of the Iowa Land Company in 1856. He served in the Union Army during the Civil War leaving with the rank of Col. James Thayer Van Deventer married Laetitia Flournoy in 1862 in Clinton, Iowa. After the war ended, he was president of the Iowa Railroad Company until 1888 when he and his family moved from Clinton, Iowa to Knoxville. He and Laetitia had six sons: James Flournoy, Thomas Lennox, Horace, Hugh Flournoy, Fayette Flournoy, and Christopher. Fayette Flournoy Van Deventer (1872-1942) married Martha Lynn Rhea (1877-1949) in Knoxville in 1897. This union united Van Deventer family with a pioneer East Tennessee family, including the Rheas, Campbells, Cowans, Lynns, and Russells.

Extent

91 boxes

Language of Materials

English

Subjects

"The Kents” Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Artifacts Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Autographs Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Band members Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Bibles Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Canteen Ladies Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Century of Progress Exposition Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Chicago Expositions Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Civil War soldiers in uniform Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Clothing and dress Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Cloudland Hotel photograph Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Cowan Family Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Cowan, James H. (James Hervey), 1801-1871 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Dickinson, Perez, 1813-1901 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Dolls Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Flag of Knoxville Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Flournoy family Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Framed miniatures Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Framed portrait Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Framed sampler Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Genealogy Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Holmes, Oliver Wendell, Sr., 1809-1894 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Irving Club Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Island Home Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Map of the Van Deventer Addition to Knoxville Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Military artifacts & paper Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Montvale Springs Hotel photograph Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Oakley, Wiley, 1885-1954 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Paintings Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Photograph albums Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Photographs Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Ramsey House (Swan Pond) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Red Cross volunteers Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Rhea Family Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Rhea, Bella Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Rhea, James A. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Scott’s Bible Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Second Presbyterian Church Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Sheet music Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Silhouettes Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Tennessee History World War, 1939-1945 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
The “Old Academy” on Main St. photograph Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Toys Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Uniforms Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
United States History Civil War, 1861-1865 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Van Deventer Rhea Family Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Van Deventer, Robert Rhea, 1903-1992 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Victorian greeting cards Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Wax miniatures Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Weddings Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
World War I soldier Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
World’s Fair of 1933 (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings