Dear Douglas, The Valentine Richmond History Center (founded in 1898) is both a city museum and a historic house museum. Our mission it is to collect, preserve, and interpret the history of the city of Richmond. We are located in the heart of Court End, one block west of the White House of the Confederacy/Museum of the Confederacy/MCV complex and one block east of the Library of Virginia and the John Marshall House. We hold in excess of 1.7 million objects, most of which are photographic images of Richmond's life and history. Our largest holding is the 1812 Wickham House, which John Wickham built and we interpret in its early federal context. This is where your email gets interesting. Dr. James McClurg's daughter, Elizabeth, married John Wickham, and the Valentine has, among other objects, portraits of both Dr. James McClurg and his daughter Elizabeth. Was the McCaw - McClurg connection maternal or paternal? I am interested in this story for two reasons. First, I am curating an exhibit for next year on Richmond during the World Wars and will be pulling materials related to Walter Drew McCaw in his capacity as Chief Surgeon of American Expeditionary Force. Secondly, the Valentine is planning a new, long-term exhibition on Richmond history. As I look at new and different ways to interpret the Civil War in Richmond, I am interested in James Brown McCaw and his administrative ingenuity in making Chimborazo Hospital such a success. It is also worth noting that, like the elder McCaw, John Wickham was a Tory. Wickham was from Long Island and was imprisoned during the American Revolution for his Loyalist sympathies. After the Revolution, Wickham made his way to Richmond, where he quickly became one of the city's top attorneys. If you like, we can continue this conversation off list, and as Alyson suggested in her post, do stop by the museum on your next visit to Richmond. Cheers, Ed -- Edward DuBois Ragan Staff Historian Valentine Richmond History Center 1015 East Clay Street Richmond, Virginia 23219-1527 804.649.0711 ext. 344 804.643.3510 fax 804.787.0144 cell [log in to unmask] www.richmondhistorycenter.com ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html