Chandler Cox Yonge Papers

Collection

Identifier: MS 116

Staff Only

Scope and Content

As a whole, the materials appear to include a random sampling of topics, accounts and correspondence produced in Yonge's lifetime. The material within the collection is limited and seems to represent only a small portion of his records. Most materials seem to be fairly routine types of accounts, including basic receipts and bills, legal documents, and some correspondence. The correspondence is both business and personal. Business correspondence includes materials relating to land grants and bonds, including a land grant for an African American freedman. It also includes plantation planting maps, case briefs and opinions, military land grants, letters from the Treasury department of the United States and other information relating to Yonge's business or private life. While there is some Civil War material, it is largely restricted to letter books and appears to be daily business of a Quartermaster's office. The materials do include cheques and stamps.

The collection is arranged chronologically by year. Occasionally, when there is a limited amount of material, several years are combined. Materials are not organized within the folders. The materials cover the dates between 1827 and 1886, though the bulk of the materials dates after 1840. There are some undated materials. There is some division by topic - the correspondence is separated from the accounts.

Dates

Creation: 1827-1886

Creator

Yonge, Chandler Cox, 1818-1889. (Person)

Access

The collection is open for research.

Biographical/Historical Note

Chandler Cox Yonge was born on October 3, 1818 in Fernandina, Florida. He moved to Pensacola, Florida in 1859 and spent the rest of his life there. Yonge attended the University of Georgia, then studied law in Florida and became an attorney by 1839. In 1838 he served as an assistant secretary for the first Florida Constitutional Convention and, based on notes in one of his letter books, may have been involved in a later one though this is uncertain. He served in the first Florida State Senate and helped write Florida law. In 1845 President James Polk appointed him the district attorney of Florida and Yonge held this position under Presidents Pierce and Buchanan as well. When the state of Florida seceded in 1861, he initially served as district attorney under the Confederacy, though he also served as a Quartermaster for the Confederacy and achieved the rank of major. His headquarters were in Tallahassee. Chandler Cox Yonge was married to Julia Cole Yonge and was the father of Philip Keyes Yonge and Chandler Cox Yonge. He died on February 17, 1889.

Sources: 1) Clubbs, Occie. "Philip Keyes Yonge, 1850-1934." Florida Historical Society Quarterly 13:3 (1935): 167-172. Accessed February 28, 2011. http://www.jstor.org/stable/30150188. 2) Rowland H. Rerick, "Memoirs of Florida." The Southern Historical Association 1. 1902 Atlanta, Ga., pp. 738-739. 3) Pensapedia. 2009. Accessed February 28, 2011. http://www.pensapedia.com/wiki/Changler_Cox_Yonge.

Extent

1 Linear feet (4 Boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Accounts and correspondence relating to Chandler Cox Yonge between 1827 and 1886. Yonge was an attorney in Florida.

Physical Location

University of Florida Smathers Library Building

Acquisition Information

Gift of Julian Chandler Yonge.

Related Material

Additional information related to C.C. Yonge is available at the University of West Florida. The Yonge Family Papers (M1966-04) and the Marion Viccars Papers includes notes regarding him. The Pensacola Historical Society also has papers relating to the Yonge family. The University of Florida has papers relating to Chandler Cox Yonge's son, Philip Keyes Yonge.