The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-10-30
A MAGNIFICENT GIFT.
REQUEST or A PUBLIC MUSEUM.
The VIII Of tbs Late Mann .. Valentine
Probnted-Fifty Thousand Dollars and
His Valuable Scientific Collection.
The will of the late Mann s. Valentine


phens 81. 900 as a token Of appreciation Of
her fidelity 10 his grand children. who lived
In the late residence 0f deceased: TO two
friends $500 each as a token OF affection,
and $1,000 10 the Richmond Female HUI
name Association, the income OF which ac-
count is 10 be expended annually for Christ
mag presents 10 the inmates Of the insti-
tuition supported by the organization.
Besides two annuties Of $500 each, the
residue OF the estate is bequeathed In trust
10 the executors Ct the will for the benefit
Of the natural heirs OF deceased. There
are seven sons and four children OF de-
ceased child. The executors are Granville
G. Valentine, Benjamin +. Valentine and
Frederick S. Valentine
A codicil TO the will dated October II.
1897, reads as follows.
Many years of the life of my father. my
brothers. my sons and myself have been
devoted TO securing and accumulanng OBJ
iects of archaeology, anthropology and other
kindred arts, with q view aud purpose OK
making them valuable to my State aud city,
and in order TO preserve these and TO
effect the publication of certain manu-
scripts and papers OF scientific and literary
value. and make them all interesting. in
structive and profitable to those OF my COM
munity and State. | desire TO establish in
the city of Richmond. Va. an institute 10
be called The Valentine Museum" for the
purpose of preserving and sccrmulating
objects of arch eology. anthropology and
other kindred arts. DC, aud for publishing
literary and historical and scientific papers
compatible with the ability and amount OF
endowment of the said institute.
| do now, therefore, give To Granville G.
Valentine, Baniamln b. Valentine. edward
p. Valentine and Edward Y. Valentine, IN
trust. for the purpose herein indicated. my
residence. No. 1915 east Clay street. and
the lot 1T the southwest corner OF Clay and
Eleventh streets in the city OK Richmond,
and oil of my household and Kitchen turnl-
ture, books. manuscripts and other personal
papers autographs. pictures, curios, silver,
iewelry and china at my residence. and all
books, pictures and curlOs stored at the fac
toryat the corner of Cary andSlxtb streets. in
the city of Richmond and the sum or S50,-
600. which the executors OF my Will are re-
ouested TO pay over 10 the said trustees rs
soon as practicable. for corporation. which,
il not chartered or obtained IN my lifetime,
1 enloin upon and earnestly request tue
said trustees herein named to procure
such an act of incorporation from the Legis-
lature of Virginia or from court hav-
ing competent jurisdiction. 70 be named
The Valentine Museum" continuing such
powers and provisions as Will carry
out NV wishes herein declared, and they
are hereby fully authorized TO ask or petit
ton for and obtain an act OF, lncorpora-
ton with powers aud provisions sufficiently
clear and definite IN purpose 10 prevent any
legal objection to periecting the plan aud
accomplishing the objects Of the insttu-
ton. / therefore authorize and instruct
them to convey and paw to the said corpo-
ration thus created the said property in
tended therefor TO be used by said corpora
ton when created for the purpose aud OBJ
jects OF the act of Incorporation.
| feel that ! am imposing upon the said
trustees very onerous duties and obligations
perhaps beyond the means of the said lnstl-
tuition and the time at their disposal but
believe that when it shall be known that
they are doing good work, they will receive
assistance from our State and community.
If compatible with the disposition which
have made of my residence. | wish the said
trustees and the officers of tho said CORPORA
ton would permit MY sons, Granville q.
Valentine and Edward p. Valentine. and my
grandchildren. Vim. Gray Moseley. Maria
q. Moseley. Helen p. Moseley and Alsxan-
der Moseley, to occupy said residence as q
home for five years after my death.
AN HISTORIC HOUSE.
The residence bequeathed for this public
museum is one of the largest and m ost ee-
CANT III Richmond. Ii was erected ID 1912
known as the Wlckham mansion. II WAS
afterwards owned by John p. Ballard 1t was
next owned 10y James q. Brooks. and some
wear ago Mr. Valentine purchased it from
the Brooks estate. The walls are massive
and the house is in perfect state of pressr-
walton. In the rear is ii large and beautiful
garden surrounded by high thick walls, so
that altogether this property presents one OF
the best specimens of the luxuriant home If
H. 4 4 Dl..h Ii
poet Tom Moore WIS entertained under its
roof: so was Aaron Burr. and go were many
other celebrities of the early part OF tho Gen.
fury. Mr. Valentine in quiet way enter
tanned congenal friends in this house with a
lavish b .spitality. and anumber OF men dis
tinguished in the literary and scientific
world were within the past ten years, guests
at his board.
While it suggested that the present oc-
cupants of the house be permitted 10 re-
main there for five years, it is understood
that possession may be given at a much ear
lier date, Time will be required to arrange
the collection for public exhibition, but in
n year or two, perhaps, the chief provisions
of the codicil will be in operation and the
museum open to the public.
UNIQUE AND VALUABLE COLLECTION.
The contents of The Valentine Muse
um" will represent the labor of three gen.
erations. and when brought together in the
house for the purpose indicated. the col
lection will include:
!. The library and pictures of Mann s.
Valentine, the sather of Mann s. Valentine.
lately deceased; Prof. William Winston Val
entne and Edward V. Valentine.
ii. The manuscripts. curlos. art treasures
and library Of Manu- ). Valentine who made
the above beQuest). which latter contains
many rare and lmDOrtaut books BEARING
upon art. Anthropology and history.
III. The European collection of curios
tapestry. illumnations and library of Viii
liam Winston Valentine, including the many
valuable works on philology, collected and
consulted during the preparation of his
Comparative study of the German Lam
guage.n now being published in London.
". The curios. art library and art treas
ures heloneing TO Edward V. Valentine,
the sculptor embracing several of the pro-
auctions of his masters Couture and Hiss,
as well "a his own original work. formerly
on exhibition IN the gallery, corner Eighth
and Leigh streets.
Y. The entire archaeological collection of
Granville q. Valentine. Benjamin b. Val
entine and Edward z. Valentine, heretofore
known as the Valentine collection. This is
one at the best known collections in
America aud in many RESPECTS ranks IA the
most unique and valuable illustration OF the
prehistoric civilization OF this continent.
The cash value Of the various collections
gathered by Mr.. Valentine is estimated al
from 1925, 900 10 $4,000. For a number
OF years Mr.. Valentine had the intention
OF establishing such a museum, and ii is
thought that II be had lived for another
year he would have perfected the details.
which are now given Ia charge Of the trus-