Philibert Papers(1947–1964)

MS 1990.3
1 linear ft.

Papers of Helene and Estelle Philibert, researchers of Alexandria, Virginia. Helene and Estelle Philibert were employed by the Department of the Navy in a confidential capacity for many years and later assisted with naval history projects. Papers include notes, printed pamphlets, brochures, catalogues and newspaper clippings, as well as typescripts and copies of documents. They pertain to the Philiberts’ research on several topics and individuals. The bulk of the collection pertains to Helene Philibert’s research on John Paul Jones (1747–1792) undertaken for Samuel Eliot Morison’s (1887–1976) work entitled John Paul Jones: a Sailor’s Biography, ca. 1959. The Jones research contains copies of documents pertaining to, or written by, Jones. These papers concern primarily his arrival in America and his service in the United States Navy during the Revolution (1776–1781.)

Also includes correspondence between Samuel Eliot Morison and Helene Philibert documenting the research process, and clippings and photos pertaining to Jones and to Morison’s career. Other topics and individuals include the Montague, Minor and Weeks families; the Ball family, especially Mary Washington Ball (1708–1789); the Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834), especially his 1824–25 visit to the United States, and the Society of the American Friends of Lafayette; and the Mason family, especially John Mason, the growth of Washington, D.C., and Gunston Hall.

Inventory

Item	Description	Date	Folder
Box 1
Series I: John Paul Jones Research
Subseries I: Photocopies and Transcripts	Photocopies and transcripts of original documents used by the Philiberts and Samuel Morison in their research on John Paul Jones. Also includes one microfilm reel of photocopies from Harvard University Library relating to Jones’ niece, Janette Taylor, and used by the Philiberts while doing research for Samuel Eliot Morison.
Photocopies and Transcripts		1760s	1
Photocopies and Transcripts		1770–1772	2
Photocopies and Transcripts		1773–1775	3
Photocopies and Transcripts		Jan–June 1776	4
Photocopies and Transcripts		July–Dec 1776	5
Photocopies and Transcripts		Jan–March 1777	6
Photocopies and Transcripts		April–Sept 1777	7
Photocopies and Transcripts		Oct–Dec 1777	8
Photocopies and Transcripts		Jan–Mar 1778	9
Photocopies and Transcripts		April–June 1778	10
Photocopies and Transcripts		July–Aug 1778	11
Photocopies and Transcripts		Sept–Oct 1778	12
Photocopies and Transcripts		Nov–Dec 1778	13
Photocopies and Transcripts		Jan–June 1779	14
Photocopies and Transcripts		July–Dec 1779	15
Photocopies and Transcripts		Jan–June 1780	16
Photocopies and Transcripts		July–Dec 1780	17
Photocopies and Transcripts		Jan–March 1781	18
Photocopies and Transcripts		March–Dec 1781	19
Photocopies and Transcripts		1782–1785	20
Photocopies and Transcripts		Jan 1786	21
Photocopies and Transcripts		Feb 1786–1789	22
Photocopies and Transcripts		1790s	23
Photocopies and Transcripts		1800–1839	24
Photocopies and Transcripts		Aug 1846–1852, 1957	25
Photocopies and Transcripts		n.d.	26
Box 2
Subseries II: Correspondence	Correspondence between Helene Philibert and Samuel Eliot Morison, as well as others, regarding the research on John Paul Jones; also includes some personal correspondence between the Philiberts and Samuel Eliot Morison.
Correspondence		1947; 1955–57	27
Correspondence		March–Oct 1958	28
Correspondence		Nov 1958–1962	29
Subseries III: Notes	Typed notes and excerpts from primary and secondary source material relating to John Paul Jones; concerns primarily his early life before and upon reaching the United States in 1773.
Notes		n.d.	30
Subseries IV: Photographs and Pictures	Photographs and pictures of John Paul Jones and his contemporaries, ships which they commanded, commemorative medals, and his birthplace. Most are official U.S. Navy photographs.
Photographs and Pictures		n.d.	31
Series II: Samuel Eliot Morison Publications
Subseries I: Miscellaneous Articles	Printed articles by Samuel Eliot Morison on various subjects.
Miscellaneous Articles			32
Subseries II: John Paul Jones Articles	Printed articles by Samuel Eliot Morison on John Paul Jones including several manuscript copies of his article on the Willie Jones-John Paul Jones tradition.
John Paul Jones articles			33
Series III: Ball Family Research
Subseries I: Photocopies and Transcripts	Photocopies and transcripts of original documents used by the Philiberts for their research on Mary Ball Washington and the Ball family.
Photocopies and Transcripts		1601–1682	34
Photocopies and Transcripts		1700–1739	35
Photocopies and Transcripts		1741–1762	36
Photocopies and Transcripts		1775–1797; 1885; 1931–39; n.d.	37
Subseries II: Correspondence	The Philiberts’ correspondence relating to research on Mary Ball Washington.
Correspondence		1921; 1938; 1958; 1970–76	38
Subseries III: Biography	Incomplete manuscript of biography of Mary Ball Washington, probably by Helene or Estelle Philibert.
Research		n.d.	39
Box 3
Subseries IV: Printed Material	Printed material on the Ball family; includes genealogical charts, genealogies, and pictures.
Printed Material			40
Series IV: Lafayette Research
Subseries I: Photocopies and Transcripts	Photocopies and transcripts used by Helene Philibert; concerns the Marquis de Lafayette, especially his visit to the United States in 1824.
Photocopies and Transcripts		18th–20th century	41–42
Subseries II: Photographs and Pictures	Photographs, negatives, and pictures of: Lafayette; Commodore Charles Morris, Commander of the ship that took Lafayette across the Atlantic for his 1824–25 tour of the United States; and memorials to Lafayette.
Photographs and Pictures		1960s–70s	43
Subseries III: Newspaper Clippings	Newspaper clippings pertaining to the Marquis de Lafayette and the Society of the Friends of Lafayette.
Newspaper Clippings		19th–20th century	44
Subseries IV: Printed Material	Miscellaneous printed material relating to the American Friends of Lafayette, commemorative ceremonies in honor of Lafayette, and manuscript collections containing Lafayette memorabilia and papers.
Printed Material		1930s–1970s	44a
Series V: Mason Family Research
Subseries I: Photocopies and Transcripts	Photocopies and transcripts relating to the Mason family; including George Mason of Gunston Hall and his son, General John Mason.
Photocopies and Transcripts		19th–20th century	45
Subseries II: Correspondence	Correspondence of the Philiberts relating to their research on the Mason family.
Correspondence		1930s–1970s	46
Subseries III: Photographs and Pictures	Photographs of portraits of General and Mrs. John Mason and other pictures relating to the Mason family.
Photographs and Pictures		n.d.	47
Subseries IV: Printed Material	Genealogical charts of the Mason family.
Printed Material		1970s	48
Series VI: Montague/Minor/Weeks Research
Subseries I: Photocopies and Transcripts	Photocopies and transcripts relating to the Montague, Minor, and Weeks families.
Photocopies and Transcripts		1600s–1800s	49–50
Subseries II: Correspondence	Correspondence relating to research on the Montague, Minor, and Weeks families.
Correspondence		1930s–1970s	51
Subseries III: Printed Material	Printed genealogical material relating to Peter Montague and his descendants.
Printed Material		1960s	52
Series VII: Miscellaneous Materials
Subseries I: Miscellaneous Correspondence	Correspondence including several letters to Malcolm McConihe, Democratic National Committeeman, from James Roosevelt, Cordell Hull and others. Also includes a letter from Melvin Laird to Helene Philibert.
Misc. Correspondence		1930s	53
Subseries II: Miscellaneous Documents	Several 19th-century documents and letters relating to the Kearney family. Also includes Helene Philibert’s Red Cross certificate and a few poems by unknown authors.
Misc. Documents		19th–20th century	54
Subseries III: Miscellaneous Photographs	Photographs of James Forrestal, Secretary of Defense, in the late 1940s. Helene Philibert was a member of Forrestal’s immediate staff and he personally inscribed several of the pictures.
Misc. Photographs		1947–48	55
Subseries IV: Miscellaneous Printed Material	Catalogues of manuscript collections at the U.S. Naval Academy Museum and of United States Naval history sources.
Misc. Printed Material		1956; 1970	56
1X Oversize Manuscripts Box
From Series VI: Montague/Minor/Weeks Research
	Photocopy of Deed, 14 July 1948, between Chesapeake Corp. and Montague Memorial Association.
	Photocopy of Indenture, Oct. 4, 1870, between William Montague and Cornelius Sullivan, Deed Book No.26, Lancaster Co.
	Photocopy of Deed, Jan. 19, 1818, Cornelius Sullivan to Armistead Palmer, Lancaster Co.
	Photocopy of will of William Montague, Oct. 21, 1763, Middlesex County, Will Book E, 1760–1772.
	Photocopy of will of William Montague, Dec. 2, 1753, Middlesex County, Will Book D, 1748–1760.
	Photocopy of inventory of Montague estate, Lancaster Co. Inventories, 1650–1719.
	Photocopy of Land Grant, Francis Nicholson to Peter Montague, Oct. 24, 1702.
From Series ?
	Photocopy of agreement between Augustine Washington II and Principio Iron Works, May 31, 1726.
	2 portraits of James Forrestal, Secretary of Defense, with personal inscriptions to Estelle Philibert.
	2 portraits of James Forrestal, Secretary of Defense, with personal inscriptions to Helene Philibert.

View Virginia Heritage Project finding aid