duPont Memorial Library

The Jessie Ball duPont Memorial Library

The Jessie Ball duPont Memorial Library is a research library located on the grounds of Stratford Hall next to the Visitor Center. To learn more about the library, or how to visit, please see the links below.

• History of the Library
• Who Was Jessie Ball?
• Visit the Library
• Library Research
• Photographic Services

Historic Documents

Selected documents and manuscripts from Stratford Hall's collections have been made accessible for on-line research. These documents are for personal and classroom use only. If you wish to use any of these documents, or excerpts from them, for publication purposes, please contact the Director of Research & Library Collections to request a Permission to Publish form.

Latest Acquisitions

Among the list of subscribers to the first edition of Oliver Evans' book Young Millwright and Miller's Guide, published 1795 in Philadelphia, was Virginia's Governor Henry Lee. Henry Lee, nicknamed "Light Horse Harry," had just completed his final term of governorship and was serving in the Virginia House of Delegates. He had already returned to Stratford - a place he had called home since 1782.

Henry Lee probably kept his copy of Evans's book in his extensive library in the Great House and possibly made changes to the Stratford Mill, but it is not known if he ever employed any of Evans's innovations. According to writing on the flyleaf, this particular copy of the book had been previously purchased from John Casinove [probably Jean Cazenove] in 1797 by John Cheyney [Cheney] of Maryland. This edition is complete with all 14 plates and list of subscriber's names.

The acquisition of books with titles identical to those owned by the Lees of Stratford is one of our collecting priorities. Anyone wishing to sponsor the purchase of this book can contact Stratford's Director of Research and Library Collections for more information.