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Tazewell Papers(1664–1805)

  • MS 1931.4
  • Microfilm: M-1552
  • 41 items

Letters, primarily 1771–1794, mostly personal, to Henry Tazewell (1753–1799), judge, Virginia delegate, and U.S. senator, and to his son, Littleton Waller Tazewell (1774–1860), Virginia delegate and governor, and U.S. senator, from Lucy Ludwell Paradise, D. Ragsdale, Edmund Randolph, Harrison Randolph, Edward Rice, and John M. St. George. Letters concern a wide variety of subjects.

Also, a few legal documents of John Tazewell (1734–1780), Henry’s uncle, a lawyer and clerk of courts in Richmond, VA, and a miscellaneous autograph collection of deeds, land grants, and letters. Prominent signatures include those of Gov. Robert Dinwiddie, Lord Dunmore, Gov. William Gooch, Patrick Henry, Gov. Herbert Jeffreys, Richard Henry Lee, John Randolph, and George Wythe. The names of John Blair, Thomas Buckner, James Cocke, Thomas Dimmer, Thomas Fondfont, G. Harmanson, John E. Holt, Anthony Irby, W[ilson] C[ary] Nicholas, Christopher Norfleet, John Savage, James Southall, and Francis Willis also appear in the papers.

Inventory

Date Description
Folder 1
1 November 1733 King’s assent to [Virginia] Acts of 1732, Chapter 28, concerning the vestment of certain entailed properties of Gertrude Harmanson of Northampton County. 3 pp.
ca. 1771 Deposition of Anthony Irby to George Wythe re purchase of 400 acres on the Banester [sic] [Banister] River from Clement and Thomas Read. The Reads never owned the land they were attempting to sell. Irby is preparing to bring the Reads to court, charging them with fraud. 4 pp.
8 April 1771 Letter. Anthony Irby to George Wythe concerning Irby’s law suit against Clement and Thomas Read.
2 September 1772 Letter. Richard Henry Lee, Chantilly [Virginia], to Edmund Pendleton, Caroline [County, Virginia]. Discusses the settlement of the estate of [Gawin] Corbin of Westmoreland County, deceased. 4 pp.
20 September 1773 A legal notice written by George Wythe [to Patrick Henry] in the case of Roger Gregory vs. the estate of Edward Athawes, deceased, Mary Athawes, administratrix. 1 p.
5 April 1774 Edmund Pendleton’s signed memo regarding Charles Harding’s charge of trespassing against John Combs for cutting down his trees. 2 pp.
13 October 1774 Letter. George Wythe to John Randolph. Inquires as to wherabouts of several bills in the cases of the Attorney General against Twitty and others. 2 pp.
Folder 2
25 August 1775 Deed. John Randolph, and wife, Ariana, of Williamsburg, to Peyton Randolph, James Blair and James Cocke, also of Williamsburg. Gives John Randolph’s house and adjoining lands [approximately 100 acres] lying in Williamsburg and James City County in consideration of Randolph’s debts. Includes inventory of household goods. 3 pp. 1X Oversize.
4 September 1778 Land grant. Thomas, Lord Fairfax, proprietor of the Northern Neck of Virginia, to Joseph Combs. Note on back by John Lagarde, Clerk of Court for Stafford County, states no records of this grant could be found. Additional note from Edmund Pendleton to his client, Mr. Harding, advising him that the grant appears fraudulent. 2 pp.
15 October 1778 Deed, John Blair and James Cocke, surviving trustees of John Randolph, deceased, to John Tazewell. Land from the late Peyton Randolph sold to pay debts to John Syme, Burwell Bassett and William Fitzhugh of Marmion. 2 pp. 1X Oversize.
19 December 1778 Receipt signed by Thomas Jefferson for £296.2 recovered by Henry Tazewell from the estate of John Randolph on behalf of Ferrell & Jones. 1 p.
2 March 1779 Loan office receipt signed by Patrick Henry recording the collection of £238.5.9 from Benjamin Waller owed to William Johnston of the kingdom of Great Britain and sequestered according to the Act of Assembly for that purpose made. PFWMI. 1 p.
21 October 1780 Letter. Patrick Henry to ? concerning Dutton Lane’s claim to property on Leatherwood Creek in Pittsylvania County. 4 pp.
16 February 1780 Letter. Richard Henry Lee, Chantilly, Virginia, to John Bailey and John Brennon informing them that a jury has been summoned to try the two on a charge of forcible entry. 1 p.
17 March 1780 Loan office receipt signed by Thomas Jefferson for a loan of £3,431.3.5 borrowed by Benjamin Waller from Thomas Knox & Co. PFWMI. 1 p.
11 June 1783 Edmund Randolph’s legal opinion of the division of the estate of Mr. Thomas. 2 pp.
27 February 1785 Letter. John Tabb, Amelia County, to Henry Tazewell, Williamsburg, concerning the sale of a tract of land at the Capahosick [sic] [Cappahosic] Ferry, Gloucester County, Virginia. 2 pp.
11 June 1785 Letter. Edmund Randolph to Henry Tazewell, Williamsburg, about loan of a horse to Mrs. Nicholas. 2 pp.
11 June 1785 Letter. Edmund Randolph to Henry Tazewell, Williamsburg, about borrowing of a horse for Mrs. Nicholas. 2 pp.
28 June 1785 Land grant. Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia, to John Kearns, M. Butt, Solomon Creekmore and William Northern. Bottom portion of grant only. PFWMI.
26 August 1785 Letter. Drury Ragsdale, King William [County, Virginia] to Henry Tazewell, Williamsburg, concerning the case of Walk vs. Powell, explaining Thomas Matthews’ debt. 2 pp.
Folder 3
1 February 1788 Letter. Harrison Randolph, Dinwiddie [County, Virginia] to Henry Tazewell, Williamsburg. Writes to Tazewell, who was recently appointed judge of the district court, requesting his recommendation to a district court clerkship. 2 pp.
27 January 1789 Letter. Edward Rice, Williamsburg, to Henry Tazewell concerning the purchase of corn at a rate of twelve shillings a barrel. 2 pp.
23 April 1790 Letter. Edmund Randolph, Williamsburg, to Henry Tazewell, Petersburg, concerning the settlement of Peyton Randolph’s debt by selling portions of his property. 2 pp.
17 October 1790 Letter. Edmund Randolph, Philadelphia, to Henry Tazewell concerning Randolph’s debt to Tazewell and to [?] Carter. 2 pp.
1 September 1791 Letter. Edmund Randolph, Philadelphia, to Henry Tazewell, Williamsburg, will send Tazewell a deed as agreed. 2 pp.
4 September 1791 Further details concerning purchase of land referred to in the letter of 2 September 1791. 2 pp.
9 October 1791 Letter. Edmund Randolph, Philadelphia, to Henry Tazewell, Williamsburg, mentions Tazewell’s purchase of land from Randolph and difficulty in sending the deed. 2 pp.
2 January 1793 Henry Tazewell’s account with Charles Hunt. Items purchased include medicines, food, household items, clothing, and alcohol. The sum total is £34.19s.11p. 2 pp.
Folder 4
22 January 1794 Letter. James Southall, Williamsburg, to John Holt, Norfolk. Southall requests Holt’s immediate payment of a bond. If not paid, Southall must pay off the bond himself. 2 pp.
9 April 1794 Letter. James Southall, Williamsburg, to John Holt, Norfolk. Concerns Holt’s failure to pay a debt in Southall’s name. If Holt does not pay off the debt soon, Southall will have to sell his crops to pay the debt himself. 3 pp.
14 April 1794 Letter. James Southall, Williamsburg, to John Holt, Norfolk. Presses Holt to pay his debt so that Southall’s property need not be sold. With enclosure. 2 pp.
14 April 1794 [Enclosure] to above. James Southall, Williamsburg to John Holt, Norfolk, instructing Holt to pay the balance due to Southall to David Miller. 2 pp.
20 October 1794 Letter. Edmund Pendleton, Richmond, to Henry Tazewell, Williamsburg, expressing his hope that Tazewell’s health improves so that he may return to the court: cases are backlogged for lack of a quorum. 2 pp.
12 May 1804 Letter. Edmund Randolph, Richmond, to Littleton [Waller] Tazewell, Suffolk. Concerns debt of Henry Tazewell, deceased, owed to Randolph. Also mentions a recent court case decided in Randolph’s favor. 2 pp.
5 July 1804 Letter. John M. St. George, Williamsburg, to Littleton Waller Tazewell, asks him to forward a mortgage from Holt to Spratly so that he may make use of it in a business transaction. 2 pp.
24 February 1805 Letter. Lucy Ludwell Paradise, London, to Littleton Waller Tazewell, Norfolk, desires to return to Williamsburg from England and is waiting for the arrival of her profits from the sale of some corn and wheat so that she can pay off her debts and depart for Virginia. 2 pp.
October 1842 Commonwealth of Virginia Superior Court Docket. October Term 1842. Lists plaintiffs and defendants. 4 pp.
31 October 1664 Deed. Captain John Savage to Thomas Dimmer, granting one thousand acres of land on Savage’s Creek in Northampton County. 2 pp. 1X Oversize.
10 October 1678 Land patent. Lieutenant Governor Herbert Jeffreys to Thomas Fondfont for 797 acres in Lower Norfolk County [now Chesapeake]. 2 pp. 1X Oversize.
9 December 1742 Deed. Lieutenant Governor William Gooch to Thomas and Mary Buckner of Caroline County, for 925 acres in Bruton Parish in York County. 2 pp. 1X Oversize.
23 April 1748 Deed. Lieutenant Governor William Gooch and wife Rebecca to Francis Willis of Gloucester County for 925 acres in Bruton Parish in York County. Also transfers slaves, livestock and farm implements. Witnessed by Thomas Nelson and Thomas Everard. 3 pp. 1X Oversize.
16 June 1756 Land grant. Governor Robert Dinwiddie to Christopher Norfleet, 220 acres in Nansemond County, on the southern branch of the Nansemond River. Parchment. PFWMI. 1 p. 1X Oversize.
1 August 1772 Land grant from Governor John Murray, Earl of Dunmore to John Tazewell of York County. The land in question consists of three town lots in Williamsburg and was owned by the late William Levingston. Parchment. 2 pp. 1X Oversize.
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