Earl Gregg Swem Library, College of William and Mary
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Cook-Luttrell Papers, Manuscripts and Rare Books Department, Swem Library,College of William and Mary.
Correspondence, business, tax and legal records, primarily 1848-1890, of various members of the Cook and Luttrell Families of Culpeper and Rappahannock Counties, Virginia.
The Cook family correspondence is concentrated between 1855 and 1858 and discusses the migration of several members of the family to western Virginia and Missouri, courtship and marriage, farming, and detailed accounts of family visits. The Luttrell correspondence, 1874-1890, contains letters to Mollie Luttrell from girl friends, discussing social events and friends.
The Cook family business and tax records, (1936-1859)-1875, are primarily receipts for accounts with Culpeper County merchants, with those of Thomas Jimson Cook including advertisements and attendance records for a grammar school he taught in his home. The Luttrell business records are primarily the receipts of James W. Luttrell (1813-1884) with Culpeper and Rappahannock County merchants, and included receipts for tuition paid to educate his daughter, [Mollie?] and correspondence concerning his investments in Austin, [Texas?]. Also, assorted business and tax records of the Bywaters family, and a legal document appointing James W. Luttrell surveyor of roads for Culpeper County.
The papers are divided first by type of record and then by family.
OrganizationThe papers are organized into five Series so that Series 1 is Personal Correspondence, Series 2 is Business Papers, Series 3 is Tax Receipts, Series 4 is Legal Documents and Series 5 is Miscellaneous Papers. Within each series is a Subseries relating to either the Cook Family or Luttrell Family.
Concerns lawsuit between Cook and "Aunt" Cecy [Cook?]; mentions contention over estate of "Grandfather" Cook; discusses health of family and occurrence of cholera; progress of wheat, oat, and corn crops; mentions wife Elizabeth.
Sends news of the family at home; asks after other family members.
Reflects on the meaning and necessity of marriage; sends her his love.
Talks of family and friends; mentions upcoming trip to Kentucky; hopes he is not a "Know-Nothing" as she would disapprove.
Discusses family news, weather, and crop conditions; mentions possibility of going with him to a camp meeting in Kentucky; hopes he will come for a visit this summer.
Discusses corn crop; asks him to come to Taylor County; says he can teach school if he wants; including postscript noting death of "Col." Perry and "Uncle" William Corbin; mentions [wife?] Helen Ma[r]y.
Asks her to sign a financial note and give it to James W. Luttrell for safe-keeping.
Discusses weather and corn crop progress; mentions sister Sarah [Susan], and brother, Thomas; asks for $150 to buy a farm.
Describes teaching position.
Protests William's treatment by the [Motsey] Division of the Sons of [Temperance?], and the slander of his name.
Is glad he has arrived safely and has good prospects; tells news of the family; is anxious to hear his newly-learned Spanish.
Describes his journey home to find his youngest child dead of scarlet fever; has been sick for the past week; wants him to check a land title with the Cumberland County Clerk; includes a list of marriages in the Corbin family.
Asks for repayment of a loan; describes trip to Washington, [D.C., for Presidential inauguration?]
Discusses trip to the "western lands" to visit brother, Burrell H. Cook; tells of relatives met.
Describes trip from Virginia to Missouri, and friends encountered along the way; mentions intention to marry in the near future.
Discusses weather, and crops in Missouri as compared to Virginia; sends love to family members; intends to visit home when possible.
Discusses bad weather and illness in vicinity; mentions sisters, Sarah Susan, visit and brother, Burrel[l]; also Frank Robinson and family; intends to return home when possible.
Describes trip from Platte, Missouri to Oak Shade; weather makes travel bad, but is generally pleased with country; was glad to hear family is well; tells of acquaintances and friends living in Missouri.
William Williams, Bridgewater [Rockingham County, Virginia ?], to William A. Cook, Amissville, Rappahannock County, Virginia. Discusses his [WW] budding medical practice; ask Cook to remember him to all his old friends, as he will probably never see them again; mentions his intention to find a wife.
Discusses clothing Sarah Susan has asked to have made; mentions acquaintances.
Discusses arrangements for Sarah Susan to make a bonnet for "M's" trip to Washington in March.
Describes Sarah Susan's conversion experience at a recent revival meeting; has recently been sick, as have many family members; mentions brother, Thomas, and brother-in-law, Joseph Marshall, as well as children, Fannie and "Lilly" [Lila].
Talks of arrangements for her return to Virginia; mentions brothers, Burrell and Thomas; has been ill and there is a great deal of sickness in the air.
Describes new home and work associated with taking in boarders; announces birth of a daughter; sends love to family.
Mentions husband [Joseph Marshall] and children [Fannie and Lila]; details her work and her husband's investments in hogs, and his building of a distillery; tells of food she has prepared for the winter; sends her love to the rest of the family.
[Portion of a marriage proposal?]
Invitation.
Mentions his cousin's ill health; refers to his standing proposal of marriage; discusses one of his two daughters, Becky, and his sons.
Instructions for dyeing cloth.
Describes his progress in school; discusses "cousin" Sudie's [Sarah Susan (Cook) Kendrick] new baby, Mary Frances.
Discusses family news; mentions Sallie's weaving; asks Mollie to visit.
Discusses family news; mentions the marriage of Charlie Rollins; asks after Willie [Mary William Doyle?]; wishes she could join her and Willie at school.
Discusses making of new clothes; wants her to visit.
Discusses family members; mentions recent trip to Warrenton, Virginia.
Sorry to hear "cousin" Jim [Luttrell] is sick; invites her to visit.
Tells her to be sure to visit in the afternoon.
Invitation to a surprise party.
Describes her new dress; asks Mollie to visit soon; mentions Willie Silvey, Fannie [?], and family members.
Is happy to have received her letter; mentions decline of the Singing School and rise of Temperance Society; asks her to visit soon.
Discusses friends; wishes she would visit; will visit her soon.
Discusses plans for her [M.L.] Christmas visit; sends love to members of Mollie's family; mentions taffy pull at Mrs. [S.?] Corbin's.
Has not heard from her old friend; sends much love; mentions Willie Doyle, Annie [?], Martin Pickels, Mrs. Corbin; Lulie's brother is in Baltimore, while Lulie Davis is in Maryland.
Discusses new clothes and missing patterns; mentions "cousin" Tabitha's [?] expected visit; hopes Mollie will visit soon.
Has been killing hogs all day and is tired; congratulates her on her new "beau"; mentions a past protracted meeting; had fun at "cousin" S. Corbin's; invites her to visit.
Mentions rumor that Willie Silvey is Mollie's new beau, but is sure it cannot be true; attended Dr. Brown's funeral; asks her to visit soon.
Discusses the heat; is sewing several new dresses; has a new beau but misses the boys in Amissville; saw Bernard [?] and Fannie Anderson at church together; there will be a reunion of Union and Confederate soldiers at Luray [Page County, Virginia].
Asks her to visit or write; mentions friends, Laura and Tola, and "sister" Sudie [Sarah Susan Cook?]; promises to try to visit as soon as the weather clears.
Sends condolences at the death of "cousin" Jim [Luttrell?]; mentions intended trip to Baltimore in December.
Enjoyed recent visit but is now sick; hopes her [M.L.] wedding goes well; send best wishes for Christmas, and mentions local Baptist church's Christmas tree and tableaux; refers to Will [Mollie's brother?].
Discusses problems with renting a carriage for the drive to the [Baptist?] Association meeting; mentions seeing Willie at Oak Shade, [Virginia].
Was shocked to hear of Geo[rge] Sheag's death; tells that "cousin" Al Baker has bought a farm near Mollie's home; mentions Willie Jeffries, who will soon be married, and Clarence Pierce; his employer has offered him a house and livestock; talks of potential for profits to be made.
Discusses family news; hopes Mollie can join her at a "Bush" meeting.
Wishes she would visit for "first" Sunday and accompany them to Carter's Run.
Mentions "Uncle" Frank [Cook?], his wife [Sallie?] and daughter [Annie?], who have been sick; has had a lot of company lately; wishes she [M.L.] could visit with news of friends.
Expects to meet her and "Tola" the following evening for a trip to visit "Uncle" Frank [Cook?].
Wants to know if she is going to "cousin" Tommy's [?], and if "cousin" Hannah Bettie can accompany Mary.
Invitation to visit.
Sends her trimming and buttons as requested; wishes she would visit soon; mentions mutual friends.
Sends her yard goods and a pattern, mentions plans to travel to Fauquier [County?], but will miss going to Battle Run.
Can't accept the invitation to visit, but expects to see them the following evening at the "lodge."
Refers to hat she [M.L.] would like to purchase.
Wishes she were present to share in social gathering; mentions names of friends and family members.
Wants her to visit soon.
She [M.L.] is to accompany her [L.R.S.] to church next Sunday night.
Financial receipts and notes; merchants include Murray Forbes, William R. Robson, and Crigler and Eggborn.
Financial receipts for food and dry goods, and account for "boarding the delegates horses," 31 August 1853.
Account with John Cooke for goods and services, settled by Thomas J. Cook.
Financial receipts for food and dry goods purchased.
Financial receipts for food, lumber, dry goods; also, advertisements and attendance records for school taught by Thomas Cook; includes notice for lost cow.
Includes promissory note cosigned by Thomas J. Cook.
Financial receipts for food, dry goods and services purchased.
Financial receipts for food, dry goods and services purchased, including tuition paid for schooling of daughter [Mollie?].
Financial receipts for food, dry goods and services purchased, including letter referring to Luttrell's interests in Texas[?].
Financial receipts for food, dry goods and services purchased.
James W. Luttrell, Culpeper County, Virginia: County and state tax receipts, including "Receipt for United States Direct Taxes," 186[4], collected by authority of an Act of Congress passed 7 June 1862, "An Act for the Collection of direct taxes in insurrectionary districts within the United States, and for other purposes."
Gives Thomas the responsibility for Alfred's farm, stock, and slaves, as well as the schooling of his brother, B[urrell] H. Cook, and sister, Lucy E. Cook; witnessed by Pierce Perry.
A copy of "An Agreement...between Fanny Dade a free woman of colour of the County of Culpeper and the State of Virginia...and Joseph H. Marshal of the County of Saline and the state of Missouri" for the indenture of her two sons, George Henry and John Richard; witnessed by Thomas J. Cooke [sic].
Statement giving James W. Luttrell permission to claim land in the name of Alfred Cook, deceased, that it might be sold for the benefit of his heirs; contains signatures of heirs.
Tells family news and of frequency of illness; asks after friends and family; apologizes for taking so long to write back.
Announces the death of his mother; mentions having heard from Missouri relatives.
Note to accompany Christmas gift; mentions also "Miss" Washington.
Persons of note include Jakson Kines, James Mazingo, J.W. Corbin, Payne V. Baker, W.H. Perry, John Jett, George L. Pazne, and Turner L. Jones.
Many have notation "sold to Jas. W. Luttrell for taxes."