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Earl Gregg Swem Library, College of William and Mary
Special Collections© 2001 By the College of William and Mary
Funding: Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Processed by: Elizabeth Callender
Collection is open to all researchers.
Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Curator of Manuscripts and Rare Books, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
William Sterrett Papers, Manuscripts and Rare Books Department, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.
Purchased, 1966.
William Sterrett of Point Pleasant, Virginia. (now West Virginia), was a lawyer, real estate agent, property manager and county clerk of Mason County. He represented interests in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.
Business papers of Sterrett who was a lawyer, real estate agent and county clerk of Mason County, Virginia (now West Virginia) includes letters, accounts, deeds, promissory notes, legal records, wills and other business records. Most of the letters are from Colin Auld of Alexandria, Va. Note: Correspondents include James Hall of Harrisonburg Va., John A. Marmaduke of Hillsborough and Shepherdstown, West Virginia, George W. Peter, John P. C. Peter, Thomas Peter of Georgetown, D. C., John Roberts of Alexandria, Va. and James Swan and Jonathan Swan of Baltimore, Md., Robert Swan of Cumberland, Md. and Robert Worthington of Charlestown, Va. (now West Virginia.)
Subjects covered by the papers include internal improvements, land speculation, runaway slaves, Board of Public Works, contracts for the construction of log cabins and for the clearing of brush, court case against James White Brackenridge. One document concerns Lawrence Washington.
Collection is arranged chronologically.
ArrangementThe collection has been divided into series. Series 1 are the letters of William Sterrett, series 2 are business and legal documents and series 3 are maps.
The letters discuss occupants who owe rent, the sale of lands, and money collected by Sterrett, owed to Auld. Mention of James W. Brackenridge of Mason County, Virginia
The letters discuss the division of land plots, back rent payments owed, deeds of sale, and the advantages of advertising in Dutch and English. One letter includes a hand-drawn map of a lot in Graham's Station, Virginia, where Auld owns land. Auld mentions a convention for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, which he believes will be built soon. He hopes that the canal, along with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, will increase the value of his property. Financial disagreements with James White Brackenridge and his father, Rev. John Brackenridge, are discussed at length.
The letters discuss potential land buyers, land sales and mortgages; includes discourse concerning legal dispute with J.W. Brackenridge, who spends time in jail during 1823. Henry Strider buys land in Mason County, Virginia, and is later suspected to be aligned with J.W. Brackenridge. Auld mentions the possibility of a railroad connection to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Documents include notification of bond penalties between Auld and John Ramsey, notification of a deposition hearing with Henry Strider, and notification that Auld is the overseer of a road in Alexandria, Virginia, and appropriated land in Alexandria.
Correspondence focuses on the long-running trial with J.W. Brackenridge; discuss preparing for the court appeal, how much Brackenridge owes, and other details of the case; mention disputes with Henry Strider and John Ramsey. Auld is ill--has been run over by a horse; has eye ailment. Includes letter from Henry Strider in defense of his actions; wishes for reconciliation.
Letters discuss in detail the legal dispute with J.W. Brackenridge; court observations, records of financial transactions, contracts, power of attorney, and court receipts in favor of Henry Strider and James W. Brackenridge of Mason County, Virginia against Colin Auld. Last four letters from Auld's estate attorney, William Page.
Discuss legal dispute with J.W. Brackenridge and his father Rev. John Brackenridge, and their attorney. Case is tried in local appeals and upper courts; discussed at length.
Discuss legal dispute over financial transactions with Isaac Larowe of Mason County, Virginia; sale of land and slaves. Seven blacks ran away to Ohio. Marmaduke proposes that the blacks return and buy their freedom: $100 per male, $50 per female,, or $500 for the group of seven. If they refused to return he authorized his attorney, Sterrett, to have them ". . .taken and disposed of in any way. . .proper for my use and benefit." Letters discuss clearing land, fence building, house repair, crop planting, and squatters. Marmaduke is ill with rheumatic fever; postpones visit to Mason County, Virginia William Sterrett's father dies
Correspondents include Colin Auld, Thomas Peter, John A. Marmaduke, John Roberts, Rudolph Roberts, and Auss Buckner. Contains a marriage certificate, complaints about goods and services, rent and debt notices, financial statements and records.
Includes financial records, accounts of business transactions, and discussion of planned visit to Mason County, Virginia
Includes notification and receipts of payments, discussion of leasing land and collecting rent. Peter suggests that W. Sterrett find a new western agent to replace him in his duties.
Includes notification and receipts of payments made and due. Discuss purchasing and renting land. Increased use of banks for financial transactions.
Discourse begins with W. Sterrett becoming J. Roberts' western agent with power of attorney. Letters include financial transactions and notification and receipts of payments made and due. Discuss the debts and travails of J. Roberts' son, Rudolph Roberts, who lives near Point Pleasant.
Includes discussion of land and horse purchases, along with other financial transactions.
Sterrett becomes J. Swan's western agent and is granted power of attorney; he can sell and divide land plots in Swan's name. Includes discussion of the sale of Swan's property and horses in Mason County, Virginia; he held nearly 9,000 acres.
Includes detailed financial records, notification of receipts &payments made and due. Some involve trading cattle for property. R. Swan threatens to take legal action against W. Sterrett for late payments.
Discuss debts owed to R. Worthington by his tenants in Mason County, Virginia; mentions taking legal action towards the debtors. Mention receipts of payments and other financial matters. R. Worthington is in the process of closing down his estate in Mason County, Virginia; W. Sterrett is serving as his western land agent.
General business correspondence of William Sterrett of Point Pleasant, Mason County, Virginia from various clients. Early letters contain requests for W. Sterrett to serve as a western land agent; his job evolves to the search for tenants, the collection of rent, the forwarding of money, the sale of land, the settlement of debts along with other forms of financial transactions typical of a frontier agent. Documents include a detailed record of money collected from clients ; discussion of dowry property, a poem from the collection of Boyd B. Sterrett entitled "The Home of my Childhood," and a receipt of a court payment made by James W. Brackenridge of Mason County to Augustus L.M. Damarin of Pittsburgh, Pa. Also included are contracts for activities such as the construction of a log cabin and the clearing of brush. The letter from Samuel F. Vinton, Ohio congressman, discusses congressional politics. Mentions the "internal improvement Bill," a survey of the "great and leading channels of communication throughout the United States, with a view to their improvement," along with the "Greek Resolution," a "development of European policy." Also mentions debate over the laws of presidential nomination, explaining that there is a game of "Fast and Loose" on both sides. Also contains receipts and request of legal payment in favor of J.J. and F.J. de Moyne paid by Martin Noniffs by order of the county court of Mason County, Virginia
Most letters discuss financial transactions in the form of transfer and forwarding money, settling debts, collecting rent and interest, bonds; and the purchase of land. One letter includes the exact dimensions and price of a barn being built for W. Sterrett. Later letters provide instructions about filling out bank checks. J. Stuart Thornton declares that "the board of Publik [sic] works have [sic] mentioned Point Pleasant as a place that will be of considerable importance," suggesting an increase in value of Sterrett's land holdings.
These letters contain financial records in list or long hand form; include receipts of payments, requests for payment, promissory notes, transfer of money, and the mention of the Bank of Virginia at Richmond. A declaration of bond of William Trotter of Mason County, Virginia, to Henry C. Dade of Fauquier County, Virginia
Sterrett was a lawyer and county clerk besides being a land agent, and he received requests and advice about legal documents. The Executive Department of Mason County, Virginia requested a certificate of summons. The Auditor's Office (probably of the State of Virginia) advised W. Sterrett about issuing executions against the estate of a convict. The Executive Department of Richmond, Virginia rejected the recommendations of Mason County, Virginia justices for information of request. Folder also contains a letter closing out the estate of Edward H. Donough of Mason County, Virginia, addressed to Sterrett, his legal administer of state.
Includes request from Lawrence Washington.