A Guide to the Washington Family Papers, 1770-1883 #317

Scope and Content Information

The papers consist chiefly of correspondence and documents related to the Washington family residing near Winchester, Virginia.

The papers include household accounts, 1770-1772, of Ann Washington; a petition, 1 June 1784, of landowners in Lexington, Va., for a year's extension to complete construction of buildings delayed by the Revolutionary War; a letter, 22 October 1784, to Benjamin Stoddert, Georgetown, D.C., regarding shipping concerns; and correspondence, 1787-1791, of William Fleming, regarding the settlement of a friend's estate, including a letter from Caleb Wallace.

There are also miscellaneous papers, 1784-1842, of the Washington family, regarding financial matters; trade between the United States and Great Britain; household accounts, including rent due to George William Fairfax; claims for military service; and land for sale near Red Sulphur Springs, Va. (i.e., W. Va.).

The collection also contains papers, 1790-1805, of William Augustine Washington, including accounts for household supplies and shipping costs, and a receipt; an appointment, 19 February 1791, signed by Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, of Arthur Simkins as judge for Edgefield County, S.C.; a letter, 22 March 1794, to Bushrod Washington, regarding the disputed ownership of a slave; and a letter, 2 October 1795, to Etienne Dutilh, Philadelphia, Pa., regarding cargo shipments from London.

The papers also contain a waxen seal, 1799, of the State of Georgia; a letter, 18 December 1800, from George S. Washington to James Madison, regarding the impact of the Hessian fly on wheat crops; a letter, 23 December 1800, from David Holmes, Washington, D.C., regarding the election of Thomas Jefferson as President of the United States; and a letter, 26 June 1803, from Henry Lee while at Botetourt County, Va., regarding business matters.

Also an unsigned letter 27 July 1814, regarding campaigns around Buffalo, N.Y. during the War of 1812; a letter, 1 February 1819, to Samuel McDowell Reid, Lexington, Va., regarding legislation to improve navigation on the James River; a letter, 1 June 1820, from William H. Cabell, Richmond, Va., regarding financial matters; papers, 1826-1828, regarding 202 acres land in Troup County, Ga., granted to John McDowl; and a letter, 4 November 1837, from George Corbin Washington, regarding financial matters.

Also a letter, 29 December 1837, from F.W. Pickens to his father, regarding Southern politics, family matters, and the health of his slaves; a letter, 3 April 1839, from David Campbell, Richmond, Va., to William C. Rives, Albemarle County, Va., regarding appointing an agent to secure foreign loans for the James River and Kanawha Company; and aletter, 30 September 1841, to A.P. Upshur, Washington, D.C., soliciting a naval appointment.

Also a letter, 13 August 1842, from Thomas Clayton, Washington, D.C., regarding President Tyler; a letter, 5 November 1843, from James McDowell, Richmond, Va., regarding financial matters; a legal opinion, 4 December 1844, signed by George Corbin Washington, regarding lands abandoned under the Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819; and a letter, 13 January 1845, from Edmund W. Hubard, Washington, D.C., to Winfield Scott, regarding possible changes to the militia system.

Also a letter, 26 July 1845, from William Smith, Washington, D.C., to James K. Polk, soliciting a promotion in the U.S. Department of the Treasury for his brother James; and a letter, 17 November 1845, to John Randolph Tucker, Winchester, Va., regarding deeds issued to his father, Henry St. George Tucker.

Also a letter, 8 December 1847, from Gideon J. Pillow, Mexico City, Mexico, to his wife, regarding a painting of the Battle of Chapultepec, the court of inquiry initiated against him by Winfield Scott, and family matters; aletter, 6 July 1848, from James McDowell, Washington, D.C., regarding a visit to Stauntan, Va.; and a letter, 24 October 1857, from T.S. Arthur, Philadelphia, Pa., accompanying a shipment of a volume of his works.

Also a letter, 20 December 1857, from Alexander Hamilton Stephens, Washington, D.C., regarding financial matters; a note, 19 December 1858, from John Letcher, Washington, D.C., complying with an unspecified request; and a military bounty, 10 March 1860, signed by James Buchanan, for eighty acres land in Hudson, Wis., granted for service in the War of 1812.

Also notes, 13 May 1861, from F.W. Pickens to R.S. Ripley to Edward Manigault, authorizing the transfer of a "twelve pounder" cannon from the Citadel; a pay certificate, 1863, for a Confederate soldier killed in the Battle of Sharpsburg; a letter, 22 February 1864, to David D. Porter, regarding the fitting of naval vessels; and a detail pass, 5 August 1864, for William A. Pierce to oversee work on a plantation in Jefferson County, Ga.

Also a letter, 20 March 1876, from Fitzhugh Lee, Stafford County, Va., answering a request for an autograph letter from Robert E. Lee; a letter, 2 May 1878, from Jefferson Davis, New Orleans, La., to G.T. Beauregard, regarding an invention to manufacture inexpensive gas; and a decree, 19 February 1883, of Alexander Hamilton Stephens, calling for a runoff election for the coroner of Columbia County, Ga.

Contents List

Correspondence of the Washington Family

Washington, Butler, & Nivison to Messrs. Forrest & Stoddert 1784 Sep-Oct

Circular letter regarding shipping concerns
Thomas Madison to Col. Fleming [17]87 Aug

Legal matters of a Mrs. Christian
Caleb Wallace to Col. William Fleming 1791 July 12

Legal advice on a Capt. Christian's will
W. H. Washington to Bushrod Washington 1794 Mar 22

Discussion of ownership of Dick, a Negro who belonged to Philip Alexander
Honorius Combauld & Company to E. Dutilh 1795 Oct 2

Legal matters re: the ship "Hannibal" and Capt. Clonser and the ship's cargo
George S. Washington to James Madison Jr. 1800 Dec 18

Agricultural concerns, Hessian fly and other pests
David Holmes to Andrew Reed 1800 Dec 23

Election of Thomas Jefferson and Burr; mentions the French Treaty
Henry Lee to Mr. M[?] 1803 June 26
[ ? ] to Cousin William, Buffalo, New York 1814 July 27

Mentions Gen. Brown crossing the Niagara River; describes the battles between the British and Americans in that area
Andrew Alexander to Capt. Samuel M.D. Reid 1819 Feb 1

Discusses activities related to the improvement of the navigation of the James River in the House of Delegates
William H. Cabell to Robert Saunders 1820 June 1

Financial matters of Saunders and Cabell
William Lee to Mrs. H. Taylor (widow of Lt. H. Taylor, U.S. Army) 1822 Feb 27

Regarding her husband's account with the Treasury Department
William Lee to Mrs. Lucy Taylor 1822 May 2

Regarding her husband's estate
George Corbin Washington to [?] 1837 Nov 4

Financial matters
F. W. Pickens to Col. Andrew Pickens (his father) 1837 Dec 29

Family matters
Gov. David Campbell to William C. Rives 1839 Apr 3

Re finding someone to negotiate loans in Europe for the state of Virginia
J. W. Patton to Abel P. Upshur 1841 Sep 3

Re procuring an appointment of midshipman in the Navy for the grandson of Col. Burfort [treasurer of the state], Joseph L. Freind
Richard Washington to Messrs. Skidmore & Co. Merchants 1842 June 9
T. Clayton to George Platt 1842 Aug 13

Re lack of restrictions on foreign imports, President Tyler's role in the decision, his power over Congress, and taxes imposed without permission of Congress
Maurice Langhorne Jr. to Colonel McConel R[ude] 1843 July 4

Re a tract of land on the N[?] River that Langhorne wants to purchase
James McDowell to William Taylor 1843 Nov 5
Edmund W. Hubbard to Major General Scott 1845 Jan 13

A member of the Committee on Militia giving detailed views on the United States militia, local militia, ages for required enlistment, uniforms, and training
William Smith to the President [James K. Polk] of the United States 1845 July 26

Attempt to advance his brother's position from a clerk in the Treasury Department
Benjamin F. Washington to John Randolph Tucker 1845 Nov 17

Regarding deeds made by Tucker's father, Henry St. George Tucker
Gideon J. Pillow to his wife Mary 1847 Dec 8

Mexico City--Pillow writes about his activities there on business
J. McDowell to [?] 1848 July 6
T. S. Arthur to [ ? ] 1857 Oct 24
Alexander H. Stephens to John H. Jackson 1857 Dec 20
J. Letcher to [?] 1858 Dec 19
Gov. F. W. Pickens to [?]; Col. R. S. Ripley to Col. Edward M[ani]gault 1861 May 13

Re Colonel Ripley's authority to select an iron twelve pounder from the citadel
[?] Brown to Admiral David D. Porter 1864 Feb 22

Re vessels being outfitted and what Admiral Porter requires for these vessels
Fitzhugh Lee to Edward E. Amen 1876 Mar 20

Reply to a request for an autograph of R. E. Lee
Jefferson Davis to Gen. G. T. Beauregard 1878 May 2

Re an invention by a Mr. Crutchett "for the manufacture of cheap gas" about which Davis wants to confer with General Beauregard

Papers of the Washington Family

Mrs. Ann Washington, household account with Anthony McKittrick 1770-1771

1 p.
Petition of purchasers of lots in the town of Lexington, Rockbridge Co. to be allowed one more year to complete the buildings on their land as stated in the purchase agreement. Signed by : Samuel Lyle, William McKee, William McKee Jr., Samuel Wallace, William [Alexander], Hugh Campbell, James M[ ? ], James Carruthers, James Hatho[rne] , Thomas Edgar 1784 June 1
Capt. Edward Washington in account with Battaile Muse 1786 May-1787 May
Col. W. A. Washington receipt from W. Payne 1790 Apr 10
Commission of state of South Carolina appointing Arthur Simkins to the position of Judge of the County Court of Edgefield County; signed by Charles Pinckney 1791 Feb 19
Col. William A. Washington in account with James Park & Co. 1801 July-Sep
Receipt Capt. John Payton to William A. Washington 1805 Feb 25
Mr. Daniel Morgan in account with Isaac Caruthers & Co. 1806 Dec-1808 Jan
State of Georgia survey in Troup County for John McDowl by John Dobbs 1826 Dec 18
Land Grant/Troup County to John McDowl, signed by Gov. John Forsyth 1828 Jan 17
Claim of David Taylor for improvements abandoned 1844 Dec 4

G. C. Washington and John T. Mason declare their predecessor's ruling final
Land grant signed by James Buchanan for Mary Searcy, widow of George Searcy, a private in the North Carolina Militia in the War of 1812. This land was assigned by Mary Searcy to Archibald A. Gunnison 1860 Mar 10
Final pay accounting for Thomas J. Wilson of Rockbridge County upon his death in the battle in 1862 1863 Jan 30
Application for detail as overseer of three Negroes by William A. P[?] 1864 Aug 5
Governor of Georgia Alexander A. Stephens declares that a run-off election be held between the two men tied for the seat of coroner of Columbia County 1883 Feb 19
Account of Robert Carter/Grove & Glavison, signed by H. L. Washington n.d.