A Guide to the Letters of James Paxton, Francis Paxton, General John W. Steenbergen, and attorney W.A. Glasgow, 1861, 1866-1867 Paxton, James, et al., Letters, 1861, 1866-1867 10910

A Guide to the Letters of James Paxton, Francis Paxton, General John W. Steenbergen, and attorney W.A. Glasgow, 1861, 1866-1867

A Collection in
The Special Collections Department
Accession Number 10910

Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library

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Funding: Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Processed by: Special Collections Department

Repository

Special Collections, University of Virginia Library

Accession number

10910

Title

Letters of James Paxton, Francis Paxton, General John W. Steenbergen, and attorney W.A. Glasgow 1861, 1866-1867

Physical Characteristics

This collection consists of four letters.

Language

English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Letters of James Paxton, Francis Paxton, General John W. Steenbergen, and attorney W.A. Glasgow, 1861, 1866-1867, Accession # 10910, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

These letters were purchased from William A. Fox Auctions, Inc. of Springfield, New Jersey, by the Library on February 14, 1990.

Scope and Content Information

All four of these letters, 1861, 1866-1867, describe details concerning a dispute over the estate of Captain [John] Jordan of Fincastle, Virginia, between the executor, James Paxton (1780-post 1867), and John W. Steenbergen, and involving an attorney in Fincastle, W.A. Glasgow, which could not be settled because of the intervention of the Civil War and scarcity of money following the conflict.

The first letter, May 27, 1861, contains several comments about the Civil War. James Paxton writes that he is unable to sell the small tobacco crop from the estate except at a great sacrifice due to Abraham Lincoln's blockade, the legatees must have patience until he is able to pay them, he will urge Jordan Paxton to pay the balance due for the Negroes, and assures Steenbergen that he is doing all he can to meet his obligations. He also states "the impossible conflict has commenced, we will meet it as best we can," mentions the volunteers raised in Boutetourt and Rockbridge Counties, and regrets his extreme old age which prevents his active participation.

In a subsequent letter, May 7, 1866, James Paxton estimates his own losses due to the Civil War at around $ 30,000, and describes his difficulties in settling the estate.

In the two letters from J.W. Steenbergen to the attorney, W.A. Glasgow, he complains about the difficulties in settling the estate and his dissatifaction at Paxton's statements concerning the amount due him.