A Guide to the Blair-Howard Family Papers, 1788-1913 Blair-Howard Family, Papers, 1788-1913 2009.2

A Guide to the Blair-Howard Family Papers, 1788-1913

A Collection in
Special Collections, Kegley Library
Collection Number 2009.2


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Special Collections, Kegley Library, Wytheville Community College

Special Collections
Kegley Library
Wytheville Community College
Wytheville, Virginia 24382-3308
USA
Phone: (276) 223-4744
Fax: (276) 223-4745
Email: gmattis@wcc.vccs.edu
URL: http://kegleylibrary.wcc.vccs.edu/

© 2011 By Wytheville Community College. All rights reserved.

Processed by: Cathy Carlson Reynolds

Repository
Special Collections, Kegley Library
Collection Number
2009.3
Title
Blair-Howard Family Papers 1788-1913
Physical Characteristics
64 folders; 2 books..
Language
English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Blair-Howard Family Papers, Mss. Collection 2009.3, Kegley Library, Wytheville Community College, Wytheville, VA

Acquisition Information

Donated by Burl Lawson in 2009.

Scope and Content

The Blair-Howard Family Papers provide information on the families of John Blair, his daughter Lucinda Blair, her husband Thomas J. Blair, and their immediate and extended family of Tennessee, Carroll County, Virginia and Grayson County, Virginia. The collection is arranged into six series.

Much of Series I, Correspondence (1848-1918, undated), deals with the investigation of copper ore fields and potential for mining in Carroll County land owned by Thomas J. Howard and the estate of his father-in-law, John Blair. Other correspondence includes discussion of family illness, marriages, deaths, and other events in the neighborhoods in Carroll County, Grayson County, and Tennessee.

Series II, Financial Records (1820-1906, undated), consists primarily of receipts and tax records. Other records include court witness receipts for persons serving as witnesses in the case State of Tennessee v. Thomas J. Howard in 1850 and John L. Howard v. Norfolk and Western railroad Company in 1891.

Series III, Land Records (1788-1913, undated), include land patents signed by Gov. Edmund Randolph (1788), Gov. Henry Lee (1792), Gov. Robert Brooke (1796), Gov. John Tyler (1809-1810), and others. Also included are various surveys and notes as well as plats from the William Bourne estate.

Series IV, Miscellaneous Records (1827-1900, undated), include legal documents from the case Mrs. E. P. Carter et al v. John Howard et al, and various flyers, recipes, and a 1829 broadsheet by John Blair. Also included are several drafts of patterns for weaving.

Series V, Photographs (undated), contains photographs of railroad construction along the Snake River, unidentified people, and World War I.

Series VI, Books (1860, [1874]), contains a Kyle family Bible, and a Blair-Howard family Bible with birth, marriage, and death records.

Contents List

Series I. Correspondence. 1848-1918
9 folders
  • Folder 1. Correspondence. 1848, 1853.
    7 items.
    • Folder-item 1:1
      Letter. Abraham W. Howard, Newmansville, Greene County, Tennessee to Thomas Jackson Howard, Grayson County, Virginia. 23 May 1848
      1 p.

      Addressed to "Brother. " Re: teaching school at Mount Pleasant seminary, and family.

    • Folder-item 1:2
      Letter. John L. Yarnell, Cleveland, Tennessee to Thomas Jackson Howard, Campbell Station, Knox County, Tennessee. 28 January 1853.
      2 p.; envelope.

      Re: possible copper vein on Howard's Virginia property, cost for testing, and possible purchase.

    • Folder-item 1:3
      Letter. John L. Yarnell, [Savannah, Tennessee] to Thomas Jackson Howard, Knox County, Tennessee. 5 March 1853.
      2 p.

      Re: small amount of copper on Howard's Virginia property, appointment of Joseph Yarnell as his Virginia agent.

    • Folder-item 1:4
      Letter. A. S. Blair, Carroll County, Virginia to Thomas Jackson Howard and Lucinda Blair Howard. 24 April 1853.
      24 April 1853.

      Re: lawsuit of James Waugh, trouble collecting payment for iron and steel hauled to Giles County. M. M. Blair writes postscript to "Sister" re: Asbury Methodist Church Sunday School, Billy Thompson, marriage of Agnes Crockett and Gorden Porter, marriage of Lucinda Roberts and William Bedsaul, courtship of Jonas Frost and Celia Bedsaul, and Elizabeth Stone.

    • Folder-item 1:5
      Letter. James Waugh and E. Waugh, Grayson Court House, Virginia to Thomas Jackson Howard and Lucinda Blair Howard, Campbells Station, Tennessee.
      3 p.

      Re: lawsuit regarding division of land and slaves of John Blair, request of "Mother Blair " for instructions on disposal of goods Thomas Howard left in Virginia, Mary Blair, and Martha Blair. Postscript by Polly Blair re: making steel, timber cleaning, sheep, and aunt Polly Dickenson.

    • Folder-item 1:6
      Letter. A. S. Blair, Carroll County, Virginia to Thomas Jackson Howard and Lucinda Blair Howard, Campbells Station, Tennessee. 6 September 1853.
      3 p.

      Re: illness of Eliza Rosa Blair, delay in division of John Blair estate, and inquires if Howard would sell his share of John Blair estate.

    • Folder-item 1:7
      Letter. A. S. Blair, Carroll County, Virginia to Thomas Jackson Howard, Campbells Station, Knox County, Tennessee. 24 December 1853.
      3 p.

      Re: illness of Polly Blair, survey and division of John Blair estate, and his apprehension over assignment of land to heirs by commissioners. Postscript by M. M. Blair re: marriages of Sally Roberts and Elander Hale, Emelia Nuckells to M. Ward, Eliza Chapel to Bartlet Minor, Celisa Bedsaul to Jonas Forst, and Lucinda Roberts to William Bedsaul.

  • Folder 2. Correspondence. 1854.
    6 items.
    • Folder-item 2:1
      Letter. A. S. Blair, Carroll County, Virginia to Thomas Jackson Howard and Lucinda Blair Howard, Campbells Station, Tennessee. 12 June 1854.
      3 p.

      Re: drowning death of daughter Eliza Rosa Blair, news that Thomas Howard leased land to John L. Yarnell, division of John Blair estate. Postscript by Polly Blair re: difficult behavior of "Mother Blair, " slaves Matila, Deema, Amy, Celia, Vile, and Emaline.

    • Folder-item 2:2
      Letter. John Yarnell, Knoxville, Tennessee to Thomas Jackson Howard, Campbells Station, Tennessee. 3 September 1854.
      1 p.

      Re: "anything that you wish done our company will cheerfully attend to. "

    • Folder-item 2:3
      Letter. J. A. Richardson, Agent, J. L. Yarnell Mining Company, Delphia Copper Mines, Carroll County, Virginia to John L. Yarnell. 6 September 1854.
      1 p.
    • Folder-item 2:4
      Letter. J. A. Richardson, Agent, J. L. Yarnell Mining Company, Delphia Copper Mines, Carroll County, Virginia to Thomas Jackson Howard. 21 October 1854. 21 October 1854.
      1 p.

      Re: copper mining on his land and request to allow Yarnell Mining Company first refusal should he sell property.

    • Folder-item 2:5
      Letter. Charity Blair by James Waugh, Grayson Court House, Virginia to Thomas Jackson Howard. 10 November 1854.
      1 p.

      Addressed as "Son and Daughter, " flux epidemic, "copper fever " in county, and request that he return home.

    • Folder-item 2:6
      Letter. J. A. Richardson, Yarnell Mining Company, Delphia Copper Mine, Carroll County, Virginia to Thomas Jackson Howard. 28 November 1854.
      1 p.

      Re: copper mining efforts, digging shaft, and location of copper ore mainly on surface of vein.

  • Folder 3. Correspondence. 1855.
    9 items.
    • Folder-item 3:1
      Letter. John L. Yarnell, Camp Savannah, Tennessee to Thomas Jackson Howard, Campbells Station, Tennessee. 18 January 1855.
      2 p.; envelope.

      Re: disappointing result in mining via tunnel and shaft as copper is mixed with mica.

    • Folder-item 3:2
      Letter. William H. Cook, Hillsville, Virginia to Thomas Jackson Howard, Campbells Station, Tennessee. 9 February 1855.
      1 p.

      Re: efforts of Stuart & Company and Buchanan and Company in copper mining in area, and delay in division of John Blair land because of copper vein only in one lot.

    • Folder-item 3:3
      Letter. A. S. Blair, Grayson County, Virginia to Thomas Jackson Howard, Campbells Station, Tennessee. 13 March 1855.
      2 p.

      Re: success of Early family in copper mining, copper ore on Iron Ridge, and insistence of Thomas Blair to remain on land.

    • Folder-item 3:4
      Letter. J. A. Richardson, Yarnell Mining Company, Hillsville, Virginia to Thomas Jackson Howard. 25 March 1855.
      2 p.

      Re: poor quality of copper ore, recommendation for Howard to sell his interest in Yarnell Mining Company as he will do, and work of Captain Gill and Mr. Lyon in development of new copper ore vein.

    • Folder-item 3:5
      Letter. Joseph Yarnell, Delphia Copper Mine, Carroll County, Virginia to Thomas Jackson Howard. 14 April 1855.
      2 p.

      Re:poor quality of copper on his property.

    • Folder-item 3:6
      Letter. Joseph Yarnell, Delphia Copper Mine, Carroll County, Virginia to Thomas Jackson Howard. 22 April 1855.
      1 p.

      Re: mining and surveying efforts by Cook and Wistar on land of Howard, Dow Blair, and Stone family.

    • Folder-item 3:7
      Letter. J. A. Richardson, Baltimore, Maryland to Thomas Jackson Howard, Campbells Station, Tennessee. 28 April 1855.
      1 p.

      Re: mining efforts by Cook and Wistar and their entrenchment upon Howard's land.

    • Folder-item 3:8
      Letter. A. S. Blair, Grayson County, Virginia to Thomas Jackson Howard and Lucinda Blair Howard, Campbells Station, Tennessee. 4 November 1855.
      3 p.

      Re: illness of Polly Blair, Charity Blair, and Thomas Blair; effort of Thomas Blair to nullify the division of land of John Blair.

    • Folder-item 3:9
      Letter. J. A. Richardson, Hillsville, Virginia to Thomas Jackson Howard, Campbells Station, Tennessee. 18 December 1855.
      2 p.

      Re:lessening of "copper fever, " disappointing and expensive copper mining efforts by Yarnell Mining Company and Wood and Jobe; offer to buy Howard's land.

  • Folder 4. Correspondence. 1856.
    7 items.
    • Folder-item 4:1
      Letter. A. S. Blair, Grayson County, Virginia to Thomas Jackson Howard and Lucinda Blair Howard, Campbells Station, Tennessee 27 April 1856.
      2 p.

      Re: land dispute of Thomas Blair and heirs of John Blair, and sale of Cook and Wistar land to Richardson and Company.

    • Folder-item 4:2
      Letter. Jacob Peck, Greeneville, Tennessee to Lucinda Blair Howard. [18 June 1856].
      3 p.

      Re: his poor opinion of John L. Yarnell, advice not to sell land of her father, John Blair. Postscript by Abraham W. Howard to Thomas Jackson Howard and Lucinda Blair Howard re: advice not to sell, rent, or lease property and "that old rascal " John L. Yarnell.

    • Folder-item 4:3
      Letter. J. A. Richardson, McMinnville, Tennessee to Thomas Jackson Howard, Campbells Station, Tennessee. 4 August 1856.
      2 p.; envelope.

      Re: three Englishmen examining land in area; offer to purchase Howard's land for $1000.

    • Folder-item 4:4
      Letter. J. A. Richardson, McMinnville, Tennessee to Thomas Jackson Howard, Campbells Station, Tennessee. 5 September 1856.
      1 p.; envelope.

      Re: request that Howard answer letter of 4 August 1856, writing to him at Hillsville, Virginia.

    • Folder-item 4:5
      Letter. A. S. Blair, Grayson County, Virginia to Thomas Jackson Howard. 7 September 1856.
      7 September 1856.

      Re: decision to settle John Blair land division with commissioners, report on Howard's copper interests, news of three Englishmen on Iron Ridge property, James Waugh, and J. A. Richardson.

    • Folder-item 4:6
      Letter. J. A. Richardson, McMinnville, Tennessee to Thomas Jackson Howard. 30 September 1856.
      1 p.; envelope.

      Re: purchase of L. D. Blair land within the Cook and Wistar survey for $500.

    • Folder-item 4:7
      Letter. William B. Hope to Thomas Jackson Howard. 4 December 1856.
      1 p.

      Re: request for payment in legal case.

  • Folder 5. Correspondence. 1858-1859.
    1 p.
    • Folder-item 5:1
      Letter. Tilley Summers and Jane Summers, Roane County, Tennessee to Thomas Jackson Howard and Lucinda Blair Howard. 31 March 1858.
      4 p.

      Re: flux epidemic, his broken leg, and L. D. Howard in Kansas.

    • Folder-item 5:2
      Letter. M. Russell and R. Russell, Campbells Station, Tennessee to Thomas Jackson Howard. 4 April 1858.
      1 p.

      Re: requests payment on his note as "times are very hard here. "

    • Folder-item 5:3
      Letter. M. Russell and R. Russell, Campbells Station, Tennessee to Thomas Jackson Howard, Wolf Glade, Carroll County, Virginia. 16 June 1858.
      1 p.; envelope.

      Re: offer to cancel Howard's note if he pays $55.18.

    • Folder-item 5:4
      Letter. M. Russell and R. Russell, Campbells Station, Tennessee to Thomas Jackson Howard, Grayson Court House, Virginia. 29 April 1859.
      1 p.; envelope.

      Re: request for payment on note.

    • Folder-item 5:5
      Letter. M. Russell and R. Russell, Campbells Station, Tennessee to Thomas Jackson Howard, Wolf Glade, Tennessee. 14 September 1859.
      1 p.; envelope.

      Re: request for payment on note.

  • Folder 6. Correspondence. 1860-1861.
    4 items.

    Folder contains letters from M. Russell and R. Russell, Campbells Station, Tennessee to Thomas Jackson Howard, Wolf Glade, Carroll County, Virginia regarding payment on his account.

  • Folder 7. Correspondence. 1873-1889.
    6 items.
    • Folder-item 7:1
      Letter. W. S. Blair, Tarrant County, Texas to John L. Howard. 4 April 1873.
      8 p.

      Re: Addressed to "Dear Uncle ", bad weather, livestock, desire to leave Texas, girls of Texas who chew tobacco and use profanity.

    • Folder-item 7:2
      Postcard. Abraham W. Howard to Thomas Jackson Howard, near Hillsville, Carroll County, Virginia. 26 November 1876.
      1 p.

      Re: his joining the Methodist Church as a "Conference Missionary Agent ".

    • Folder-item 7:3
      Letter. Abraham W. Howard, Greeneville, Tennessee to Thomas Jackson Howard and Lucinda Blair Howard and family, Wolf Glade, Virginia. 17 January 1877.
      4 p.

      Re: family, farming, family of C. L. Howard, and illness of Lucinda Howard.

    • Folder-item 7:4
      Letter. Neal [unknown], Greeneville, Tennessee to John L. Howard. May 1878.
      4 p.

      Re: Grangers [National Grange of the Order of Husbandry] in area, and bad economy.

    • Folder-item 7:5
      Letter. O. H. Howard to S. G. Roberson. 15 July 1885.
      1 p.

      Re: request to let Jim Richerson boys have forty cents worth of goods.

    • Folder-item 7:6
      Letter. Kenny Kyle to John Howard. 18 September 1889.
      1 p.

      Re: request to let Clay Jones have wheat.

  • Folder 8. Correspondence. 1897-1895.
    4 items.

    Folder contains letters to and from John L. Howard regarding payment of accounts and purchase of bacon and oak fencing.

  • Folder 9. Correspondence. 1900, 1918, undated
    4 items.

    Folder contains correspondence to John Howard, Clyde Howard, and Lucinda Blair Howard. A World War I letter from Gladys [unknown] to Clyde Howard, a soldier in the Engineering Corps, is also included.

Series II. Financial Records. 1820 - 1906
32 folders

Series contains receipts, tax receipts, ledgers, and cancelled checks of the Howard and Blair families. Also included are court witness receipts for persons serving as witnesses in the following legal cases: State of Tennessee v. Thomas J. Howard (1850), John L. Howard v. Norfolk and Western Railroad Company (1891).

Series III. Land Records. 1788-1913.
14 folders.
  • Series-folder 3:1
    Folder 1. Land Records - Land Patents. 1788.
    2 items.

    Land patent for 52 acres in Montgomery County to Matthew Dickey, 10 November 1784/1785. Land patent for 100 acres in Montgomery County to Matthew Dickey, assignee of John Kerr, survey dated 10 November 1785. Both signed by Edmund Randolph, Governor, 8 August 1788.

  • Series-folder 3:2
    Folder 2. Land Records - Land Patents. 1792, 1796.
    2 items.

    Land patent for 187 acres in Wythe County to Matthew Dickey by survey 13 December 1774; signed by Henry Lee, Governor, 2 July 1792. Land patent for 150 acres in Grayson County to John Williams by survey 28 April 1783; signed by Robert Brooke, Governor, 27 October 1796.

  • Series-folder 3:3
    Folder 3. Land Records - Land Patents. 1809, 1810.
    2 items.

    Land patent for 50 acres in Grayson County to Stephen Jones, assignee of John Hiatt, by survey 15 September 1805. Land patent for 100 in Grayson County to John Haughey, assignee of Russell M. Cain, by survey 9 March 1806. Both signed by John Tyler, Governor, on 12 September 1809 and 13 August 1810, respectively.

  • Series-folder 3:4
    Folder 4. Land Records - Land Patents. 1813, 1836.
    2 items.

    Land patent for 95 acres in Grayson County to George Phillips by survey 29 August 1812; signed by James Barbour, Governor, 5 June 1813. Land patent for 5 acres in Grayson County for John Blair by survey 29 June 1834; signed Wyndham Robertson, Lieutenant Governor, 18 August 1836.

  • Series-folder 3:5
    Folder 5. Land Records - Land Patents. 1838, 1860.
    2 items.

    Land patent for 200 acres in Grayson County to John Blair by survey 23 April 1838, signed by David Campbell, Governor, 30 November 1838. Land patent for 1 acre in Carroll County to Thomas Howard; signed by John Letcher, Governor, 1 September 1860.

  • Series-folder 3:6
    Folder 6. Land Records - Deeds. 1789, 1799.
    2 items.

    Deed between Jeremiah Clonch and Thomas Blair of Grayson County, 31 October 1789. Deed between Joseph Powell and John Wilks of Grayson County, 16 March 1799

  • Series-folder 3:7
    Folder 7. Land Records - Deeds. 1803, 1804, 1806.
    3 items.

    Deed between Joseph Jackson of Grayson County and Alexander Smyth of Wythe County, 20 February 1803. Deed between Thomas Blair and John Blair of Grayson County, 30 June 1804. Deed between Anderson Melton and John Wilks, Grayson County, 1806.

  • Series-folder 3:8
    Folder 8. Land Records - Deeds. 1814, 1832, 1842.
    3 items.

    Deed between Alexander Smyth as trustee, Wythe County, and Thomas Wistar and John Cook of Philadelphia, 27 September 1814. Deed between William Melton and Isaac Winesett, 24 January 1832. Deed between Hosea Patton and John Blair of Grayson County, 9 April 1842.

  • Series-folder 3:9
    Folder 9. Land Records - Deeds. 1857, 1887, 1888.
    3 items.

    deed between William H. Cook, Carroll County, and Lucinda Howard, Tennessee, 18 November 1857. Deed between P. P. Kinzer, Emma Kinzer, L. A. Kinzer, A. G. Sutherland, Sarah Sutherland and James Wilkinson, 1 April 1884. Deed between Mary J. Howard and John S. Howard, Orithia Howard, Carroll County, 5 November 1888.

  • Series-folder 3:10
    Folder 10. Land Records - Deeds. 1889, 1891, 1892, 1913.
    4 items.

    Deed between James Wilkinson, L. J. Wilkinson and John L. Howard, Carroll County, 20 June 1889. Deed between S. D. Kyle, Mary J. Kyle, and John L. Howard, Carroll County, 26 February 1891. Deed between G. W. Jones, Eliza M. Jones, and John Howard, Carroll County, 8 March 1892. Deed between John

  • Series-folder 3:11
    Folder 11. Land Records - Surveys and Notes. 1796, 1813, 1815, 1819, 1861, 1890, 1892.
    10 items.

    Includes notes on various deeds and patents: McKinzies land, 1796; G. Bobbett, 1814, William Edward, 1815; David Noblet, 1796; Thomas Blair, 1819; Creed Fulton to Frank Clements, 1861; William T. Kinzer to A. B. Williams, 1890; William T. Kinzer, 1861; Howard and Jones land, 1892.

  • Series-folder 3:12
    Folder 12. Land Records - Survey and Notes. undated
    9 items.

    Included are notes on: deed of A. S. Blair, land of Thomas Jackson Howard; A. Williams land; A. Dixon survey; surveys in Fulton v. Clements.

  • Series-folder 3:13
    Folder 13. Land Records - Plats from William Bourne Estate. 1809, 1837, 1838, 1843, 1849.
    13 items.
  • Series-folder 3:14
    Folder 14. Land Records - Plats, Surveys of Lewis Hale. 1809, 1837-1839.
    15 items.
Series IV. Miscellaneous Records. 1827 - 1900.
3 folders.
  • Series-folder 4:1
    Folder 1. Miscellaneous Records - Legal Documents - Mrs. E. P. Carter et al v. John Howard et al. 1858 - 1892
    14 items.
  • Series-folder 4:2
    Folder 2. Miscellaneous Records. 1827-1900.
    15 items.

    Includes broadsheet by John Blair dated 1829, agricultural product flyers, recipes, etc.

  • Series-folder 4:3
    Folder 3. Miscellaneous Records - Weavers Drafts. 1829, 1838, 1841, 1846, 1851.
    13 items.

    This folder includes patterns or drafts for weaving including "Double Bow-Not, ""Callee Changed Dimity, ""Worlds Beauty, ""Queens Fancy, ""Laurel Leaf, ""Morning Star, ""Wonders of Kentucky, ""Mountain Cucumber, ""Strait Stripe Dimity, " and "Globe 1851. "

Series V. Photographs. Undated.
138 photographs.

Includes photographs of Snake River, Idaho, including railroad construction camp. Also included are photographs of World War I era France.

Series VI. Books. 1860, 1874.
2 items.

Kirk Family Bible, with Apocrypha, 1860; with marriage and birth records. Blair-Howard Family Bible, with Apocrypha, 1874; with birth marriage, and death records.