Administrative Information

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Preferred Citation

Went family. Papers, 1806-1864. Accession 22834, Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Lent for copyting by George H.S. King, through John Lee Pratt, 1948.

Biographical/Historical Information

The Went family was a prominent family in King George County, Virginia. They were related to the Kenyon and Ficklin families. The first James Went was a prominent local citizen and served as a captain in the Virginia militia. The second James Went moved first to Kentucky, then to Mississippi, where he was killed by a blow to the head with a brick.

Scope and Content Information

Papers, 1806-1864, of the Went family of King George County, Virginia, consisting of: a) a letter, dated 28 May 1806, from an unknown correspondent in Mason County, Kentucky, containing personal news about settling in Kentucky; b) a letter, dated 3 August 1813, from Joseph K. Ficklin (b. 1793) of Mason County to James Wint (Went) (1753-1830) of King Goerge County concerning personal news and agriculture in Kentucky; c) a letter, dated 29 August 1815, from James Went of Mason County to James Went of King George County discussing Went, senior's disappointment about Went, junior's settling in Kentucky; d) a letter, dated 16 January 1816, from James Went of Mason County to his sister, Polly Went of King George County sending greetings and commenting on agriculture and land in Kentucky; e-f) letters, dated 29 December 1823 and 22 April 1824, from James Went now of Adams County, Mississippi, to his sister Polly Went containing news of his health and situation; g) a letter, dated 23 September 1824, from Henry Bruce (1777-1855) of Fleming County, Kentucky, to James Went of King George County discussing his travels and personal news; and h) a letter, dated 20 October 1831, from George M. Graham of Alexandria, Virginia, to William F. Taliaferro (d. 1836) or Henry Went (ca. 1798-1837) of Westmoreland County, Virginia, concerning the purchase of slaves.

Also contains: i) a letter, dated 3 August 1833, from Henry Went to his sister concerning personal news; j) miscellaneous notes, 1836, on the birth of a child and the prices of various items; k) a letter, dated 30 June 1837, from David B. Taylor to Jane Went (b. ca. 1770) informing her of her son's worsening health; l) affidavit, dated 7 February 1854, of Berryman Cox and Stiles P. Curtis (1792-1860) of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, attesting to their service during the War of 1812; m) miscellaneous notes, n.d. and 1862, concerning the death of Henry Went and others; n) a letter, dated 27 August 1864, from Major Theodore G. Barker, Headquarters, Cavalry Corps, Army of Northern Virginia, to Colonel Richard Lee Turberville Beale (1819-1893), colonel of the 9th Virginia Cavalry, sending the praise of General Wade Hampton (1818-1902) to the command; o) a letter, n.d., from William S. Allen of Jefferson County, Mississippi, to Polly Went informing her of the death of her brother James Went; and p) a letter, n.d., from Judith Ficklin (1772-1826) containing personal news.