A Guide to the Pendleton Family Papers, 1775-1881 Pendleton Family Papers, 1775-1881 31622

A Guide to the Pendleton Family Papers, 1775-1881

A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Accession Number 31622

Library of Virginia

The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000
USA
Phone: (804) 692-3888 (Archives Reference)
Fax: (804) 692-3556 (Archives Reference)
Email: archdesk@lva.virginia.gov(Archives)
URL: http://www.lva.virginia.gov/

Processed by: Trenton Hizer

Repository

Library of Virginia

Accession number

31622

Title

Pendleton Family Papers, 1775-1881

Physical Characteristics

28 pages

Language

English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Pendleton Family Papers, 1775-1881. Accession 31622, Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Purchased from Bookworm and Silverfish, Wytheville, Virginia, 3 December 1982.

Biographical Information

Edmund Pendleton was born 9 September 1721 in Caroline County, Virginia, to Henry Pendleton (1683-1721) and Mary Taylor Pendleton (1688-1770). He married first Elizabeth Roy 21 January 1741/2 and she died in childbirth 17 November 1742. Pendleton then married Sarah Pollard (1725-1815) in June 1743. Pendleton was licensed to practice law in front of the general court in 1745, and was appointed a justice for Caroline County in 1751. He was elected to the House of Burgesses in 1752. Pendleton was a member of all five Virginia Conventions in 1775-1776, and was a member of the 1788 convention and supported ratifying the federal Constitution. He also served on the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. Pendleton died in Richmond, Virginia, 26 October 1803.

Pendleton's nephew Nathaniel Pendleton was born in New Kent County, Virginia in 1756 to Nathaniel Pendleton (1715-1793) and Elizabeth Clayton Pendleton. He served in the army during the American Revolution, becoming aide-de-camp to General Nathanael Greene (1742-1786) during the southern campaign. After the war, Pendleton settled in Savannah, Georgia, and studied law. he was appointed a district judge, then a federal judge in 1789. He resigned his judgeship in 1796 and moved to New York, New York, where he practiced law. Pendleton was elected a delegate to the 1787 Federal Constitutional Convention and to Congress in 1789, but did not attend either. He served as a second to Alexander Hamilton (1757-1804) in his duel with Aaron Burr (1756-1836). Pendleton died in Hyde Park, New York, 20 October 1821.

Nathanael Greene Pendleton was born 25 August 1793 in Savannah, Georgia, to Nathaniel Pendleton and Susan Bard Pendleton. He graduated from Columbia College in 1813, and served as an aide-de-camp to General Edmund Pendleton Gaines (1777-1849) during the War of 1812. Pendleton moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1818 and practiced law there. He was a member of the Ohio state senate from 1825 to 1829, and served in the United States Congress from 1841 to 1843. Pendleton died in Cincinnati 16 June 1861. His son Edmund Henry Pendleton (22 June 1843-14 March 1910) resided in Cincinnati.

Scope and Content

Papers, 1775-1881, of the Pendleton family of Caroline County, Virginia; Savannah, Georgia; New York, New York; and Cincinnati, Ohio, consisting of correspondence of Edmund Pendleton (1721-1803) of Caroline County, Nathaniel Pendleton (1756-1821) of New York, and Edmund Henry Pendleton (1843-1910) of Cincinnati. Correspondence of Edmund Pendleton consists of a letter, 22 December 1775, to Colonels Robert Howe and William Woodford commanding the Virginia militia at Norfolk, Virginia; and a letter, 9 December 1786, to James Madison (1751-1836) regarding state and national affairs. Correspondence of Nathaniel Pendleton contains letters to various attorneys concerning his legal and financial affairs in Savannah, Georgia, and New York; a letter, [1813], to his son Nathanael Greene Pendleton (1793-1861) offering career advice to him as he enters the military; and a letter, 18 December 1814, to Archibald McIntyre asking McIntyre to remove land Pendleton owns from an advertisement for a land sale. Correspondence of Edmund Henry Pendleton consists of a letter, 1 November 1881, from Townsend MacCoun of Chicago, Illinios, stating that a pamphlet entitled "Address of Hon. E. Pendleton 1799" is being sent to Pendleton, and offers advice for conservation.

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Contents List

Letter, 22 December 1775, from Edmund Pendleton, Williamsburg, Virginia, to Colonels Robert Howe and William Woodford, commanding at Norfolk, Virginia, stating that [John Scarsbrook] Wills is the bearer of a letter to the them and the Virginia Convention has the same confidence in him as it did in [Joseph] Prentis, the intended bearer.

2 pages.

Letter, 9 December 1786, from Edmund Pendleton, Caroline County, Virginia, to James Madison, Richmond, Virginia, discussing Virginia and national politics, including legislation for various matters such as taxation and commerce.

4 pages.

Letter, 16 March 1793, from Nathaniel Pendleton, Savannah, Georgia, to William H. Gibbes requesting securities for the purchase of Fenwicke's Island as opposed to bonds in payment of debt to Pendleton.

3 pages.

Letter, 28 June 1799, from Nathaniel Pendleton, New York, New York, to Charles Harris, Savannah, discussing his legal and financial matters.

3 pages.

Letter, 20 May 1805, from Nathaniel Pendleton, New York, to Morris Miller, Savannah, stating that he is upset about learning about the dismissal of a suit 18 months ago, commenting on other legal matters, and mentioning that a ruling against him under the dueling law of New York will not prevent his practicing.

4 pages.

Letter, [1813], from Nathaniel Pendleton to his son Nathanael Greene Pendleton offering advice to his son who has been appointed aide-de-camp to General Edmund Pendleton Gaines. The father provides detailed points to help the son perform better in his military duties.

8 pages.

Letter, 18 December 1814, from Nathaniel Pendleton, Hyde Park, New York, to Archibald McIntyre asking McIntyre to remove a listing for land from a land sale advertisement as Pendleton has already purchased it.

1 leaf.

Letter, 1 November 1881, from Townsend MacCoun, Chicago, Illinois, to Edmund Henry Pendleton, Cincinnati, Ohio, stating that a pamphlet entitled Address of the Hon. E. Pendleton, 1799 is being sent to him. MacCoun also offers some advice on how to conserve the pamphlet.

3 pages.