A Collection in
the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
Manuscript Number MS 31.4
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, Colonial
Williamsburg Foundation
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library Colonial Williamsburg Foundation P.O. Box 1776 Williamsburg, Virginia 23187 USA Phone: (757) 565-8520 Fax: (757) 565-8528 Email: speccoll@cwf.org URL: http://www.history.org
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Rockefeller Library at Colonial Williamsburg.
Preferred Citation
Tazewell Family Papers, Manuscript # MS 31.4, John D.
Rockefeller, Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg
Foundation
Henry Tazewell (1753-1799) was a judge, Virginia delegate,
and U. S. senator, and his son, Littleton Waller Tazewell
(1774-1860), was a Virginia delegate, governor, and U. S.
senator.
The Tazewell Family Papers consist mainly of letters,
primarily 1771-1794, mostly personal, to Henry Tazewell
(1753-1799), judge, Virginia delegate, and U. S. senator, and
to his son, Littleton Waller Tazewell (1774-1860), Virginia
delegate and governor, and U. S. senator, from Lucy Ludwell
Paradise, D. Ragsdale, Edmund Randolph, Harrison Randolph,
Edward Rice, and John M. St. George. Letters concern a wide
variety of subjects. Also included are a few legal documents
of John Tazewell (1734-1780), Henry's uncle, a lawyer and
clerk of courts in Richmond, Va., and a miscellaneous
autograph collection of deeds, land grants, and letters.
Prominent signatures include those of Gov. Robert Dinwiddie,
Lord Dunmore, Gov. William Gooch, Patrick Henry, Gov. Herbert
Jeffreys, Richard Henry Lee, John Randolph, and George Wythe.
The names of John Blair, Thomas Buckner, James Cocke, Thomas
Dimmer, Thomas Fondfont, G. Harmanson, John E. Holt, Anthony
Irby, W[ilson] C[ary] Nicholas, Christopher Norfleet, John
Savage, James Southall, and Francis Willis also appear in the
papers.
King's assent to [Virginia] Acts of 1732,
Chapter 28, concerning the vestment of certain entailed
properties of Gertrude Harmonson of Northampton County.
1 November 1733.
3p.
Deposition of Anthony Irby to George Wythe
discussing the buying of 400 acres of land on the
Banester [sic] [Banister] River from Clement and Thomas
Read. The Reads never owned the land they were
attempting to sell. Irby is preparing to bring the Reads
to court, charging them with fraud.
ca. 1771.
4p.
Letter. Anthony Irby to George Wythe
concerning Irby's law suit against Clement and Thomas
Read.
8 April 1771.
2p.
Letter. Richard Henry Lee, Chantilly
[Virginia], to Edmund Pendleton, Caroline [County,
Virginia]. Discusses the settlement of the estate of
[Gawin] Corbin of Westmoreland County, deceased.
2 September 1772.
4p.
A legal notice written by George Wythe [to
Patrick Henry] in the case of Roger Gregory vs. the
estate of Edward Athawes, deceased, Mary Athawes,
administratrix.
20 September 1773.
1p.
Edmund Pendleton's signed memo regarding
Charles Harding's charge of trespassing against John
Combs for cutting down his trees.
5 April 1774.
2p.
Letter. George Wythe to John Randolph.
Inquires as to wherabouts of several bills in the cases
of the Attorney General against Twitty and others.
13 October 1774
2p.
Land grant. Thomas, Lord Fairfax, proprietor
of the northern neck of Virginia, to Joseph Combs. Note
on back by John Lagarde, Clerk of Court for Stafford
County, states no records of this grant could be found.
Additional note from Edmund Pendleton to his client, Mr.
Harding, advising him that the grant appears fraudulent.
15 October 1778
2p.
Receipt signed by Thomas Jefferson for
L296.33 recovered by Henry Tazewell from the estate of
John Randolph on behalf of the Ferrell and Jones.
19 December 1778.
1p.
Loan office receipt signed by Patrick Henry
recording the collection of $794.33 from Benjamin Waller
owed to William Johnston of the kingdom of Great Britain
and sequestered according to the Act of Assembly for
that purpose made. PFWMI.
2 March 1779.
1p.
Letter. Patrick Henry to [?] Leatherwood
concerning a property claim in Pittsylvania County.
21 October 1780
4p.
Letter. Richard Henry Lee, Chantilly,
Virginia, to John Bailey and John Brennon informing them
that a jury has been summoned to try the two on a charge
of forceable entry.
16 February 1780.
1p.
Loan office receipt signed by Thomas
Jefferson for a loan of $7,437.70 borrowed by Benjamin
Waller from Thomas Knox & Co. PFWMI.
17 March 1780.
1p.
Edmund Randolph's legal opinion of the
division of the estate of Mr. [?] Thomas.
11 June 1783.
2p.
Letter. John Tabb, Amelia County, to Henry
Tazewell, Williamsburg, concerning the sale of a tract
of land at the Capahosick [sic] [Cappahosic] Ferry,
Gloucester County, Virginia.
27 February 1785.
2p.
Letter. Edmund Randolph to Henry Tazewell,
Williamsburg, expressing gratitude for the loan of a
horse to Mrs. Nicholas.
11 June 1785.
2p.
Letter. Edmund Randolph to Henry Tazewell,
Williamsburg, asking him if he could borrow a horse.
11 June 1785.
2p.
Land grant, Patrick Henry, Governor of
Virginia to John Kearns, M. [?] Butt, Solomon Creekmore
and William Northern. PFWMI.
28 June 1785.
Letter. D. Ragsdale, King William [County,
Virginia] to Henry Tazewell, Williamsburg, concerning
the case of Walk vs. Powell, explaining Thomas Matthews'
debt.
26 August 1785.
2p.
Letter. Harrison Randolph, Dinwiddie [County,
Virginia] to Henry Tazewell, Williamsburg. Writes to
Tazewell, who was recently appointed judge of the
district court, requesting his recommendation to a
district court clerkship.
1 February 1788.
2p.
Letter. Edward Rice, Williamsburg, to Henry
Tazewell concerning the purchase of corn at a rate of
twelve shillings a barrel.
27 January 1789.
2p.
Letter. Edmund Randolph, Williamsburg, to
Henry Tazewell, Petersburg, concerning the settlement of
Peyton Randolph's debt by selling parts of his property.
23 April 1790
2p.
Letter. Edmund Randolph, Philadelphia, to
Henry Tazewell concerning Randolph's debt to Tazewell
and to [?] Carter.
17 October 1790.
2p.
Letter. Edmund Randolph, Philadelphia, to
Henry Tazewell, Williamsburg, will send Tazewell a deed
as agreed.
1 September 1791.
2p.
Further details concerning purchase of land
referred to in the letter of 2 September 1791.
4 September 1791.
2p.
Henry Tazewell's account with Charles Hunt.
Items purchased include medicines, food, household
items, clothing, and alcohol. The sum total is
L34.19s.11p.
2 January 1793.
2p.
Letter. Edmund Randolph, Philadelphia, to
Henry Tazewell, Williamsburg, mentions Tazewell's
purchase of land from Randolph and difficulty in sending
the deed.
9 October 1793.
2p.
Letter. James Southall, Williamsburg, to John
Holt, Norfolk. Southall requests Holt's immediate
payment of a bond. If not paid, Southall must pay off
the bond himself.
22 January 1794.
2p.
Letter. James Southall, Williamsburg, to John
Holt, Norfolk. Concerns Holt's failure to pay a debt in
Southall's name. If Holt does not pay off the debt soon,
Southall will have to sell his crops to pay the debt
himself.
9 April 1794.
3p.
Letter. James Southall, Williamsburg, to John
Holt, Norfolk. Presses Holt to pay his debt so that
Southall's property need not be sold. With enclosure.
14 April 1794.
2p.
[Enclosure] to above. James Southall,
Williamsburg to John Holt, Norfolk, instructing Holt to
pay the balance due to Southall to David Miller.
14 April 1794.
2p.
Letter. Edmund Pendleton, Richmond, to Henry
Tazewell, Williamsburg, expressing his wish that
Tazewell's health improve so that he may return to the
court: cases are backlogged for lack of a quorum.
20 October 1794.
2p.
Letter. Edmund Randolph, Richmond, to
Littleton [Waller] Tazewell, Suffolk. Concerns debt of
Henry Tazewell, deceased, owed to Randolph. Also
mentions a recent court case decided in Randolph's
favor.
12 May 1804.
2p.
Letter. John St. George, Williamsburg, to
Littleton Waller Tazewell, asks him to forward a
mortgage from Holt to Spratly so that he may make use of
it in a business transaction.
5 July 1804.
2p.
Letter. Lucy Ludwell Paradise, London, to
Littleton Waller Tazewell, Norfolk, desires to return to
Williamsburg from England and is waiting for the arrival
of her profits from the sale of some corn and wheat so
that she can pay off her debts and return to Virginia.
24 February 1805.
2p.
Commonwealth of Virginia Superior Court
Docket. October Term 1842. Lists plaintiffs and
defendants.
October 1842.
4p.
Deed. Captain John Savage to Thomas Dimmer,
granting one thousand acres of land on Savages Creek in
Northampton County.
31 October 1664.
Physical Location: Oversize.
2p.
Land patent. Lieutenant Governor Herbert
Jeffreys to Thomas Fondfont for 797 acres in Lower
Norfolk County [now Chesapeake].
10 October 1678.
Physical Location: Oversize.
2p.
Deed. Lieutenant Governor William Gooch to
Thomas and Mary Buckner of Caroline County, for 925
acres in Bruton Parish in York County.
9 December 1742.
Physical Location: Oversize.
2p.
Deed. Lieutenant Governor William Gooch and
wife Rebecca to Francis Willis of Gloucester County for
925 acres in Bruton Parish in York County. Also
transfers slaves, livestock and farm implements.
Witnessed by Thomas Nelson and Thomas Everard.
23 April 1748.
Physical Location: Oversize.
3p.
Land grant. Governor Robert Dinwiddie to
Christopher Norfleet, 220 acres in Nansemond County, on
the southern branch of the Nansemond River. Parchment.
PFWMI.
16 June 1756.
Physical Location: Oversize.
1p.
Land grant from Governor John Murray, Earl of
Dunmore to John Tazewell of York County. The land in
question consists of three town lots in Williamsburg and
was owned by the late William Livingston.
1 August 1772.
Physical Location: Oversize.
Parchment. 2p.
Deed. John Randolph, and wife, Ariana, of
Williamsburg, to Peyton Randolph, James Blair and James
Cocke, also of Williamsburg. Gives John Randolph's house
and adjoining lands [approximately 100 acres] lying in
Williamsburg and James City County in consideration of
Randolph's debts. Includes inventory of household goods.
25 August 1775.
Physical Location: Oversized.
3p.
Deed, John Blair and James Cocke, surviving
trustees of John Randolph, dec'd, to John Tazewell. Land
from the late Peyton Randolph sold to pay debts to John
Syme, Burwell Bassett and William Fitzhugh of Marmion.
15 October 1778.
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