Administrative Information

Restrictions on Access

Collection is open to all researchers.

Publication Rights/Restrictions on Use

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Curator of Manuscripts and Rare Books, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Preferred Citation

Robert Pleasants Letterbook, Manuscripts and Rare Books Department, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Acquisition Information

In the possession of Swem Library before 1939.

Alternative Form Available

Several of the letters from this letterbook have been printed in the William and Mary Quarterly . They can be found under the title "Letters of Robert Pleasants, of Curles. "2nd series, I and II. 1921: 107-113, 167-182; 1922: 257-275.

Letters have also been reprinted in the Master Thesis of August Betsy, entitled Robert Pleasants Letterbook, 1771-1773. This can be found under the call number LD6051 .W5m Hist., 1976, A93.

Biographical/Historical Information

Robert Pleasants was born at "Curles," Henrico County, Virginia and lived his entire life there. He was an active member of the Society of Friends. His brother Samuel Pleasants (1737-1807) was a successful merchant in Philadelphia. Sometime after 1771, he entered into a mercantile company (Robert Pleasants & Co.) which did business as a consignment tobacco exporter.He organized an abolition society in 1790.

Scope and Content Information

Letterbook, 1771-1781, of Pleasants includes letterrs written to family members, friends and to merchants in Philadelphia, New York and England. Subjects include shipping of tobacco and other crops, buying of goods, the Quaker religion, slavery and its abolition, and the coming and progress of the American Revolution. Includes letter, March 1781, to [Benedict Arnold] and a letter, 22 September 1773, to Archibald Cary concerning the treatment of religious prisoners in the Chesterfield County, Virginia jail. Another correspondent was Anthony Benezet. Also includes a deed of manumission.

Related Material

Other collections pertaining to this collection are located at Haverford College Library. There are three such collections at this institution consisting mostly of correspondence of Robert Pleasants.

Virginia: in the High Court of Chancery, March 16, 1798. [microform] : Between Robert Pleasants, son and heir of John Pleasants, dee'd. Plif. and Mary Logan, widow and administratix of Charles Logan, and devisee of John Pleasants and Jonathan Pleasants, 16 March 1798. 18 pages. Item available on microform format. Collection number: EVANS 38963

Papers, 1750-1936, Manuscripts Collection, Special Collections, Magill Library, Haverford University. Papers of Anthony Benezet (1713-1784), 1750-1936 (bulk 1750-1784). 60 items. (1 box) Collection number: 852

American Friends' Letters, Manuscripts Collection, Special Collections, Magill Library, Haverford University. American Friends' Letters, ca. 1676-1986. ca. 406 folders. (19 boxes) Collection number: 851

Separated Material

Other items of Robert Pleasants' are located within the Manuscripts and Rare Books Department, Swem Library.

Robert Pleasants Account Book, Manuscripts and Rare Books Department, Swem Library, College of William and Mary. Robert Pleasants Account Book, 1771-1824, 1771-1778. Collection number: Mss. MsV Ame102

Robert Pleasants Ledger, Manuscripts and Rare Books Department, Swem Library, College of William and Mary. Robert Pleasants Ledger, 1769-1824, 1769- 1777. Collection number: Mss. MsV Ame101

Controlled Access Terms

Persons:

• Arnold, Benedict, 1741- 1801.
• Benezet, Anthony, 1713-1784.
• Cary, Archibald, 1721-1787.

Subjects:

• Abolitionists--Virginia.
• Jails--Virginia--History--18th century.
• Slavery--Virginia--History--18th century.
• Abolitionists-- Southern States.
• Abolitionists.
• Quakers-- Virginia.
• Slavery--Southern States--History--18th century.

Geographical Names:

• Chesterfield County (Va.)--History--18th century.
• Henrico County (Va.)--History--18th century.
• United States--History--Revolution, 1775- 1783.

Occupations:

• Merchants--Virginia--History--18th century.

Additional Separated, Related and Bibliographic Material

Bibliography