Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open to all researchers.

Conditions Governing Use

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Preferred Citation

Campbell Family Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Acquisition Information

The materials were acquired by Special Collections Research Center on 00/00/2007.

Processing Information

Processed by Special Collections Staff in 2007.

Biographical Note

Joseph W. Campbell was a farmer in Albemarle County, Virginia. Payroll and muster records indicate Joseph served for a time in Captain Samuel Brown’s Company of the 33rd Regiment of the Virginia Militia as a Private during the War of 1812. He is referred to as “Capt. JW Campbell” on a number of documents. He also began a family farm that was approximately 800 acres mostly in Albemarle County with a small portion located in adjoining Louisa County. Campbell grew tobacco, wheat and timber, raised livestock, operated a saw mill and a blacksmithing shop from his farm. Census records and tax statements indicate he was a slave holder. According to the 1820 United States Census, Campbell held six slaves. In 1850 his holdings grew to 26 slaves, both male and female aging from 2 to 65. Later in his life his affairs were overseen jointly with his son-in-law, Stephen F. Sampson. Further information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special Collections Research Center Wiki

Scope and Contents

The Campbell Family Papers is a collection of business records, personal documents and photographs belonging to the Campbell and Sampson families of Albemarle County, Virginia dating from 1795 to 1945. The great majority of the documents are the business records of Joseph Watson Campbell (1795-1875). These include tax bills and receipts, accounts between Campbell and various merchants, receipts for goods and services received and rendered, promissory notes and papers relating to other family matters including the execution of the estate of Campbell's father-in-law, John Rogers and the practice of slavery. The collection includes personal correspondence between the children and grandchildren of the Sampson family. Photographs, mostly unidentified, are among the documents included. The remaining documents are those pertaining to his children and grandchildren.

Arrangement of Materials

The papers are organized in nine series. Within each series, the papers are arranged in chronological order. The series are: I. Tax Bills, II. General Accounts, III. John Rogers’ Estate (Execution of), IV. Slave Holdings, V. Promissory Notes, VI. Receipts, VII. Correspondence, VIII. Miscellaneous Documents, and IX. Photographs.

Related Material

Additional papers belonging to the Campbell Family are housed at the Library of Virginia cited as Campbell-Sampson Family Papers, 1829-1909. Accession 43211.

Index Terms

Genre/Form of Material:

• Correspondence
• Financial records
• Legal documents
• Photographs
• Receipts (financial records)

Occupation:

• Blacksmithing--Virginia.

Topical Term:

• Agriculture--Virginia--History--19th century.
• Albemarle County (Va.)--History--19th century.
• Merchants--Virginia--Albemarle County.
• Slavery--Virginia--19th century
• Slavery--Virginia--History--19th century.
• Tobacco--Virginia--History--19th century.

Additional Information