Administrative Information

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Preferred Citation

Campbell family. Papers, 1744-1859. Accession 14014. Personal papers collection. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Katherine Kirkpatrick Scott, 9 May 1921.

Biographical Information

William Campbell (12 December 1755-29 October 1823) served in the Virginia State Line during the American Revolution, and rose to the rank of colonel in the Virginia militia. Campbell commanded militia troops during the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794, and was a major in the 8th Regiment of the United States Army in 1799-1800. During the War of 1812, Campbell was appointed a colonel in the United States army and also served as superintendent of the Virginia Peniteniary. Campbell owned a plantation in Orange County and lands in Kentucky. He and his wife Susanna Pearce Campbell (10 April 1764-13 March 1852) had ten children, including John Pearce Campbell (1788-1867) who became a prominent citizen of Christian County, Kentucky. John P. Campbell served as a member of the Kentucky legislature and was a prominent banker. William and Susanna Campbell's son William Campbell (1798-1878) also resided in Christian County and was a colonel in the Kentucky militia.

Scope and Content Information

Papers, 1744-1859, of the Campbell family of Orange County, Virginia, consisting mainly of the papers of William Campbell (1755-1823) and Susanna Pearce Campbell (1764-1852). Collection consists of: abstracts, account books, accounts, bonds, checks, clippings, contracts, correspondence, deeds, estate papers, invoices, judicial records, memorandums, military drill instructions, military land warrants, military rosters, military supply lists, powers of attorney, promissory notes, receipts, and surveys. Correspondence includes letters to and from William Campbell concerning his military land warrants in Kentucky and his efforts to secure them. Also letters to Campbell and his wife Susanna from their sons William (b. 1798) and John Pearce Campbell (1788-1867), both living in Christian County, Kentucky, containing personal and family news, and discussing their father's land holdings in Kentucky, the settlement of his estate, and other matters. Letters also discuss Campbell's Revolutionary War service, his military service in the Virginia militia in 1794 and in the United States army in 1799-1800, his service as the superintendent of the Virginia Penitentiary, the Loyal Land Company, and the hiring of Susanna Campbell's slaves.

Collection also contains deeds for property in Hanover County and Richmond, Virginia, and Kentucky; surveys for Campbell's Kentucky lands; three military warrants for land; legal papers relating to the Kentucky lands; newspaper clippings regarding Kentucky land warrants; receipts and accounts of William and Susanna Campbell and their children; account book for the estate of William Campbell (d. 1805) of King and Queen County, Virginia; papers related to Campbell's service as superintendent of the Virginia Penitentiary, including an account and his resignation; checks drawn on the Farmers Bank of Virginia; and other business papers, including receipts and accounts, of the Campbell family. Collection also includes sketch and description of a hemp brake; copy of "Baron Steuben's Military Discipline for the Army and Militia of the United States;" military regulations for straw and wood; a return of recruits, including for Captain Caldwell's Company, 7th Regiment, United States Infantry; inspection return for Captain Spencer's Company, 9th Regiment, United States Infantry; recruiting reports for the following companies of the 8th Regiment, United States infantry Captain Robert Gregg's Company, Captain Presley Thornton's Company, Major Lawrence Butler's Battalion, Captain Richard Chinn's Company, Lieutenant Thomas Burk's Company, and Captain George S. Washington's Company; muster roll for Captain Loyd [sic] Beall's Company, no regiment given. All recruiting and inspection returns are from 1799-1800.