Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Burwell Family papers, Accession #5757, -a, -c, Special Collections, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

Two of the collections, accessions 5757 and 5757-a, were purchased from James C. Shipley of Alexandria, Virginia on April 19, 1958 . Papers held under accession 5757-c were placed on loan in the Library on March 12, 1958 , for copying purposes, and the originals returned to the depositor.

Funding Note

Funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Scope and Content

This collection consists of ca. 170 items (1 Hollinger box, ca. 0.5 linear feet), 1761-1845, chiefly the business and legal papers of Colonel Nathaniel Burwell(1750-1814) and the Burwell family, of "Carter's Grove, " James City County, Virginia, and of "Carter's Hall, " Clarke County, Virginia. The Burwell family papers contain both original and photostatic material and include indentures, promissory notes, bonds, deeds, receipts survey maps, accounts, tax receipts, bills of complaint, reports, correspondence, and miscellaneous legal documents. The correspondence is primarily concerned with the estates of William Pasteur and John Paradise (1743-1795). Nathaniel Burwell served as the executor of Pasteur's estate and as the attorney for Paradise's affairs in the United States. Consequently, Burwell and his heirs became involved in several lawsuits over the administration of the two estates and documents from these suits are present in the collection.

Of special interest are two Thomas Jefferson items: John Paradise's power of attorney to Nathaniel Burwell, in the hand of and signed by Jefferson, August 8, 1788, and witnessed by Jefferson, William Shortand Philip Mazzei, and a June 15, 1792 letter from Jefferson to Nathaniel Burwell regarding the debts of John Paradise. Also of interest are the appraisals of William Pasteur's estates in York County and in Goochland County, both recorded on February 6, 1792, which include livestock, equipment, and slaves; and the account of sales from Nathaniel Burwell's estate, January 6, 1829, which consisted of furniture, equipment, and books. The latter provides a glimpse into the library of Burwell.

Other individuals represented in this collection include: William Anderson & Co., Edward Bancroft, William Barlow, Samuel Beall, Carter Berkeley, Carter Braxton, Lewis Burwell, George Harrison Burwell, Philip Burwell, Thomas Byrd, Francis Corbin, Richard Corbin, John Cordell, Ann Craig, William Cundiff, John Dickeson, John Dixon, Betty Carter Fontaine, Carter Burwell Fontaine, James Maury Fontaine, George Greenhow, Joseph White Harrison, James Hubard, Adam Hunter, David Jameson, C. H. N. Johnson, Benjamin Lester, John Lyons, Alexander Macaulay, William Moody, Hugh Nelson, Judith Nelson, Philip Nelson, Thomas Nelson, Jr., William Nelson, Robert Carter Nicholas, John H. Norton, John Page, Robert Page, William Reynolds, David Ross, Robert Saunders, Robert Shield, Granville Smith, John Smith, Mary Stith, Henry Tazewell, Mordicai Throckmorton, Nathan Thurman, James Vaughan, Abner Vernon, Benjamin C. Waller, John Waller, Robert H. Waller, and William Waller.

Organization

The papers have been arranged chronologically.