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A Guide to the Papers of the Ambler and Barbour Families, 1772-1880 Ambler and Barbour Families, Papers of 38-77

A Guide to the Papers of the Ambler and Barbour Families, 1772-1880

A Collection in
The Special Collections Department
Accession Number 38-77


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Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library

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University of Virginia
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Funding: Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Processed by: Special Collections Department

Repository
Special Collections, University of Virginia Library
Accession number
38-77
Title
Papers of the Ambler and Barbour Families, 1772-1880
Physical Characteristics
This collection contains 2,000 items (9 ft.).
Language
English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Papers of the Ambler and Barbour Families, Accession #38-77, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Scope and Content Information

The components of the collection are the personal and business papers of John Jaquelin Ambler (1801-1854) of Glenambler, Amherst County, Virginia, a landowner and farmer, of his father in law Philip Pendleton Barbour (1783-1841) of Orange County, Virginia, a lawyer, politician, and jurist: approximately half of the collection derives from each man.

Ambler's papers include containing a brief autobiography to 1823, the journal of his travels in Europe during 1823-1826, an autobiography for the years 1826-1836; estate accounts for Glenambler and a second property called St. Moor; and business or personal correspondence of Ambler, his wife Elizabeth Barbour Ambler, parents John Ambler (1762-1836) and Catherine Bush Abler (1773-1846), half brother Daniel Norborn Norton (1794-1842), brothers Philip St. George (1806-1877) and Richard Cary Ambler (1810-1877), sister-in-law and mother-in-law Philippa and Mrs. Philip Pendleton Barbour, and various other members of the Ambler and Barbout families. The estate and business papers, related to Lynchburg, Campbell and Amhurst counties, Virginia, concern sales of crops, charges for labor and supplies, and Ambler's keen interest in fine horses and acquisition of lands. The personal correspondence originates in Amherst County, Richmond, and Orange County in Virginia, and in Washington, D.C.

Barbour's papers include four accounts books recording charges and payments for legal services ca. 1806-1828 rendered during his practice in Charlottesville, and in Albemarle, Louisa, Madison, Orange, and King and Queen counties, in Virginia, as well as legal correspondence and receipts and other papers arising from the law practice and the business of Barbour's plantation, 1801-1829. The collection offers very little material on Barbour's political and judicial career.

Contents List

Journal of John Jaquelin Ambler of "Glen Ambler," 1801-1854.
4 vols., each with his armorial bookplate.
  • Box 1
    Volume 1.

    The first volume opens with "Memoranda of the life of John Jaqueline Ambler of Glen Ambler" (pp.1-19), a brief autobiography of the writer up to August 1823 when he embarked on the East Indiaman Palambam , Capt. George Simpson, for London. Ambler's journal follows (pp. 1-329), with an account of his travels August 1823- September 1824 in England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Switzerland and Italy.

  • Box 2
    Volume 2.
    311 pages

    Covers Ambler's travels September 1824- August 1825 in Italy, France, and England.

  • Box 2
    Volume 3.
    318 pages

    Records his residence in England August- December 1825.

  • Box 2
    Volume 4.
    311 pages

    Covers residence December 1825- April 1826 in England and France, whence Ambler sailed for home; pp. 224-225 have trivial appendixes of 1827 and 1828; pp. 226-311 continues Ambler's "Memoranda," in autobiography for the period 1826-1836.

Back to Top
Box 3
Letters of Philip Pendleton Barbour to John Jaquelin Ambler, his wife Elizabeth Barbour Ambler, and his mother-in-law, Mrs. Frances T. Barbour, 1832-1847.
12 items.

Philip Pendleton Barbour (1783-1841), a lawyer of Orange County, was member of the General Assembly 1812-1814; House Representative from Va., 1814-1821; speaker, 1821-1823; judge of Virginia judiciary 1825; Congress 1827-1830; president VA Court Convention, 1829-1830; chairman of judiciary committee; president Philadelphia free trade convention, 1831. Was appointed associate justice of U.S. Supreme Court in 1836. Judge US District Court 1830.

Most of the letters are from Ambler brothers and Mrs. Barbour's children.

Box 3
Legal Papers of Philip Pendleton Barbour, 1802-1812.
12 items.
Box 3
Letters to Philip Pendleton Barbour.
120 items.
Box 3
Copies of wills and other legal documents, ca. 1780-1811.
132 items.

Much of the documents are of Orange and Albemarle counties.

Box 4
Albemarle, Louisa, Madison, Orange Cos. Bills accounts, receipts, notes, Philip Pendleton Barbour et al., 1801-1810.
786 items.

These bills, etc. often seem to relate to Philip Pendleton Barbour's correspondence above.

Box 5
King and Queen, Louisa, Orange, Charlottesville, Albemarle county Bills, Accounts, Receipts, Notes, etc., 1811-1816.
928 items.

These bills, etc. often seem to relate to Philip Pendleton Barbour's correspondence above.

Box 6
Legal papers and correspondence, 1812-1823.
174 items.

Correspondence include letters to Philip Pendleton Barbour, various letters to John Jaquelin Ambler in 1822-23, and a few letters to John Jaquelin Amber's father.

Box 7
Bills, receipts, notes, etc., 1817-1821.
786 items.

These bills, etc. often seem to relate to Philip Pendleton Barbour's correspondence above.

Box 8
Bound volume estate accounts for "Glen Ambler" and Saint Moor, ca. 1822-1830.

Includes newspaper clippings on estates, races, pedigrees. Book label of John Jaquelin Ambler, Richmond, Virginia.

Box 9
Letters to John Jaquelin Ambler, etc., 1823-1826.
225 items.

Some of the letters are to John Ambler, Daniel N. Norton, et al. Also included are estate papers from 1823-1824.

Box 10
Letters to John Jaquelin Ambler, etc., 1824-1826.
151 items.

Some letters are sent to John Ambler, Daniel N. Norton, Philip Pendleton Barbour, especially in 1826, et al. Included are estate papers from 1825 of particular interested, as well as letters from Philip St. George Ambler at the University of Virginia.

Box 11
John Jaquelin Ambler business memos and Letters to Philip Pendleton Barbour, John Jaquelin Ambler, et al., 1826-1829.
Memos are bound. 131 items.

Included are letters from Richard Cary Ambler at the University of Virginia, 1827-1828.

Box 12
Philip Pendleton Barbour bills, etc, 1824-1826.
ca. 200 items.
Box 12
The Franklin Almanac for ...1826 (Richmond, Virginia).

Includes manuscript inserts of notes on weather, planting, cattle, occasional notes on pages of the almanac, deaths, sale of slaves.

Box 12
Philip Pendleton Barbour, John Jacquelin Ambler et al., bills, etc., 1827.
229 items.
Box 12
Philip Pendleton Barbour, John Jacquelin Ambler, bills, etc., 1828.
182 items.
Box 12
Philip Pendleton Barbour, John Jaquelin Ambler, bills, etc., 1829.
196 items.
Box 13
Letters to Mr. And Mrs. John Jacquelin Ambler, 1829
Fragments and undated items, many of them receipts, etc. 450 items.

Mostly family correspondence, with one letter to Philip Pendleton Barbour, and one from Richard Cary Ambler.

Box 14
Letters to Mr. and Mrs. J.J. Ambler, 1829-1830.
144 items.

Some letters are family, some business; with a few letters to John Ambler and wife to Philip Pendleton Barbour et al.

Box 15
Letters to John Jaquelin Ambler and wife, and a fair number to and from Mr. and Mrs. Philip Pendleton Barbour, 1830-1831.
128 items>

Most of the letters are family, personal.

Box 16
Letters to John Jaquelin Ambler and Philip Pendleton Barbour, 1831-1832.
134 items.

Those letters to Ambler largely concerned his intended ride of a horse.

Box 17
Letters to and from John Jaquelin Ambler, etc., 1832-1833.
80 items.
Box 17
Letter to John Jaquelin Ambler, 1833.
53 items.

Mostly concerning horses, estate matters.

Box 17
Letter to Philip Pendleton Barbour, miscellaneous, 1833.
14 items.
Box 17
Overseer agreements, 1820-1821.
2 items.
Box 17
Memorandum St. Moor etc., 1822-1823.
2 items.
Box 17
Agreements, etc. 1833.
3 items.
Box 17
Estate agreements, 1823-1825.
4 items.
Box 17
Philip Pendleton Barbour-John Jaquelin Ambler, 183- Dec. 19.
1 item.
Box 17
Article of agreement, etc., 1829-1830.
3 items.
Box 17
Article of agreement, etc., 1831.
3 items.
Box 17
Correspondence of Philip Pendleton Barbour, 1834.
12 items.
Box 17
Correspondence of J.J. Ambler and wife, 1834.
78 items.
Box 17
Correspondence of J.J. Ambler, 1835.
64 items.
Box 17
Correspondence of Philip Pendleton Barbour, 1835.
3 items.
Box 18
John Jaquelin Ambler and Philip Pendleton Barbour, bills and etc., 1836.
1,085 items.
Box 19
Miscellaneous material, probably of John Jaquelin Ambler and Philip Pendleton Barbour, 1811-1832.
Box 19
Printed material of John Jaquelin Ambler and Philip Pendleton Barbour, 1836-1839.
Box 19
Corrspondence of John Jaquelin Ambler and Philip Pendleton Barbour, 1840-1856.
Box 19
Miscellaneous material, 1858.
Box 20
Bills, etc. of Ambler and Barbour, 1837-1845
1,034 items.
Box 21
Barbour and Ambler bills and miscellaneous, 181?.
Box 21
Barbour and Ambler Bills, etc., miscellaneous, 1846-1870.
Box 21
Ambler and Barbour checks, 1830-1846.
Box 21
Petitions to Judge Barbour from Louisa, Madison, Spotsylvania, 1826.
Box 21
Legal Papers and miscellaneous material, probably all of Philip Pendleton Barbour, ca. 1802-1841.
ca. 120 items.
Box 21
Ledger B., account book of Philip Pendleton Barbour, ca. 1806-1810.
120 pages.

Contains fees and payments for legal services, notes of family business, births, miscellaneous accounts, with ca. 1811-1834 on end papers and a separate index laid in.

Box 21
Ledger C, account book of Philip Pendleton Barbour, ca. 1810-1824.
12 pages.

Contains fees and payments for legal services.

Box 21
Ledger D, account book of Philip Pendleton Barbour, ca. 1813-1828.
198 pages.

Contains fees and payments for legal services. Further accounts 1839-1840 evidently of estate business in end papers.

Box 21
Ledger E, account book of Philip Pendleton Barbour, ca. 1822-1826.
68 pages.

Contains fees and payments for legal services. Also account of advance payments to Elizabeth Ambler 1828-1831 (f. 70), and Dr. Thomas Barbour, n.d. (ff. 72-73).