Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Latane Family Papers, Accession 6490, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library

Acquisition Information

This collection was originally loaned to the University of Virginia Library by Lucy Temple Latane but was later given to the Library by James A. Latane, Jr. on December 7, 1988.

Funding Note

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

Scope and Content

This collection of papers, 1650-1898, consists of ca. 710 items pertaining to the Latane family of Essex County, Virginia . Included are correspondence, business and legal papers, papers re military and religious matters, school notebooks, and certificates of graduation from schools at the University of Virginia .

Although little seems to be known or published about the Latane family, valuable information may be found in Parson Latane 1672-1732 by Lucy Temple Latane (Mss CS71.L347 1936); Essex County, Virginia: Its Historic Homes, Landmarks and Traditions edited by Essex County Woman's Club (F232.E7E7 1940); and, Settlers, Southerners, Americans: The History of Essex County, Virginia 1608-1984 by James B. Slaughter (F232.E7S5 1985).

The early eighteenth century correspondence contains many letters from Henry Latane and his wife, Anne Latane , London, England, to his brother, Lewis Latane (1672-1732) and his third wife, Mary (Deane) Latane (1685-1765), South Farnham Parish, Essex County. Some of the letters are written in French but the majority of them are in English. During the 1720s, Henry frequently advised Lewis to grow another crop besides tobacco, saying that Europe could not consume all that comes from America. In a letter of January 13, 1730, Henry is "impatient to know what the fate of Europe whether warr or Peace everything seems to tend to a Crisis ...," possibly referring to the trade conflict between England and Spain.

After her husband's death in 1732, Mary (Deane) Latane managed the property that came to her and her children, with the help of her cousin, William Beverley (1698-1756). There are several letters, 1733-1750, from Beverley discussing the settlement of her husband's estate and the sale of her tobacco. In addition, there are business correspondence, bills of lading, invoices, and other papers concerning the sale of tobacco.

Letters of interest include correspondence of Spencer Roane (1762-1822), King and Queen County, and William Latane (1750-1811), Essex County, July 1791-August 1792, concerning the deed and survey for the "Mount Clement Trail of Land," and another on July 25, 1804 re the suit of Braxton vs Roane; letters on April 19, 1825, June 13, 1826, and November 18, 1826, from James Montague , Harden County, Kentucky , to friends in Essex County, concerning various aspects of life in Kentucky such as the conflict between anti-relief and relief parties, tobacco sales, and prices of corn, flour, cotton, whiskey, et al.; one on June 9, 1854, from Rev. Henry W. L. Temple , Wayland, to James Allen Latane , University of Virginia, discussing Bishop William Meade 's visit; and, several letters, October 25, 1864, December 4, 1871, February 2 and June 15, 1883, and June 13, 1885, from Thomas S. Watson , Bracketts, chiefly to Julia A. Holladay , Botetourt County, Virginia , mentioning news of family and friends, new dwellings built on Ionia, and his being disqualified as a member of the legislature.

Letters pertaining to black history include one of December 10, 1772, from Samuel Peachey, Jr. , Occoquan Furnace , to William Latane, Essex County, asking him to send a young black at Christmas because the latter wants to learn the blacksmith trade; one of November 10, 1788, from Bartlett Williams , New Kent, to William Latane , Essex County, complaining about Latane's man Ephraim corrupting his blacks, and requesting that he not be permitted to visit his plantation; a circular, February 27, 1794, referring to the transportation of slaves from Africa to the West-India islands; one of February 28, 1809, from S. Chenault, Nelson County, Kentucky, re the "elopement" of Franklin and his recovery by a Captain Lafon who kept him in his possession for awhile; correspondence between Henry Waring Latane (1782-1860), Essex County, and his brother-in-law, John Temple ( -1812), Parkersburg, re the death of Temple's father and the division of his slaves at "Goldberry," December 10, 1811 and January 8, 1812; and, one of June 13, 1885, from Thomas S. Watson , Bracketts, to Julia A. Holladay , Botetourt County, mentioning the poisoning of some children by a black woman.

The business papers are comprised of accounts and administrative and estate papers as well as general correspondence and papers. The accounts are chiefly for members of the Latane and Waring families, and, to a lesser extent, for members of the Allen family and Temple family . The administrative and estate papers concern the estates of William Peachey ( -1700), Lewis Latane (1672-1732), Robert Payne Waring (-1799?), William Latane (1750-1811), John Temple ( -1812), Lewis Dix ( -1815?), James Allen ( -1820?), Ann Latane ( -1820?), and Henry Waring Latane (1782-1860). Also, there are business papers pertaining to black history; and, a separate itemized listing has been compiled.

The legal papers contain many indentures, land grants and plats/surveys for lands in Essex County , King and Queen County , and Rappahannock County . These papers are helpful in determining ownership of lands held by the Latane Family, Roane Family , Allen Family , and Dix Family . In addition, there are copies of wills for members of the Latane, Roane, Allen, and Dix families. The wills also contain references to the division of blacks among the families.

There are also genealogical, military, and religious material. The military papers, 1814-1828, pertain chiefly to James Allen's career as captain in the Virginia militia and include abstracts of forage, regimental orders, receipt for arms, detailed returns of arms accoutrements, and rosters of officers and other personnel. Among the miscellaneous papers is a small group of material concerning religious matters, particularly having to do with South Farnham Parish in Essex County. Included are a letter, December 17, 1716, from Alexander Spotswood to the vestry of the parish re their decision to suspend Lewis Latane from his ministerial office; a hymn book belonging to John Latane ; and, two letters about the weakening of the Church in Virginia.

Organization

The material is grouped into the following series: I. Correspondence; II. Business Papers; III. Legal Papers; IV. Miscellaneous; V. Bound Volumes; and, VI. Oversize.