While examining Prince Edward County court records for chancery suits, former Local Records Archivist Catherine OBrion found a group of declarations to the justices of the peace of Prince Edward County.  The declarants were Revolutionary War veterans seeking to obtain pensions under an act of Congress passed on 7 June 1832. The applicants present detailed testimony of their time of service during the Revolutionary War. Information found in the declarations include date and location applicants entered into service, names of military companies they served in, names of military commanders they served under, names of fellow soldiers they served with, length of service, their ages, and their places of birth. The declarations also include affidavits from witnesses who could verify information provided by applicants.

The predominant portion of the declarations consists of narratives of the veterans’ tours of duty during the Revolutionary War.  William Hines, age 78, presented an account of his service under General George Rogers Clarke in present-day Kentucky.  Clarke’s army was pursuing Native Americans along the Ohio River.  Hines shared how, during the campaign, he was severely wounded by two musket balls which broke both bones of his right arm below the elbow.  Hines was personally assured by General Clarke that he would receive a pension.  William Worsham, age 80, presented an account of his service from the time the war began in 1775 to the British surrender at Yorktown. He mentions the burning of Norfolk, campaigns in North and South Carolina, skirmishes with Benedict Arnold, and clashes with Cornwallis during which Worsham was taken prisoner by the British.  William Scott, age 74, offers a humorous account of a prank a group of soldiers pulled on their superior officer, a Colonel Morgan, who was unpopular with his troops.  Scott shares that one night, “some persons disposed to shew [sic] their dislike for Colonel Morgan … broke his sword to the hilt, and shaved the main [sic] and tail of his horse.”  Morgan was so angry he refused to grant his troops their discharge papers.

Prince Edward County (Va.) Declarations for Revolutionary War Pensions, 1832 (Barcode number 1202630) are open for research.

-Greg Crawford, Local Records Coordinator

Additional Prince Edward County chancery causes are now available on the Chancery Records Index. These additions span the years 1754 through 1883. Combined with the previously released images for Prince Edward County, the locality’s chancery causes have been digitized for the years 1754 through 1913.

Chancery cases are especially useful when researching local history, genealogical information, and land or estate divisions.  They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality’s history. Chancery causes often contain correspondence; property lists, including slaves; lists of heirs; and vital statistics, along with many other records.  Some of the more common types of chancery causes involve divisions of the estate of a person who died intestate (without a will); divorces; settlements of dissolved business partnerships; and resolutions of land disputes.

Here are a few of the cases you will find in the newly updated Prince Edward County chancery collection. To see more suits, go to the EAD guide and choose “Selected Suits of Interest” on the menu at the left.

 1755-001- Bridget Braithwaite by etc. v. Edward Braithwaite.  The wife sued for separate maintenance. Her husband abandoned her and was cohabiting with Joanna Sinclair, “a woman of ill fame and reputation” in the same parish and county. Bridget Braithwaite and her small children “are likely to be reduced to the utmost Distress of Indigence & poverty having nothing to support &* maintain her self & children but what she gets by her own labour which is very Little being upwards of 47 years of age and very infirm.” The court ordered an inventory of the husband’s estate.

 1779-003 –  Legts. Of Charles Rice v. Charles Chattrel, etc. The suit contains a detailed bill showing the cost of building a house.

 1805-013 – Peter Fore v. Peter Kelso, Gdn., etc. The suit is about a dispute concerning the handling of two children of an enslaved woman who was sold. Two of  her young enslaved children were to be given to another heir when they came of age. 

1805-015 – Jesse Hamlett v. Exrs. of George Moore.  A suit about a dispute over title to land. The defendants claimed the land was given to the plaintiff only on condition he “behave himself well and quit drink”

1808-011 – Samuel Carter v. Exx. of Wadill Carter. The bill contains a description of the operation of a brandy still, inherited from the father.

1810-016 –  Richard Burks v. Richard Keeling. The suit contains a detailed bill for blacksmith work.

1811-005 – George Davidson v. Exr. Of Richard  Blanton. Concerns a dispute about a  slave who tried to return to the place where she grew up.

1811-010 – John White & Wife v. Andrew Porter. The plaintiffs sue for the woman’s dower rights. The defendant says the wife is not entitled because she left her husband and went to live with a man in adultery and is doing the same with a second man. This case contains many depositions about the conduct of the woman.

1811-013 – Aaron~ v. Exr. of Andrew Baker. In this freedom suit the plaintiff alleges his owner freed him in exchange for wages he earned while hired out. Aaron wasn’t named in the owner’s will. The suit contains an interesting answer from Andrew Baker’s widow about his desire to emancipate his slaves and decision to wait to tell them for fear the slaves would find out that their freedom depended on his death.

1825-010 – Admr. of Samuel Dodson v. Francis Thackston.  The case contains correspondence describing the battle at Craney Island in the War of 1812.

1837-034 – Adms. Of Alexander Legrand, etc. v. Josiah Legrand, Comt., vs. Sarah Legrand.  This is a large suit that contains records of marriage and register of births for the Legrand family. There is also a record of enslaved African Americans born in the eighteenth century.

1843-012 – Zackariah Goodman v. Trsts. Of Appomattox Co. The case involves a proposal to construct locks to improve navigation of the Appomattox River.

1847-011 – Fanny Bowman v. Exr. Of Philip Bowman. A free African American was married to an enslaved woman owned by the Venable family. He tried to leave her property at his death.  Philip Bowman was employed to manage a corn mill owned by the Venable family. When he died, his mother sued for the property, arguing the widow was a slave and could not inherit it.  The Venable family tried to protect the widow’s interests by promising to care for her, but  later they put her in the poor house to live out her days there.

To date, The Library of Virginia has posted over 5.6 million digital chancery images. Additional localities are presently being scanned and will be posted in the coming months. However, because of reductions to the Library of Virginia’s budget in recent years, the pace of the agency’s digital chancery projects will necessarily proceed more slowly. Please know these projects remain a very high priority for the agency and it is hoped that the initiative can be resumed in full when the economy and the agency’s budget situation improve. Please see the Chancery Records Index for a listing of the available locality chancery collections.

Editors Note: This post originally appeared in the Virginiana section of Virginia Memory.

The beautiful maps in the Voorhees collection and those that reside in Special Collections are well known to Library of Virginia researchers. Yet thousands of rough but informative maps exist in the Library’s local government records collection. Often classified as “plats,” these detailed property maps were created and filed as part of county land records, chancery records, or other legal proceedings.

Some of the most interesting local plats are found within criminal papers. Murder trials occasionally required jurors to consider a particular crime scene, and the resulting sketches created for this purpose offer fascinating glimpses into landscapes and violent episodes. One is featured on the Library’s 1997 web exhibit The Common Wealth: Treasures from the Collections of the Library of Virginia. This drawing shows a portion of Manchester, Virginia, in 1869, at the time of a barroom-related shooting, complete with building facades and streets. And in her 2003 book A Murder in Virginia, based on three Commonwealth Causes against Pokey Barnes, Solomon Marable, and Mary Abernathy, historian Suzanne Lebsock drew upon a court-directed plat from Prince Edward County to illustrate the scene of an infamous 1895 crime involving four black defendants.

While processing Henry County’s criminal causes, I came across a number of particularly gruesome plats. The most remarkable one was filed in Commonwealth vs. Wade W. Lester, July 1897. This trial involved a mill owner who allegedly poisoned one of his mill hands with a mixture of liquor and strychnine, a rat poison. After drinking the mixture, the mill hand staggered back to his home and collapsed in the yard in view of his relatives. The court mapped out the man’s final steps, with a dotted line showing the man’s meandering walk towards home to the very “Point at which [he] died,” just 74 ½ yards short of his residence. The plat also shows neighborhood roads, railroad lines, creeks, and buildings.

In another cause, Commonwealth vs. Sam Valentine, April 1893, a plat was drawn to document a shooting. Trouble began one evening when Sam Valentine, an officer of the law, arrived at Alfred Hairston’s house party to serve a warrant on a guest. After Valentine entered and apprehended the accused man, someone in the crowd resisted, and a scuffle broke out. In the midst of the activity, Valentine shot one of the rowdies in the head, and the man eventually died from the wound. At the trial, the inquest committee sketched a floor plan of Hairston’s house, showing the position of the participants, as well as the hearth, stairs, and doors.

An even more elaborate plat was drawn for an arson investigation for Commonwealth vs. Silas Minter, September 1898 and January 1899. This oversized drawing revealed one neighborhood’s roads, houses, and creeks, plus its many barns. The defendant was accused of setting a barn full of oats and wheat on fire, causing $400 in damages. One issue under debate was whether the fire from several nearby stumps had set the barn on fire, so the map dutifully records the spot of the stumps and brush surrounding the barn in question.

Such maps may not match the artistic merit of those in specialized map collections, but for budding forensic historians, their lines can be just as revealing.

-Ryan Smith, Former Local Records Archivist

 

INTRODUCTION            The two transcribed letters below are found in the Prince Edward Chancery case Gdns. of Jacob Michaux vs. William Smith, 1788-001. The case has been scanned and is available through Virginia Memory.

            The first letter is from William Tompkins, a London silk weaver with mercantile aspirations, and is written to Jacob Michaux, his wife’s cousin in Cumberland County, Virginia. (The part of Cumberland County in which Michaux lived became Powhatan County in 1777.) Tompkins’ wife was a member of the Michaux family, Huguenots who fled France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes and settled in England and in Virginia. Tompkins lived in Spittlefield, an area of London with a high concentration of Huguenot weavers. His letter concerns family matters and a recent shipment of goods he made to Virginia. Unfortunately the shipment arrived a few days before the flood of 1771, one of the worst floods in eighteenth-century Virginia.

The second letter is Jacob Michaux’s reply to William Tompkins.  Jacob Michaux, grandson of Abraham Michaux of the Manakin Town (Virginia) Huguenot settlement, was a planter and ran a ferry across the James River. Michaux’s letter describes in detail the flood of 1771, the loss of Tompkin’s goods, consumer tastes along the upper James River, and family matters.

Chris Kolbe, Archives Reference Coordinator

Michaux-Tompkins transcripts (PDF Version of the transcriptions below)

For

 Mr. Jacob Michaux

On James River

Cumberland County

Favour of Capt. Walker with Goods to be Delivd

By Robt. Walker

Dear Sr.,

             I received yours pr. Capt. Ashburne and am extremely glad to hear of you and your Familys good Health. I have several particulars to acquaint you as to the Alteration in our Family My Wife’s Father Mr. James Michaux Died about six weeks ago at the Age of 70 years he was Ill a long time before died. His eldest Son Paul died about 12 Months ago and his Wife much about the same time and left 5 Children three Girls and two Boys the eldest about 8 years and the youngest about 3 months I took the Youngest Boy William and different relations of the Mothers side took three Others the Youngest is at Nurse in London My Wife’s Eldest Sister Nancy has lost a Daughter( Elizabeth) at about 18 years old, these are all the Particulars that has happened since we wrote before. I regretted the loss of Mr.Payne as I was in hopes of his returning to his native Country living to see many happy years and acquainting you with our Situation. I went to see him 2 or 3 Days before he died, he was very glad to see me but was won to a Shadow he seem’d quite resigned for I believe he was a good young Man, he myself and wife often used to visit and talk about all he knew of Your Family’s which we heard with Pleasure but hope he is in a far happier Place now, in a Former letter I received from you twas your desire that we might have some Correspondence together in the Mercantile way which I dare say might be made very Advantageous to us both but since that time there has been so many Political [ Disputes] that Trade has been very Indifferent and hazardous, but now I think every thing seems to subside and there is a Probability to imagine twill be very brisk, for which Reasons I have Ship’d pr Capt Robert Walker of the Randolph ( who goes up James River ) Different European goods as pr Invoice, which I thought wou’d suit your part of the Country I have Charg’d every Article as they Cost with the different Expenses, from which you’ll be able to see whether twill be worth   while to extend our Connections. The Silk Goods are made in my House and are therefore  Cheaper than they can be sent by the Mercht. but if these sort are not so suitable as Others, if You’ll Please to send word I can send any Quantity of what you’ll think more suitable but then Particulars and the manner of Remittance shall be glad you’ll Inform me of the first Opportunity possible, the Mercantile Business is what I should be very fond of Provided your Answer will encourage me to pursue it in an Extensive manner, the Article of wrought Silks I should make a particular Object as the manufactory is carried on in my own home and Sewing Silk I could send on more Advantageous Terms than they are because I should Dye them my self as for every other Article would send what you think will sell best and make the return the soonest, I hope you’ll be able to understand every  thing because I’m not acquainted with this Business therefore beg you’ll Excuse my fault think as Your Different Relations are Despond about the Country we might be able  to doe a great Deale for the Spirit of Trade to pursue it with Ardour,and hope twil be a means of bringing a family Intimate that has been Seperated so many Years, and I sometimes think I should be able to do my self the Pleasure of Coming to see you if twas Posable to spare the time my wife and my relations Join in Love to all the Family and believe me to remain Affectionally

Wm. Tompkins

red Lyon Street

Spittlefield

[5] March 1771

Nearly a Copy Letter

To

Mr. William Tompkins

Red lion Street Spittlefields

D[ear] S[ir] This will give you the disagreable Act. of the loss  of your good  before they came to hand it so hapened that two or three days after they were landed at a Publick store at one of the convenientest Ports to me there came the greatest fresh in the River by far that was ever h[ ?]  so great that it carried off all or almost all the Houses that ware built neer the River for receiving goods from the Shiping & many of our Tobo. Warehouses & many Thousand Hhd. of Tobo. & several Stores full of Goods ware carried off down the Stream the houses gen[er]ally broak to pieces  & the goods ware scattered along the River fo[r] many Miles many of the goods when found ware looked on as a Prize by the finders & but very few came to the use of the proper owners, this was the fate of yours the house they ware landed in was carried off & though the house continued unbroak till it wint  20 or 30 Miles down the River then [ torn] of Negroes & others no better went to the house [ torn] got out the things  ( in the spiled condition they ware in after lying in the water about a night & a Day ) part of which I received which ware delivered up to me & part found by a serch warrant & many things that I have no [ torn] came to their hand,  I could not find to the amount of near 60 L sterling they charged 20 L for taking up the goods & their trouble for drying them  & which I had [a]greed  to pay before I knew there was so many missing the reward they they took out of the Goods I  have some expectation of  Proving that they did receive more of the good, then they have delivered me which if I can as they have demanded & received such a reward expect it will make them liable for what are missing I shall advise with an Attorney & if he gives encouragmt shall bring a Suit hope & to recover something  however  I expect to make but little out of the goods they are so damaged The Silks  are so staned  & spiled they are quite unsalable for which reason, I should send back part of them to you except a few pieces which if I can sell for first cast  think it will be  better than to send them back the People that [ torn ] cut some off almost ever piece  &  [torn]  missing  I shall  endeave to make the best I can of what I have but that will be of little for they are much damaged &  the goods missing are such as the takers thought the best part no doubt  The Silks Embroidered Coat Necklace & ware very improper for this part of the country for the inhabitants of these Parts are generally poor no towns neer us the best livers here are only able to get the common necessaries & conveniences of Life without  aiming at Shew or superfluities those that incline that way generally broke in a few Years & become the Poores[t] I have no doubt our way of living is very defrent from what you that live in a Capital Citty can imagine I wish I could ever see You here provided it could be to Your advantage but don’t expect that  ever will be Your way of life will never do amongst us & as to the Mercantile business I expect that will nerever be inviting I expect The first attempt seems discouraging to You & as to my self my schemes for life have been for some years fixed on another plan for which reason on receiving your Letr. I concluded I would sell your goods in the best manner I could on a reasonable commission for my trouble & write you not to send any more but as there is such a loss in these I shall not chare You any thing for what I shall do for Your loss will be great at any rate. I should send some of the Silks by Captn. Walker but don’t know that I can have an opprertunaty to contrive them to the Ship before he will Sail the ship lies fifty miles from me & I  don’t know as yet what I can sell therefore think it will be better [t]o wate for a other opty & sell  what I can first

            There is no material alteration among our relacions here the great is in our estate some are much damaged by the fresh I have lost  I think to the value of about 5 or 6 hundred pounds in houses & other plantation affairs.

I have now three children and another near at hand we seame to be in away of adding one to the family almost ever year the oldest will be about four years old when we expect to have four in number there is no great alteracion amongst the rest of our relacions here the greatest is our Estates  occasioned by the fresh lately I have lost I think in houses and plantation affairs to the amount of About five or six hundred pounds & don’t expext to make provision plenty for my family this next year though I  yoused to make something considerable to spare