Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Browse Items (63 total)

  • D2020-JBC-1118-0146.jpg

    Bound journal of accounts including household accounts and the settlements of the estates of his uncle and aunt, John and Mary Bagge on surviving pages 33-198. Names appearing in the accounts include Katherine Bagge, Robert Brooke, James Curtiss, William Fosset, John Greene, Robert Gresham, Dr. Alexander Parker, Robert Rose, Alexander Spotswood, William Taliaferro, Thomas Waring, and Benjamin Winslow.

    The second half of the volume is the diary of the Reverend Robert Rose.

    Edmund Bagge (d. 1734) was an Anglican minister serving St. Anne's Parish, Essex County, at the time of his death.

  • MS2000-55_0001.jpg

    Manuscript music book of 134 works belonging to A. Bell, New York. Contains marches, jigs, some tunes referring to the Duke of York and to soldiers and sailors, and some love songs. One song is attributed to a Mrs. Melmouth, and one was sung by a Mrs. Bannister.

    Includes index-- pages [1-2] at end.

  • MS1946-01-02-R.jpg

    Deed of release for property in Williamsburg, Virginia, known as "Custis Square," which Blaikley had purchased from John Tullitt in 1716. Witnessed by Robert C. Turner, Joseph Davenport, Samuel Cobbs, and James Frazer.

    Endorsed by Catherine Blaikley and signed by William Robertson, Clerk of the Court.

  • MS1996-11_001.jpg

    Medical record book prepared by a Barwick Bruce, a plantation doctor of Barbados.  A contemporary title added to the front cover reads: "Barwick Bruce's Day Book Commencing March 17, 1791." Most entries are signed by either John Austin or William Tull. Each entry lists a date, the name of the person examined, and the treatment prescribed. Plantations mentioned include Edge Hill, Grome Hall, and Bay Plantation. A majority of the entries concern treatments prescribed for illnesses or injuries suffered by enslaved persons. James Bruce is listed as the master of many of the slaves treated. In addition, some entries concern prescriptions given to treat planters and their family members. The entries provide insight into care provided by plantation owners for their enslaved laborers and family members and into different remedies prescribed for ailments, such as bleeding, purging, pills, and ointments.

  • MS2012-10-001.jpg

    By this indenture John Franklin and William Roper, overseers of the poor for Campbell County, Virginia, apprentice Polley Marten, bastard of Molley Marten, to Francis Perdue. Polley Marten, three years of age at the time of her apprenticeship was to serve Francis Perdue until the age of eighteen. Polley was to be taught "spinning weaveing sewing and niting."
  • D2020-JBC-0825-0011.jpg

    Invoice book of Dr. James Carter (d. 1794), apothecary of Williamsburg, Virginia, including record of drugs, medical supplies, clothing, yard goods, household goods, and food received from the following merchants: James Bland; Butcher & Barrett; Cary & Co.; Dobson, Daltera & Walker of Liverpool; Joseph Etherington; James Gildart of Liverpool; Graham Frank & Co.; Messrs. Popplewith & Co.; Thomas Knox of Bristol; John Norton; Charles Osborne; Welling & Slater; Messrs. Welling & Butcher; and Wellings & Jacobs. Also lists drugs bought from the estates of Dr. George Gilmer and Dr. Kenneth McKenzie of Williamsburg.
  • MS1973-4_0001.jpg

    Arithmetical exercise book explaining and demonstrating addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, wine measure, dry and long measures. Inscribed: “Robert Spilsbe Coleman His Book August the 19, 1773,” and probably used by him until 1775. Next used by Coleman’s son, Robert Spilsbe, Jr., in 1782–1783 and 1821. Also contains a list of family births, 1851–1857. The Spotsylvania County records, 1721–1800, list several branches of the Coleman family, which included several Robert Spilsbes. This individual cannot be absolutely identified.

    Bound in a limp canvas binding. The first and last leaves of text have been adhered to the canvas. Both the canvas covering and several pages have substantial areas of loss.

  • D2020-COPY-0818-0002c.jpg

    Letter of Williamsburg, Virginia silversmith James Craig to an unidentified recipient. Craig writes that he is overstocked with certain goods and wishes to sell them on reasonable terms. Craig was not comfortable sending the items on credit so he suggested the recipient of the letter send someone to the meeting of the General Court in Williamsburg to conduct business with him.

    On April 7, 1768, Craig ran an advertisement in the Virginia Gazette announcing the arrival of a shipment from London aboard the Matty. The advertisement listed many of the items subsequently offered in the letter.

    This letter may be Craig's first letter to Edenton, North Carolina silversmith and jeweler Thomas Agnis. In Virginia Silversmiths ... Catherine Hollan writes that Craig sold silver and jewelry to Agnis in July, 1761. Agnis sent his enslaved man, Joe Baker to Williamsburg with payment.

  • D2007-COPY-0409-1002.jpg

    Letter and account book of Colonel William Fauntleroy, a colonial planter living at Naylor’s Hole on the banks of the Rappahannock River in Richmond County, VA. There are 225 letters, many written to agents and merchants in London, Glasgow, Whitehaven, Liverpool, and Bristol concerning his tobacco shipments and the English manufactured goods that he requests in exchange. Also included is information concerning his plantations, the purchasing of enslaved laborers and instructions regarding his two sons studying law and medicine in London.
  • MS2000-08-001.jpg

    Copy of an amendment to Governor Francis Fauquier's estate inventory, enclosed in his son Francis Fauquier, Esquire's letter sent from England to George Wythe, dated June 21, 1773. The inventory for items at the Governor's Palace includes household furnishings, food supplies, globes and money scales.
  • D2011-COPY-0916-1070.jpg

    William Howe signed military commission dated December 23, 1776 appointing Richard St. George Mansergh St. George lieutenant in the 52nd Regiment of Foot. The British Army under Howe was at that time stationed in New York City.

    Mansergh was horribly wounded at the Battle of Germantown on October 4, 1777. A surgeon removed a portion of his skull which was then covered with a silver plate. Mansergh retired from the military in 1785. We was killed in Ireland during the uprising in 1798.

    The commission was on display at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia as part of the exhibit: Cost of Revolution: The Life and Death of an Irish Soldier from September 28, 2019 through March 17, 2020.

  • D2011-Copy-0303-0001.jpg

    General Joseph Hooker letter to Captain Chauncey McKeever, Assistant Adjutant General of the Third Corps, dated from Williamsburg, Virginia, May 10, 1862. Hooker's letter discusses the Battle of Williamsburg and provides a list of his division's losses.
  • MS1965-7_0001.jpg

    Waste book record of cargo imported and tobacco shipped by Francis Jerdone at Yorktown, Virginia. The book documents the variety and volume of goods sold by Jerdone and the many customers he had in Virginia. Customers included Colonel Carter Burwell, the Reverend John Camm, Alexander Craig, Colonel Dudley Diggs, James Dixon, Robert Donald, Thomas Everard, Alexander Finnie, the Reverend Mr. Fontaine, William Jerdone, Warner Lewis, John Lightfoot, William Lightfoot, Thomas Nelson, William Nelson, John Norton, John Palmer, James Shield, Captain John Tabb, and Bennitt Tomkins.
  • M2904b0101001.jpg

    Contains various kinds of accounts including accounts with individuals (many individuals in Hanover Co., Va.), for goods purchased from Jerdone; with merchants in Great Britain, and with the ships' captains who carried goods between Virginia and England; lists of supplies of staples such as salt and rum; invoices for tobacco shipped to England; and a summary of Jerdone's finances. Goods include sugar, molasses, chocolates, cheese, tea, beer, raisins, hats, hosiery and snuff. Also concerns buying and selling of slaves; and shows tobacco marks of various planters. Accounts incl ude those of Robert Anderson, John Backhouse, John Baylor, John Chiswell, Henry Cooke, John Cooper, Archibald Crawford, Robert Donald, John Goldsmith, Dr. Alexander Jameson, Bennitt Kirby, Edward Lankford, Thomas Nelson, John Norton, Mann Page, the proprietors of the Raleigh Tavern, William Stevenson, John Thomson, John Winn and George Wythe.

  • MS2000-52-001.jpg

  • Recto

    Letter of James McHenry, aide-de-camp to Lafayette, to General George Weedon dated July 10, 1781. McHenry gives a brief and optimistic description of the Battle at Green Spring fought between American forces under Lafayette and the British under Cornwallis.
  • MS2012-12-001.jpg

    Letter of Brigadier General Muhlenberg to Brigadier General Weedon in which Muhlenberg discusses the Battle of Green Spring fought July 6, 1781. The American forces were led by Lafayette and Anthony Wayne. Muhlenberg was critical of Wayne noting that "Green Springs ... might have proved fatal to this Army & the State, owing to the impetuosity of our Brother Brigadier." Muhlenberg describes for Weedon the course and outcome of the battle but advises Weedon that "... it will not do to make it public."
  • MS1932-08-001.jpg

    Virginia Lt. Governor John Page writes to North Carolina Governor Richard Caswell concerning British naval operations in the region. The British had blocked Ocracoke Inlet and Page urges Caswell to send one of the galleys constructed at the joint expense of the two states to dislodge the British vessels blockading the inlet. Page notes he will have Champion Travis, a member of Virginia's Naval Board, work to get some of Virginia's galley fleet into action. Page also thanks Caswell for making part of the N.C. militia available during the British Army and Navy's move up the Chesapeake as they advanced to Philadelphia and discusses the outcome of the action between Washington and Howe at Brandywine on September 11, 1777.
  • D2010-COPY-0809-1012.jpg

    Philip III, King of Spain, letter to Alonso Pérez de Guzmán, Duke of Medina Sidonia, dated July 29, 1608. The King writes to request information concerning the English settlements in Virginia. Specifically, he wishes to learn the locations, ports and sailing conditions which prevail there. The Duke, as Captain General of the Ocean Sea was expected to obtain this information from his subordinates in the treasure fleets.

    The letter was accomplished in manuscript by Andres de Prada, and signed by the King. A hole in the paper shows where the King's seal was attached.

  • D2010-COPY-0809-1022.jpg

    Philip III, King of Spain, letter to Alonso Pérez de Guzmán, Duke of Medina Sidonia, dated June 11, 1609. The King writes that he has received the Duke's letter concerning the attack on Spanish vessels by pirates and requests more information. He also wishes to know more about English plans to populate Virginia. The Duke, as Captain General of the Ocean Sea was expected to obtain this information from his subordinates in the treasure fleets.

    The letter was accomplished in manuscript by Antonio de Arostequi , and signed by the King. A hole in the paper shows where the King's seal was attached.

  • MS1938-09-001.jpg

    William Plume, Williamsburg, Virginia, letter to Joseph North, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 4, 1780. Plume writes briefly about the war including mentions of Cornwallis and the Leslie raid of Virginia. Plume notes that Leslie has failed in his primary goal and is opposed by a large number of American regular and militia forces commanded by Brigadier General Muhlenberg. The rest of Plume's letter concerns business and personal matters. Plume requests North procure some knives for him and discusses the high price of horses in Virginia. He also urges North to come to Virginia where he will find plentiful oysters, rum, cider, beer etc.

  • MS1941-08-001.jpg

    The last will and testament of Richard Randolph of Curles Neck Plantation in Henrico County, Virginia.
  • MS1958-2_0001.jpg

    John Robertson was Deputy Commissary General of Issues during the American Revolution and later a schoolmaster in Albemarle County and Lynchburg, Virginia.

    Robertson's account book includes receipts for supplies received from him at the magazine in Williamsburg (October-November, 1781); indexed accounts of his school in Lynchburg (1801-1802); house expenses (1807-1810); and, a register of his children with Sarah Rogers Robertson. The entries for 1781 include some for British prisoners of war.

  • D2020-JBC-1118-0146.jpg

  • D2020-JBC-1009-0006.jpg

    Ledger of accounts for a store, possibly kept by Andrew Shepherd of Orange County, Virginia. A great variety of goods were sold to people in Orange, Culpeper, Albemarle, and Augusta counties, and the communities of Fredericksburg and Staunton. Customers included Isaac Allen, Captain William Daingerfield, Ambrose Madison, James Madison Jr., Hugh Mercer, Barnet Moore, John Strather, Mrs. William Taliaferro and George Weedon.

    Andrew Shepherd's name appears on a page of calculations near the end of the volume.

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