John Jones letter to William Massie

Access and use

Location of collection:
University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.
Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400110
160 McCormick Rd
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Brenda Gunn
Phone: (434) 924-1037
Phone: (434) 243-1776
Fax: (434) 924-4968
Preferred citation:

MSS 16808, John Jones letter to William Massie, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia Library.

Summary

Extent:
.03 Cubic Feet one letter sized folder
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

MSS 16808, John Jones letter to William Massie, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia Library.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains one autograph letter dated September 14, 1852, signed by John Jones of Richmond, Virginia, to William Massie, Piedmont Post Office, Nelson County, Virginia. In the letter, Jones wishes success to Massie's attempts to locate the home where he was born. Jones discusses his family's health, noting that his daughter, wife, and grandchild will return from a hot spring trip to improve their health, a discussion on seed wheat, and a request for Massie to tell Mrs. Barbara and sister Mrs.Penny to visit the Jones family in Autumn.

John Jones (1795-1863) was born and lived in Richmond, Virginia. He was a commercial merchant, married Sarah Brooks in 1818, and had eight children. William Massie (1795-1862) was born and settled in Nelson County, Virginia. Massie was a farmer and enslaver and owned two plantations in Nelson County, Virginia, "Pharsalia" and "Level Green," a gift from his father, Thomas Massie.

There is a related collection MSS 12705 which contains William Massie's record book with the names and birthdates of the people that he enslaved. At the time of his death, he enslaved 154 people on his estate Pharsalia.

https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/VA-02-051-0001

Biographical / historical:

John Jones (1795-1863) was born and lived in Richmond, Virginia. He was a commercial merchant, married Sarah Brooks in 1818, and had eight children. William Massie (1795-1862) was born and settled in Nelson County, Virginia. Massie was a farmer and enslaver and owned two plantations in Nelson County, Virginia, "Pharsalia" and "Level Green," a gift from his father, Thomas Massie.

For more research and census information: https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/family-tree/person/tree/114335142/person/200148181467/facts)

William Massie enslaved 21 people in 1816. At the time of his death in 1862 he enslaved 154 people. He also kept detailed records of their names and birthdates. See MSS 12705 for his record book. Massie was a large-scale planter,owner,trader and breeder of enslaved people. https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/VA-02-051-0001

Acquisition information:
This collection was purchased from Michael Brown Rare Books, LLC by the Small Special Collections Library at the University of Virginia Library on 20 January 2023.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard