John M. Woolsey collection of legal documents

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

Summary

Extent:
.3 Linear Feet 1 box
Creator:
Woolsey, John M., 1877-1945
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

The John M. Woolsey collection is comprised of fifteen historically significant legal documents from 1790 to 1844.

The papers contain the records of two cases signed by Samuel Chase, justice of the United States Supreme Court and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. This information was recorded when Justice Chase presided over the Supreme Court of Maryland. Six papers are entirely in James Monroe's handwriting and form an agreement of arbitration between James Monroe (fifth president of the United States) and Nathan Skinner.

George Wythe is the author of several of the early documents in this collection. An appeal written by John Marshall and signed by George Wythe is included, as is an April 30, 1790, letter signed by Charles Lee, brother of Light Horse Harry. Edmund Randolph wrote an opinion, dated April 14, 1805, which is included in this collection and written entirely in Randolph's hand.

There are also documents signed by John Marsharll, Charles Lee, Edmund Randolph, John Quincy Adams, Henry St. George Tucker, and John B. Minor.

Acquisition information:
Judge John W. Woolsey donated this collection to the UVA Law Library in honor of T. Catesby Jones (UVA Law Alumni, Class of 1903), who was Chairman of the Alumni Fund for the Department of Law "in 1941 or ealier."
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard