Thomas Skinker letter

Access and use

Location of collection:
College of William and Mary
Special Collections Research Center
Earl Gregg Swem Library
College of William and Mary
400 Landrum Drive
PO 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Contact for questions and access:
Phone: (757) 221-3090
Fax: (757) 221-5440
Restrictions:

The collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Terms of access:

Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Preferred citation:

Thomas Skinker letter, Special Collections Research Center, William & Mary Libraries.

Summary

Extent:
0.1 Linear Feet 1 legal size folder
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Thomas Skinker letter, Special Collections Research Center, William & Mary Libraries.

Background

Scope and content:

A single four page letter written by Thomas Skinker to associate Dr. Nathaniel Vanderwall Clopton of Virginia from whom he describes renting enslaved people. The letter concerns topics relating to slavery including the annual hiring of named enslaved people and details about an injured enslaved person.

Biographical / historical:

Thomas K. Skinker (1805-1887) was born in Fauquier County, Virginia. He moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1838 where he purchased property he named Ellenwood. Skinner also owned a plantation in Brandon, Rankin County, Mississippi, in which he held enslaved people. The letter is addressed to Dr. Nathaniel Vanderwall Clopton (1786-1855) who was from Morgansburg, Virginia and worked as a physican in Fauquier County, Virginia. Clopton was also a veteran of the War of 1812. During the American Civil War (1861-1865) Skinker was required to sign an oath of loyalty to the Union Army as a person who owned enslaved people.

The letter contains accounts of Skinker hiring enslaved people owned by Clopton and subsequent prices and details including a refrence to the Mississippi dollar. Skinker also comments on two seperate enslaved poeples' physical and mental conditions in regards to their labor value. Skinker mentions several enslaved people by name thorughout the letter. At the end of the letter, Skinker breifly mentions his family.

Acquisition information:
Purchased with the Nelle Richardson Tonkin fund.
Arrangement:

The Thomas Skinker letter is arranged by item.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard