William Sterrett Papers, 1782-1881

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

Summary

Creator:
William Sterrett
Abstract:
Business papers of Sterrett who was a lawyer, real estate agent and county clerk of Mason County, Virginia (now West Virginia).
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Business papers of Sterrett who was a lawyer, real estate agent and county clerk of Mason County, Virginia (now West Virginia) includes letters, accounts, deeds, promissory notes, legal records, wills and other business records. Most of the letters are from Colin Auld of Alexandria, Va. Note: Correspondents include James Hall of Harrisonburg Va., John A. Marmaduke of Hillsborough and Shepherdstown, West Virginia, George W. Peter, John P. C. Peter, Thomas Peter of Georgetown, D. C., John Roberts of Alexandria, Va. and James Swan and Jonathan Swan of Baltimore, Md., Robert Swan of Cumberland, Md. and Robert Worthington of Charlestown, Va. (now West Virginia.)

Subjects covered by the papers include internal improvements, land speculation, runaway slaves, Board of Public Works, contracts for the construction of log cabins and for the clearing of brush, court case against James White Brackenridge. One document concerns Lawrence Washington.

Biographical / historical:

William Sterrett of Point Pleasant, Virginia. (now West Virginia), was a lawyer, real estate agent, property manager and county clerk of Mason County. He represented interests in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.

Acquisition information:
Purchased, 1966.
Arrangement:
Organization

Collection is arranged chronologically.

Arrangement

The collection has been divided into series. Series 1 are the letters of William Sterrett, series 2 are business and legal documents and series 3 are maps.

Physical description:
1,520 items.

Indexed terms

Subjects:
Slavery--West Virginia-- History.