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Dated 1783-1825. Letters, 1783-1825, primarily between William Short (1759-1849), American diplomat and financier, who, after a career in Europe, settled in Philadelphia, Pa., and his brother, Peyton Short (1761-1825), a native of Virginia who moved to Kentucky and engaged in extensive land speculation there and in Ohio. William gives advice concerning Peyton's career and the education of his children, and discusses other family matters, but is primarily concerned with various speculative land transactions in Kentucky and Ohio. Frequent litigation is involved, and, in the later years, William and Peyton's letters show an estrangement brought on by the latter's financial problems.

Papers, 1811-1954, of William Booth Taliaferro and his family of Gloucester County, Va. Taliaferro's papers consist of diaries, letterbook (while at Harpers Ferry), correspondence, speeches, memoirs and accounts. The collection also includes papers of his wife, Sally Nivison Lyons Taliaferro (including diaries), his ancestors, siblings and descendants, as well as photographs, genealogical notes and artifacts of the Taliaferro family.

Financial and legal papers of Major William B. Stone, a lawyer in Port Tobacco, Maryland. Includes a letter, dated 11 May 1848, by T. S. Stone to "Tom" at Princeton University urging the improvement of his penmanship and the abandonment of the use of tobacco, and extolling the virtues of physical education. One document mentions Peter Vivian Daniel and another concerns Stone's candidacy for a circuit judgeship.

This collection includes four glass plate negatives, a sketch of Andrew Alexander, a letter signed by Andrew Alexander, and a letter dated 1796 from William C. Anderson to Francis Thomas.

This collection contains biographical materials; original and photocopied correspondence; sermons, discourses, and publications by Wilmer. An inventory is available in the Special Collections Research Center.

Business letters, 1833-1839, to Major William K. Perrin and 1855, 1860, to his son-in-law Wyndham Kemp, both of Gloucester County, Virginia from Perrin's step-son Robert W. Nicolson in Uniontown, Perry County, Alabama, about the management of a cotton plantation. Letters mention purchasing land, growing and selling cotton, and the management of the enslaved, legal and banking matters and uprising of the Creek Indians. Papers, 1800-1855 and undated, relating to the hiring out and management of enslaved persons in Gloucester County, Virginia by William K. Perrin. Legal papers, 1723-1895 and undated, include indentures, agreements, and lists of debts of William K. Perrin, George D. Nicolson, Sarah T. Nicolson, and descendants of William K. Perrin. Also accounts and receipts, 1806-1902, and undated.

Papers, 1783-1837, of William Langborn and concerning his estate which was administered by Burwell Bassett. Includes letters, 1793-1805, from William Murdock, agent for Langborn in London, Eng. and typescripts of letters, 1790-1791, from William Langborn to William Short; and abstract from the correspondence of William Short concerning Langborn. Subjects discussed by Murdock include Jay's Treaty; and Langborn's rental houses in London.

The William Massie papers includes letters and accounts belonging to William Massie, a farmer, miller and plantation owner. Massie lived in Pharsalia and Tye River Mills, Nelson County, Virginia. Letters include correspondence between Nathaniel Francis Cabell and Chiswell Dabney. Letters discuss life in Nelson County, agriculture, slavery, milling, and other subjects.

Letters, [1772], 1789, 1839, and 1846-1847, of William Short, while a diplomat in France, and later while living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with the later letters discussing the settlement of his estate with his nephew, Charles W. Short (1794-1863), of Louisville, Kentucky. Also includes copies of Short's appointment to various diplomatic posts, 1790-1794; a copy of George Washington's letter to the King of Spain explaining Short's departure from Spain, 1796; his will; a genealogical chart of the Short family; an article of his love affair with the Duchess de la Rochefoucauld; and his watch and fob.

This collection consists in large part of photostats and transcription. The originals are held by various other institution. Contact a staff member for further information: a list of scientific instruments and Small's account with the College of William and Mary, as well articles and biographical information about him. Also included are copies and transcripts of correspondence to, from, and about Small, and photocopies of a picture of him.