Collections : [Colonial Williamsburg]

A series within the 20th Century Collection, the William Graves Perry papers are organized into subseries: Art and architecture, Collections, Colonial Williamsburg, Correspondence, Family, Notes, and Photographs, prints, and other art.

The Tazewell Family Papers consist mainly of letters, primarily 1771-1794, mostly personal, to Henry Tazewell (1753-1799), judge, Virginia delegate, and U. S. senator, and to his son, Littleton Waller Tazewell (1774-1860), Virginia delegate and governor, and U. S. senator, from Lucy Ludwell Paradise, D. Ragsdale, Edmund Randolph, Harrison Randolph, Edward Rice, and John M. St. George. Letters concern a wide variety of subjects. Also included are a few legal documents of John Tazewell (1734-1780), Henry's uncle, a lawyer and clerk of courts in Richmond, Va., and a miscellaneous autograph collection of deeds, land grants, and letters. Prominent signatures include those of Gov. Robert Dinwiddie, Lord Dunmore, Gov. William Gooch, Patrick Henry, Gov. Herbert Jeffreys, Richard Henry Lee, John Randolph, and George Wythe. The names of John Blair, Thomas Buckner, James Cocke, Thomas Dimmer, Thomas Fondfont, G. Harmanson, John E. Holt, Anthony Irby, W[ilson] C[ary] Nicholas, Christopher Norfleet, John Savage, James Southall, and Francis Willis also appear in the papers.

Personal correspondence of Alexander Spotswood. The bulk of the correspondence is between Spotswood and his cousin, John Spotswood (1666-1728) of Edinburgh, concerning the Spotswood family, the lieutenant governor's character, his career in the British army and ambitions before becoming lieutenant governor, and political and social conditions in Virginia. These letters are practically the only source of information on Spotswood's early life.

Correspondence between Mary G. Randolph and her sister Margaret H. Randolph, as well as personal letters and papers of Robert and Alice de Potestad. Included with the de Potestad materials are a poultry breeding catalog, a check, and two obituaries. The Randolph correspondence contains a poem entitled "All the World's in Paris." The bulk of the undated material relates to the Randolph sisters.

Inscription reads that the book contains "Lessons received on the spinnet from Peter Pelham" beginning November 1744 and continuing through January 1745. Contains notes on musical terms and styles, several minuets, arias, and other songs. Includes music by Handel and Charles Theodore Pachelbel. Pelham was a student of Pachelbel.

Account books kept by Carter Burwell (1716-1756) and his son, Nathaniel Burwell (1750-1814), for their plantation, Carter's Grove, James City County, Va. One account book contains accounts of their neighbor, James Bray (d. 1744), who ran a tannery and shoemaking shop at his plantation; others contain accounts for the building of Carter's Grove. Also, a Book of Common Prayer and a Bible owned by Carter Burwell and four stud horse advertisements and an equine poster concerning the pedigree and performance of the "late Eclipse."

This report, sent to the Board of Trade by Henry Hartwell, James Blair and Edward Chilton, discusses contemporary social, political, economic, and religious conditions in Virginia.