Scope and Content
This collection of papers, 1650-1898, consists of ca. 710
items pertaining to the
Latane familyof
Essex County, Virginia. Included are
correspondence, business and legal papers, papers re military
and religious matters, school notebooks, and certificates of
graduation from schools at the
University of Virginia.
Although little seems to be known or published about the
Latane family, valuable information may be found in
Parson Latane 1672-1732by Lucy Temple Latane (Mss CS71.L347 1936);
Essex County, Virginia: Its Historic Homes,
Landmarks and Traditionsedited by Essex County Woman's Club (F232.E7E7 1940);
and,
Settlers, Southerners, Americans: The History of
Essex County, Virginia 1608-1984by James B. Slaughter (F232.E7S5 1985).
The early eighteenth century correspondence contains many
letters from
Henry Lataneand his wife,
Anne Latane, London, England, to his
brother,
Lewis Latane(1672-1732) and his third
wife,
Mary (Deane) Latane(1685-1765), South
Farnham Parish, Essex County. Some of the letters are written
in French but the majority of them are in English. During the
1720s, Henry frequently advised Lewis to grow another crop
besides tobacco, saying that Europe could not consume all that
comes from America. In a letter of January 13, 1730, Henry is
"impatient to know what the fate of Europe whether warr or
Peace everything seems to tend to a Crisis ...," possibly
referring to the trade conflict between England and Spain.
After her husband's death in 1732, Mary (Deane) Latane
managed the property that came to her and her children, with
the help of her cousin,
William Beverley(1698-1756). There are
several letters, 1733-1750, from Beverley discussing the
settlement of her husband's estate and the sale of her
tobacco. In addition, there are business correspondence, bills
of lading, invoices, and other papers concerning the sale of
tobacco.
Letters of interest include correspondence of
Spencer Roane(1762-1822), King and Queen
County, and
William Latane(1750-1811), Essex County,
July 1791-August 1792, concerning the deed and survey for the
"Mount Clement Trail of Land," and another on July 25, 1804 re
the suit of Braxton vs Roane; letters on April 19, 1825, June
13, 1826, and November 18, 1826, from
James Montague,
Harden County, Kentucky, to friends in
Essex County, concerning various aspects of life in Kentucky
such as the conflict between anti-relief and relief parties,
tobacco sales, and prices of corn, flour, cotton, whiskey, et
al.; one on June 9, 1854, from Rev.
Henry W. L. Temple, Wayland, to
James Allen Latane, University of
Virginia, discussing Bishop
William Meade's visit; and, several
letters, October 25, 1864, December 4, 1871, February 2 and
June 15, 1883, and June 13, 1885, from
Thomas S. Watson, Bracketts, chiefly to
Julia A. Holladay,
Botetourt County, Virginia, mentioning
news of family and friends, new dwellings built on Ionia, and
his being disqualified as a member of the legislature.
Letters pertaining to black history include one of December
10, 1772, from
Samuel Peachey, Jr.,
Occoquan Furnace, to William Latane,
Essex County, asking him to send a young black at Christmas
because the latter wants to learn the blacksmith trade; one of
November 10, 1788, from
Bartlett Williams, New Kent, to
William Latane, Essex County, complaining
about Latane's man Ephraim corrupting his blacks, and
requesting that he not be permitted to visit his plantation; a
circular, February 27, 1794, referring to the transportation
of slaves from Africa to the West-India islands; one of
February 28, 1809, from S. Chenault, Nelson County, Kentucky,
re the "elopement" of Franklin and his recovery by a Captain
Lafon who kept him in his possession for awhile;
correspondence between
Henry Waring Latane(1782-1860), Essex
County, and his brother-in-law,
John Temple( -1812), Parkersburg, re the
death of Temple's father and the division of his slaves at
"Goldberry," December 10, 1811 and January 8, 1812; and, one
of June 13, 1885, from
Thomas S. Watson, Bracketts, to
Julia A. Holladay, Botetourt County,
mentioning the poisoning of some children by a black
woman.
The business papers are comprised of accounts and
administrative and estate papers as well as general
correspondence and papers. The accounts are chiefly for
members of the Latane and Waring families, and, to a lesser
extent, for members of the
Allen familyand
Temple family. The administrative and
estate papers concern the estates of
William Peachey( -1700),
Lewis Latane(1672-1732),
Robert Payne Waring(-1799?),
William Latane(1750-1811),
John Temple( -1812),
Lewis Dix( -1815?),
James Allen( -1820?),
Ann Latane( -1820?), and
Henry Waring Latane(1782-1860). Also,
there are business papers pertaining to black history; and, a
separate itemized listing has been compiled.
The legal papers contain many indentures, land grants and
plats/surveys for lands in
Essex County,
King and Queen County, and
Rappahannock County. These papers are
helpful in determining ownership of lands held by the Latane
Family,
Roane Family,
Allen Family, and
Dix Family. In addition, there are copies
of wills for members of the Latane, Roane, Allen, and Dix
families. The wills also contain references to the division of
blacks among the families.
There are also genealogical, military, and religious
material. The military papers, 1814-1828, pertain chiefly to
James Allen's career as captain in the Virginia militia and
include abstracts of forage, regimental orders, receipt for
arms, detailed returns of arms accoutrements, and rosters of
officers and other personnel. Among the miscellaneous papers
is a small group of material concerning religious matters,
particularly having to do with
South Farnham Parishin Essex County.
Included are a letter, December 17, 1716, from
Alexander Spotswoodto the vestry of the
parish re their decision to suspend
Lewis Latanefrom his ministerial office;
a hymn book belonging to
John Latane; and, two letters about the
weakening of the Church in Virginia.