Wilson and Hairston Family Papers

WILSON AND HAIRSTON #4134 PAPERS. [underlined Chronological Analysis] [underlined 1751-1788] 300 items.

Most of the papers from the period 1751 to 1788 are those of Peter Hairston (1752-1832) and consist mainly of legal papers relating to his role as a deputy sheriff of Henry County, Virginia. These papers include letters to Hairston from other county officials; warrants from justices of the peace to him; memoranda and receipts of several Henry county sheriffs, including himself and his father, Robert Hairston (d. 1783), listing monies collected for taxes and carried to Richmond, Virginia; and bonds, warranty deeds, and bills of sale, all for the purchase of land and slaves. There are also agreements between Hairston and his overseers at Old Town and Blan-E-Bent (?) plantations in North Carolina stating the names of slaves, the amount of livestock, and the crops to be grown.

Other frequent legal papers include land grants and deeds of persons unrelated to the Wilson and Hairston families. The land grants were issued under the reign of King George III and later the governorship fo Thomas Jefferson. The land described in these papers was then located in Halifax, Henry and Pittsyvlania counties, Virginia and Guilford and Rowan counties, North Carolina, and possibly came into Wilson and Hairston possession at later dates or came under Peter Hairston's jurisdiction as a sheriff.

Slight, scattered legal papers include those of Peter Perkins (1739-1813), father-in-law of Peter Hairston. There are warranty deeds for slaves Perkins bought; a land grant from King George III for acreage then in Halifax county, Virginia; and a bond, an agreement, and several receipts for money Peter Hairston owed Peter Perkins for the purchase of Sauratown Plantation in Stokes county, North Carolina and land then in Guilford county, North Carolina.

Other papers in this period consist of the business correspondence and financial papers of Peter Hairston. There are letters between Peter Hairston and various Petersburg, Virginia, merchants about his accounts with them; and letters to Hairston from his customers about their accounts. Financial papers include bills and receipts for his purchases from various Petersburg merchants.

There are slight, scattered letters to Peter Hairston giving orders concerning military manuevers during the Revolutionary War. Virtually no personnel correspondence exists in this period.

[underlined 1789-1813] 2700 items.

Most of the papers from 1789 to 1813 are business correspondence of Peter Hairston (1752-1832) and Peter Wilson (1770-1813), the latter being the son-in-law of the former. There are letters to both of them from numerous, Petersburg, Virginia, merchants about the arrival of new merchandise in their stores, the condition of the Petersburg market, Hairston and

Dec. 1978 by M.V. Jones

WILSON AND HAIRSTON #4134 PAPERS. [underlined Chronological Analysis] [underlined 1789-1813] (Continued):

Wilson's accounts with these merchants, and the latest political news. Merchants also wrote Hairston and Wilson asking their assistance in the collection of debts owed them by other Stokes and Rockingham residents. There are letters to Peter Hairston from customers requesting that their taxes be charged to their store accounts; similarly customers wrote to Peter Wilson about adjustments in their accounts. From 1789 to 1800 there are numerous notes to Peter Wilson whereby the sender asked Wilson to entrust certain merchandise to the bearer of the note. Correspondence indicates Thomas Bouldin and Company was in business with Peter Wilson from 1801 to 1803.

There are also many financial papers for this period. There are accounts for goods bought by Peter Wilson and Peter Hairston, some for large quantities of merchandise for their stores and others for smaller quantities of merchandise obviously bought for plantation or personal use. Together they show patterns of buying and selling between both Wilson and Hairston and various general and commission merchants in Lynchburg, Richmond, and Petersburg, Virginia. Occasionally there are accounts for merchandise purchased from London merchants through these Virginia merchants. The two Peters paid for their merchandise in tobacco, and there are numerous lists of tobacco sent to Petersburg and receipts for the labor expended for its carriage. Other tobacco was sent to commission merchants just for sale.

Scattered throughout the period are legal papers for the alteration of land ownership and the collection of debts. Peter Wilson and Peter Hairston constantly bought land, and there are deeds and plats for their land purchases. In addition, there are letters and financial papers about property transfers, including Peter Wilson's purchase of a grist mill in 1804. There are also bonds, notes, judgements, summons, and court bills concerning Wilson and Hairston suits brought against their debtors.

In addition, there are bonds and annual agreements with their overseers enumerating employment terms, including amounts of crops owed to Wilson and Hairston. There is also an agreement between Peter Perkins and his overseer at Troublesome Creek Ironworks in Rockingham county, North Carolina.

There are also bills of sale for slave purchases by Peter Wilson and Peter Hairston.

Peter Hairston served intermittently during this period as a justice of the peace. Thus, there are summons and marriage bonds issued by him and over 80 lists of taxables for 1799 (?) collected by Peter Hairston. These listed the property of Stokes county, North Carolina, residents. One legal document in 1810 indicated Peter Wilson also served as a justice of the peace, but for Pittsylvania county, Virginia

Dec. 1978 by M.V. Jones

WILSON AND HAIRSTON #4134 PAPERS. [underlined Chronological Analysis:] (Continued): [underlined 1789-1813] (Continued): In this period, there are also papers about Peter Wilson's guardianship of Mead and William Wilson, orphans probably of Peter Wilson, brother of John Wilson (d. 1820). These papers include inventories of the orphans' property; lists of bonds due them; and receipts about the hiring out of their slaves.

Slight, scattered military papers include the 1791 commission of George Hairston as county lieutenant of Henry county Virginia; letters and lists of supplies and weapons for Peter Wilson's 42nd Regiment of Pittsylvania County Militia; and letters to Lieutenant Samuel Hairston (1788-1875) from his captain and lieutenant-colonel during the War of 1812.

There are also scattered personal letters between Peter Hairston and Peter Wilson and between John Wilson and Peter Wilson which occasionally mention their personal well-being but usually only deal with their businesses and plantations. There are letters to Samuel Hairston while stationed at Niagara, New York, from Elizabeth Hairston, his mother, and Nicholas Hairston, his brother. Ruth Stovall (Hairston) Wilson (1783-1869) also received correspondence from her cousin, Green Pryor who resided in Williamson county, Tennessee, about his family and school. In 1806 Peter Perkins had Peter Hairston sell his lands, forge, and furnace to pay his creditors and to move with his son Nicholas Perkins to Cumberland county, Tennessee, and there are letters from Peter and Nicholas Perkins to Peter Hairston and Peter Wilson about their new life.

[underlined 1814-1832] 2200 items. The papers for this period are principally those of Peter Hairston (1752-1832), described above, and his nephews, Robert Hairston (1783-1852) and Samuel Hairston (1788-1875), the sons of George and Elizabeth (Perkins) Letcher Hairston. [See family chart] As in earlier periods the papers are almost entirely business correspondence and financial and legal papers of the three men. From 1814 to 1821 business correspondence predominates while thereafter legal papers are more numerous than business correspondence and financial papers.

Among the business correspondence are letters to Peter Hairston from his daughter Ruth Stovall (Hairston) Wilson about the management of her plantation following Peter Wilson's death in 1813 until her marriage to Robert Hairston in 1816 (?). There are also letters to Samuel, Robert, and Peter Hairston from Lynchburg, Pettersburg, and Richmond, Virginia, and Fayettesville, North Carolina merchants. All three men produced large quantities of tobacco and sold it through commission merchants in Lynchburg while Peter Hairston sold his flour and cotton in Fayettesville market.

Dec. 1978 by M.V. Jones

WILSON AND HAIRSTON #4134 10 PAPERS. [underlined Chronological Analysis] (Continued): [underlined 1814-1832] (Continued): Included also are letters from Peter Hairston's overseers to him about plantation management; letters to Peter Hairston from Robert and Samuel Hairston about the Virginia markets and goods they had purchased for him; and five letters in 1832 from R.H. Toler (?), William H. Rives, R.R. Gurley, and John McPhail to Robert Hairston about the American Colonization Society and the manumission of six of Hairston's slaves who were sent to Liberia.

The majority of the legal papers as well as some business correspondence are related to the case of Robert Hairston v. Joel, Elisha, and William Estes, a suit concerning the sale of Robert Hairston's tobacco through the Estes commission business, which appears to have lasted from 1818 to 1829. There is correspondence between Robert Hairston and Joel, Elisha and William Estes, Peter Hairston, Thomas Ruffin and Thomas Settle about the case as well as summons and despositions.

In addition there are legal papers related to suits to which Peter Hairston was a party, especially Peter Hairston v. Joshua Young, and bills of sale for slave purchases, deeds for land purchases, property tax payments, promissory notes, overseers agreements, and jailors' bills for keeping runaway slaves, all for Peter, Robert, and Samuel Hairston.

The financial papers for this period are chiefly Samuel, Robert and Peter Hairston's accounts with Lynchburg, Petersburg, Richmond, and Fayetteville merchants for their crop sales and for general merchandise. There are also receipts for tobacco hauled to these markets; doctors' bills for attending slaves; and bills for the construction in 1823 of the Oak Hill home of Samuel Hairston.

There is scattered family and personal correspondence including letters between Ruth Stovall (Hairston) Wilson Hairston and Peter Hairston following her first husband's death; letters to Ruth Stovall (Hairston) Wilson Hairston and Peter Hairston from Agnes John Peter Wilson (1801-1880) away at Salem Boarding School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, from 1813 to 1814, and living in Raleigh from 1815 to 1816 (?); and letters to Ruth Stovall (Hairston) Wilson Hairston from her cousins Green and Peter Pryor about their homes in Williamson county, Tennessee.

The miscellaneous material in the period 1814 to 1832 includes Minutes of the Sandy Creek Baptist Association, 1825 to 1829; lists of clothing for the slaves of Peter, Robert, and Samuel Hairston; lists of clothing for the slaves of Peter, Robert, and Samuel Hairston; and lists of tools and livestock at their respective plantations.

[underlined 1833-1880] 3700 items. The papers for this period are principally those of Samuel Hairston (1788-1875), Robert Hairston (1783-1852), Ruth Stovall (Hairston) Wilson Hairston (1783-1869), and Peter Wilson Hairston (1819-1886). [See family

Dec. 1978 by M.V. Jones

WILSON AND HAIRSTON #4134 11 PAPERS. [underlined Chronological Analysis:] (Continued): [underlined 1833-1880] (Continued): chart] The papers consist mainly of both business correspondence and financial papers but contain more personal correspondence than in earlier periods.

Most of the papers from 1833 to 1860 are business correspondence and financial papers. These papers include letters, bills, and receipts from numerous Danville, Lynchburg, Petersburg, and Richmond, Virginia, merchants to Samuel, Robert, and Ruth Stovall (Hairston) Wilson Hairston about the sale of their tobacco, cotton, wheat, and flour crops; merchandise these Hairstons ordered; and occasional political news. There are also many letters, bills and receipts from Sam Short, a boatman; from the Greenville and Roanoke Railroad Company; from the Richmond and Danville Railroad Company to Samuel Hairston and Ruth Hairston about the transport of their crops and general merchandise they ordered.

Much of the personal correspondence from 1833 to 1860 is that of Peter Wilson Hairston. From 1833 to 1839, letters between him and his family principally concern his life at the University of North Carolina and the University of Virginia. After 1839 there are letters from 1839 to 1848 from Peter Wilson Hairston to Ruth Stovall (Hairston) Wilson Hairston, his grandmother, and to Samuel Hairston, his father about hsi trips to their various plantations. After settling at Cooleemee Plantation in Davie county, North Carolina, in 1849, he writes mainly to his grandmother and father about his plantation management and from 1852 to 1857 about the legal settlement and management of Robert Hairston's property in Mississippi. There are also letters from Peter Wilson Hairston and Fanny Caldwell, his second wife, to the children of his first marriage and Ruth Stovall (Hairston) Wilson Hairston while they travelled in Europe in 1859 and 1860.

There is some personal correspondence from 1854 through the Civil War from various people to Samuel Hairston about several newspaper article written in 1854 which called him the "Richest Man in Virginia." These people unknown to him wrote asking for gifts of money.

From 1860 to 1865 there are few items. Mostly there are letters from Peter Wilson Hairston and his second wife Fanny Caldwell to Samuel Hairston and Ruth Stovall (Hairston) Wilson Hairston about Cooleemee Plantation, their children, and, infrequently, the Civil War. There are also scattered letters to Samuel Hairston from soldiers asking for gifts of money for their families; from the Danville Baptist Aid Society asking for contributions for a hospital; and from the Confederate officers to him and Ruth Stovall (Hairston) Wilson Hairston about purchasing their crops for the troops. In addition there are receipts from the Confederate Army to Samuel Hairston and Ruth Stovall (Hairston) Wilson Hairston for their hay, corn, peas, wheat, and sweet potato crops.

Dec. 1978 by M.V. Jones

WILSON AND HAIRSTON 13 #4134 PAPERS. [underlined Chronological Analysis:] (Continued): [underlined 1881-1928] (Continued): and from Harden Hairston, brother of Ruth (Hairston) Sims (1863-1936) and Sara (Hairston) Glenn (1867-1952), about the management of the Hairston property in Virginia owned by Harden, Ruth, and Sara, his personal life, and the health of his mother, Alcie (Hairston) Hairston.

From 1881 to 1894 there are occasional accounts of tobacco sales for tenants on Hairston land; legal papers including deeds, insurance policies, and tax payments concerning Hairston farms and property owned in Danville, Virginia by Ruth (Hairston) Sims; tests of Alfred Varley Sims as a student at the University of Pennsylvania; and copies of a literary paper, the "Orbisonia Star," compiled by Sims' sister "Addie."

From 1895 to 1904 Alfred Varley Sims taught engineering at Iowa State University, Iowa, only occasionally returning to Virginia during summers to manage Berry Hill. Three-fourths of the correspondence for this period is letters from his overseers, J.J. Hodges, R.L. Soyars, and J.D. Setliffe, about management of the Berry Hill farm and similar letters from Harden Hairston. There is also correspondence about Sim's academic and consulting work for the Chicago Transfer and Clearing Company and the University and notes and blue prints for Johnson county, Iowa, bridges for which Sims may also have been an engineer.

Personal correspondence from 1895 to 1904 includes letters, telegrams, and eulogies written by and to numerous people about the death of Dr. Charles Schaeffer, president of the Iowa State University, Schaeffer was a close associate of Alfred Varley Sims, who may have headed a memorial committee for Schaeffer. There are also letters between Mr. and Mrs. Sims and Mrs. Charles Schaeffer about her property matters and her life after her husband's death. In addition, there are letters between Sims and J. Nota McGill, a patent lawyer, concerning his invention of a briquette machine; letters to Sims from his mother, Mrs. Alfred W. Sims; and letters from his wife and children when they were residing in Virginia.

In 1904, after Sims' resignation from Iowa State, there are letters among William Sowden Sims (1858-1936), brother of Alfred Varley Sims; Charles Page Perin, a New York consulting engineer; and A.V. Sims about his chances for an engineering position with the Knickerbocker Trust Company of New York. William Sims served as a naval aide to President Theodore Roosevelt (1908-1909), served on the staff and was president of the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island (1911-1913, 1916, 1919-1922), and commanded the U.S. Fleet in European Waters (1917-1918).

Papers from 1895 to 1904 also include farm accounts listing tenants at Berry Hill and their crops and tobacco warehouse sales. There are

Dec. 1978 by M.V. Jones

E file as Apr 20,1753

COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA LAND OFFICE RICHMOND

George the second by the Grace of God of Great Britain Frrance & Ireland King Defender of the Faith &c. To ALL WHOM THESE Presents shall come greeting KNOW YE that for divers good causes and considerations but more especially for and in consideration of the sum of Fifty Seven Pounds of good and lawful money for our use paid to our Receiver Generalof our Revenues in this our Colony and Dominion of Virginia WE HAVE Given Granted and Confirmed and by these Presents for us heirs and successors DO Give Grant and confirm unto Lunsford Lomax, Clement Read, Robert Jones and Nicholas Edmonds one certain tract or parcel of land containing eleven thousand two hundred and sixty seven acres lying and being in the County of Lunenburg on Irwin River and Beaver and Ready Creeks and bounded as followeth towit:

BEGINNING at a cotton tree on the north side of Irwin River Randolphs corner thence North forty degrees East twelve poles to a white oak north seventy five degrees East forty poles to a red oak North thirty five degrees East one hundred and fifty two poles to a pine North twenty degrees East eighty poles to a white oak East one hundred and two poles to a hiccory North forty five defrees East eighty poles to a red oak South eighty degrees East one hundred and four poles to a dogwood North thirty degrees East thirty eight poles to a red oak North seventy five degrees East one hundred and ninety six poles to a red oak East one hundred and twelve poles to two white oaks North Seventy three degrees East one hundred poles to a red oak North forty degrees East one hundred and twenty five poles crossing the red bank creek to a red oak North sixteen degrees West eight hundred and forty poles crossing Calloways creek to a chestnut oak North sixty five degress West one hundred and thirty six poles crossing Beaver creek to a chestnut South forty degrees West one hundred and twenty poles to a white oak South seventy degrees West ninety poles to a red oak north seventy five degrees West four hundred and twenty six poles to pointers North twenty degrees East one hundred and forty poles to a white oak north fifty eight degrees east sixty eight poles crossing a bent of Reedy Creekto a beech North twenty degrees East one hundred and eighty six poles to a dogwood North thirty degrees East one hundred and twenty eight poles to a pine North sixty degrees East one hundred and twenty four poles to a white oak North seventy six degrees East nintey eight poles to a white oak North fourteen degrees West one hundred and ten poles to a poplar North seventy eight degrees East one hundred and forty four poles to a white oak South seventy eight degrees East one hundred and sixty six poles to a chestnut tree North thirty degrees East one hundred and twenty poles to a red oak North fifty four degrees East two hundred and fourteen poles to a red oak North forty five degrees East one hundred and twenty two poles crossing the said branch of Snow Creek and Snow Creek path to a small hiccory near the Path North sixty six degrees West sixty eight poles to a gum on Reedy Creek South eighty three degrees West forty four poles crossing the said Reedy Creek to a red oak South fifty five degrees West four hundred poles to a sorrel tree between two small branches South sixty five degrees West four hundred and eighty eight poles to a red oak North seventy degrees West one hundred and ninety six poles crossing Solomans Creek to pointers South fifty five degrees West four hundred and seventy six poles crossing Grassy Creek to

HT No. 1 No. 2 Impost & Cocquet not Paid

Shipped by Grace of GOD, in good Order well Conditioned by Mr Henry Terrill-- in and upon the good Ship, called the Ann whereof is Master, under GOD, for this present Voyage, Thomas Spencer and now riding at Anchor in Pamunkey River Virginia and by GOD's Grace bound for Bristol in Great Brittain to says

Two Thousand £ Tobacco

being Marked and Numbered as in the Margent, and are to be delivered in the like good Order, and well Conditioned, at the aforesaid Port of Bristol (the Danger of Seas only excepted) unto Mr Leighton Woods Merchant the fourteen Pounds Steling per Tonn with Primage and Average accustomed. In witnes whereof, the Master or Purser of the said Ship, hath affirmed to two bills of Lading, all of this Tenor and Date; the one of which two Bills being accomplished, the other Bill to stand void. And so God send the good Ship to her desired Port in Safety. Amen. Dated in Virginia February 3d rs to Qunntity & Quality unknown to Thomas Spencer

I Benjamin Bell of Anson County North Carolina doth obbligdge my Self My Heirs &c to deliver to Peter Hairston of Henry County State of Virginia a Certain Negro Boy the Balance of task-- or the Value of him if it shall appear that the Said Negro are Not this Property and Entitled to him by Law witness My Hand this 16th Day of June 1761

Benjamin Bell

Test

Abraham Pinn

John Springer

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