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Series1: Correspondence, 1753-1890

 Series
Identifier: id171829

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

This collection contains papers of the Jerdone family, 1753- (1771-1845) -1890. It includes letters, letterbooks, and account books of immigrant Francis Jerdone (1721-1771), Scottish factor who lived in Hanover County, Yorktown and Louisa County, Virginia, and letters of his wife, Sarah (Macon) Jerdone.

Most of the collection consists of letters, accounts, and diaries of the next two generations of members of the Jerdone family including Francis Jerdone (1756-1841), planter of Louisa County; his brother John Jerdone (1764-1786); his brother-in-law, Alexander Macaulay of Yorktown, Virginia; and his sons, John Jerdone (b. 1800); Francis Jerdone (b. 1802); and William Jerdone (b. 1805). The letters reflect the daily maintenance of their plantations, "Jerdone Castle" [Louisa County, Virginia], "Providence Forge" [New Kent County, Virginia], "Mount Sterling" [Charles City County, Virginia] and an unnamed plantation in Spotsylvania County, Virginia.

The family were absentee owners of "Providence Forge" and "Mount Sterling" and the two estates were managed first by a cousin, William Douglass, and later by hired stewards. (Eventually, William Jerdone lived at "Mount Sterling" and built a brick mansion there.)

The subjects covered in the collection include agriculture, the commission merchant business, the daily routine of men, education, farm management by stewards, and various aspects of slavery, including slave insurrections. In addition, there are many letters written to Virginia from Scotland and England.

The papers also contain the letterbook of Thomas Jett, Virginia representative of John Morton Jordan and Co., London, England; items from Perkins, Buchanan and Brown, merchants in London, 1769-1776; and documents, 1769-1799, concerning the lawsuit of Jordan v. Skinker.

An index of names in the papers is shelved with the collection.

All the additions to the Jerdone Papers are described under "Other Note" noted near the end of the page

Jerdone Family Papers, 1623-1957, in Swem Library’s microforms area, 12 reels, call number HD1471 .U5 R43 ser.L pt.2.

Francis Jerdone Account Book, King and Queen County, VA 1746-1757 in Swem Library’s microforms area, 1 reel, call number F232 .K4 J47 1999

Francis Jerdone Ledger, King and Queen County, VA 1748-1750 in Swem Library’s microforms area, 1 reel, call number F232 .K4 J47 2000

Artifacts listed in Boxes 17, 18, 19 are removed to the Manuscripts Artifacts Collection. Papers/letters with these artifacts are in Box 16.

Dates

  • Creation: 1753-1890

Language of Materials

From the Collection:

English

Conditions Governing Access:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Extent

From the Collection: 9.70 Linear Feet

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Research Center Repository

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