Scope and Contents From the Collection: Letters, chiefly 1765-1817, of the Blair, Banister, Braxton, Horner, and Whiting families. Correspondents include John Blair (1732-1800), Anne (Blair) Banister and Mary (Blair) Braxton Burwell Prescott. Many of the letters are written by women.Subjects covered in the collection include the Baron de Botetourt, William Tryon, Martha Washington, dueling, social life and customs, marriage and courtship, medicine, the Richmond theater fire, slavery, War of 1812, the College of William...

Scope and Contents ...[at]tempt to burn Norfolk; her fears were groundless; her good friend Mrs. Andrews wrote to [?] and offered him a part of her house to remove his [?]; he says they are going to continue where they are and depend on providence for their protection; their [?] has taken several prizes on board of whic[h] [?] and esteem[e]d friend Doct[o]r Miller his [?] are staying with them and she received a letter from him in [?] then at sea and had just taken a valuable [?] with the expectation tha[t]...

Scope and Contents Scope and Contents Her letter to Charlotte Balfour reached them as they were leaving; hastens to relieve her "anxiety"; suffered in the general panic of Williamsburg when the British landed within four or five miles of them as there was only 50 militia in the place; the students [of the College of William and Mary] all went out and any boy that c[oul]d held a musquet [sic]; feared less for her own safety than for "the precious live that might be lost"; dear Thomas H[enderson] was not...

Scope and Contents Scope and Contents Promised to inform him when he received his orders what ship he was on; the secretary has atached [sic] him to the old Constellation, Captain Campbells; does not expect to sail in less than six weeks but shall be much obliged to him to send his bed cloaths [sic] down to the city [Washington] as soon as possible as he wishes to get on board and choose his birth [sic]; currently stationed in Alexandria on the Leamer where he repaired that morning; as he may conclude he is...

Scope and Contents Scope and Contents Although her pen has been siilent he has not been forgotten by his sister; frequently realizes the adage "delays are dangerous"; they are inadequate to the tasks assigned by God; if only they could think he "ordereth all things right, and for our own good"; he has advantages that others are deprived of; he has a church to go to and should take the opportunity while it is in his power; when she reflects on how often she has been afflicted "by the awful hand of God" in the...

Scope and Contents Scope and Contents Wishes Mr. Francis B[everly] Whiting much happiness; hopes she and Mrs. [Mary (Whiting)] Little find a daughter and sister worthy of them; is now fixed at the new school and has been fatigued and worried about moving; is tired of moving from one place to another so that nothing short of returning to Virginia could tempt her to start again; Fenton is once more at school; Mary will end her schooling at the end of the year; her daughter Francis is to be a first rate scholar...

Scope and Contents Scope and Contents Is now in Charlestown; witnessed the last of "poor Clayhill"; his funeral was preached by Mr. Bryan; William is well; sets out in the morning for Washington; she will find in her cabinet a letter to Calhoun and one from Dr. Triplett to Colonel Beaufort; asks her to forward them on to Washington by the first mail; is not well owing to the late ride last night; will write from Washington and hopes to hear from her by every mail; hopes Francis B[everly] W[hiting] and Mr....

Scope and Contents Scope and Contents Arrived safe but fatigued last evening; his foot is still continuing to be very painful he believes owing to some cold he has contacted; in his late excurtian [sic] he is as well as one could expect for one of his age; he is "gratfull" for all things as he is sure she will conclude; found William better and all hands well; M[ar]y Castleman presented her husband with a "fair boy" the night before he (RL) got home and all is well; saw her today and she is anxious to see her,...

Scope and Contents Scope and Contents Received her nore concerning wool and sends her a part of what he has on hand having sold all but a few fleeces; kept but a few having much coarse cloth as will serve his people this winter; gald to find that wool is in increasing demand; hopes farmers will be induced to keep a good stock; was hoping to see her at Millwood this spring, but was compelled to go to Berkeley in the stage and the only way to get to her house was thro[ugh] Winchester; the Opickon [Opequon Creek]...

Scope and Contents Sent him all the information he possessed in answer to his letter of alst November in ragard to the book he [FH] wanted to publish; as he is interested in the subject, would like to know if he received his letter and when he could expect his copy; Judge Windham Robertson published, not long before his death, a book giving the history of his ancestors on his mother's side who was a Bolling and a descendant of Robert Bolling who married Jane Rolfe, the granddaughter of Pocahontas; has the...

Scope and Contents Scope and Contents They traveled on after leaving her pretty leisurely, the heavy roads not facilitating progress owing to the stage's being very wet and uncomfortable; "dear little Frederick" [Horner] had a chill before he got here and was quite ill and extremely cold for a long time; discovered it and began to rub him with hot spirit; wrapped him in hot flannels and his fever came on and was very high; he has had a return each day, a fever last night that went off with perspiration; that...

Scope and Contents Scope and Contents Should have written him earlier but expecting his "face to get well every day" did not wish to write until he could advice him of the circumstance; can wait no longer; "tis so nearly well and yet not well"; has determined to say nothing about it; trusts that in a few days he will be in good health again; they arrived there from Orange Court House in seven days; they got there safely after a dangerous trip; travel[le]d every day from 3 a.m. to 11 p.m. with nine passengers...