The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:          Major William Sterrett

Title:               Washington family property papers

Dates:             1804-1836, 1832-1836 (bulk dates)

Call No.:         Col. 691

Acc. No.:         74x384

Quantity:        31 items

Location:        3 I 9

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Nothing is known about William Sterrett (or Sterritt) of Point Pleasant, Mason County, Virginia (now West Virginia).  George Corbin Washington was a great-nephew of the president.  He was born in Virginia, but had a plantation in Maryland and served as a U.S. Representative from that state.  Lawrence Lewis was the husband of Nelly Custis, a granddaughter of Martha Washington who had been raised at Mount Vernon by President and Mrs. Washington.  George Washington Spotswood was another Washington family member (probably another great-nephew of the president and cousin to George Corbin Washington).

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

A group of surveys, deeds, and letters, relating to land along the Kanawha River in Virginia (now West Virginia) which was inherited by Bushrod A. Washington and George C. Washington from Bushrod Washington, who had in turn inherited the property from President George Washington.  Surveys completed in 1808 show the division of the property into a tract for Bushrod A. Washington and another for G. C. Washington.  Another survey completed in 1836 was for George C. Washington’s tract alone.  In the 1830s, G. C. Washington exchanged letters with William Sterrett in his attempts to sell his portion of the property.  George Long bought George C. Washington’s land in 1836.  The collection includes court documents which agreed that Bushrod A. Washington’s tract could be sold in order to settle his estate, but no documents concerned with such a sale are in the collection.            

 

 

ORGANIZATION

           

The papers are divided into surveys (in folder 1) and letters, deeds, and court orders (in folder 2).

 

 

PROVENANCE

           

Gift of Mrs. W. R. Wheeler.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

People:

            Long, George.

            Washington, George, 1732-1799 - Estate.

            Washington family.

            Washington, George Corbin, 1789-1854.

           

Topics:

            Real property - West Virginia.

            Legislators - United States.

            Deeds - West Virginia.

            Letters.

            Surveys (land).

            Real estate agents.

           

           

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 3 I 9

 

[all accession numbers begin with 74x384]

 

Folder 1: Surveys

 

.1         “Surveyed for George C. Washington … in Mason County, being part of lot no. 13…, signed by Robert M’Kee, S.M.C., November 7, 1808.”

            Includes a plat map for property no. 3, with 386 2/3 acres [see also .2 and .19]

 

.2         “Surveyed for George C. Washington … in Mason County, being part of lot no. 13…, signed by Robert M’Kee, S.M.C., November 7, 1808.”

            Includes a plat map for property no. 2, with 386 2/3 acres [see also .1 and .19].

 

.8         “Lot No. 13.  This lot was first divided into three lots, one lot being laid out for the sister of B. & G.C.W., but she dying without issue, it was divided by commissioners as appears on the plat.” 

            Includes plat map, with 580 acres for each man.

 

.18       “Boundaries of the amended plat as resurveyed in February 1836,” signed Nathan Smith, S.M.C. 

He was paid by William Sterrett.  Includes a plat map, for property along Kanawha River.

 

.19       “Surveyed for George C. Washington … in Mason County, being part of lot no. 13…, signed by Robert McKee(?), S.M.C., November 7, 1808.”

            Includes a plat map for property no. 1, with 386 2/3 acres [see also .1 and .2]

 

.26       “Lot no. 13, part of the 10,000 acre tract late the property of Gen. Washington, decd., on the Great Kanhawa [sic].” 

Includes plat map, with two properties, no. 1 for Bushrod and no. 2 for G.C. Washington., each with 580 acres. No date

 

.30       map of properties along a river, with were surveyed or deeded in 1781.

On back: mostly a list of numbers, dated 1781-1784.  The names Savary & Gallatin, Major Swan, Wm. Johns, John Allison, Albert Gallatin, and N.A.L.Co. appear.

 

.31       “Beginning at two decay [sic] box elders on the bank of Kanawha near corner …,” no date, no signature.

Includes plat map, which appears to be a rougher version of that on .18.  Also includes a number of mathematical problems.

Written on back: “plot, Kanawha land”.

 

 

 

Folder 2: Letters, deeds, court orders

 

.3         Letter, Lawrence Lewis, Woodlawn, to William Sterret, attorney at law, Mason County, Point Pleasant, Virginia, August 2, 1804.

Please pay taxes for 1802 and take care of your commission.  Gabriel Lewis should be in Mason County now to divide the lands among General Washington’s heirs.  Don’t rent any more land until the division has taken place.

 

 

.4         “In the Circuit Superior Court of Law & Chancery for the County of Fairfax, the 26th day of May 1832.”  John A. Washington and Bushrod C. Washington, guardians of Bushrod W. Herbert and Noblet Herbert, vs. Bushrod W. Herbert, Noblet Herbert, George C. Washington, Spotsward [Spotswood?] A. Washington, George W. Washington, John Washington, Corbin Washington, and Francis W. Washington.  The court decided that property in Fairfax and Mason Counties should be sold for the minor heirs of Bushrod A. Washington.

            On back: charges for surveyors and surveying crew, initialed W.S. [William Sterrett].

 

.5         Commissioners Report on the division of the property of Bushrod Washington, June 1, 1833.  The commissioners chosen to do the work were John Worth, Nathan Smith, and William Sterret.  Additional surveyors and other workers are mentioned in the document, with the amounts paid them for their work.  Several heirs to the property are also mentioned.

 

.6         another copy of the Commissioners Report, slightly different format.

 

.7         document, G. C. Washington, Point Pleasant, May 10, 1833, naming Wm. Sterrett his agent and attorney for the management of his land on the Great Kanawha River.  Witnessed by Bushrod C. Washington.

 

.9         letter, G. C. Washington, no place, to Major Wm. Sterrett, May 10, 1833.  Is getting ready to leave; encloses several papers  and letters relating to the land.

 

.10       letter, Geo. W. Spotswood, Coalbridge, to Wm. Sterrett, May 21, 1833.  Informing Sterrett about actions taken regarding Washington’s land, including dealings with a squatter named Coffman.  Several people might in interested in buying the land.

 

.11       letter, G. C. Washington, Coal Bridge, to Wm. Sterrett, Point Pleasant, Mason Co., Va., May 21, 1833.  Encloses a letter from Spotswood [see .10 above].  Wishes to sell the land.

 

.12       receipt signed by John Douglass, received his wages as a chain man on a surveying crew along the Ohio River in Jackson County [Virginia], also received his son Levi’s wages, who had marked the lines.  September 13, 1834.

 

.13       letter, G. C. Washington, Georgetown, D.C., to Major Wm. Sterrett, Point Pleasant, Va., December 6, 1835.  About sale of property to Mr. Brooks.

 

.14       letter, G. C. Washington, Georgetown, D.C., to Major Wm. Sterrett, Point Pleasant, Va., December 26, 1835.  About sale of property to Mr. Brooks and title to land.

 

.15       statement of account, William Sterrett to George C. Washington, January 23, 1836.  Lists taxes on land, surveying charges, and receipts from rent.

 

.16       letter, G. C. Washington, Annapolis, to Major Wm. Sterrett, Point Pleasant, Va., February 5, 1836.  Disappointed at the price Mr. Brooks willing to pay, and is considering holding onto the land until he can get a better price.

 

.17       letter, [William Sterrett,] Point Pleasant, to G. C. Washington, no place, February 25, 1836.    Had a new survey done, which he encloses [this is acc. 74x384.18, in folder 1].  George Long wishes to purchase the property.

 

.20       letter, G. C. Washington, Washington [postmarked Georgetown, D.C.], to Major Wm. Sterrett, Point Pleasant, Va., March 6, 1836.  Francis Thornton is also interested in purchasing land.

 

.21       deed from G. C. Washington, to George Long, April 12, 1836, for his portion of lot no. 13, a part of the estate of General George Washington.

 

.22       letter, G. C. Washington, Washington, [D.C.], to Major Wm. Sterrett, Point Pleasant, Va., April 13, 1836.  Encloses a deed for Mr. Long, a release from the bank, and the plat by Mr. Smith [see .18 in folder 1].

 

.23       letter, G. C. Washington, Washington, [D.C.], to Major Wm. Sterrett, Point Pleasant, Va., May 9, 1836.  Encloses a properly executed deed.

 

.24       Sam. Hannah, Branch Bank Virginia, Charleston, Va., May 23, 1836.  “Mr. George Long of Mason Cty. Has this day deposited in this bank [$3300] to the credit of Geo. C. Washington, Esq., which will be paid to his order on this certificate.”

 

.25       letter and statement, William Sterrett, Mason County, Va., to George C. Washington, no place, May 24, 1836.  Encloses certificate of deposit [see .24 above].  Statement about expenses form 1835 and 1836.

 

.27       R. Mitchell, May 25, 1836.  “This day William Sterrett deposited in the post office at Pt. Pleasnt … a letter directed to the Hble. George C. Washington … containing a certificate of deposit of [$3300] given by S. Hannah, cashier of the Branch bank of Virginia at Charleston, Kanawha, made by George Long in favour [sic] of  said Washington.”

 

.28       acknowledgement of receipt of certificate of deposit made by George Long, sent by Wm. Sterrett to G. C. Washington, June 6, 1836

 

.29       note, G. C. Washington, Washington, to Major Wm. Sterrett, Point Pleasant, June 6, 1836.  Certificate of deposit received.  Thanks for Sterrett’s services.

 

 

Index to Col. 691, acc. 74x384.1-.31

 

Allison, John  .30

 

Bronaugh(?), Capt.  .9

Brooks, Mr.  .13-.14, .16

Brown, Jacob(?)  .21

 

Coffman  .9-.11

            (also spelled Caufman)

 

Douglas, William  .6

            [this is incorrect entry; John Douglass is meant]

Douglass, John  .4-.6, .12

Douglass, Levi  .4-.6, .12

 

Gallatin, Albert  .30

 

Hannah, Sam.  .24

Herbert, Bushrod W.  .4-6

Herbert, Mary S. (Mrs.) .5-6

Herbert, Noblet  .4-6

 

Johns, Wm.  .30

 

Lewis, Gabriel .3

Lewis, Lawrence. .3

Long, George  .17, .21-.25, .27-29

 

M'Kee, Robert .1-2, .17, .19

Miller, Levi   .4-.6

Mitchell, R.  .27

Moss, Wm. .4

 

NAL Co.  .30

 

Robertson, Ann Washington (Mrs.)  .13

Rodgers, Lloyd  .20

 

Savary & Gallatin  .30

Smith, Nathan .4-6, .9, .12, .18, .22

Spotswood, Geo. W. .10-.11

Sterrett, William .3-7, .9-18, .20, .22-23, .25, .27-29

Swan(?), Major  .30

 

Vinton, Mr.  .13

 

Washington, Ann T.  .20-.21

            (Mrs. George C. Washington)

Washington, Bushrod .5-6, [.8,] .12-.13, .19, .26

Washington, Bushrod C. .4-7, .12

Washington, Corbin .4

Washington, Francis W. .4

Washington, George C. .1-2, .4-9, .11-23, .25-29

Washington, George (General) .1-3, .19, .26

Washington, George F.  .31

Washington, George W. .4

Washington, Jane C. (Mrs.) .5-6

Washington, John .4

Washington, John A. .4-6

Washington, Spotswood A. .4

Worth, Mr.  .9

Worth, George H. .4-6

Worth, John   .4-6, .12

 

[illegible,] Thos.  .21