White Family Papers 1794-1921

Access and use

Location of collection:
University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.
Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400110
160 McCormick Rd
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Brenda Gunn
Phone: (434) 924-1037
Phone: (434) 243-1776
Fax: (434) 924-4968

Summary

Creator:
William Young Conn White
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

The White familypapers contain 1,190 items (4 Hollinger boxes, ca. 1.5 linear feet), 1794-1921, chiefly the correspondence, business and legal papers of the Whiteand Robertsonfamilies of Abingdon, Virginia. These closely related families were two of the leading participants in the business and political life of Southwest Virginiaduring the nineteenth century. The business papers of Col. James White(1770-1838), other papers concerning the settlement of his estate, and the business and correspondence of the White family, chiefly of William Young Conn White(1812-1882), all contain material relating to the development of business and industry in Southwest Virginiaand its economic ties to Tennesseeand Alabamabefore and after the Civil War.

The first two series of the White familypapers contain Col. James White's own business papers, 1807-1838, and papers relating to the settlement of his vast estate, 1838-1878. Col. White was involved in a number of mercantile interests (up to some forty-five at one time) in addition to the saltworks at Saltville, Washington County. This included business interests in the states of Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia, and investments in lead mines in Wythe County, iron furnaces, cotton plantations, and slaves. His property was worth at least $750,000 at the time of his death. Unfortunately, Col. White's business papers do not furnish a complete picture of any of these interests.

Col. White moved to Abingdon, Virginiaabout 1795. Prior to his arrival there, White had worked for Talbot, Jones & Company, a Baltimoremerchandising house, who supplied him with enough goods to set up his own business. He married Miss Eliza Wilsonin 1798 and began expanding his business by becoming a partner of such men as Mr. Henderson in Abingdonand William Lynnin Alabama.

One of his most important business enterprises was the leasing of the saltworks at Saltville, Virginia, from the executors of the William Kingestate. Because the chain of ownership and control of the saltworks is somewhat confusing, the following short history of ownership will clarify White's own involvement in the property.

General Francis Prestonand his family had owned the salt lick when William King(1769-1808) purchased the land west of their claim in 1795. By 1799, King had erected furnaces and began the manufacture of salt. He also rented the Preston Salinesuntil his death in 1808. According to his will, the salt works were carried on by his brother, James King, William Trigg, and William King's wife, Mary Trigg King, and their executors until 1819, when it was leased to John Sanders. Sanders sold his lease rights to James Whitewho leased the operations until 1833. Other individuals leased this property until the formation of the Holston Salt & Plaster Companyin 1864. The King Saltworksproduced from 90,000 to 100,000 bushels of salt per year. During the Civil War, it was the largest supplier of salt to the Confederacy.

The business papers of Col. White contain several items related to his salt interests including: papers concerning the estate of William Kingand the saltworks (October 27, 1820; May 14, 1821; April 3, June 7, & October 4, 1823; and September 1834); extracts from John Hardies' disposition concerning salt prices, 1824-1829 (April 7, 1829); and other legal papers regarding the saltworks (May 26, 1830; September 8, 1831; April 1833; November 7, 1834; March 12 & September 27, 1836; May 26, 1837; and August 15, 1838); a valuation of buildings at Saltville(undated) and a memorandum regarding the account books at Saltville(undated).

His business papers also include the balances on the Saltvillebooks (1820-1835). Papers concerning cotton shipments (1837-1838) and his other mercantile interests (August 25, 1821 and April 16, 1835) are present but do not adequately represent the extent of his involvement.

The settlement of the estate of Col. James Whitewas not completed until 1878 and the records in the second series show the extent of White's assets at his death, especially the slave and land inventories (ca. 1838), a notebook regarding the estate of James White, 1843-1863, and a commonplace book record of the division of his property (ca. 1851).

An inventory entitled "Inventory and appraisement of the personal property belonging to the estate of Col. James White deceased" is an especially useful summation of Col. White's economic status at the time of his death. It contains entries for: merchandise (pp. 1-18); small notes (pp. 19-37); salt due bills (p. 38); appraisements of property in Clay County, Kentucky, and the Limestoneand BellefontePlantations in Alabama(pp. 39-44); sales of personal property (pp. 45-46); dividends, cash received and notes (p. 47); various agreements (pp. 60-121); and settlement of the estate (pp. 126-129). The volume also has notes regarding the periodic examination of the accounts by the commissioner which were recorded by the court, 1839-1871.

The correspondence of the White familyincludes many letters concerning business matters; of special note are the letters of Thomas Wilson White(1817-? ) to his brother William Young Conn White(1812-1882), both sons of Col. James White. Thomas Whitewas the manager of the family's plantation " Bellefonte, " near Huntsville, Alabama, and his letters give a detailed account of its affairs (Feb., Nov., and Dec. 1843; Jan. 1844; Sep., Nov., and Dec. 1845; Feb., Apr., and Dec. 1846; Jun. 1847; Jul. 1848; Mar. and May 1849; Mar. and Jul. 1851; Feb.-Apr. 1852; Apr. 1854; Oct. 1857; Jan., Apr., & Jun. 1858; Jul., & Sep.-Oct. 1859; Nov. 1862; Jul. 1874; Mar., Apr., and Dec. 1876; Feb. and Jun. 1877; and Mar. 1878).

Other topics of interest in the White familycorrespondence include: slavery (January 1, 1840; August 26, 1841; April 25 & November 29, 1846; January 23, 1858 and July 16, 1859); the salt merchandising business (November 28, 1842), banking and financial difficulties (February 9, 1843; June 1, 1847; and October 13, & 16, 1857); and cotton prices (January 21, 1844; November 23, 1845; February 28, 1846; and April 29, 1854).

The fourth group of papers include the legal, miscellaneous, and business papers of the White family. Of note in the legal papers are the following: an inventory and appraisement of the estates of Eliza Whiteand Eleanor W. White(1851-1880); an indenture regarding the saltworks between James Whiteand William King(August 4, 1823); and land grants signed by various governors of Virginia, including James Pleasants, James Wood, and John Tyler, Sr.

Miscellaneous papers include a copy of a talk concerning Judge Peter Johnson(1763-1831) who grew up at " Longwood" near Farmville, Virginia(undated) and a copy of The Daily Express of Petersburg, Virginia(April 18, 1864).

The business papers of the White familyshow their widespread business interests, especially those of the Saltvillesaltworks and their lead mines in Wythe County, Virginia. The account of Dr. Alexander Prestonwith Eliza White(December 1839), containing fees for medicines and doctor visits, sheds light on the types of treatment occurring on a large plantation with many slaves. A list of articles bought at a sale (August 22- 26, 1842) includes livestock and slave prices.

Several of these papers deal with the White family's continued interest in the King Saltworks, which later became the Holston Salt and Plaster Company(Dec., 1855; Sep., 1862; Jan., 1866; Apr., 1872; Sep., 1874; Jun., and Oct., 1875; Feb., and May 1876; and Apr., 1877). There is also other material concerning the Holston Salt and Plaster Companyin the years, 1872-1881.

A large amount of material in the business papers concerns the lead mines in Wythe Countyunder the company names of Austinville Lead Mining Company, Union Lead Mines Company, and Wythe Lead and Zinc Mine Company(Feb. and May 1856; Nov. 1857; Nov. 1864; Nov. 1865; Jul. and Dec. 1866; Mar., May, Jul.-Dec. 1874; Jan. 1875; Dec. 1876; and Jan.-Apr. 1877). The bulk of the material on the lead mines is located within the years 1874-1880.

The collection also contains a small group of papers concerning the Campell family, 1853-1882. One letter, August 23, 1862, describes some of the economic difficulties resulting from the Civil War.

The next series consists of the Robertson familypapers. James Lowry White(1842-1914), son of William Young Conn White, married Catherine Markham Robertson, daughter of Governor Wyndham Robertson(1803-1883), who resided at the " Meadows, " near Abingdon, Virginia.

The papers of Powhatan Robertson, a brother of Wyndham Robertson, include: reports on his college work (1815-1816) and essays written by him at William and Mary(undated); three small travel diaries describing his European Tour through France, Italy, and Switzerland(October 12-November 25, 1818, November 26-December 22, 1818, and January 3-May 2, 1819); and letters describing the government and people of Switzerlandand predicting that the growth of Russian power and influence would continue into the next century (June 9, 1819), and a speech by John Randolphduring the Missouri Compromise debate (February 22, 1820).

The correspondence of the Robertson familycontains several Civil War letters of interest: Frank Robertson's description of Major John Pelham(1838-1863) who fell at Kelly's Ford(March 19, 1863); bands of men pillaging the country (April 1865); and reconstruction politics and settlement (June 6, 1865).

The letters to Kate (Robertson) Whitecontain several Civil War letters from her brother Frank, who served as a captain under J. E. B. Stuart, about his life as an officer and skirmishes ( [ca. 1860 ?]; August 25, 1861; May 7, July 26, and August 3, 1862; April 5 & 18, 1863; and an attempt by Federal forces to capture the saltworks at Abingdon(October 17, [1864]). There are also many letters from Wyndham Robertsonand Mary Frances Trigg Robertsonto their children, especially Kate.

Biographical / historical:

Colonel James White(1770-1838) married Eliza Wilsonin 1798 and they had the following known children: 1) Jane C. (White) Humes; 2) James Lowry White(d. ca. 1838); 3) Eleanor White(d. 1852); 4) Ann Eliza (White) Hannum; 5) William Young Conn White(1812-1882); 6) Thomas W. White(1817-?); 7) Newton K. White; 8) Addison White; 9) Milton White.

William King(1769-1808), owner of the saltworks at Saltville, Virginia, married Mary Triggin 1799. After his death in 1808, Mary Trigg Kingmarried Francis Smithand they produced at least one daughter, Mary Trigg Smith. Wyndham Robertson(1803-1888) married Mary Trigg Smithand had the following known children: 1) William Robertson(d. post 1859); 2) Mary Robertson(1831-1867) m. 1856 William Willis Blackford(1831-1905); 3) Frank Smith Robertson(1841?-1926) m. [ca. 1868] Stella Wheeler; 4) Catherine Robertsonm. 1867 James L. White(1842-1914); 5) Pocahontas Robertsonm. Connally F. Trigg(1847-?); 6) Wyndham Robertson, Jr.m. Flora Henderson.

Acquisition information:
This collection was given to the Library by Mr. William Young Conn White of Abingdon, Virginia, on July 10, 1985.
Arrangement:

The White family papers are arranged in seven series: 1) business papers of Colonel James White; 2) papers regarding the settlement of the James White estate; 3) correspondence of the White family; 4) legal, business & miscellaneous papers of the White & related families; 5) papers of the Campbell family; 6) papers of the Robertson family; 7) oversize items.

This arrangement has retained as much of the organization imposed by a former departmental field archivist as possible.

Physical location:
Physical description:
ca. 1190 items