Carr-Cary Family Papers 1785-1839

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
170 McCormick Rd
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Special Collections Public Services & Reference Staff
Phone: (434) 243-1776
Fax: (434) 924-4968
Restrictions:

Collection is open to research.

Terms of access:

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred citation:

Carr-Cary Family Papers, Accession 1231, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library

Summary

Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Carr-Cary Family Papers, Accession 1231, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of the papers of the Carr familyof " Carrsbrook", Albemarle County, and the Cary familyof " Carysbrook, " Fluvanna County, Virginia, 1785-1839, ca. 285 items (2.5 Hollinger boxes, 1 linear foot), including chiefly correspondence, but also manuscripts of obituaries, poetry, and debates, and financial documents. The papers include correspondence between Peter Carr(1770-1815), nephew of Thomas Jefferson, Hester "Hetty" Smith Stevenson Carr(1767-1834), George Pitt Stevenson(d.1819), Dabney S. Carr(1802-1854), Maria Jefferson Carr(1804-1825), Jane Margaret Carr Cary(1809-1903), Wilson Miles Cary(1806-1877), Wilson Jefferson Cary(1784-1823), and Virginia Randolph Cary(1786-1852), with other members of the Jefferson, Randolph, Carr, and Caryfamilies.

All Thomas Jefferson correspondence has been transferred to the Thomas Jefferson Papers and is not listed in this guide. The Jefferson letters are included in the calendar The Jefferson Papers of the University of Virginiacompiled by Constance E. Thurlow and Francis L. Berkeley, Jr. available in the Special Collections Reading Room and on the Special Collections web page under Digital Resources & Exhibitions -Guides to the Collections.

Topics include family and social news of Charlottesville, Virginia, and Baltimore, Maryland, agricultural matters and plantation life; relationships between slaves and their owners; family advice, education and study of law; the increasing financial distress of the period and other financial matters of the family; religious thought; local and national politics; scattered references to the University of Virginiaand Thomas Jefferson; with genealogical notes by Wilson Miles Cary.

Topics also include proposed and subsequent sale of Carrsbrook; the sale, hire, and purchase of family slaves; Hetty Carr's move to Baltimore; a fight between Charles Lewis Bankheadand Thomas Jefferson Randolphand its after effects; John Addison Carr's career in the navy; concern for dental care; the controversial proposal of either a lottery ora subscription for the financial relief of Thomas Jefferson; and travel to Florida. The papers also contain correspondence, 1793-1807, of Thomas Mann Randolph(1768-1828, son-in-law of Thomas Jefferson, concerning agricultural and social matters; the possible engagement of John Leslieas a tutor for the Randolph family; a letter, 1802, from Thomas Mann Randolph to Peter Carr concerning his plans to respond to James Thomson Callender's accusation against Thomas Jefferson, and his decision not to do so; and a letter, 1826, from Thomas Jefferson Randolph (1792-1875) concerning Thomas Jefferson's death and desire for keeping his father from misusing money from Jefferson's estate.

The papers also contain a letter, 1797, from George Washingtoncommenting on the divisive nature of politics and on political attacks aimed at him; a letter, 1800, from James Monroeregarding the hire of slaves and financial matters; a statement, 1814, by Anne Cary Randolph Bankheadon Thomas Jefferson Randolph's courtship and marriage to Jane Hollins Nicholas(1798-1871); an obituary, 1815, of Peter Carr by William Wirt; two student essays by Peter Carr; and poems by Virginia Randolph Cary.

Financial documents consist of receipts for payments of fees for Peter Carr at William & Mary College; receipts for payments of fees related to the education of D. Terrell and George P. Stevenson; Peter Carr's account with Hollins & McBlairof Baltimore; a receipt for blacksmith work; Hetty Carr's memorandum concerning money due her from Robert Carter Nicholas from a plantation in Louisiana; accounts of Mrs. Virginia Cary; and an account of the estate of Wilson J. Cary.

Sources for information about the Carr & Cary families include: The Virginia Carysby Fairfax Harrison, The Carr Family Recordsby Edson I. Carr, and The Carrs of Albemarlea University of Virginia History Thesis by Elizabeth Dabney Coleman.

Acquisition information:
These papers were purchased for the Tracy W. McGregor Collection by the University of Virginia Library, from Mrs. Fairfax Harrison, Fauquier County, Virginia, on September 1, 1941.
Processing information:

Funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Physical location:
Physical description:
ca. 285 items