Perkins Family Papers 1782-1918

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

Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

A collection of personal, official, legal and business papers of the Perkins family of Cumberland, Buckingham and Powhatan counties, and later of Richmond and Charlottesville, all in Virginia. The relatively small amount of personal correspondence consists of letters of the 18th century to William Perkins of Buckingham county, a few of the early 19th century to George Perkins (d. 1834), and to Mrs. Eliza Perkins, widow of George Perkins. A considerable part of the collection consists of George Perkins' records as deputy sheriff; execution books, tax books, tax registers, lists of fees and fines, various ledgers, and numerous receipts to Perkins and copies of orders to him from various county courts all of the period 1800-1820. A number of account books and letter books, 1816-1825, were kept by a merchant George Perkins of Richmond, perhaps the aforementioned sheriff. Smaller groups of items include accounts, correspondence and financial documents of Dr. Robert Henderson, father-in-law to one of the Perkins men, ca. 1810-1860, and correspondence and papers of William A. Perkins, notably advertisements of sales of property to be held in Cumberland County, suggesting that he was at the time, 1860-1872, a sheriff or deputy sheriff. The Perkins papers also include notebooks of George Perkins (1846-1918) and William Merry Perkins (b. 1844) kept at the University of Virginia from 1865-1869, and large group of letter books of George Perkins; personal correspondence 1883-1918; legal correspondence as attorney for the City of Charlottesville, 1869-1914; legal correspondence representing his law practice as a member of the firm of Perkins and Perkins, 1903-1915. Additional items include account books of John T. Seabrook and Co. of Smithville in Powhatan County, 1842-1874, as well as the accounts of a blacksmith, 1849-1866, and a number of unidentified account books for the period 1835-1891. Other papers concern the Guthery, Henderson, Saunders, and Smith families.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Joseph W. Hazelgrove, 1933 January 9.
Physical description:
7 boxes and 57 volumes.