Cabell Family Papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
College of William and Mary
Special Collections Research Center
Earl Gregg Swem Library
College of William and Mary
400 Landrum Drive
PO 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Contact for questions and access:
Phone: (757) 221-3090
Fax: (757) 221-5440
Restrictions:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Terms of access:

Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Preferred citation:

Cabell Family Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Summary

Extent:
7 Linear Feet
Creator:
Cabell, Joseph C. (Joseph Carrington), 1778-1856, Crawford, William S., d. 1815, and Marshall, John, 1755-1835
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Cabell Family Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Background

Scope and content:

Accounts, surveys and correspondence, chiefly 1743-1823, of members of the Cabell family of Albemarle and Amherst counties, Virginia.

Includes accounts and land transactions, 1733-1754, of Dr. William Cabell (1699-1774) as well as letters written to him concerning medical treatment.

Also includes accounts, surveys of Amherst County and correspondence with commission merchants of William Cabell (1730-1798); and surveyor's license and surveys of William Cabell (b. 1759).

Also includes correspondence, 1796-1820, of William H. Cabell (1772-1853); correspondence of William S. Crawford, clerk of Amherst County; and correspondence relating to the will of Patrick Henry, Jr. including a list of books purchased from the estate of Patrick Henry (1736-1799).

Prominent correspondents in the collection include Joseph Carrington Cabell, John Marshall, Philip Norborne Nicholas, Wilson Cary Nicholas, Edmund Pendleton and Peyton Randolph.

There are manuscript volumes of the field survey books of Dr. William Cabell; entry survey books for Goochland and Albemarle Counties, and lists of court cases by William S. Crawford as well as surveys signed by Joshua Fry and surveying business conducted by the College of William and Mary.

Surveyor's Notebooks from the Cabell Family papers in Swem Library's microforms area, 1 reel, call number TA522 .V8 C3.

Biographical / historical:

There were three generations of William Cabells who were surveyors. Dr. William Cabell (1700-1774) was a physician and assistant surveyor of Goochland and Albemarle Counties, Virginia under Joshua Fry and William Mayo. His son William Cabell (1729/30-1798) was also assistant surveyor of Albemarle County and surveyor of Amherst County, Virginia. His son and the third William Cabell (b. 1759) was surveyor of Amherst County, Virginia.

Acquisition information:
Purchased: 3,192 items, 07/18/1941.
Arrangement:

This collection is organized into two series, 1. Papers, and 2. Manuscripts. This collection is arranged chronologically by date.

Physical / technical requirements:

When available, microfilm, photocopies, digital surrogates, or other reproductions must be used in place of original documents.