Brown and Clayton business papers and Hancock and Brown business papers, 1810/1839
- Scope and content:
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Business records and correspondence of Henry Brown and Samuel P. Clayton. After the death of his brother Daniel in 1818, Brown entered into a partnership with Clayton, his son-in-law. Brown survived Clayton, who died in 1832; this box also includes papers from 1833 to 1839 made out to Henry Brown, surviving partner of Brown and Clayton Company. The accounts of Henry Brown with Hancock and Brown, Lynchburg, 1824-1833, are retained as one group. Also retained as a separate group are the papers relating to the court suits of Brown and Pleasant Murphy. All notes of the period carried a 100 percent penalty clause. This resulted in many law suits being brought to establish what would now be considered exorbitant claims. In one case (see entry for March 10, 1823) for a debt of $42.05, the debtor surrendered 1 sound filly, 2 cows, a calf, 2 feather beds, all household and kitchen furniture, all plantation utensils, and 6 hogs! 159 items.
Access and use
- Location of collection:
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Special Collections Research CenterEarl Gregg Swem LibraryCollege of William and Mary400 Landrum DrivePO 8795Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
- Contact for questions and access:
- Email: spcoll@wm.eduPhone: (757) 221-3090Fax: (757) 221-5440Web: swem.wm.edu/scrc
- Parent 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.
- Parent 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.