Overton 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:

Overton family papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Summary

Extent:
8.50 Linear Feet
Creator:
Overton family and Riordan, Jane Robertson
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Overton family papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Background

Scope and content:

Papers, 1727-1918, chiefly 1781-1875, of members of the related Overton, Ragland, Claybrooke and Hart families of Louisa County, Va. and Haywood Co., Tenn. The early papers are primarily legal documents, accounts and account books of John Ragland and Samuel Ragland and correspondence of the children of Samuel Ragland. After 1797, the collection concerns the legal and business papers of Samuel Overton, Thomas Overton, Waller Overton and Sally Overton Claybrooke. After 1810, the collection concerns the Claybrooke family in Tennessee.

There are also papers of James Malcolm Hart, farmer and schoolteacher which concern education, the Civil War and Reconstruction. Prominent correspondents include Peter Johnston, John Marshall, Dabney Minor, Garrett Minor, John Minor and Edmund Randolph.

There are accounts of Francis Jerdone and accounts concerning the boarding of horses; a legal opinion given by Edmund Pendleton; a letter of Jane R. Riordan concerning her learning the millinery trade; and a manuscript volume of distillery tax due in Spotsylvania County, Va. Some folder numbers were skipped when originally processed. In 2019, the collection was checked and all material has been accurately noted in the inventory.

Acquisition information:
Acc. 1981.09 was received on 4/10/1981
Processing information:

Processed by Ann Lewis in 1978. Box and Folder List compiled by Emily Eklund, SCRC staff, from October to November 2010.