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An artificial collections of papers concerning the Blair family of Williamsburg. Includes land grant, 1741, signed by James Blair (1655-1743); document, 1768, signed by John Blair (1689-1771) concerning Loudoun County, Va. justices of the peace; depositions, 1787 and n.d., of John Blair (1732-1800) concerning a lawsuit in the Superior Court of Chatham County, Ga. (Margaret Eustace vs. Seth John Cuthbert) which concerned the estate of his brother, James Blair (1741-1772); deposition, November 24, 1786, of Patrick Henry in the lawsuit of Margaret Eustace vs. Seth John Cuthbert; and letter, 1792, of John Blair to Samuel Meredith concerning payment to Robert Greenhow. A page from a book with a drawing of John Blair and the caption, "First Grand Master of Masons of Virginia." Commission from John Blair, Esqr President and Commander in Cheif (Chief) of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia, to Richard Dobson giving him permission to "enlist men for his Majestys Service for the Regiment forthwith to be raised and to be under the Command of the Honble William Byrd, Esqr..." Dated April 15, 1758 and signed by John Blair. Written during John Blair's first term as Acting Governor.

This collection contains letters to and from George Washington that have been aquired by the MVLA since 1858. For more information, see content note for individal items. The collection grows organically as new items are acquired.

The collection contains 41 manuscripts dating 1770-1831. Many of the manuscripts date from the era of the American Revolution, and several are directly relevant to the course of the war. Among the documents are single letters by John Adams, Aaron Burr, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, Lafayette, James Madison, John Marshall, James Monroe, Paul Revere, and George Washington, as well as letters and other documents that include the signatures of signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Includes letters, 1778-1792, of Patrick Henry while living in Prince Edward County, Virginia and including letter, 28 May 1778, to Richard Henry Lee.

Negative photostats of items from the correspondence of the Rev. William Dawson and the Rev. Thomas Dawson, both of whom were commissaries of the Church of England in Virginia and presidents of the College of William and Mary. Prominent correspondents include Patrick Henry, Samuel Davies, John Blair and Robert Dinwiddie.

Documents, prints, and heraldry pertaining to Virginia governors from the 17th and 18th centuries. Includes letters and documents signed by John Murray, Robert Brooke, James Wood, Beverly Randolph, Patrick Henry, Edmund Andros, Jeffrey Amherst, Norborne Berkeley, Robert Hunter, Francis Fauquier, Earl De La Warr, James Blair, and Robert Dinwiddie among others. Also included in the collection are prints, coats of arms, and commemorative coins.