The papers of the Davis, Horn, Firebaugh, and Andersonfamilies of Rockbridge County, Virginiacontain ca. 1,000 items, 1831-1905, and consist of business and legal papers, correspondence, military records, and miscellaneous papers.

The papers pertain to the business, legal, and, to a lesser extent, personal relationships of these families, whose members were related by marriage. William W. Daviswas engaged in the forging of iron during 1840-1860, and his papers often pertain to this business. John Hornwas the administrator of the estate of Robert B. Anderson; Anderson was the executor of the estate of Isaac Bryan, also involved in the iron business.

The business papers consist of statements of accounts, receipts for payments, and promissory notes. Included among the Business Papers of the Davis familyare an appraisement, 1850, of the estate of Isaac Bryanand a statement, 1850, of the amount of property taken at the appraisement by Elizabeth Bryan, widow of Isaac Bryan. The Business Papers of the Horn familyinclude a state license, 1894, of Martha Hornfor keeping a boarding house near Rockbridge Baths, Rockbridge County, a deed to the house located near the old bridge at the Rockbridge Bathsstating that Martha Horn, Mary Horn, and Ida Hornare joint owners of the property, and appraisement papers, 1858, of the estate of Jacob Horn. Contained in the Papers of the Anderson familyare a statement of claims against the estate of Isaac Bryan, 1852, and a deed between Mary Andersonand William Perryoutlining their claim to land on the North Riverin Rockbridge, known as the Cedar Groveproperty. An estimate and assessment of Benjamin F. Firebaugh's agricultural products for tax purposes, 1863, is included in the Business Papers of the Firebaugh family.

The Business Papers of the Firebaugh familyinclude material concerning slaves, particularly those leased to B. F. Firebaugh. Among those specifically mentioned are:

John. .. leased from Major A. B. Stewart(1844) Rachel. .. leased from Daniel Brown(1845) Sarah. .. leased from John J. McBride(1846) Rodah. .. leased from Jane R. Riordan(1848) Lawson. .. leased from Frances Dorman(1848) Lee. .. leased from John J. McBride(1851) Frankie. .. leased from William W. Davis(1854) Milly. .. leased from William A. McClury(1857) Catharine. .. leased from Henry B. Jones(1858) France. .. leased from William W. Davis(n.d.)

There is also a letter, n.d., to Benjamin F. Firebaughfrom Annis Chaplininforming him of a Negro woman with a young son that he may be interested in leasing, and an agreement, 1850, between William K. Echardand Robert B. Anderson, executor for the late Isaac Bryan, concerning the "surrender" of an 18 year-old Negro male, Charles Ross, to a three-year state of apprenticeship to learn the trade of blacksmithing under the supervision of Echard.

The Military Records include annual returns of the strength of the 144th Regiment of the Virginia Militiaunder various commands. Items found among the Miscellaneous Papers are subscription lists, receipts, recipes, and fragments. An item of interest is a notice to stockholders of the Howardsville and Rockfish Turnpike Company, 1850, from the company's president, Samuel Christian. The last wills and testaments of Robert B. Anderson(1853), Jacob Horn(1860), Martha C. Horn(1898), and C. J. Sehorn(1885) are present in the collection.