Biography
Biographical Appendix: Heth Family
This collection consists mainly of the papers of the Family
of
Stockton Hethand
Isabella Hammett Heth.
Stockton Heth, Sr.was born in 1839;
Isabella Hethdied in
1916. These are the only available dates for the
two parents. Their children were:
1.
Stockton Heth, Jr.,
1892-
1917
2.
Clement Craig Heth, ?-
21 July 1930(age "about 49" from obituary), m.
Jeannette Cowan Heth
3.
S. Pickett Heth, ?-
28 December 1951
4.
Virginia Heth, ?-15
June 1946
Clement Craig Hethand
Jeannette Cowan Heth's son was
Henry Heth, born in the latter
1920's .
Archer Phlegarwas the cousin of
Isabella Norwood Hammet;
Hunter Phlegarwas his son.
Sue Whartonmay have been the sister of
Stockton Heth, Sr.; she was married to
William Wharton, Sr., and their son was
William Wharton, Jr.The relationship
between
Stockton Heth, Sr.and
Sue Whartonis, however, an enigmatic
one.
For further genealogical information refer to
S. Pickett Heth's application to the
Daughters of the American Revolution,
held in the Miscellaneous Papers, which traces her selective
ancestry for four generations (
January 1904).
Scope and Content
This collection consists of the papers of the
Heth Familyof
Montgomery County, Virginia, 1,018 items
(3 Hollinger boxes, ca. 1 linear foot), 1794-1959, and
contains financial papers, legal papers, a diary, personal
correspondence, military papers, school records, photographs,
and miscellaneous papers.
The
Heth familydescends from Captain and Major
Henry Hethof the
First Virginia Regularsof the
American Revolution(see accession number
38 -114) and from
Captain John Montgomery, an officer in
the French and Indian, signer of the
Holston Declaration of Independence, and
member of Clark's expedition to the
Northwest Territories.
S. Pickett Heth, niece of Confederate
General
Henry Hethand cousin of General
George Pickett, founded the
New River Grays Chapter of the Daughters of the
Confederacy.
Stockton Heth, Sr., was President of the
Exchange Bank of Radfordand owner of
White Thorn, a 1500-acre farm
approximately three miles west of
Blacksburg,
Virginia, originally purchased by his
wife,
Isabella Hammet Heth, from
James F. Prestonin 1891. After the deaths
of
Stockton Heth, Sr., and his sons
Stockton Heth, Jr., and
Clement Craig Heth, parcels of
White Thornand other
Heth familyholdings in the region were
leased and sold to the cities of
Blacksburgand
Radfordand to
Virginia Polytechnic Institute. The
family was closely related to the
Phlegar familyof
Virginia. The
Heth familywere prominent bankers,
businesspeople, farmers and socialites from the turn of the
century through the end of this collection.
The Financial Papers include six folders of accounts and
receipts; two folders of financial papers; and one folder of
financial papers concerning the estate of
S. Pickett Heth. The accounts and
receipts, 1889-1954, include bank statements, hotel register
accounts, and bills and receipts for farm machinery,
automotive repair, and grocery and mercantile accounts.
The Financial Papers contain correspondence concerning
farm, business and personal transactions, undated budget
worksheets, numerous bills for services rendered, and various
correspondence and reports concerning stock and real estate
holdings and transactions. Notable documents in these folders
include: letters from the caretaker of the
Heth familyhouse at 1409 Massachusetts
Ave.,
Washington, D.C.. (4 August 1894 and 15
August 1894); a mining engineer's report concerning a land
sale to the
Norfolk and Western Rail Road(4 February
1899); a letter regarding the price of shipping coal to
Washington, D.C.(3 September 1894); a
letter regarding the financial status of the
U.S. Capital Mining Company(1 August
1905); a letter regarding purchase of a site for a school,
Merrimac, Virginia(25 May 1911); a letter
regarding financial status of the
Radford-Willis Southern Railway(1 October
1915); a letter regarding purchase of stock in
General Graphite Company, with clipping
attesting to the stability of the post-war graphite market (29
December 1917); a letter recommending specific usage and
disposal of
White Thornfarm property, from
T.B. Hutchenson, Agronomist,
Virginia Agricultural Experiment
Station(14 April 1926); a list of field seed prices
(11 January 1936); an unsigned list of "Partial Expenses" (9
August 1939); a letter from the
American Genealogical Society(14 March
1952).
The Financial Papers concerning the estate of
S. Pickett Hethinclude newspaper
announcements of the auction of her personal possessions (15
March 1952), the auction records with items and prices, bank
statements of the estate (1951-1954), life insurance papers
(1954), and letters (1952-1953) concerning the disposal and
sale of various real estate holdings.
The Miscellaneous Papers include: invitations (1889-1944)
to dances, clubs, parties and weddings; a christmas card of
1942 from
Jeannette Cowan Heth, with a lithographed
wood cut of
White Thorn; newspaper obituaries of
S. Pickett Heth(d. 28 December 1951),
Clement Craig Heth(d. 19 July 1930); an
undated clipping regarding the contract of
S. Pickett Heth's land to the city of
Radford; a draft of the charter of the
New River Grays Chapter of the Daughters of the
Confederacy(19 September 1901);
S. Pickett Heth's application to the
Daughters of the American
Revolution(January 1904); Christmas and calling
cards (1892-1930);
Sweet Briar Collegebrochures of 1941; a
daguerreotype photograph of a young male of the
Heth family, probably
Stockton Heth, Sr.; black and white
photographs of
Clement Craig Hethupon the horse Annie
Montgomery which caused his death; an unidentified photograph
of a male of the
Heth family, probably
Clement Craig Hethor
Stockton Heth, Jr.;
Stockton Heth, Jr.'s or
Clement Craig Heth's "Summer Reading List
1914"; a pedigree and other papers concerning the horses of
Clement Craig Heth; a flier endorsing
Archer Phlegarfor
State Senate(19 September 1903).
The Legal Papers include: correspondence concerning real
estate transactions in
Montgomery County(1889-1952); insurance
policies (1926-1952); indentures between
AbramTriggand
Susanna Triggand
James Craigfor specified parcels of land
in
Montgomery County(1794 and 1804); a deed
between
Robert Crockett, who inherited said land
(the "
Saunders tract", on which
White Thornwas built) through his wife,
and
Edward Hammet, father of
Isabella Hammet Heth(1834); an indenture
between
S.T. Atkin, trustee of
Moffett Shields, and
John Knox, for land in
Knoxville, Tennessee, which
Jeannette Cowan Hethinherited (1860); an
agreement to rent the
Heth familyhouse in
Washington, D.C., to
B.R. Mason(18 November 1899); a letter
regarding a loan for repairs to the
Washington. D.C.house (28 November 1900);
a letter from the
Brush Mountain Coal Companyregarding the
surveying of the
Bruce Tractin
Montgomery County(12 February 1901); a
letter acknowledging
Stockton Heth, Sr.'s wish to sell the
Washington, D.C.house (14 August 1902); a
letter from
G.A. Sullivanregarding the sale of lots
in
East Radford, including a brief
assessment of the region's economic condition (1 February
1911); a letter from
A.L. Boulwareproposing sale of pieces of
White Thorn tractadjacent to
Smithfield(28 June 1911); a letter laying
off one acre of
White Thorn tractfor sale to
Harvey Linkous(2 September 1911); a
letter from
Hal Tylerconcerning the witness fee of
Dr.
J.C. Kingin the murder trial of
Stockton Heth, Jr.(23 November 1917); a
Deed of Trust regarding a land parcel in
Blacksburgsold by
Theodosia Hickmanto
Clement Craig Heth(1926); a letter
regarding rent of
White Thornto
W.J. Shelburne(4 March 1933); a bill of
sale selling the horse Annie Montgomery to Dr.
Herbert Howard(3 April 1933); a letter
regarding status of
Cohee Country Club(6 November 1934); a
letter requesting removal of
Virginia Polytechnic Insitutefences
obstructing public road to
White Thorn(11 December 1934); a letter
from
T.B. Hutchenson, Agronomist, to
Julian A. Burruss, president of
Virginia Polytechnic Institute, regarding
rent of
White Thorn(3 September 1935); a letter
regarding fencing on
White Thorn(20 October 1938); a letter
regarding
Jeannette Cowan Heth's Gay Street
property in
Knoxville, Tennessee(25 October 1939); a
letter regarding
Virginia Polytechnic Instituteuse of
White Thorn(15 March 1941); letters
regarding
Jeannette Cowan Heth's
Knoxvilleproperties and litigation with
the
Knoxville Utilities Board(1942-1948);
letters regarding
Marion Dodsonfrom
John Preston(1943-1948); a letter to
Harry F. Byrdregarding campaign
contributions of
Jeannette Cowan Hethand regional
sentiment toward
Harry F. Byrd's campaign (16 May 1946);
letters regarding estate of
Virginia Heth(1946-1947); letter
regarding
Virginia Polytechnic Institute's disposal
of
White Thorn(6 May 1947); letters
regarding gas and oil speculation on
White Thorn(23 July 1947 and 25 July
1947); a statement regarding the income, expense and
distribution of the
Robert Redd Swepsonestate (30 June 1947);
two deeds concerning the estate of
Virginia Heth(12 April 1948); a deed
regarding estate of
Virginia Heth(11 April 1949); schedules
(undated) of
White Thornholdings; suit of
Isabella Hethv.
City of Radford.
The Legal Papers of the Estate of
S. Pickett Hethconsist of legal
correspondence, insurance documents, and real estate
transactions of
Heth's holdings in
Montgomery County. This section covers
1949-1954.
The Legal Papers regarding
Hethv.
Hethconcern a suit between
S. Pickett Hethand
Clement Craig Hethover the division of
the Estate of
Stockton Heth, Sr.. This section consists
of correspondence and legal documents of 1923-1929.
The Military Papers of
Clement Craig Hethconsist of
U.S. Armycorrespondence giving orders for
his movements, 1919.
The Miscellaneous Correspondence includes: a letter from
Martha Hammetto
Edward Hammet, marked "Olive Branch"
(n.y., 30 September; probably written before 1850); letters to
Henry Heth; letters from
Jeannette Cowan Heth(11 January 1940 and
21 December 1941); a copy of a letter to
Heth Lortonregarding membership in the
Society of the Cincinnati; a letter to
"Charlotte" from "Bob" (
Robert Cowan?) (21 March 1928); numerous
other unplaceable letters and fragments thereof.
The School Records include:
St. Albansfor
Stockton Heth, Jr., 1897;
Clay-Hill Academy>for
Clement Craig Heth, 1900;
Virginia Polytechnic Institutefor
Clement Craig Heth, 1900 and 1902;
Virginia Polytechnic InstituteHonor List
1903-1904 mentioning
Clement Craig Heth; a brochure from the
Deerfield Academyre.
Henry Heth, 1 September 1936.
The Correspondence is arranged according to its recipients.
The correspondence of
Clement Craig Heth,
Isabella Hammet Heth,
Stockton Heth, Sr.,
Stockton Heth, Jr.,
Virginia Hethand
S. Pickett Hethconsists of personal
letters, the majority from family members and friends. The
letters discuss social and family matters and include letters
of condolence on the deaths of
Isabella Hammet Heth(1916) and
Stockton Heth, Jr.(1917).
The letters of
Clement Craig Hethto
Jeannette Cowan Hethcover 1917-1920 but
the majority are undated. Topics discussed include the
progress of World War I,
Clement Heth's troop movements, and
family and personal matters. The letters were sent from a
number of camps in the
United States, from
Italy, and possibly from
Franceor
Germany.
The Letters of
Clement Craig Hethinclude letters
regarding membership in the
Society of the Cincinnatiin the state of
Virginia(2 January and 27 March
1909).
The Letters of
Stockton Heth, Sr., occupy two folders
and include two letters from his brother
Henry Heth, a former Confederate general
(18 August 1892 and 10 September 1898), and a letter from
William A. Bell(13 March 1899).
The letters of
Jeannette Cowan Hethoccupy two folders
and include: a letter of condolence from
Joseph Twitty(5 September 1930); letters
of condolence 1934; letters from
G.M. Preston(1934-1936); a letter from
Virginia Batson(10 September 1937); a
letter from
Julian A. Burruss, president of
Virginia Polytechnic Institute, regarding
visit to
Blacksburgof
Margaret Speaks(15 March 1938); a letter
from
Margaret Speaks(4 April 1938); a letter
from
John Prestonregarding campaign
contributions (24 July 1938); a letter from
A.R. Hoxton, President of
Virginia Episcopal School, regarding
recommendation for an applicant, with draft attached of letter
advising refusal of admission on grounds of Nazi sympathies
(20 May 1943); letters from
Harry F. Byrd Sr., (21 May and 30 July
1946); an undated letter of condolence on death of brother
Robert Heth.
The diary of
Stockton Heth, Sr., covers 1908 and
discusses family matters, travel, farm business, social
visits, and much weather.