Samuel Williams Ledger
Scope and Content
The Samuel Williams Ledger contains a "Memorandum of the amount Paid to Each of my Children Toward Their Legacies" with accompanying pages identifying ten children by name along with associated inheritance. The names of 18 men, women, and children enslaved by Williams are listed as well as property such as horses, cows, beds, and land.
Dates
- c. 1839-1840
Creator
- Williams, Samuel, 1769-1840 (Person)
Language of Materials
The material in this collection is in English.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions
may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for
assistance in determining the use of these materials.
Reproduction or
digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using
our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction.
Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can
be requested using our publication/exhibition form:
http://bit.ly/scuapublication. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.
Biographical Note
The creator of the ledger is probably Samuel Williams (1769-1840), a Virginian enslaver in Wythe and Smyth counties. Williams married Sarah "Sally" Buster (c. 1776-1836) on September 25, 1795, in Wythe County, and together they had ten children. The 1830 U. S. Federal Census indicates Williams enslaved 13 persons and the 1840 census lists 11 enslaved people, including 6 under 10 years old. The ledger includes the names of 18 enslaved men, women, and children.
External Sources:
Dealer's description
U.S. Federal Census, 1830-1840
"Samuel Williams", Findagrave.com, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/219008167/samuel-williams, accessed March 14, 2024.
"Samuel Williams" in the Virginia, U.S., Select Marriages, 1785-1940, Ancestry.com, https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/discoveryui-content/view/3800030:60214, accessed March 14, 2024.
Extent
0.2 Cubic Feet (1 box)
Abstract
The Samuel Williams Ledger contains a "Memorandum of the amount Paid to Each of my Children Toward Their Legacies" with accompanying pages identifying ten children by name along with associated inheritance. The names of 18 men, women, and children enslaved by Williams are listed as well as property such as horses, cows, beds, and land.
Source of Acquisition
The Samuel Williams Ledger was purchased by Special Collections and University Archives in February 2021.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the Samuel Williams Ledger by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/).
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement, and description of the Samuel Williams Ledger was completed in June 2023.
- Title
- Samuel Williams Ledger, c. 1839-1840
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Sterling Bryant, Student Assistant
- Date
- 2023 (CC0 1.0)
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech Repository
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu