Wedding Guests from the Staples Family

Abram Penn Staples (III), c. 1913, with his first child, Jean Lee Staples, the blogger's mother

            In the previous post I reprinted the article describing the wedding of my grandfather, Abram Penn Staples (III), and grandmother, Jean Duncan Watts. The ceremony took place on 5 January 1910, in Roanoke, Virginia. I also identified the guests listed as relatives of the bride, whose families had already been mentioned in this blog – the Wattses, of course, and also the Breckinridges and the Allens. It is now time to identify the relatives of the groom, whose family and its relations are still largely unknown.

            The first Staples whose presence in America can be documented and whose lineage can be traced to my family is John Staples, who patented land in Albemarle County, Virginia, in 1752. This land lay on the south side of the James River, and was in the section of Albemarle cut off to form Buckingham County in 1761. John Staples married Kiziah Norman, and among their children was Samuel Staples, born in 1762 in Buckingham County. Afterwards he moved to Henry County, where on 30 December 1790 he married Lucinda Penn, daughter of Col. Abram Penn and his wife, née Ruth Stovall. In 1791, he played a leading role in bringing about the separation of the western part of Henry County to form Patrick County, where he lived until his death on 23 March 1825. One of the children of Samuel and Lucinda (Penn) Staples was Abram Penn Staples (I), who was born 9 March 1793 in Patrick County and died there 26 April 1856. He married on 23 October 1820 in Henry County his first cousin, Mary Stovall Penn.

            Among the children of Abram Penn and Mary (Penn) Staples (I) was Samuel Granville Staples, born 29 November 1821 in Patrick County, died 6 August 1895 in Roanoke, Virginia. He married 12 June 1855 in Caroline County, Virginia, Caroline Harris DeJarnette, born 4 March 1833 in Caroline County, and died 1 Jan 1892 in Roanoke. Around 1890 Samuel G. Staples moved from Patrick County to Roanoke, where several of his children already lived. Among them was Abram Penn Staples (II), who was born 14 August 1858 in Patrick County and died 30 September 1913 in Roanoke. He married on 18 September 1884 in Chatham, Pittsylvania County, Virginia, Sallie Clement Hunt, who was born 10 May 1864 and died 2 December 1934. They were the parents of the groom, Abram Penn Staples (III).

Portrait of Abram Penn Staples (II)

            The convergence of families like the Staples from surrounding counties on Roanoke City reflects an important historical movement. In 1881 the decision was made to locate a major railroad junction in what was then Big Lick, a small village in Roanoke County. It connected the long-established east-west rail line from Norfolk to Tennessee and west, with the new north-south line down the Shenandoah Valley. By the 1890s, Big Lick had been renamed Roanoke and had become a boom town; the population surged from 669 in 1880 to 21,495 in 1900 and 38,874 in 1910.

            Here, then, is the list of guests who were relatives of the groom, with identifications. They are presented here in the order in which they appear in the article. Following the list, they will be shown in tables of family relationships.

Mr. A. P. Staples and wife, mother and father of the groom, that is, Abram Penn Staples (II) (1858-1913) and his wife, née Sallie Clement Hunt (1864-1934); he had practiced law in Martinsville, VA, then in Roanoke, VA, and then became a professor of law at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA.

Miss Harris DeJarnette Staples (1896-1958) of Lexington, VA, a sister of the groom.

Mr. Samuel Hunt Staples (1887-1919) of Petersburg, VA, a brother of the groom and best man; he attended Washington and Lee and served as an engineer with the American Expeditionary Force in France in 1918.

Samuel Hunt Staples, c. 1908, best man

Photo from the same group photo as the one of his brother in the preceding post

Judge and Mrs. W. R. Staples, that is, Waller Redd Staples (1871-1927), an uncle of the groom, and his wife, née Olivia Benson Trout (1879-1969). He was a judge of the Corporation Court in Roanoke.

Mrs. D. DeJ. Staples, that is, Mary Rebecca Waugh (1858-aft. 1930), widow of Daniel DeJarnette Staples (1856-1908), an uncle of the groom.

Miss Olivia Benson Staples (1903-1974), daughter of Judge Waller Redd Staples (above).

Mr. and Mrs. D. W. Persinger, that is, David W. Persinger (1880-1967) and his wife, née Lillian DeJarnette Staples (1882-1950). She was a daughter of Mrs. Daniel DeJarnette Staples (above), and a first cousin of the groom. David W. Persinger was a real estate agent.

Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Moir, that is, Edwin L. Moir (1866-1925) and his second wife, née Kathleen Maryon (1869-1950); his first wife was Mary Huldah Staples (1864-1897), an aunt of the groom; he was a wholesale merchant in Roanoke.

Misses Wallace Moir (1892-1977) and Dorothy Staples Moir (1897-1980), daughters of Edwin L. Moir and Mary Huldah (Staples) Moir (above); they were first cousins of the groom.

Mrs. Callie Staples Daniel and daughter, Miss Hilda Daniel, that is, Caroline DeJarnette (Staples) Daniel (1869-1916), an aunt of the groom and widow of Joel Daniel, and their daughter, Huldah Staples Daniel (1898-1983).

Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Hoge, that is, Samuel Harris Hoge (1860-1947), and his wife, née Catherine Craig “Kate” Taylor (1870-1956). He was a son of Mary Anne Hawes “Nicey” (DeJarnette) and Daniel Howe Hoge (1811-1867). Nicey (DeJarnette) Hoge (1824-1876) was a sister of Caroline (DeJarnette) Staples, and her son Samuel Harris Hoge was thus a first cousin of the groom’s father. He was a lawyer in Roanoke, VA.

Miss Kitty Hoge was Catherine “Kittie” DeJarnette Hoge (1890-1927), a daughter of Samuel Harris Hoge (above)

Mrs. Alice Penn, that is, Mary Alice Howe Hoge (1848-1914), a sister of Samuel Harris Hoge (above) and a first cousin of the groom; she married John Edmund Penn (1837-1897)

Mrs. Ernest Penn, that is, Anne Hawes Penn (1873-1960), a daughter of Alice (Hoge) Penn (above). She married Ernest G. Penn (1871-1946), who was her first cousin.

Mrs. I. E. Warren, that is, Mrs. Isaac Michael Warren, née Lucy DeJarnette Penn (1875-aft. 1930), a daughter of Alice (Hoge) Penn (above).

Mrs. Charles Moir, that is, Susan A. Penn (1877-1963), a daughter of Alice (Hoge) Penn (above). Charles Moir was a brother of Edwin L. Moir (above).

Mrs. S. D. Shackleford; Samuel D. Shackelford (c. 1873-aft. 1930) was a lawyer in Roanoke, VA, whose name appears in the 1920 and 1930 census; he appears also in the 1880 census, living with his parents in Fauquier Co, VA. His wife was named Ida P. Shackelford, b. c. 1884, d. aft. 1930; they were married c. 1910, and by the 1930 census had four children. It is my hypothesis that Ida’s maiden name was Penn, and that she was a daughter of Alice (Hoge) Penn (above); the family tree on ancestry.com lists a daughter named Ida, but says that she died before 1880. This might be a second daughter named to honor the deceased first one, or the tree may be inaccurate about her birth and death dates.

Miss Willie Penn, that is, Willie Edmundson Penn (1888- aft. 1930), a daughter of Alice (Hoge) Penn (above).

Mr. G. H. Penn, that is, Gabriel H. Penn (1870-aft. 1920) a son of Alice (Hoge) Penn (above); he was a lawyer in Roanoke.

Judge and Mrs. N. H. Hairston, that is, Nicholas Hardyman Hairston (1852-1927) and his wife, née Elizabeth Seawell Hairston (1855-1945), his first cousin; he was a lawyer and sometime judge from Patrick Co, VA, who moved to Roanoke c. 1900. She was a great-granddaughter of Abram Penn (1743-1801); the groom was his great-great-great-grandson.

Misses Elizabeth and Mary Hairston, that is, Elizabeth Seawell Hairston (1890-1982) and Mary Matilda Hairston (1895-1972), daughters of Nicholas H. and Elizabeth S. Hairston (above).

Mr. D. R. Hunt, that is, Daniel Robert Hunt (1876-1944), uncle of the groom; at the time of his draft registration for WWI, he was working in Roanoke as a commissioner of revenue, and had previously been a clerk for the Norfolk & Western Railroad.

Mr. H. D. Vickers and family, that is, Harry Davis Vickers (1876-aft. 1930) and his wife, née Sallie  Penn (c. 1877-aft. 1930). Sallie Penn was a great-granddaughter of Abram Penn (1743-1801) and a first cousin of Elizabeth Seawell (Hairston) Hairston (above). The family may have included her mother, Ruth (Shelton) Penn (c. 1841-aft. 1920), who was living with the Vickers household in Roanoke at the 1920 census. The couple had a son, Joseph Penn Vickers (1907-1973), but he was probably too young to be invited to the wedding. Harry D. Vickers was an officer of the Roanoke Street Railway Company.

Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Nelson, that is, Alexander Montgomery Nelson (1859-aft. 1920) and his wife, née Sallie Lewis Hart (1866-aft. 1920); he was an important businessman in Roanoke, the founder of Nelson Hardware Company and a director of the First National Bank. I can find no link to the families of the marriage, however, and their inclusion was probably an editorial slip.

Miss Emma Mebane Staples (1888-1953), an aunt of the groom.

Mr. Sam Staples, that is, Samuel Granville Staples Jr (1862-1917), an uncle of the groom; he was a doctor.

Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Hairston, probably Samuel William Hairston (1881-1944) and his wife, née Letitia Richardson Smith (1880-1944); he was a son of Nicholas H. and Elizabeth S. Hairston (above). He was a lawyer, living in Roanoke.

Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Hunt, that is, Alexander Bruce Hunt (1866-1931), an uncle of the groom, and his wife, née Mary Staples Kellogg (1872-1915). He was a lawyer, who built a home in Roanoke, “Shadelands”, on land purchased from the bride’s family’s estate. She was a granddaughter of Abram Penn Staples (I), and therefore a first cousin of the groom’s father.

Miss Bertie Hunt, that is, Roberta Ward Hunt (1881-1976), an aunt of the groom.

The following condensed family trees show only those who attended the wedding, or who were familial links but were deceased or absent. Names in italics were not present. There are four tables, the first headed by Abram Penn Staples I (1793-1856), the second by Abram Penn (1743-1801), the third by Daniel DeJarnette (1783-1850), and the fourth by Daniel R. Hunt (1829-1910). Names underlined appear in more than one table. The plus sign indicates a marriage. Successive generations are marked by hyphens and indentation.

Abram Penn Staples I + Mary Penn

-           Samuel Granville Staples + Caroline H. DeJarnette

-           -           Daniel DeJ. Staples + Mary Waugh

-           -           -           Lillian DeJ. Staples + David W. Persinger

-           -           Abram Penn Staples II + Sallie Clement Hunt

-           -           -           Abram Penn Staples III (groom) + Jean Duncan Watts

-           -           -           Samuel Hunt Staples

-           -           -           Emma Mebane Staples

-           -           -           Harris DeJarnette Staples

-           -           Samuel Granville Staples Jr

-           -           Mary Huldah Staples + Edwin L. Moir + Kathleen Maryon

-           -           -           Wallace Moir

-           -           -           Dorothy Moir

-           -           Caroline DeJ. Staples + Joel Daniel

-           -           -           Huldah Staples Daniel

-           -           Waller Redd Staples + Olivia B. Trout

-           -           -           Olivia B. Staples

-           Mary Penn Staples + Henry G. Kellogg

-           -           Mary Staples Kellogg + Alexander B. Hunt

Abram Penn + Ruth Stovall

-           Greenville Penn + Nancy Leath

-           -           Mary Penn + Abram Penn Staples I

-           -           -           Samuel Granville Staples + Caroline DeJarnette

-           -           Gabriel Penn + Susan Frantz

-           -           -           John Edmund Penn + Alice Hoge

-           -           -           -           Gabriel H. Penn

-           -           -           -           Anne H. Penn + Ernest G. Penn (as below)

-           -           -           -           Lucy DeJarnette Penn + Isaac M. Warren

-           -           -           -           Susan Penn + Charles Moir

-           -           -           -           Willie Penn

-           -           -           -           Ida Penn? + Samuel D. Shackelford

-           -           -           William L. Penn + Priscilla Jane Tatum

-           -           -           -           Ernest G. Penn + Anne H. Penn (as above)

-           -           Thomas Penn + unknown

-           -           -           Elizabeth Penn + Samuel William Hairston

-           -           -           -           Elizabeth Seawell Hairston + Nicholas H. Hairston

-           -           -           -           -           Samuel W. Hairston + Letitia R. Smith

-           -           -           -           -           Elizabeth S. Hairston

-           -           -           -           -           Mary M. Hairston

-           -           -           Joseph Penn + Ruth Shelton

-           -           -           -           Sallie Penn + Harry D. Vickers

Daniel DeJarnette + Huldah Coleman

-           Mary Hawes “Nicey” DeJarnette + Daniel H. Hoge

-           -           Alice Hoge + John Edmund Penn

-           -           Samuel H. Hoge + Kate Taylor

-           -           -           Kitty Hoge

-           Caroline H. DeJarnette + Samuel Granville Staples

Daniel R. Hunt + Emma Pleasants Mebane

-           Sallie Clement Hunt + Abram Penn Staples II

-           Alexander Bruce Hunt + Mary Penn Staples

-           Daniel R. Hunt

-           Roberta Ward Hunt

            Almost all the guests at the wedding lived in Roanoke or very close by. By the time I was born, twenty-five years later, although the family had begun to disperse, my mother still maintained contact with several of the people mentioned here, and I remember meeting them or hearing about them. My sister and I no longer live in Roanoke, and even our first cousins are scattered over many states, so that we seldom see each other. A gathering such as this wedding is hard to imagine in our times.

The Wedding of Abram Penn Staples and Jean Duncan Watts

            Jean Duncan Watts, my grandmother, married Abram Penn Staples (III) on 5 January 1910, in Roanoke, Virginia. Thus the Watts family, about whom I have written many times in this blog, was joined to the Staples family, about whom I have so far written very little. The wedding seems a logical place to begin remedying the imbalance. The local newspaper devoted a long article to it the same day.

Society page article on the Staples-Watts wedding (top)

Text of the article:

STAPLES-WATTS

            The marriage of Miss Jean Duncan Watts to Mr. Abram Penn Staples, Jr., which was celebrated this afternoon at 4:30 o'clock in the home of the bride on 9th avenue, s.e., was of unusual interest on account of the popularity of the contracting parties and the social prominence of both families. Although the wedding was a quiet home affair, it was exquisite in its appointments. Great masses of mistletoe tied with broad red satin streamers, holly, evergreens in Christmas effect were used in the wide-entrance hall. The stairway was interwoven with evergreens and holly. The same color scheme of adornment was used in the library. In the dining-room, the red carnations, smylax, candelabra with red lighted candles were most attractively arranged. The dining-roon table with its huge wedding cake, red carnations, cut glass and bon bons all added to the beautiful effect. The parlor which was the scene of the wedding was in the bride's color of white and green. The tropical potted palms were in profusion. On the mantel was banked smylax and growing narcissus white candles tied with love knots of white tulle. The chandelier was also beautiful with smylax and white tulle but the central feature of beauty was the improvised altar of palms, growing narcissus, tied with the love knots of white tulle all of which formed a background for the altar. On each side were tall palms and altar sconces with white tapers and with white tulle.

            At the appointed hour, to the strains of Tannhauser's "Wedding March" played by Mrs. Lamar Lipscombe of Washington, DC, the bridal party entered the parlor.

            Mrs. William Watts the bride's sister was the attractive matron of honor who wore an imported white chiffon embroidered in silver and carrying La France roses, preceded the bride, who entered on the arm of her brother, Mr. William Watts. Her bridal dress was an exquisitely tailored brown suit with brown furs, hat, gloves and shoes to match. Her ornaments were pearls, which had been worn by her mother and grandmother at their marriages and she carried a shower bouquet of lillies of the valley. The groom entered with his best man, his brother, Mr. Hunt Staples of Petersburg and received the bride at the altar, where the beautiful solemn ring ceremony was performed by the bride's pastor, Rev. Cantey J. W. Johnson, rector of St. John's church.

            During the ceremony, Mrs. Lipscombe played "Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms".

            Following the wedding the guests enjoyed an informal reception.

            A delicious emperor's guard punch was served in the library by Mrs Lucien Cocke and Mrs. Lamar Lipscombe. The guests were invited into the dining room where the bride's cake was cut and wine and other delicacies were served.

            The young ladies assisting were: Mrs. DeMoss Taylor, Misses Mary Peyton of Charlottesville, Luie Dillard of Rocky Mount, VA, Sarah Cox, Mary Churchill and Mary Stuart Cocke.

            The bride is the daughter of Mrs. J. Allen Watts and Mr. J. Allen Watts deceased, also the granddaughter of the late Colonel William Watts, one of the bravest and most distinguished officers of the Confederacy and she is one of Roanoke's most attractive and accomplished young ladies. She is a favorite in social circles and has a host of friends. Mrs. A. P. Staples, Jr., was born at Oaklands, Roanoke County, the old family homestead, and was educated at Hollins Institute, Stuart Hall, Staunton, and New York city.

            The groom is the son of Prof. and Mrs. A. P. Staples of Washington and Lee University at Lexington of which he is a graduate in law and is one of he most popular and promising young lawyers at the bar in this city. His father was formerly a very prominent lawyer of this city of the firm of Scott and Staples.

            The couple were the recipient of many magnificent presents. Mr. and Mrs. Staples left this afternoon on the Memphis special for New York and will be at home on their return at Judge and Mrs. Waller Staples on 13th avenue.

            Only the relatives of the contracting parties and a few intimate friends [were] present at the ceremony. Relatives of the bride at the wedding were her mother, Mrs. J. Allen Watts, Mr. and Mrs. William Watts, Judge E. W. Robertson, Dr. Francis Sorrell, Mrs. John H. Parrott, Mrs. Rockingham, Paul, Miss Peachy Robinson, Mr. Wm. Robertson, Miss Eliza Breckenridge, Mrs. Julia Breckenridge, Miss Rosa Breckenridge, Mr. John Breckenridge, Miss Minnie Bowyer, Mrs. Joseph E. Hunter, Jr., Mrs. Elizabeth Guerrard of Savannah, GA, Mrs. Harry Latane, Buchanan; Miss Annie Allen of Buchanan.

            The groom's relatives who attended the wedding were: Mr. A. P. Staples and wife, mother and father of the groom, Miss Harris Staples of Lexington; Mr. Hunt Staples of Petersburg; Judge and Mrs. W. R. Staples, Mrs. D. DeJ. Staples, Miss Olivia Staples, Mr. and Mrs. D. W. Persinger, Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Moir, Misses Wallace Moir and Dorothy Moir, Mrs. Callie Staples, Daniel and daughter, Miss Hilda Daniel, Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Hoge, Miss Kitty Hoge, Mrs. Alice Penn, Mrs. Ernest Penn, Mrs. I. E. Warren, Mrs. Charles Moir, Mrs. S. D. Shackleford, Miss Willie Penn, Mr. G. H. Penn, Judge and Mrs. N. H. Hairston, Misses Elizabeth and Mary Hairston, Mr. D. R. Hunt, Mr. H. D. Vickers and family, Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Nelson, Miss Emma Staples, Mr. Sam Staples, Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Hairston, Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Hunt, Miss Bertie Hunt, Charlottesville.

            Other invited guests were: Mrs. P. H. Trout, Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Trout, Dr. George Lawson, Mrs. Jane Monsarrat of Baltimore; Mrs. Bettie Massie, Mr. J. J. Watkins, Charlotte Court House; Mr. and Mrs. Lucian Cocke, Mrs. Frances Cocke, Miss Mary Stuart Cocke, Mrs. and Mrs. Joseph Coxe, Mrs. and Mrs. Joseph Coxe [sic], Miss Sarah Coxe, Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Coxe, Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Churchill, Miss Mary Churchill, Mrs. D. J. Breslin, Mrs. Everett Perkins, Mr. and Mrs. DeMoss Taylor, Mrs. Fred Foster, Miss Nonie Reed, Mr. Frank Reed, Miss Mary Rogers, Judge Beverly Berkley, Mr. R. Quarles Mosely, Miss Mary Peyton of Charlottesville; Miss Luie Dillard of Rocky Mount; Mrs. Lamar Lipscombe of Washington, DC, Mr. Marvine Altizer, Mr. Paul V. Littlejohn, Mr. and Mrs. DeMoss Taylor.

            Although the article describes the event as “a quiet home affair,” there were about a hundred people there. Oddly, no photograph appeared with the article, and no wedding portraits have survived among the family papers known to me. Here, instead, are pictures of each of the two from shortly before their marriage.

Abram Penn Staples (III), c. 1908

           This photo is excerpted from a group photo of fifteen young men, all formally dressed with jackets and bow ties, except for A. P. Staples, who has a normal tie. It was probably taken around 1908 at Washington and Lee College, and must be a club of some kind. Abram Penn Staples is called “Junior” in this article; his father had the same name, but in fact the groom was the third member of the family to bear the name, and two more followed. For clarity, they are referred to by Roman numerals I to V, in parentheses.

Jean Duncan Watts, 1906

            This photo was published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on 22 April 1906, with the following text in the caption: “Miss Jean Watts, sponsor for Second Brigade, U.C.V. of Virginia, at New Orleans reunion, April 25th-27th, is a daughter of the late Senator J. Allen Watts. Miss Watts is one of the prettiest and most attractive young ladies of Roanoke's younger set. Her mother is president of ‘William Watts’ chapter, U.D.C.”

            The Watts side of the family invited fewer than half as many guests as the Staples side. There were few of them remaining in the Roanoke area. Most of their guests were from the Allen family, kin through the bride’s grandmother, Mary Jane (Allen) Watts (1825-1855); from the Breckinridge family, kin through the bride’s great-grandmother, Elizabeth (Breckinridge) Watts (1794-1862); and from the Robertson family, kin through the bride’s grandfather’s sister, Alice (Watts) Robertson (1832-1914).

Mrs. J. Allen Watts, née Gertrude Lee (1862-1953), was the bride’s mother.

William Watts (1882-1932) was the bride’s brother; his wife of two years was Ellen (Catogni) Watts (1889-1972).

Judge Edward Watts Robertson (1868-1921) was a first cousin of the bride’s father; he was the son of Alice (Watts) and William Joseph Robertson.

Dr. Francis Sorrel (1827-1916) was the widower of Letitia (Watts) Sorrel, a sister of the bride’s grandfather.

Mrs. John H. Parrott has not been identified.

Mrs. Paul Rockingham has not been identified.

Miss Peachy Robinson was probably Peachy Gilmer Breckinridge Robertson (1894-1976), a daughter of William Gordon Robertson (below) and Anne Anthony Breckinridge.

Mr. William Gordon Robertson (1856-1910) was a son of William Joseph Robertson by his first marriage; although not related by blood to the Watts family, he was married to a Breckinridge cousin, lived in Roanoke and had close ties to the Watts family. He died just a few months after this wedding. This guest was perhaps his son, William Gordon Robertson Jr (1895-1958).

Miss Eliza Breckenridge was probably Eliza Watts Breckinridge (1841-1928), a daughter of Cary Breckinridge and a first cousin of the bride’s grandfather.

Mrs. Julia Breckenridge was probably the widow, née Julia Anthony (1833-1917), of Peachy Gilmer Breckinridge, the second son of Cary Breckinridge; her late husband was a first cousin of the bride’s grandfather. But the guest may have been Julia Breckinridge Robertson (1884-1916), granddaughter of the preceding, who was married to Maurice Anthony Breckinridge.

Miss Rosa (Rose) Breckenridge (1885-unknown) was a daughter of George William Breckinridge, and a granddaughter of Cary Breckinridge; she was a second cousin of the bride’s father.

Mr. John Breckenridge (1887-unknown) was a son of George William Breckinridge, and a grandson of Cary Breckinridge; he was a second cousin of the bride’s father

Miss Minnie Bowyer (dates unknown); Matilda Breckinridge, a sister of the bride’s great-grandmother, married Henry Winston Bowyer, and they had several children. Minnie was no doubt one of the descendants of that union, but she is unidentified.

Mrs. Joseph E. Hunter Jr has not been identified.

Mrs. Elizabeth (Allen) Guerard (1875-aft. 1910) of Savannah, GA; she was a sister of Julia (Allen) Latane (below), and in 1910 a widow, living in Buchanan, VA, with her sister and brother-in-law’s family; her late husband, Joseph Guerard, was a doctor in Savannah.

Mrs. Harry Latane of Buchanan, was born Julia Gatewood Allen (1871-bet. 1912 and 1920).

Miss Annie Allen (c. 1884-aft. 1930) of Buchanan was a first cousin of the bride’s father.

            In the next posting, I will identify the guests from the Staples side of the family, and provide a genealogical chart.

Watts Collection, documents 376-400

Checklist of documents in the Watts Collection at the Historical Society of Western Virginia, Roanoke, Virginia. To consult these documents, go to http://www.vahistorymuseum.org/ and move the cursor to the “Virtual Museum” tile at the top. Then click “Virtual Collections” on the menu that appears. The documents can be found by a keyword search, or by catalog number using “Click and Search”.

This set of documents can be divided into three groups. The first eight, all dated October to December 1845, are letters from Fleming James to William Watts, related primarily to his efforts to win his lawsuit against the Stoners. The next six, mostly from 1845, relate to William Watts’s law practice, notably collecting debts. The last eleven all date from August 1846, and are bills, receipts, or account statements linked to the death of James Breckinridge Watts at Red Sulphur Springs, Virginia (now West Virginia). James had fallen ill in New York, where he was trying to establish a law practice. He was brought back to Virginia by his family, and taken to a spa for rest and medical treatment, which proved to be in vain. While he was there, he was attended by his father, Edward Watts; his sister, Ann Selden (Watts) Holcombe; his brother, William Watts; and his cousin, William Watts Gwathmey, as well as by two doctors. As these homely and trivial financial documents suggest, James’s body was placed in a coffin and brought home to Oaklands, where he was buried.

doc #

date

abstract

1998.26.376

October 20, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, giving consent for the trustee of Samuel Stoner’s estate, Alexander P. Eskridge, to sell the perishable property, such as livestock, crops, furnishings and utensils, but excluding the slaves, with proper safeguards for payment within six months; he asks Watts to check whether Stoner’s trust deed guarantees real or fraudulent debts; he describes a new reason for seeking to administer on Stoner’s estate, namely, an old judgment in Stoner’s favor for $2000 against a man named Cofer, currently being appealed, with Sidney Smith Baxter representing Stoner’s case

1998.26.377

October 24, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, confirming his instructions about the sale of Samuel Stoner’s estate as stated in his previous letter of October 20, permitting the sale of perishable property for secured bonds but refusing permission to sell the slaves; discussing his plans to buy Stoner’s widow’s dower right and sell the land and the slaves, expressing gratification that the widow is disposed to sell her dower; approving the appointment of Jeremiah Kyle Pitzer as administrator of the estate, and enclosing papers to be served on Pitzer reviving all of James’s firm’s judgments against him; and making travel plans to go to Roanoke County in November

1998.26.378

November 24, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, written on his return from a trip to Roanoke County, saying that Peachy Ridgway Grattan approves of the actions taken to settle his affairs with Samuel Stoner’s heirs although a problem remains with the lease of a mill; saying that an advertisement for the sale of Stoner’s land has been placed in newspapers in Lynchburg, Virginia, and Fincastle, Virginia; and asking about his share of grain crops from William McDermid’s land, because of reports of famine in Europe (the Great Famine, or Irish Potato Famine) have reached the United States, and suggest an imminent rise in prices

I hope you have been able to recieve my share of the wheat, corn, oats &c made at McDermid’s last year. This has become quite an important matter from the fact that all kinds of breadstuffs have experienced another great rise under the influence of the accounts (almost alarming in their character) brought by the Steamer Britannica just arrived at Boston. These accts have caused much anxiety throughout the Land as to the very great suffering likely to be endured by many of the Irish, English & Scotch people, as well as by many of the other inhabitants of Europe. There will beyond doubt be a very great deficiency in the grain, bean & potato Crops, whereby the grain warehouses of Europe will soon be exhausted, and when once exhausted it will require several good crops to replenish them. I am therefore decidedly of opinion, that prices of wheat, flour &c are to rule high for at least two years to come & most likely much longer, and as it cannot be doubted that the British corn laws will give way under the state of starvation which will soon exist, the benefits likely to flow to the UStates from the present state of things, can scarcely be estimated.

This is an early report of the Great Famine or Irish Potato Famine, which resulted from the failure of the potato crop in 1845 and lasted until 1852; approximately one million Irish people emigrated to America in this period, and the mortality from starvation among those who stayed behind was about the same.

1998.26.379

November 10, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, announcing his plan to travel to Roanoke County in two days and asking Watts to meet him on his arrival, to coordinate their activities, because James cannot remain away from his business for long; he apologizes for being a “troublesome client”

1998.26.380

November 28, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, enclosing an authorization to proceed with laying off the dower of Samuel Stoner’s widow, and the opinion of Peachy Ridgway Grattan concerning a mill leased by Samuel Stoner to a man named Martin and later conveyed to Daniel Stoner, Samuel’s brother; Grattan believes that the lease may be valid, but the conveyance void; James insists that Moomaw pay the outstanding debt before receiving a deed, and he argues against postponing the sale of the estate because it would invite further complications

1998.26.381

December 4, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, discussing the dower rights of Polly (Huckstep) Koiner (or Coyner) and of Mary (Dagen) Stoner, mother of Samuel Stoner, who co-signed her husband Daniel Stoner’s deed to Samuel and therefore is dowerless; James asks Watts to secure copies of Samuel Stoner’s deed from his parents, and on the advice of Peachy Ridgway Grattan, of other deeds to Samuel Stoner from Noffsinger and from William Woodson

1998.26.382

December 13, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, saying that Moomaw must pay F. & J. S. James & Co for forty acres of land he bought, and explaining that Peachy Ridgway Grattan had seen all of Samuel Stoner’s deeds when he drew up the trust deed from Stoner to James’s firm and did not recall any provision for dower rights for Stoner’s mother. James approves the sale of corn from William McDermid’s farm and gives instructions for the wheat crop to be milled. He announces his and Grattan’s plan to travel to Roanoke County by canal boat if the canal has not frozen, or by stage otherwise. Finally he reports on meetings of the stockholders of the James River and Kanawha Company, which he views favorably, if the legislature can be persuaded to act

1998.26.383

December 31, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, asking about his previous letter, written December 25 while at the Langhorne household in Lynchburg, Virginia, in which he asked to have a lease for the mill executed to Landon Read; part of the letter was composed of receipts to Gaynor, Wood and Company, and to Otey and Cottrell, but these receipts have been cut off

1998.26.384

December 20, 1843

Receipt from James Breckinridge Watts in Roanoke County, Virginia, to Thomas S. Gholson, for three bonds submitted for suit and collection, executed by Edmund P. White, Alexander White, Bernard Pitzer and Madison Pitzer, one to Gholson for $462.00 with interest, and two to the Reverend George W. Freeman for $4480.00 each, with an opinion signed by Watts and his father Edward Watts that the parties are good for thirty thousand dollars

1998.26.385

May 24, 1845

Letter from Drinker & Morris, stationers in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, acknowledging receipt of a check for $45.65 in payment of the debt of William S. Minor, and mentioning an expected settlement of a debt from Samuel Stoner

1998.26.386

November 7, 1845

Letter from Charles S. Boker, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, acknowledging receipt of a draft for $91.33 in payment of debt from Henry Hance, and promising to remember Watts if he should have business in the county again

Yours of 31st is at hand & Enclosed drft for $91.33 being in full for my claim agt H. Hance collected by you & for the same please accept my thanks with our assurances that if we have business in your county to be attended to, you will be remembered. Yours truly, C. S. Boker, by Boker & Brothers, 82 Market St

Charles S. Boker (1797-1858) was a banker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. “Boker Brothers & Jones, Boots, Shoes, and Bonnets. Importers and Dealers in British, French, Italian, and Domestic Straw Goods, Trimmings, &c, No. 82 Market Street, fourth house below Third” is a listing in Philadelphia as it is, a directory published in 1852, available online. Henry Hance (or Hanse) (1781- 1850) was born in Montgomery County, Virginia, and died in Pulaski County, Virginia.

1998.26.387

October 1, 1845

Letter from Hunn & Remington, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, authorizing John G. Cecil, sheriff of Pulaski County, Virginia, to pay debts collected from David Fenton Kent by his deputy, James W. Shields, to Dr Henry Moss Bentley, and requesting Watts to send a check for the amount to Hunn & Remington; the writer protests about the unfairness of the situation, and objects to Watts’s fee; the document includes the  certification by Thomas W. Micou, postmaster of Big Lick, that the check on the Bank of Virginia has been mailed for clearance at the Farmers and Mechanics Bank of Philadelphia

1998.26.388

October 31, 1845

Letter from H. B. & W. A. Richards, in Lynchburg, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, refusing a request from a debtor named Bullitt, apparently to allow him more time to pay

1998.26.389

October 2, 1845

Letter from Charles S. Boker, of Boker & Brothers, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, giving authorization to transmit $91 collected from Henry Hance; the document also includes the certificate of Thomas W. Micou, postmaster of Big Lick, that a draft for $71.33 drawn by the Bank of Virginia at Lynchburg, Virginia, and signed by John Matthew Otey on the Farmers and Mechanics Bank in Philadelphia, dated October 30 1845 and payable to Boker, has been mailed

1998.26.390

August 1846

Five receipts from Red Sulphur Springs, Virginia (now West Virginia), for board, servants, horses and other items, for William Watts, James Breckinridge Watts, Dr Coats, William Watts Gwathmey and Ann Selden (Watts) Holcombe, for stays ranging from 8⅔ to 26⅔ days, during the final illness of James Breckinridge Watts

Wm Watts

14⅔ days                                                   $21.00

1 Horse                                                         7.50

                        Bar a/c                                  4.13

                                                                    32.63

                        Alex Dunlap

                        Augst 14

Mrs Holcomb

self 8⅔ days                                               $12.38

1 servant                                                        6.19

                                                                    18.57

                        A. Dunlap

            Augst 26

These are the receipts for William Watts and his sister Ann Selden (Watts) Holcombe. Alexander Dunlap, Jr (1812-1855) was the proprietor of the hotel at Red Sulphur Springs.

1998.26.391

August 21, 1846

Account statement and receipt from Thomas J. Burke to Edward Watts for $50 for medical attendance upon James Breckinridge Watts in his final illness

Genl Watts

1846                                                                To Thomas J. Burke    Dr

July 31st          To Medical attendance upon

                        Son from date up to 20th August                                 $50.00

                                                                        Recd payment

                                                                                                Thomas J. Burke

            Augt 21st 1846

Thomas J. Burke has not been identified.

1998.26.392

August 21, 1846

Account statement from John M. Hutchison to Edward Watts for making a coffin for James Breckinridge Watts in his final illness, and an extra box; with receipt for $9, paid by William Watts Gwathmey

Genl Watts

1846                                                                To John M. Hutchison Dr

Augt 21st         To Making Coffin & Extra Box                                               $50.00

                                                                        Recd payment

                        from Wm W. Gwathmey

            John M. Hutchison

John M. Hutchison has not been identified.

1998.26.393

August 21, 1846

Account statement and receipt from James Harvey to Edward Watts for $11.75 for board and care of four horses and one servant during the final illness of James Breckinridge Watts

1998.26.394

August 22, 1846

Account statement from John Dickson, presumably to Edward Watts, for $3.00 for board and care of gentlemen, horses and servants

1998.26.395

August 21, 1846

Account statement and receipt from James E. Howell to William Watts Gwathmey, for the account of Edward Watts, for preparing the coffin of James Breckinridge Watts for transportation

1998.26.396

probably c. August 22, 1846

Account statement from William Scott to Gofney (William Watts Gwathmey) for $4.50 for food, lodging and care of horses

1998.26.397

August 21, 1846

Account statement and receipt from Jacob Carper to William Watts Gwathmey for the account of Edward Watts, for $10 for bearing an express to Blacksburg, Virginia, and Union, Virginia (now West Virginia)

1998.26.398

August 20, 1846

Account statement from Alexander Dunlap to Edward Watts for $5.51 for cloth, gloves and sewing items, like thread, tape and ribbon

1998.26.399

August 21, 1846

Account statement and receipt from Alexander Dunlap to William Watts for his boarding at Red Sulphur Springs, Virginia (now West Virginia) and miscellaneous expenses, such as goods at the store, planks for the coffin, charcoal and candles, as well as the bills for Dr Coates, Mrs Ann Scott (Watts) Holcombe and William Watts Gwathmey, the total being $162.29

1998.26.400

August 1846

Fragment of an account statement related to Edward Watts’s stay at Red Sulphur Springs, Virginia (now West Virginia), to attend to his dying son, James Breckinridge Watts

Watts Collection, documents 351-375

Checklist of documents in the Watts Collection at the Historical Society of Western Virginia, Roanoke, Virginia. To consult these documents, go to http://www.vahistorymuseum.org/ and move the cursor to the “Virtual Museum” tile at the top. Then click “Virtual Collections” on the menu that appears. The documents can be found by a keyword search, or by catalog number using “Click and Search”.

This is an extremely coherent set of documents, all of them dating from June to October 1845 and relating to the law practice of William Watts, with the one exception of 1998.26.357, a sheriff’s bill dated 1843, relating to a case concluded in 1844. The first item is a long letter from John Quarles James, mainly about the Stoner family’s debts, and there are twelve more similar letters from his father, Fleming James, on the same subject, and three other items also related to the Stoners.

doc #

date

abstract

1998.26.351

June 24, 1845

Letter from John Quarles James, in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, sending a receipt from John Thompson and Company for $819.58 collected on a bond of Samuel Stoner, indicating a possible error in the accounting, mentioning a pending claim against William S. Minor et al., reporting on prices of a buggy and bolting cloths, giving news of Temple Gwathmey and the tobacco market with reference to Edward Watts’s crop, and sending greetings to the Holcombe and Watts families and friends

Remember me very kindly & gratefully to your Father & Mother & family and give my very best love to Judge Willie Holcombe. Say to Mrs H. that I shall always be too happy to execute those wedding orders concerning which mention was made the evening passed with her. Accept for yourself the assurance of my very high regard & believe me very sincerely & faithfully, Yrs Jno. Q. James

John Quarles James (c. 1821-1850) was in the wholesale dry goods business like his father and other members of the family. “Judge Willie Holcombe” is probably a jocular name for William James Holcombe, born c. 1843, the first son of Anne Selden (Watts) Holcombe (“Mrs. H.”) and James Philemon Holcombe. The “wedding orders” referred to were probably a plan to marry Willie Holcombe with John Quarles James’s daughter, Ella St. Clair James, born c. 1842.

1998.26.352

June 22, 1845

Letter from J. B. Alexander in Newbern, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, stating that Henry Homer is not at home but that the money to pay his bond is ready, and requesting Watts to send the bond at the first opportunity

1998.26.353

June 13, 1845

Letter from William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, to S. Simpson, in Milton, North Carolina, explaining the status of David Fenton Kent’s note to Thomas A. Griffin, which Griffin had signed over to Simpson, who had given it to Colonel G. Towns to collect for him, and Towns had sent it to Watts

1998.26.354

June 19, 1845

Letter from Michael Hart, in Lynchburg, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, stating his intention to bring suit against Samuel Stoner and Daniel Stoner in Roanoke County for failure to pay their debts, and also against John Stoner and Albert G. Williams; he urges that there be no delay in filing, because he suspects of Williams of trying to stall

As Mr Saml Stoner has not come down to arrange the several debts I have agt him, I have determined to bring suit forthwith agt him & Danl Stoner in Roanoke Cty, also agt Albert G. Williams & John Stoner in Bedford, and I beg that you will not loose any time in bringing the suit agt Williams as I think he is trying to amuse me to gain a term so don’t let rule day pass. Respectfully your Obedt Sert, Micl Hart

Albert G. Williams was married to Samuel, Daniel, and John Stoner’s sister Matilda.

1998.26.355

June 20, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, regarding efforts to collect a debt from William S. Minor, without forcing Minor to collect his own obligations from the Stoner family, who also owe money to James; he discusses the possibility of accepting bonds, and the possible sale of a piece of land acquired from William McDermid, in order to raise money promptly

1998.26.356

June 26, 1845

Letter from Michael Hart, in Lynchburg, Virginia, to William Watts, in Salem, Virginia, stating that Albert G. Williams has confessed judgment in the superior court of Lynchburg, and asking to have the suit against him in Bedford County, Virginia, withdrawn

1998.26.357

July 1843

Account statement of O. A. Strecker of Richmond, Virginia, with the sheriff of Botetourt County, Virginia, for $1.26 for a capias against Housman and Stair

1998.26.358

July 7, 1845

Letter from Hunn and Remington, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, responding to his letter of May 20, and protesting about the delay in receiving payment from David Fenton Kent, asking for information, and requesting Watts to seek damages

1998.26.359

July 11, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, regarding efforts to collect debts from the Stoner family, giving his account of the debts of Samuel Stoner, Daniel Stoner, and John Stoner to his firm amounting to more than $11,000; asking for William Watts and his father Edward Watts to provide estimates of the value of Samuel Stoner’s land holdings; estimating the value of Stoner’s other assets, including negroes, cattle, furniture, inventory of goods, and accounts receivable; it encloses certified copies of Stoner’s confessions of judgment; and it gives conditional consent to leasing a farm to William McDermid

This is a typical page 4 of a letter from Fleming James to William Watts. On the first page, he says typically, “I will reply as particularly & as much in order, as my many pressing engagements will allow” and then writes four pages, using every available space. He underlines frequently, and finds his ideas as he writes, so that he discusses pros and cons of various courses of action, and often adds a post scriptum. At the end of page 3, again in typical style, he writes, “Be good enough, however, to ascertain all about this matter also, & inform me without delay.” The case was complicated. The Stoners had outstanding debts to many creditors, and many members of the family had an interest in their property, mainly land, which had been pledged as surety. James eventually prevailed in his suit, and took possession of a large tract of land east of present Roanoke City, near Bonsack. See the plat in 1998.26.123. 

1998.26.360

July 5, 1845

Letter from Thomas S. Gholson, in Petersburg, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, concerning payments from bonds of S. P. White, and statements of charges by William Watts and James Breckinridge Watts, citing possible errors by the sheriff and instructions for payment; includes a postal receipt signed by Thomas W. Micou, postmaster of Big Lick, for mailing a check for $2250.92

1998.26.361

July 7, 1845

Letter from Drinker and Morris, in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, acknowledging receipt of the statement of settlement of part of their claim of debt with John Stoner, on which they have drawn $144.72

1998.26.362

July 7, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, replying to a recent letter from Watts, which reported that Samuel Stoner was near insolvency. James expresses his surprise, and reports what Stoner had told him about his slave holdings and personal property. He asks for more information about Stoner’s assets and liabilities, including real estate. He explains the status of Stoner’s confession of judgment, and says that he hopes to be paid separately by William S. Minor. He sends copies of documents relating to a shipment of goods to Stoner, which was apparently delayed because it was delivered by the boatman, Daniel Howell, in Lynchburg, Virginia, to D. B. Phelps rather than to McClanahan Crenshaw and Company for reshipment. The letter was carried by John N. Gordon, whom James recommends to Watts

1998.26.363

no date

same as 1998.26.361; scanned twice by mistake

1998.26.364

July 2, 1845

Letter from Beers and Poindexter, merchant tailor in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, regarding the breast and waist measurements needed to make clothes for him, and inviting him to place an order

1998.26.365

July 18, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, discussing legal procedures to be used to recover debts from Samuel Stoner and others in his family, including his brothers Daniel Stoner and John Stoner, his brother-in-law Albert G. Williams, and also William S. Minor. James makes an assessment of Samuel Stoner’s ability to pay, using information provided by his son, John Quarles James, and evaluating the possibility that Stoner had conveyed title to some property, including twelve slaves, to avoid paying his debt, and that he had manufactured debts fraudulently. James also notes that James Philemon Holcombe’s claim against Stoner has been settled. He expresses the desire to maintain good relations with the Stoners, and his preference not to resort to a writ of capias ad satisfaciendem, which would imprison Stoner until the debt was paid

1998.26.366

August 4, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in New York, New York, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, hastily replying to a letter from Watts, promising to visit Roanoke County in the autumn and asking Watts to prevent Samuel Stoner from renting or leasing his property and asking for information about the projected sale of Stoner’s personal property, including his negroes

1998.26.367

July 21, 1845

Letter from Beers and Poindexter, merchant tailor in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, regarding the delivery of a suit of clothes Watts had ordered; Watts’s letter having arrived too late to send the suit by his brother, James Breckinridge Watts, it will be sent by packet boat to Crenshaw & McClanahan & Co, Lynchburg, Virginia, for delivery

The Suit of Clothes which you ordered will be finished on Thursday next. We will send them by the Packet Boat on that day to the Care of Messrs Crenshaw & McClanahan & Co, Lynchburg. Hoping they will reach you safe & in due time, We Remn Mo Respy yr Obt Servts [remain most respectfully your obedient servants], Beers & Poindexter, Jean Lambert

Beers & Poindexter was a merchant tailor in Richmond, Virginia, which was in business from c. 1838 to c. 1860; one of principals was William Beers (1801-1870), who was born in Connecticut; a house at 1228 E. Broad St, Richmond, VA, known as William Beers House, is on the National Register of Historic Places. Beers and his family are in the census in 1850 and 1860, his profession given as tailor. The reading of the name of the employee who wrote and signed the letter is not certain, and he has not been identified.

1998.26.368

August 5, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in New York, New York, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, regarding the next steps to be taken to recover money owed by Samuel Stoner; complications include Stoner’s wife’s dower, his mother’s interest, and prior claims by others

1998.26.369

August 6, 1845

Account statement and receipt from John H. Gibb of White Sulphur Springs, Virginia (now West Virginia) to William Watts for $32.18 for three weeks and one day of support and lodging

1998.26.370

September 8, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in New York, New York, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, reacting to the news of the death of Samuel Stoner and discussing the consequences for his efforts to recover money owed by Stoner. Samuel’s brother John Stoner has laid claim to part of the land, apparently 171 acres thought to have been conveyed to William McDermid. Samuel’s mother and his widow are presumed to have dower rights in the land. James asks Watts to consult with his father, Edward Watts, about the effect of these claims on the value of the property, and to take whatever steps are necessary to prevent the land being sold or conveyed. He asserts that his claim for a debt of $25000 should have priority because the confession of judgment was registered first, and that the value of the property should exceed $35000

New York 8th Sept 1845

Wm Watts Esqr, Big Lick, Roanoke County, Va

Dear Sir, I am somewhat startled by the contents of your letter of the 1st inst, which has just reached me under cover of one from my son. Your letter announces the sad intelligence of the death of Saml Stoner, & the effect which that event is likely to have upon our interests, as it invests his wife, comparatively a young woman, with right of dower in all his landed interest.

            The Stoner family were part of the large German migration southward down the Shenandoah Valley. The first to arrive in the Roanoke area was Daniel Stoner Sr (1770-1838), who was born in Maryland, where he married in 1792 Mary Dagen (1774-1858). They had ten children: John, (1793-1887), who married Elizabeth Gish; Anna (1796-1871), who married William McDermid; Rebecca (1797-1867), who married Jonathan Hardy and moved to Indiana; Mary “Polly” (1800-1866), who married Benjamin Crumpacker and moved to Indiana; Susannah (born 1804), who married David S. Nininger; Samuel (1805-1845), who married Catherine Ammen; Eliza (born 1810), who married Charles H. Carper; Daniel Jr (1811-1888), who married Matilda Campbell; Matilda (born 1815), who married Albert G. Williams; Lucinda (1820-after 1880), who married William S. Minor.

            John, Samuel and Daniel Jr were to some degree partners, but Samuel appears to have been the dominant brother. The 1840 census shows him living in Roanoke and owner of 35 slaves, a number that tends to confirm Fleming James’ high estimate of his wealth. Besides their land and farming, they operated a store. Besides the three brothers, three brothers-in-law – William McDermid, Albert G. Williams, and William S. Minor – lived and farmed in the same neighborhood, probably on land obtained through their wives.

            In the early 1840s, signs of the Stoners’ financial distress begin to appear the Watts papers. One online family tree speculates that business worries and the threat of bankruptcy hastened Samuel’s early death in August 1845; it is equally plausible that failing health contributed to the decline of his business. In this letter, James puts Stoner’s debt to his firm at $28,000; an equivalent figure in 2010 would lie somewhere between $833,000 and $14,000,000. 

            It took two years for the case to be decided, because there were other creditors, whose claims also had to be adjudicated, and because the Stoners argued that the interests of certain heirs and wives were not legally pledged as security for the debts. Samuel Stoner left a widow and eight living children, including a daughter born posthumously; and the widow of Daniel Stoner Sr was still alive. In the end, Fleming James won the title to most, if not all, the Stoners’ land. The last of many letters on the subject will be 1998.26.448, dated 6 September 1847, in which James praises William Watts for defeating John Stoner’s claim to 171 acres of the land, thanks him for his services, and asks him to send a bill for everything he is owed.

1998.26.371

September 9, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in New York, New York, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, discussing arguments against John Stoner’s claim to a property deeded by Samuel Stoner, deceased, to James’s firm, relying mainly on the fact that John had not contested Samuel’s ownership for more than twenty years. He also inquires about the views of Samuel Stoner’s widow, who he thinks might like to own some property in fee simple. He asks what Stoner’s mother’s opinion is. He suggests that an additional lawyer be employed, because of Watts’s uncertain health, and mentions Alexander P. Eskridge and James Foote Johnson

1998.26.372

September 17, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, including a copy of a subpoena from the Roanoke County Court, dated August 30, 1845, signed by the clerk of the court, Frederick Johnston, to answer a charge brought by James Howel, David Gish, and Hiram Haden. James states that he does not know these men, except for Gish, and therefore does not know what the charges relate to, but concludes that it must concern the tract of land bought by James’s firm from William McDermid, but held in Fleming James’s name. James also reports the opinion of Peachy Ridgway Grattan that John Stoner’s claim to a tract of land sold by Samuel Stoner to James’s firm is worthless, but the advice that Watts should nonetheless gather supporting evidence. James further discusses plans for this land, suggesting that the widow of Samuel Stoner should be encouraged to plant a crop of wheat, which will enhance the value of the property

1998.26.373

September 22, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, outlining his proposal to have Catherine Ammen Stoner, widow of Samuel Stoner, continue to farm her late husband’s land, pending a determination of her dower rights, or else to buy the rights from her for cash, and suggesting a method for determining the value. He also discusses further efforts to prevent John Stoner from disposing of any property of Samuel Stoner, deceased, until James’s rights can be legally established; James reports that his Richmond lawyers, Peachy Ridgway Grattan and Conway Robinson, think John Stoner’s recordation is valid, but James continues to think it could be challenged. He authorizes Watts to engage Alexander P. Eskridge and Gustavus A. Wingfield to assist in presenting the case in Botetourt and Roanoke Counties, Virginia. He discusses the pros and cons of letting William McDermid rent the land he sold to James. Finally he asks a number of questions about the value of land sold to Hannah, and of other land belonging to Samuel Stoner, and about the sale of his personal property

1998.26.374

October 8, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, complaining about the slowness of communications and suggesting that Watts ask his post office about it, announcing plans to be in Roanoke County for Samuel Stoner’s estate sale unless Watts has obtained a postponement, and asking for news of the intentions of the two Mrs Stoners, widow and mother, regarding their dower rights

1998.26.375

October 10, 1845

Letter from Fleming James, in Richmond, Virginia, to William Watts, in Big Lick (Roanoke), Virginia, enclosing an injunction signed by Judge Philip Norborne Nicholas to stop the sale of Samuel Stoner’s estate; discussing the bond needed for the injunction to be issued which has been provided by John N. Gordon but James asks Watts to provide it if need be; outlining a plan suggested by a friend to administrate on Stoner’s estate; commenting on relations with the widow of Samuel Stoner and with William McDermid (Stoner’s brother-in-law); and commenting on James’s eventual trip to Roanoke to be present at the Stoner’s estate sale