Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library© 2017 By The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. All rights reserved.
Processed by: Special Collections Staff.
Collection is open to research.
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Beall Booth Family Papers, Accession # MS 2009.15, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
Purchase, 2009.
Samuel Beall (1748-1793), pronounced Bell, was a prominent merchant in Williamsburg, VA. ?b Born in 1748 to the descendants of Scottish immigrants he operated a store in Williamsburg from 1779 to 1785. He received a land grant for 40,000 acres in Jefferson County Kentucky, which he partnered with John May of Williamsburg to survey and rent. Married in 1779 to Ann Booth (1751-1786), he had 4 children; Norborne Booth Beall (1780-1844), Matilda Aylett Beall (1782-1822) who married William Galt, Harriet Beall who married Richard A. Maupin (1779-1827), and Louisa Brooke Beall. Norborne Booth Beall (1780-1844) took interest in Samuel Beall's (1748-1793) land claims and after Samuel Beall's death in 1793 he went about the process closing his accounts and moving west. The Estate of Samuel Beall (1748-1793) still had outstanding debts and other business that was dealt with through the lawyer James Semple (1768-1834). Ann Pasteur Maupin, daughter of huegunot Tavern owner Gabriel Maupin of Williamsburg, married Norborne Booth Beall (1780-1844) in 1799. Norborne Booth Beall (1780-1844) was a classmate of her brother Richard A. Maupin (1779-1827) at the College of William and Mary. They, and the younger brother Edward Maupin, settled Jefferson County Kentucky with the Galt Family in 1803. Norborne Booth Beall (1780-1844) and Ann Pasteur Maupin had several children. Their eldest daughter Ann Matilda Beall (1800-1859) married her cousin William Lee Booth (1796-1868), West Point Graduate and veteran of 1812, and they raised a family in Meade County Kentucky. They had nine children: Clara A. Booth (1820-1908), Norborne M. Booth (1822-1909), Harriet Maria Booth (1824-1908), William L. Booth (1827-1893), Waller S. Booth (1829-1921), Galt Worthington Booth (1832-1921), Charles H. W. Booth, Sarah Louisa Booth, and Meade Booth. At some point a portion of the family migrated to Indiana, but stayed in close contact with each other. Galt Worthington Booth (1832-1921), a doctor like his uncle Edward Maupin, joined the union army during the Civil War and served as a hospital steward.
The collection covers the business and personal papers of the Beall Booth family during the years of 1753-1932. The business papers are mostly from the 18th century (1753-1835), created by Samuel Beall (1748-1793), Norborne Booth Beall (1780-1844), William Lee Booth (1796), John May, William Scott, and James Semple (1768-1834). They contain bonds, receipts, contracts, memos, notes, and correspondence from the accounts of the Beall Family, as operated by the family and the lawyers who managed their estates. Much of the business papers address the land claims of Samuel Beall (1748-1793) and Norborne Booth Beall (1780-1844) in Kentucky, surveyed and managed with John May. There is a map from 1794 separated from the collection. The bulk of the business documents end at 1811, with two documents from the 1830s.
The personal papers are primarily from the 19th century. With one document from pre-1824, a prayer book given by Gabriel Maupin to his wife. They focus on the Booth family decendants of Samuel Beall in Kentucky, with some family mementos from the Maupin family who migrated with the Beall Family to Kentucky. They contain mostly correspondence between William Lee Booth, his children, and friends of the family between the 1850s and 1870s. Many of the letters are written to and from Galt Worthington Booth (1832-1921), who was a hospital steward for the Union Army during the Civil War. While the family writes on the Civil War, they mostly write about day to day life. The personal papers also contain some bible pages containing family genealogy, pamphlets, and photographs of the family. The pamphlets include the prayer book, a notebook, a young man's guide to the bridal chamber, and a copy of a speech given during the peace talks prior to the Civil War. There are no documents from the 1840s, and only one document from post 1875. A note pretaining to a daguerreotype by Margaret S. Booth from 1932.
The collection is arranged in two series, each a box containing eleven folders. The first series contains the business papers of the family, mostly from the later part of the 18th century. The papers are organized by person and then date. The second series contains the personal papers of the family, primarily from the 19th century, in one box of eleven folders. The folders are arranged by document type; with the correspondence further arranged by recipient, sender, and date.
Separated from collection a map of The middle dominions of the United States of America 1794. Located in special collections oversized materials by Laurie and Whittle 1794 May 12.
The business papers are mostly from the 18th century, created by Samuel Beall, Norborne Booth Beall, William Lee Booth, John May, William Scott, and James Semple. They contain bonds, receipts, contracts, memos, notes, and correspondence. The business papers deal with the accounts of the Beall Family, as operated by the family and the lawyers who managed their estates. Much of the business papers address the land claims of Samuel Beall and Norborne Booth Beall in Kentucky, bought and managed with John May.
Each folder is organized by the creator, and then chronological with papers dealing with the same person grouped together.
Parchment with "Nicolas vs. Beale" on one side and "Old original copy ac/ts" on inner side.
Business documents managed by William Scott. Mostly bonds and receipts.
Bonds, contracts, and receipts that pertain to the accounts of Samuel Beall.
The contracts, letters, and bonds that cover the beginning of the partnership between Samuel Beall and John May.
Documents pertaining to John May and Samuel Beall's partnership in land speculation in Kentucky.
Documents regarding the estate of Samuel Beall and the proof of claim in Kentucky.
Accounts and other financial documents pertaining to Norborne Booth Beall.
Receipts and bills from the finances of Norborne Booth Beall.
Contains receipts settling accounts from the estate of Samuel Beall, as handled by James Semple. More receipts and documents from the finances of Norborne Booth Beall.
Receipts, bills, and letters from Norborne Booth Beall's finances.
Contains William Lee Booth note on his copy of the division of land claims in Kentucky and an account summary.
The personal papers are primarily from the 19th century. They focus on the Booth family in Kentucky, with some family mementos from the Maupin family who migrated with the Beall Family to Kentucky. They contain mostly correspondence between William Lee Booth, his children, and friends of the family. Many of the letters are written to and from Galt Worthington Booth, who was a hospital steward for the Union Army during the Civil War. While the family writes on the Civil War, they mostly write about day to day life. The personal papers also contain some photos, pamphlets, and photographs of the family. The pamphlets include a prayer book that belonged to Gabriel Maupin, a notebook, a young man's guide to the bridal chamber, and a copy of a speech given during the peace talks prior to the Civil War.
The eleven folders are arranged by document type as found; with the correspondence further arranged by recipient, sender, and date.
Contains poems by E. A. M. Balfour, Ingnatius Reynolds, C. M. Cooms, Lt. Henry Smith, and Rev. Mr. Abell,
Contains a page from the Booth family register, and several pages from the Beall-Booth family bible with the family history writen in pencil.
A prayer book that Gabriel Maupin gave to his wife in 1751, and a notebook containing notes about pig rearing.
Contains a Daguerreotype of Edward Maupin with no date, and a note pretaining to the photograph found with the item by Margaret S. Booth 1932 January 14.
Contains notes from the lectures of Prof. Reese, Theory and Practice of Medicine.
Letters written to Clara Booth from family and friends. Topics discussed, day to day life, and courtship. Several of the letters are from Galt Worthington Booth during his time in the Union Army, he talks about camp life, camp illnesses, courtship, and matters relating to the family.
Letter written to Galt Worthington Booth from family. They write to him about the upcoming War, his joining of the Union Army, and day-to-day life.
Letters written to Galt Worthington Booth from friends. They write to him about his political envolvement in Kentucky, his medical business at home, and day-to-day life. One of the letters is an invitation to a 1887 battle reenactment that his company was involved in.
Letters written to Waller S. Booth from Family. Galt Worthington Booth writes from the various hospital camps that he serves as steward; discussing his position within the army, camp life, and camp illnesses. The other letters talk about Galt Worthington Booth and day-to-day life of the family.
Miscellenius correspondence between the Beall-Booth Family and a pamphlet of a speech given during the peace talks prior to the Civil War. The family talks about military position, courtship, daily life, and the family history.
Photographs of the Beall-Booth family in Kentucky. The images contain family members from Norborne Booth Beall and his childern to Galt Worthington Booth and his children.