Administrative Information

Access

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Publication Rights/ Restrictions on Use

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Librarian/ Associate Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts, and the holder of the copyright, if not the Rockefeller Library at Colonial Williamsburg.

Preferred Citation

Francis Jerdone Cargo Wastebook, Manuscript MS 1929.6a, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Acquisition Information

Gift, 1929.

Alternative Form

Also available on microfilm M-1118 and in transcription TR/20.

Biographical/Historical Information

Francis Jerdone was a Scots merchant who arrived in Virginia in 1740 to manage the Hanover store of William Johnston, factor for Neill Buchanan. In 1746, Jerdone moved to Yorktown to act as factor for Buchanan & Hamilton, London merchants. He married Sarah Macon in 1753 and in that year moved with her to Louisa County. Just before his death, he purchased, with Wm. Holt, the forge and mills at Providence, New Kent County. He died in November, 1777 leaving a considerable fortune to his several children.

Scope and Content Information

Wastebook of cargo imported, and tobacco shipped, by Francis Jerdone (1721-1771), merchant, of Yorktown, Va. The book shows the great variety and volume of goods sold by Jerdone, and the numerous customers he had at many places in Virginia. Customers included Col. Carter Burwell, the Rev. John Camm, Alexander Craig, Col. Dudley Digges, James Dixon, Robert Donald, Thomas Everard, Alexander Finnie, the Rev. Mr. Fontaine, William Jerdone, Warner Lewis, John Lightfoot, William Lightfoot, Thomas Nelson, William Nelson, John Norton, John Palmer, James Shield, Capt. John Tabb, and Bennitt Tomkins.

Separated Material

There are five collections within the Special Collections department, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library that are related to this collection. There are two letters, a deed, an account and an account book.

The Francis Jerdone Account Book, 1751-1752, Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library; primarily accounts of Jerdone's business as a merchant.
Francis Jerdone Account Book, 1751-1752. 1 item. Collection number: MS 29.4

Francis Jerdone Account, September 12, 1798, Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library; an account of Jerdone with Ryal Thompson and Joseph Chew, jailors of Spotsylvania County, for apprehending a runaway slave, Nathan.
Francis Jerdone Account, September 12, 1798. 1 item. Collection number: MS 001798Sep12

Francis Jerdone Deed, Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Libary; a deed that conveyed one thousand acres of land in Louisa County from the heirs of Thomas Martinus of Bristol, England to Francis Jerdone.
Francis Jerdone Deed, March 24, 1752. 1 item. Collection number: MS 001752Mar24

Francis Jerdone Letter, Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Libary; discusses the destruction of Jerdone's crops and reports on the visit of Raphaelle Peale to Williamsburg.
Francis Jerdone Letter, September 29, 1803. 1 item. Collection number: MS 001803Sep29

Littleton Waller Tazewell Letter, Norfolk, to Francis Jerdone, Mitchel's Store, Louisa County, Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Libary; letter discusses a letter of credit Jerdone gave to Daniel McClaren.
Littleton Waller Tazewell Letter, Norfolk, to Francis Jerdone, Mitchel's Store, Louisa County, January 26, 1809. 1 item. Collection number: MS 001809Jan26

Index Terms

Persons:

• Burwell, Carter, 1716-1756.
• Camm, John 1718-1778 or 9.
• Craig, Alexander.
• Digges, Dudley, 1718- 1790.
• Dixon, James.
• Donald, Robert.
• Everard, Thomas, d. 1781.
• Finnie, Alexander.
• Fontaine, Rev.
• Jerdone, Francis, 1721-1777.
• Jerdone, William.
• Lewis, Warner, b. 1720.
• Lightfoot, John, 1735-1788.
• Lightfoot, William, 1724-1764.
• Nelson, William, 1711-1772.
• Nelson, Thomas, 1716-1782.
• Norton, John, 1719- 1777.
• Palmer, John.
• Shields, James, d. 1794.
• Tabb, John, Captain, d. 1762?
• Tomkins, Bennitt.

Subjects:

• Merchants--Virginia--History--18th century.
• Tobacco--Virginia--History--18th century.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Account books--Virginia--Yorktown--18th century.

Additional Descriptive Data