Special Collections Research Center
spcoll@wm.eduFinding Aid Authors: Special Collections Staff.
Administrative Information
Conditions Governing Use:
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Conditions Governing Access:
Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
Preferred Citation:
James Madison, Sr. Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.
Acquisition Information:
Gift of Mrs. Frances Duffy and additional purchases (1975 and 1986).
Processing Information:
Box and folder list compiled by Amanda Hayek, SCRC staff, in December 2011.
Biographical Information:
James Madison, Sr. (March 27, 1723 - February 27, 1801) was a colonel in the American Revolutionary War and the owner of a tobacco plantation in Orange County, Virginia.
Scope and Contents
Dates; 1792-1831, 1931; document and correspondence (some are copies). Includes letters between James Madison, Sr. (1723-1801) and his son President James Madison, Jr., his brother Bishop James Madison, Josiah Quincy, Robert Walsh, and others. Also includes engravings and prints of Madison and a "Report of the Overseers of Harvard University" commenting of the new constitution recently submitted to the people of Virginia. Letters discuss politics, family life in Virginia, religion, and other topics. Also includes a 1931 invitation to the unveiling of the bust of James Madison at Richmond, Va. and photographs of the Madison bust.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- American Revolution--Veterans
- Correspondence
- Engravings (Prints)
- Harvard University--History--19th century
- Invitations
- Madison, James, 1749-1812
- Madison, James, 1751-1836
- Orange County (Va.)--History--18th century
- Orange County (Va.)--History--19th century
- Photographs
- Plantation life
- Plantations
- Quincy, Josiah
- Reports
- Tyler, Samuel
- United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783
- Virginia--Politics and Government--19th century
- Walsh, Robert, 1784-1859
- Williamsburg (Va.)--History--19th century
Significant Persons Associated With the Collection
- Madison, James, 1749-1812
- Madison, James, 1751-1836
- Madison, James, Jr., 1751-1836
- Madison, James, Sr., 1723-1801
- Quincy, Josiah
- Tyler, Samuel
- Walsh, Robert, 1784-1859
Significant Places Associated With the Collection
- Virginia--Politics and Government--19th century
- Williamsburg (Va.)--History--19th century
Container List
Item 1: James Madison (1723 - 1801), [Orange County, Va.] to James Madison, Jr., n.p., February 28, 1792 Granting him Power of Attorney. 1 ADS, 1 XCy, and 1 TCy.
Item 2: James Madison (1723-1801), n.p., to Joseph Chew, Montreal, Canada, February 19, 1793 Sending account of his connections and acquaintances, extolling the virtues of the sulphur spring near Terry's Run Bridge, and saying his son [James] will be returned as a member of the Lower House which he prefers to the Senate. 3pp. ALS.
Item 3: James Madison, Department of State [Washington, D.C.] to [John Milledge], Governor of the State of Georgia, Louisville, [Ga.], December 14, 1804 Is transmitting 248 copies of the Laws of the United States, 1st Session, 8th Congress, to the Collector of Customs in Charleston, S.C. for him to forward to Georgia. 1p. LS.
Item 4: James Madison, Dept. of State, Washington, [D.C.], to Samuel Tyler, Williamsburg, Virginia, April 1, 1805 Cy of LS. 3pp.
Item 5: James Madison, "Montpellier" [sic], [Orange County, Va.], to Gov. [Thomas Mann] Randolph, [Va.], February 1, 1820 Forwarding a letter and a newspaper clipping on hemp and flax. 1p. Cy of ALS. Including NCl concerning Anthony Dew's machine for dressing flax. 1p.
Item 6: James Madison, "Montpellier" [sic], [Orange County, Va.], to Dr. Cooper, n.p., December 26, 1826 Concerning nationalism. PCy of LS. 1p. (Missing)
Item 7: J[ames] M[adison], "Montp[elie]r," Va. to Jos[iah] Quincy, n.p., February 18, 1830 Thanking him for the "Report of the Overseer of Harvard University" and commenting on the new Constitution lately submitted to the people fo Virginia. 1p. AN.
Item 8: James Madison, "Montpellier" [sic], [Orange Co., Va.], to [Robert] Walsh, [Philadelphia, Pa.], July 15, 1831 Concerning Bishop James Madison. ALS. 1p.
Item 9: James Madison, "Montpelier," [Orange Co., Va.], January 24, 1832 On the subject of freemasonry. NCl of L. See Marshall Papers, Box V, folder 3.
Item 10: Invitation to the unveiling of a bust of James Madison, Richmond, Virginia, September 29, 1931 PM. 1 item.
Item 11: Engravings and prints of James Madison, n.d. 8 items.
Item 12: Photograph of the marble medallion bust of James Madison, made by Giuseppe Ceracchi, 1792, with a short printed sketch of Ceracchi containing a quotation from Madison See Oversize File.