Special Collections Research Center
spcoll@wm.eduDavid Clark.
Administrative Information
Conditions Governing Access:
Collection is open to all researchers. Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Manuscripts and Rare Books Librarian, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library. 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:
Wier Family Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.
Acquisition Information:
Gift of Mrs. Harry Thomas.
Processing Information:
Processed by David Clark
Scope and Contents
Papers, 1840-1883, of members of the Wier family and McCully family. Includes correspondence of Peter Wier of Gainesville, Ala., Armistead Wier of Danville, Va., John McCully of Bridgeport, Conn., James McCully, Petersburg, Va. and William McCully of Newark, N. J. Subjects covered by the correspondence are farming, the value of slaves and of land as investments, the Mexican War, and business. The collection also includes contracts for the hiring and sale of slaves; and a roster of Company C, 46th Virginia Regiment.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- Correspondence
- McCully family
- Slavery--Southern States--History
- United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
- United States--History--Mexican War, 1845-1848
- Wier, Armistead
- Wier, Peter
Container List
The folder contains the following items:
Item 1: Peter Wier, Gainsville, Alabama to "brother" (A.G. Wier, Danville, Virginia), 1840 December 9. Apologizes for not coming this past summer since he had a lot of business to attend to; describes favorable judgements he got in court that past year - a judgement for $3,500; a levy against 16 Negroes and others; believes he will win a case against Welsh on Welsh's property; says his case in circuit court in Jackson is laid over until April; gives advice to Armstead on how to conduct his life; says people are in debt where he is and only Negroes bring in money; states going rates; describes land prices; tells him to look out for sale of land and if so try to get it for cash or good Negroes.
Item 2: John S. McCully, Bridgeport, Connecticut, to James McCully, Petersburg, Virginia, 1847 January 17. He is fine; visited Newark; William got married and lost a pair of twins; hopes Jim will write.
Item 3: James McCully, Petersburg, Virginia, to John S. McCully, Bridgeport, Connecticut, 1847 February 3. Thanks John for the letter and the news on brothers George and William; wants to know news of sister Mary; says if times are bad, it should not matter too much to John because he is a bachelor, relates his problems as a coachmaker when times are bad; high rent, two servants, a woman, and a girl, a sick wife and three children - the youngest seven weeks old and all boys; says he wishes he had the last ten years to live over again; tells of the "war fever" then with two companies of volunteers leaving (two from his shop), of two hundred men, one to go to Mexico, one to Old Point Comfort, says if he had no family, he might be fool enough to go, but tells John not to get any ideas of volunteering into his head.
Item 4: William McCully, Newark, New Jersey, to James McCully, Petersburg, Virginia, 1847 February 21 Thought he would have heard from James earlier; tells news of his marriage to Electa; bought the looms for George and he is doing well on business; business is brisk; tells news of friends - Mr. Lloyd; says met an Uncle from Canada - David Burmingham; removed mother's body and put it in a cemetery; tells of gas lighting in town; hopes to see him.
Item 5: Nacy Wier, Hopkins County, Kentucky, to Mrs. Sarah M. Miller, Danville, Virginia, 1848 April 26. Asks everyone to write; tells news of family in Kentucky; asks questions of people in Danville and asks them to write a reply.
Item 6: Nancy A. Wier to Mrs. Sarah M. Wier, Danville, Virginia, October 26. Describes the family situation in Kentucky and asks how the family is in Virginia.
Item 7: Mrs. Peter Wier to Armistead Wier, Danville, Virginia, 1864 November 12. is writing for her husband because he has just recovered from a bad sickness; tells of general sickness during summer and fall - causing crops to be gathered late; says the war has some divine purpose but she chastizes those who are profiting from high prices due to the war; asks Armistead to come visit.
The folder contains the following items:
Item 1: Contract for hiring a slave paying $69.75 to B. Preston for use of Henry until December 25, 1841, 1840 December 31. Person hiring is to furnish necessary clothing, blanket, and a good hat. (Signature ripped off - John McCully?)
Item 2: Receipt for slave purchase, Petersburg, Virginia, 1845 December 24. Receipt of James McCully for purchase of Negro slave, named Edy and her "child" for $405.00. Seller warrants her sound and healthy. Signed by George Lyon.
Item 3: Contract for hiring a slave, 1846 December 31. Contract bidding James McCully and Robert Cousins to pay $15.00 for the use of a female slave named Mary (and to provide clothes, a blanket, shawl and hankerchief to her) to Dr. John Bragg. The contract is until Christmas of the next year. Signed by Ja. McCully and Robert Cousins.
Item 4: Receipt for goods sold at auction, Petersburg, Virginia, 1848 January 1. Sales of household items and furniture of James McCully, at public auction by William French.
Item 5: Contract for hiring a slave, (Petersburg, Virginia), 1863 December 25. Contract for hiring of a slave named Mary and her children for $15.00 from Thomas K. Chandler. McCully is to furnish no clothing. Written signed document. (Hole in signature, John McCully?).
Item 6: Bill for July 1864 of tax, $28.80, of James McCully, to be paid to Caleb W. Watkins, Collector for Danville. Lists categories and tax rates - real estate, white males, free male negroes, personal property, etc. 1864 October 27.
The folder contains the following items:
Item 1: Records of occupancy showing a breakdown of white and blacks in each household, 1862.
Item 2: Receipt of purchase of goods and payment of James McCully by William M. Mosely, 1864 February.
Item 3: W(?) L.E. Wilburn, Danville, Virginia to Mr. William B. Willnen, 1865 September 26. States that he did not accuse Thomas Williams of stealing $25.00.
Item 4: Receipt of the Southern Express Company for J. McCully, Danville, Virginia. Sending $680.00 to L. [?] A. St. Clair, Petersburg, Virginia, 1864 March 14.
Item 5: Receipt of payment of James McCully, Danville, Virginia, for $520.00 to G.W. Booth, 1864 October 31.
Item 6: Receipt of James McCully, Danville, Virginia for $150.30 for purchase of furniture, 1864 November 29.
Item 7: Miscellaneous notes by J.R. McCully, "Town Collector", 1865 August 29[?].
Item 8: Receipt of payment of James McCully, to Mrs. Letitia L. Semple, "three trunks, one carpet, two small bundles...and $300.00 in gold." 1865 April 19.
Item 9: Invitations (to James McCully, Danville, Virginia?) to attend a "Tournament and Party" in Danville, Virginia, 1865 September 27.
Item 10: Egbert Gardner, n.p. to Mr. Millner, 1867[?] September 26. Certifies that "The Colored Boy Thomas P. Williams" has been working for Mr. N.B. Dickenson at his Eat [?] Saloon.
Item 11: Receipt of payment of $5.00 to James McCully, Danville, Virginia, 1868.
Item 12: Receipt of purchase and payment of Mr. (James?) McCully, to Jones, Watts, and Jopling, Danville, Virginia for $9.87 for "1 side[?] leather", 1870 October 31.
Item 13: Receipt of payment of James McCully, for $35.00 to W.W. Yancy, Danville, Virginia, 1871 September 20.
Item 14: Receipt of payment of James McCully to J.P. Hunnicutt, for $3.94, 1872 March 15.
Item 15: Notice of public auction of "one fine Family CARRIAGE" with "SHIFTING GLASS QUARTERS," by James McCully, Danville, Va., May 26 1875
Item 16: Receipt of payment of John L. Kinsey, n.p. to L. Brandeis and Co., Brooklyn, New York for $2.00, November 22 1876
Item 17: Levy Brothers, Richmond, Va. to James McCully, Danville, Virginia, 1879 July 3. Relays that they will "make the exchange for you but we do not feel justified in making allowances after so much lapse of time."
Item 18: Bill of assessment by W.B. Watson, Commissioner of Revenue, Danville, Virginia, for $14.00 of James McCully, Danville, Virginia, "for the privilege to sell goods at his store." 1882 May 1.
Item 19: Cashiers note to James McCully, Danville, Virginia, for payment of $141.00, 1882 June 21.
Item 20: Cortland Wagon Co., to J. McCully, telegraph message relaying that they "will ship on order before Wednesday twenty-eighth", 1883 March 24.
Item 21: Receipt of payment of Mr. McCully, to C.D. Flynn, for $6.75, October 30.
Item 22: Ration card of James R. McCully, (November 1863?) to be presented at Confederate arsenal at Danville, Virginia. [Signature of commander illegible, Jas. H. Jones?].
Item 23: Warrant for the arrest of C.S. Bre[?] Demands his appearance in the court of Danville, Virginiaa., for not paying his bill of $13.45 to John P. Wommack.
Item 24: Record of cash value of property of W.T. Suthulier [?], citing lots and buildings
Item 25: Miscellaneous scraps of paper One printed with oriental symbols, another with "Danville, Virginia" written several times, and the other with a "Reward of Merit" of James R. McCully from E. Virginia Barclay.
Item 26: Illustration from newspaper, entitled "City Scenes." Newsclipping.
Ledger of Jason and William McCully with Isaac Brant, James McCully with W. McCully and Daniel Price with James McCully.
Relates a sea passage from Sandy Hook, (?), to Mobile Bay, Alabama, Friday 13th-20th. Mentions sighting Key West, wind conditions, an old love affair, reading Memoirs of Lucien Bonaparte and Pickwick, and an epidemic of yellow fever in Mobile.
A list of 164 commissioned and noncommissioned officers with their states (dead, deserted, wounded, etc.) It is "about correct if not quite so but as I have to draw a good deal from memory I can not be positive."