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:

Philip Johnson Legal Documents, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Processing Information:

Processed by Anne Johnson in August 2010.

Biographical Information:

Philip Johnson married Elizabeth Bray. He lived in James City County and owned the Basset Hall property in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Scope and Contents

Legal documents concerning the estate of Philip Johnson of Williamsburg and James City County, Virginia. Investiture of Bruton Parish, James City County land to Philip Johnson to eventually become part of the City of Williamsburg at the Court of St. James, dated November 1763. Chancery lawsuit, 1791, written to the Honorable George Wythe Judge of the High Court of Chancery, concerning a trust agreement made in 1769 with Peyton Randolph, Lewis Burwell, Robert Carter Nicholson, and Philip Whitehead Claiborne as trustees for land and goods of Philip Johnson. Names of slaves and their purchasers are mentioned in one document.

Children of Philip Johnson include Elizabeth (Hill), James Bray, Rebecca (William Nowell), William, Sarah (Lester), James and Catherine. Philip's first wife was Elizabeth Bray and his second wife was Martha, last name unknown.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Deeds
• James City County (Va.)--Colonial period--History
• James City County (Va.)--History--18th century
• Land use--Virginia--Williamsburg
• Legal documents
• Slavery--Virginia--18th century
• Williamsburg (Va.)--Colonial Period--History
• Williamsburg (Va.)--History--18th century