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THBWinchester Revolutionary War Account Book, 1779-1804
About Seller
4310 Papermill Dr. NW
Knoxville, TN 37909
United States
Case Auctions is based in Knoxville, Tennessee, where our gallery is located, with satellite offices in Nashville, Tennessee and Kingsport, TN – but our reach is worldwide. Established in 2005, we conduct cataloged auctions of investment-quality art and antiques under the stewardship of knowledgeabl...Read more
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About Auction
LiveJan 24, 2015 - Jan 25, 2015
Case Auctions bid@caseantiques.com
View Full Catalog (870)
- Lot Description
Revolutionary War related account book and notebook belonging to early Tennessee settlers General James Winchester (b. 1752-d.1826) and his brother, Major George Winchester (b. 1757-d. 1794, killed by Indians), including an entry related to Gen. Lafayette, the 1795 Tennessee Territorial Census, and the Winchesters' survey work laying out much of early Middle Tennessee. Inside one cover is affixed an affadavit dated 1853 and filed in a Davidson County, Tennessee court, by Gen. Winchester's son George W Winchester, stating that "the old book or document to which this is affixed was found by him a few days since among the files of his father's old papers" and is being entered into evidence as part of his widow's efforts to obtain a pension for his Revolutionary War service. Inside the other cover is a second 1853 affavit attesting that the handwriting on page 6 and "the pages marked A.B." is that of Gen. Winchester's brother Capt. George Winchester, entered into evidence for similar purposes. Speaking to the scarcity of paper in the Southern backcountry, this 7" x 6" book appears to have been used by both brothers from 1779-circa 1804 as everything from a ledger to survey notebook to account book, with several entries in no particular date order. The first pages record Revolutionary War purchases by or allotment to various soldiers for items such as hats, shoes, blankets, and buckles. Several of the soldiers listed in the early pages served in Gen. Nathaniel Gist's Virginia Regiment, 4th Company, while Winchester was a Lieutenant in Maryland's 3rd Regiment (purchases by Gist are listed later in the book). Page 5 also includes notations regarding spies: "Johnson Amberson and Richard Anderson service as spies commenced 18th July 1793/ John Harden and Shafer Alden (?) commenced as spies 23 July 1793." Later pages contain entries for 1780 and 1781 with a list of purchases by Major Andrew Waggoner (also of Virginia) including a japanned coffee pot, a pewter dish, a copper tea kettle, and 5-1/2 gallons rum; as well as accounts received including "Received one stray steer, 495 lb beef." An 8 page Stock Account dated September 1st 1785 lists "2 servants" and names like Jabo and Polly Cruse (possibly slaves) alongside iron, harness and shoe leather, ammunition, scales and waits (sic), axes, and "one set desk furniture". Perhaps the most intriguing Revolutionary War entry is dated Richmond, July 1781: "Received of the State of Virginia for order of the Honorable Major General the Marquis de Lafayette the sum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars the Exchange being thus computed at Five Hundred for one though when laid out it was not equal to Six Hundred for one.-G. Winchester" Further down the page is an entry: "To be observed that I was appointed Adjutant to Col. Gist's Regt the first day of January 1780 and did duly constantly as such until the prisoners were landed at Jamestown in July 1781, the whole corps being captured... G. Winchester" (note: these are the pages marked AB, referred to in the affadavit). Entries appear for a "Phisick Account" starting in 1785 (the year after the Winchester brothers emigrated to Tennessee) through 1792, and include things like extracts and syringes, gum arabic and opium; on page 32 is an "Invoice of Medicine brought from Maryland November 1790." On page 29 is scribbled a verse: "Where first I saw your sweet bewitching face/ Love's fatal shafts within my heart took place - S.B. Winchester" (Although this entry is undated, James Winchester is believed to have married Susan Black Winchester in 1792). Later pages contain survey notes for sites and settlers in Sumner County, Tennessee (including Isaac Bledsoe, Capt. William Martin, Capt. Shelby Coleman, John Donohue, Robert Caruthers, Samuel Stewart, and more), more than 20 pages (front and back), some signed J. Winchester but others signed G. Winchester, through about 1804. There is a 1791 note signed J. Winchester "Pay abstracts sent to the Governor the 30th of August 1791 for 39 dollars & 17 cents for pay rations 6.13 Virginia money." Other elements include lists such as "Livestock sent to the range on Smith's Fork and put under the care of Mr. Forrester". Another important entry appears to relate to the 1795 Territorial Census, used to establish Tennessee statehood, entitled "Enumeration of the inhabitants of the Territory of the United States South of the Ohio taken between the 15th day of September and the 15th day of November 1795" with a list of the counties in Tennessee and a column for Slaves, Free Inhabitants and Total (66,650 free inhabitants, 10,612 enslaved, and 77,262 total). While not a house-by-house account, these entries are most detailed for Sumner County where at least some individual households do appear to be listed. Also included with the account book is a 12 page (front and back) longhand speech, undated, prefaced "Fellow Citizens," believed to be an address given by Gen. Winchester's son George in Gallatin or Nashville at the conclusion of the Mexican war, 11-1/2" x 9-1/2".
Condition
Account book: Cover boards present but one board cracked and repaired; retains exterior leather spine but all exterior elements are very worn; interior pages are toned and brittle with some minor losses to edges or corners, some pages appear to have been cut out long ago. Overall pages are in good condition and readable. Speech: toning and minor losses to edges and corners.
- Shipping Info
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Buyer Pays Shipping Cost – Buyers will be responsible for making shipping arrangements through our recommended shippers or a shipper of your choice. For shipping estimates, contact these shippers with the lot number(s) or a shipper of your choice. Our recommended shippers follow:
- Package Manager of Knoxville (865-584-3000, ask for Gwynn, info@packagemanager.net)
- The UPS Store of Northshore Knoxville (865-951-2499, ask for Jonathan, store6461@theupsstore.com)
- The UPS Store ofDowntown Knoxville (865-584-0081, ask for Nathan, store2630@theupsstore.com)
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