Alexander Spotswood Papers(1646–1830)
- MS 1948.2
- Microfilm: M-1555
- Transcript: TR/79
- 45 items
Personal correspondence of Alexander Spotswood (1676–1740), lieutenant in the British Army, and later lieutenant governor of Virginia, 1710–1722. The bulk of the correspondence is between Spotswood and his cousin, John Spotswood (1666–1728) of Edinburgh, concerning the Spotswood family, the lieutenant governor’s character, his career in the British army and ambitions before becoming lieutenant governor, together with descriptions of political and social conditions in Virginia. These letters are some of the few known sources of information concerning Spotswood’s early life.
Included in the correspondence is a copy of a 1646 letter from Sir Robert Spotswood (1596–1646) to his children stating their names and dates of birth; also, a January 4, 1646 letter from Sir Robert Spotswood to the Laird of Bogir and Mr. Robert Berrsay; a 1744 letter, from the Rev. Robert Rose, a close friend of the governor’s and later one of his executors, to Andrew Anderson containing a biographical sketch of Spotswood; a rough draft of a 1746 letter from John Spotswood, Jr., to Rose, with a genealogy of the Spotswood family; and an 1830 British army commission to Maj. George Spotswood. Most of the letters have been published. See Lester J. Cappon, ed., “Correspondence of Alexander Spotswood with John Spotswood of Edinburgh,” Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, LX (1952), pp. 211–240.
Inventory
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| Folder 1 | |
| 1646 January 4 | Letter. St. Andrews, Robert Spotswood to the Laird of Bogir and Mr. Robert Berrlay. |
| 1696 April 20 | Letter. Sudbury, Alexander Spotswood to cousin John Spotswood. |
| 1696 May 17 | Letter. Sudbury, Alexander Spotswood to John Spotswood. |
| 1696 August 24 | Letter. Sudbury, Alexander Spotswood to John Spotswood. |
| 1696 November 2 | Letter. Sudbury, Alexander Spotswood to John Spotswood. |
| 1696 | Letter. John Spotswood to “the Generall” [Alexander Spotswood]. Copied by John Spotswood II [1711–]. |
| 1698 May 25 | Letter. Westminster, Katherine Mercer to nephew John Spotswood, Edinburgh. |
| 1698 July 4 | Letter. Colchester, A[lexander] Spotswood to John Spotswood, Edinburgh. |
| 1703/4 March 15 | Letter. London, A[lexander] Spotswood to John Spotswood, Edinburgh, re departure for Holland under Marlborough. |
| Folder 2 | |
| 1705 January 30 | Letters. John Spotswood to aunt Mrs. Mercer, together with another to John Spotswood re wounds. |
| 1705 April 17 | Letter. London, Alexander Spotswood to [John Spotswood]. |
| 1705/6 February 25 | Letter. London, A[lex] Spotswood to John Spotswood, Edinburgh. |
| 1705/6 March 14 | Letter. London, A[lex] Spotswood to John Spotswood, Edinburgh. |
| 1706 January 12 | Letter. [John Spotswood to Alexander Spotswood.] Copy. |
| 1709 February 26 | Letter. [John Spotswood to Alexander Spotswood.] |
| 1709 December 10 | Letter. London, William Elliot to John Spotswood, Edinburgh. |
| 1709 December 24 | Letter. London, Alexander Spotswood to John Spotswood, Edinburgh. |
| 1709/10 March 14 | Letter. London, Alexander Spotswood to John Spotswood, Edinburgh, re appointment as lieutenant-governor of Virginia. |
| Folder 3 | |
| 1710 August 17 | Letter. Williamsburg, Alexander Spotswood to John Spotswood, Edinburgh. |
| 1710/11 March 20 | Letter. Virginia, Alexander Spotswood to John Spotswood, Edinburgh. |
| November 1711 | Letter. John Spotswood to Alexander Spotswood. |
| 1717 | Letter. John Spotswood to Mr. Robertson, Secretary to Colonel Spotswood (on verso of above letter). |
| 1712 August 1 | Letter. Virginia, Alexander Spotswood to John Spotswood, Edinburgh. |
| 1712 October 4 | Letter. Edinburgh, [John] Spottiswoode to [Alexander Spotswood] introducing Andrew Thompson. |
| 1714 July 20 | Letter. Virginia, Alexander Spotswood to J. Spotiswood, Edinburgh, re Archibald Blair. |
| 1717 May | Letter. [John Spotswood, Edinburgh] to Alexander Spotswood re John Brown. |
| [1717?] | Letter. [John Spotswood] to Alexander Spootswood. |
| 1718 September 3 | Letter. Virginia, Alexander Spotswood to John Spotswood, Edinburgh. |
| 1720 August 6 | Letter. Virginia, William Robertson to [John Spotswood]. |
| 1722] November [29 | Letter. [John Spotswood to Alexander Spotswood]. |
| Folder 4 | |
| 1723 July 12 | Letter. Virginia, Alexander Spotswood, Spotsylvania Co., VA, to John Spotswood, Edinburgh. |
| 1724 December 21 | Letter. London, Alexander Spotswood to John Spotswood, Edinburgh. |
| 1740 | Letter. Edinburgh, [John Spotswood] to Alexander Spotswood, Virginia. |
| 1743 July 25 | Letter. [Reverend] Robert Rose, [VA], to Andrew Anderson re Gov. Spotswood’s life. |
| 1743 July 25 | Letter. [Reverend] Robert Rose, [VA], to Andrew Anderson [copy of above]. |
| 1743 September 29 | Letter. Edin[bu]r[gh], John Anderson to John Spotswood, Spotswood. |
| 1743/4 March 20 | Letter. Edinb[u]r[gh], [John Spotswood] to Robert Rose, Virginia. Copy. |
| 1744 May 20 | Letter. Rappa[hannock] River, Virginia, Robert Rose to John Spotiswood, Edinburgh. |
| 1744/5 February 12 | Letter. Spotiswoode, [John Spotswood] to the Reverend Robert Rose, Virginia. Copy. |
| 1646 | Enclosure. Sir Robert Spotiswoode to his children. With a list of their births. Copy. |
| Folder 5 | |
| 1745 December 2 | Letter. Essex County, Rappahanock River, Robert Rose to [John Spotswood, Edinburgh], mentions Katherine marries Bernard Moore. |
| 1745 | “The within Inscription written by George Fraser in the Excise Office upon Spottiswoode Practiques w[hi]ch I sent to Virginia by Jos. Nasmith. See my letters relative unto addressed to the Reverend Mr. Robert Rose Minister of the Gospel in Virginia dated _____1745.” Inscription in Latin. |
| 1747 September 29 | Letter. New Abbey, [John Spotswood] to [Robert Rose]. |
| 1763 June 6 | Letter. Alexander Spotiswood (Governor’s grandchild) to John Spotiswood, Edinburgh. |
| 1764 June 26 | Letter. London, Alexander Spotswood (Governor’s grandchild) to John Spotswood, Edinburgh. |
| 1773 May 29 | Letter. Spottiswoode House, [John Spotswood] to Alexander Spotswood, Virginia. |
| 1774 January 6 | Printed history of Spotswood lands and summons to appear before the Lords of Council and Session at Edinburgh. |
| 1801 September 17 | Letter. Clapham, S. Spottiswoode and R. Fanny Spottiswoode to J[ohn] Spottiswoode. |
| 1830 December 1 | Commission of Major General George Spottiswoode to be Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army. PFWMI. |
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