Estate map of Hawfield, Orange County, Virginia

Unprocessed Material — Artifact: MSS2198_001_Portfolio

Identifier: ViU-2022-0122

Staff Only

Content Description

This collection contains a 2977-acre estate map of Hawfield, Orange County, Virginia. The map measures 48"x50" and was commissioned by Captain William G. Crenshaw, owner of Hawfield. It denotes field use, service and public use roads, outbuildings, homes, barns, potential enslaved community ruins, Mt. Pisgah Church (now defunct but was prominently mentioned in Civil War accounts from the area), and adjacent property owners. Individual trees, springs, and other natural features are highlighted. Inscribed in the upper right corner is "Map of Hawfield, Situated in Orange County, Virginia. Surveyed for W.G. Crenshaw, Esq., April 1877 by J.E. La Prade." The map was made on heavy paper cardstock in three pieces; it was then glued together on the back with overlapping lap joints. W.G. Crenshaw was born on July 7, 1824. He married Fanny Elizabeth Graves of Orange County on May 25, 1847. Crenshaw served as a Captain in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He organized the "Crenshaw Battery" of Virginia Light Artillery in March 1862 and was mustered into service. Crenshaw resigned his commission on April 18, 1863, to serve as a purchasing agent for the Confederate government in England. After the war, he farmed in Orange County and served as president of a saltpeter mine in Louisa County. He purchased Hawfield and resided there until his death on May 24, 1897. He and his wife are buried at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. J.E. LaPrade became well known for his printed map of Chesterfield County, Virginia, which now resides in the Library of Congress. He was a skilled surveyor and created many estate and government-use maps throughout his career. See the 'External Document' field for links related to the Special Collections Southern Plantation series: Papers of Hawfield Farm (MSS 2198) and Hawfield Farm Papers (MSS 15376).

Acquisition Type

Gift

Provenance

Gift of Mike and May Crenshaw Saxton, September 26, 2022. The Saxton's purchased the map with the intention to donate from Frances Lewis. Lewis discovered the map in a horse stable on the Hawfield plantation in the mid-20th century and later framed it.