Skip to main content

     MANUSCRIPTS and ARCHIVAL MATERIAL

The John M. Woolsey Collection of Legal Documents

 Collection
Identifier: MSS-78-6

Scope and Contents

The John M. Woolsey Collection is comprised of 15 historically significant legal documents from 1790 to 1844.

The papers contain the records of two cases signed by Samuel Chase, Justice of the United States Supreme Court and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. This information was recorded when Justice Chase presided over the Supreme Court of Maryland. Six papers are entirely in James Monroe’s handwriting and form an agreement of arbitration between James Monroe (5th president of the United States) and Nathan Skinner.

George Wythe is the author of several of the early documents in this collection. An appeal written by John Marshall and signed by George Wythe is included, as is an April 30, 1790, letter signed by Charles Lee, brother of Light Horse Harry. Edmund Randolph wrote an opinion, dated April 14, 1805, which is included in this collection and written entirely in Randolph’s hand.

Dates

  • Creation: 1790-1844

Creator

Extent

.3 Linear Feet (1 box )

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Important small collection of legal documents signed by George Wythe, John Marshall, Charles Lee, Samuel Chase, Edmund Randolph, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Henry St. George Tucker and John B. Minor.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Judge John W. Woolsey donated this collection to the UVA Law Library in honor of T. Catesby Jones (UVA Law Alumni, Class of 1903), who was Chairman of the Alumni Fund for the Department of Law "in 1941 or ealier."

Title
The John M. Woolsey Collection of Legal Documentss1790-1844 MSS 78-6
Subtitle
The John M. Woolsey Collection of Legal Documents, 1790-1844MSS 78-6
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Description is inEnglish

Repository Details

Part of the Arthur J. Morris Law Library Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Arthur J. Morris Law Library
580 Massie Road
University of Virginia
Charlottesville Virginia 22903 United States