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Original 1839 Virginia Autograph Letter Signed
Lawrence W. Berry (1792–1846) to Lawrence Washington, Esq.
Fredericksburg, Virginia – August 6, 1839
Original handwritten Virginia letter dated Fredericksburg, August 6, 1839, written and signed “Law. W. Berry” by Lawrence W. Berry (1792–1846) and addressed on the integral address leaf to Lawrence Washington, Esq., Mattox Bridge, Virginia.
An interesting antebellum Virginia letter connecting Fredericksburg financial affairs, the Washington name, regional court business, and travel to the Virginia springs.
Contents
Berry begins by acknowledging Washington’s recent letter and a substantial financial transaction:
“I have rec’d your favor of the 4th inst. with your check on the Farmers Bank here for three hundred dollars…”
The $300 check, a considerable sum in 1839, was apparently sent for the use of a member of the Payne family, with Berry thanking Washington for his prompt attention to the matter.
Berry then discusses his inability to meet Washington at Col. Baker’s, explaining that his schedule was occupied by legal or court-related business. He refers specifically to Caroline Court, which was to commence the following Monday, and discusses the uncertainty of how long the court might remain in session.
He additionally mentions Stafford Court and plans for a journey to “the Springs,” expressing hope that Washington might join the party so that they could all be together at approximately the same time.
The letter closes:
“Yrs with regard,
Law. W. Berry”
The integral address panel is directed:
“Lawrence Washington Esq.
Mattox Bridge
Va.”
Lawrence W. Berry Biography
Lawrence W. Berry was born December 13, 1792, and died February 3, 1846. He was a resident of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and is buried in the historic graveyard of St. George’s Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg.
Berry belonged to the established civic and social world of antebellum Fredericksburg represented in this letter. His correspondence with Lawrence Washington, his handling of a sizeable Farmers Bank check, and his references to Caroline and Stafford courts indicate a man operating comfortably within the professional, financial, and landed society of early 19th-century Virginia.
His residence in Fredericksburg provides an excellent match for the letter’s heading and helps securely identify the abbreviated signature “Law. W. Berry.”
Lawrence Washington
The recipient is explicitly identified on the address panel as Lawrence Washington, Esq., of Mattox Bridge, Virginia.
The Washington surname was deeply associated with the Northern Neck and neighboring counties of Virginia, where numerous descendants and collateral members of the extended Washington family continued to own land and participate in local affairs long after George Washington’s death.
This letter places this particular Lawrence Washington within an affluent regional network involving Fredericksburg banking, court sessions in Caroline and Stafford counties, social visits, and seasonal travel.
Further genealogical research may allow the recipient to be tied more precisely to a particular branch of the Washington family; the letter itself provides the unusually valuable combination of his full name, honorific, and Mattox Bridge address.
Historical Importance
This is more than a routine personal note. It provides a compact snapshot of Virginia elite and professional life in 1839:
- A $300 check drawn on the Farmers Bank at Fredericksburg
- Correspondence between Lawrence W. Berry and Lawrence Washington
- References to Caroline Court
- Reference to Stafford Court
- Travel plans to the fashionable Virginia springs
- An intact manuscript address panel naming Lawrence Washington at Mattox Bridge
- Signed by a documented Fredericksburg resident now buried at historic St. George’s Church
The combination of Washington association, Fredericksburg banking history, Virginia court references, and identifiable writer and recipient gives the letter significantly more historical interest than an ordinary antebellum family letter.
Condition
Original folded manuscript letter with expected age toning, fold lines, handling wear, staining/soiling to the address panel, and small edge losses including remnants associated with the original wax seal. Writing remains generally strong and legible. Please review all photographs carefully for exact condition.
Guaranteed original manuscript letter from 1839, not a reproduction.
