Valentine Peers Family Papers
SPEC.RARE.MS.AMER.0056
Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
1.0 Cubic feet
1777-1864
Valentine Peers was an Irish immigrant who came to North America in 1773. He fought in the Revolutionary War and was granted over 5,000 acres of land for his military service. Peers initially settled in Loudoun County, Virginia, but later moved his family to Mason County, Kentucky. He was a landowner, salt manufacturer, cotton mill owner, executor, and slave owner. Peers married Eleanor Orr, and together they had eight children. The Valentine Peers Family Papers contains correspondence between Peers and various business partners, friends, and family members, as well as correspondence between other members of the Peers and Orr families. Some correspondence discusses the purchase, sale, and owning of slaves. The collection also contains financial and legal records of the Peers estate, business records, and estate documents and correspondence for estates in which Peers served as executor. Materials are dated 1777-1864.
(2) 5" legal document boxes
English
Peers family
Peers, Valentine, 1756-1830
Arrangement of Materials
This collection is unprocessed. Materials are arranged in the order received.
Acquisitions Information
Purchased: 2000 May
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], Valentine Peers Family Papers, SPEC.RARE.MS.AMER.0056, Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, Ohio State University
Access to Materials
Materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the Thompson Library Special Collections reading room only.
Use of Materials
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.
Processing Information
This collection is unprocessed. Finding aid written by: Kirk J. Westbeld, 2001; Ashleigh Minor, 2019 January.
Biographical Note
Valentine Peers was born in Sisburn, Antrim County, Ireland in 1756. In 1773, he immigrated to North America, and entered the Revolutionary Army of Virginia in 1776. Peers served as a brigade major under the command of General George Weedon in the Revolutionary War, and fought in the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777. Peers was released from service on November 19, 1777, as noted in a letter from General Weedon, and was granted 5,333 1/3 acres in compensation for his military service. He settled in Loudoun County, Virginia, but later moved his family to Mason County, Kentucky, where he was among the area’s earliest settlers.
Throughout his life, Peers was a landowner, manufacturer of salt, cotton mill owner, executor, and manager of other jobs relating to his land, properties, and legal duties. He also owned multiple slaves. Valentine Peers was married to Eleanor Orr, and together they had 8 children: Mary Eleanor, who married Judge Lewis Collins; John D.; Edward; Valentine J., a sheriff in Lincoln County, Missouri from 1834-1838; Benjamin O., who graduated from Transylvania College, studied at Princeton University, and later became the President of Transylvania College; Henry P.; Jane M., whose married name was Smith; and Susan E., whose married name was Garrard. Valentine Peers died on June 6, 1830.
Scope and Contents
The Valentine Peers Family Papers contains correspondence between Peers and his wife, Eleanor “Nelly” Orr, before and after they were married, as well as correspondence with business partners, and between other members of the Peers and Orr families. Some correspondence discusses the purchase, sale, and owning of slaves. The collection also contains records of the Peers estate, including indenture and land agreements, deeds, legal documents and disputes, and financial records that document the purchase and sale of land and slaves, as well as loans and debt records. Business records for Peers’ cotton mill, the Little Sandy Salt Works, and other business endeavors are also included. In addition, this collection contains estate documents, such as wills, appraisals, and correspondence for estates in which Peers served as executor. Materials are dated 1777-1864.
Other Finding Aids
An additional item-level description of the materials in this collection is available in the administrative files of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Library. Contact a curator for more information and access to this description.
Peers family
Peers, Valentine, 1756-1830
Businessmen--Kentucky--19th century
Businessmen--Virginia--18th century
Businessmen--Virginia--19th century
Commercial correspondence
Estate records
Executors and administrators--Kentucky--19th century
Financial records
Immigrants--United States--18th century
Indentures
Irish--United States--18th century
Landowners--Kentucky--19th century
Landowners--Virginia--18th century
Landowners--Virginia--19th century
Legal correspondence
Personal correspondence
Slaveholders--Kentucky--19th century
Slaveholders--Virginia--18th century
Slaveholders--Virginia--19th century
United States--Armed Forces--Pay, allowances, etc.
Collins (Lewis) estate deeds and indentures
1
1
1824-1845
Peers (Valentine) and Andrew Todd financial records
1
2
1809-1817
Weedon (General George) comments on Valentine Peers' military service
1
3
1777
Peers (Alex Orr) and Alfred W. Grayson estate financial records
1
4
1804-1809
Orr (Susanna E.) correspondence received from H. Carter and S.E. Powell
1
5
undated
Peers (Eleanor) correspondence received
1
6
1797, 1811
Orr family correspondence sent to Eleanor Peers
1
7
1780-1817
Carter (H.) correspondence sent to Eleanor Peers
1
8
undated
Peers (Eleanor) correspondence sent
1
9
1811
Peers family correspondence to Eleanor Peers
1
10
1799-1815
Peers (Valentine) estate financial records and agreements
1
11
1818-1829
Peers (Valentine) financial agreements and receipts
1
12
1805-1826
Death notices and obituaries
1
13
1816-1855
Prayer book and loose pages
1
14
1811
Garrard (William and Susan) correspondence received
1
15
1814-1836
Peers (Valentine) correspondence to Eleanor G. Orr
1
16
1795-1811
Confederate prisoners at Camp Douglas Prison correspondence to Sarah B. Waller requesting clothing
1
17
1864
Peers (Henry P.) correspondence from Lewis Collins
2
1
1825-1831
Peers (Henry P.) correspondence from John D. Peers
2
2
1828-1832
Peers (Henry P.) correspondence from S. E. Garrard
2
3
1825
Peers (Henry P.) correspondence received
2
4
1824-1831
Peers (Valentine) correspondence received
2
5
1808-1824
Peers (John D.) correspondence to Valentine Peers
2
6
1825-1829
Peers (Henry P.) correspondence to Valentine Peers
2
7
1829-1830
Peers (John D.) correspondence to Valentine Peers
2
8
1805-1829
Powell (S. E.) correspondence to Valentine Peers
2
9
1823
Peers (Valentine) correspondence to Susan E. Garrard
2
10
1819-1829
Grayson (Susanna Elianor) correspondence to Valentine Peers
2
11
1830
Peers (Valentine) correspondence to Henry P Peers
2
12
1824-1830
Peers (Valentine) correspondence sent
2
13
1799-1819
Peers (Henry P.) correspondence received from Benjamin O. Peers
2
14
1828-1834
Peers (Benjamin O.) correspondence to Valentine Peers
2
15
1827-1830
Correspondence to and from unknown persons, essay drafts, receipts, and notes for toasts
2
16
1819-1823
Valentine Peers and Company Little Sandy Salt Works financial records, patent disputes, Valentine Peers' will, and estate records
2
17
1814-1838
Valentine Peers and Company Little Sandy Salt Works account book
2
18
1815
Powell (S. E.) correspondence to Eleanor Peers
2
19
1801-1807
Carter (Hebe) estate financial records and correspondence, last will and testament, and court documents
2
20
1811-1827