Burr-Purkitt Family Papers

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: MS-MS-ms022

Staff Only

Correspondence, 1784-1852, among members of the Aaron Burr and Henry Purkitt families, including Theodosia Bartow Burr Alston, Theodosia Bartow Prevost Burr, John Duval, Anne Louisa Prevost, Augustine James Frederic Prevost, Augustine J. Frederic Prevost, Jr., Charlotte Prevost, John Bartow Prevost, Mary E. Prevost, Prudence Lockwood Prevost, Caleb S. Purkitt, Henry Purkitt, and E. Stickney. Correspondents discuss social and family affairs, political events of the period, including the Aaron Burr trial and the construction of the Capital building, financial problems. Also included are a deed signed by George and Catherine Barrett to Augustine J. Fredric Prevost, March 12, 1846; a land grant signed by James Monroe, January 13, 1818; photocopy of an agreement to pay Thomas Bartow to serve the Yonkers and Eastchester Church, with a plan of the church verso, December 29, 1788; a copy of an excerpt from the Newark Ledger concerning Mrs. Theodosia Bartow Prevost; clippings from the Charleston Daily Mail, May 8, 1938, concerning Blennerhassett Island; clippings of a poem about Burr, Wooing, of Henry Purkitt's obituary, March 9, 1846; reproductions of portraits of Theodosia Burr, painted by John Vanderlyn, and of Emily deVisme, painted by Sir Henry Raeburn

Dates

Creation: 1784-1938

Creator

Burr family (Family)

Conditions Governing Access

Open

Conditions Governing Use

Users of the collection must read and agree to abide by the rules and procedures set forth in the Materials Use Policies.

Providing access to materials does not constitute permission to publish or otherwise authorize use. All publication not covered by fair use or other exceptions is restricted to those who have permission of the copyright holder, which may or may not be Washington University.

If you wish to publish or license Special Collections materials, please contact Special Collections to inquire about copyright status at (314) 935-5495 or spec@wumail.wustl.edu. (Publish means quotation in whole or in part in seminar or term papers, theses or dissertations, journal articles, monographs, books, digital forms, photographs, images, dramatic presentations, transcriptions, or any other form prepared for a limited or general public.)

Extent

1.00 boxes (1 oversized folder)

0.50 linear feet

Additional Description

Biographical Information

The Burr family correspondence begins with that of Theodosia Stillwell Bartow. (circa October 1746 in Shrewsbury, Monmouth County, NJ - 1794), daughter of Theodosius Bartow and Anne Stillwell, who in 1763 married Col. James Marcus Prevost of the British Army (1736 in Geneva, Switzerland - 1779 in West Indies) in New York City. Col. Prevost died in 1799 while serving in the West Indies, leaving his wife and five children, John Bartow, Sally, Anne Louisa, Mary Louisa, and Augustine James Frederic. On July 2, 1782, Theodosia Bartow Prevost married Aaron Burr, (1756-1836), then commander of the troops in Westchester County, New York, at the Hermitage, Hopperstown, Bergen Co., NJ. A daughter, Theodosia Bartow Burr, was born in 1783 in Albany , New York. She married Joseph Alston, Governor of South Carolina, in 1801; Aaron Burr Alston was born in 1802. In the Spring of 1812 this son died. On December 30, 1812, Mrs. Alston set sail on the ship Patriot to visit her father in Charleston, and was not heard from again.

This collection includes a series of letters, bulkin 1800-1812, from Theodosia Bartow Burr Alston to her half-brother, Augustine James Frederick Prevost (1767 in NY - 1842) and John B. Prevost. Although information about Augustine is incomplete, we surmise that he married Prudence Lockwood, and had at least three children, Augustine J. Frederic, Theodosia and Charlotte. Augustine served in the British Army, later became an American citizen and then served in Aaron Burr's law office.

Henry Purkitt, Sr., (March 18, 1755 - March 3, 1846), was a participant in the Boston Tea Party and served under Washington in the Revolution. He later lived in Boston. His grandson, Caleb Strong Purkitt (January 1, 1820 in Boston - April 20, 1896 in St. Louis), graduated in 1846 from Missouri Medical College, later associated with Washington University. Caleb was the son of Henry Purkitt, Jr. (circa 1783 - ). He married Charlotte Antoinette Prevost (May 16, 1824 in Westford, Otsego Co., New York - September 10, 1897 in Carondelet, St. Louis) in Madison, IL on December 24, 1846. Charlotte was daughter of Augustine James Fredric Prevost and Prudence Lockwood. Augustine James Frederick Prevost was the son of James Marcus Prevost and Theodosia Stillwell Bartow who later married Aaron Burr.