John J. Cabell Papers

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: Mss-0183

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The papers consist of correspondence, lists, and copies of information concerning Dr. Cabell and his newspapers. The letters are addressed to Dr. Cabell or The Jeffersonian and cover a variety of topics such as property rental, Swedenborgianism, the river toll on salt, the sale of Dr. Cabell's tobacco crop and current politics. One letter is from Andrew Jackson following his election to the Presidency, declining an invitation to visit Dr. Cabell in Lynchburg on his way to Washington. The lists, which are oversize, are of debts, receipts and the costs of medicine and furniture, including shipping and insurance, which Dr. Cabell wished to send to Savannah. The copies are of pages from Virginia newspapers, 1821-1935, giving information on The Jeffersonian and its antecedent, the Jeffersonian Republican and from the Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography regarding Dr. Cabell and his family. Correspondents include Dr. John J. Cabell, James Hamilton, Jr. and Andrew Jackson.

Dates

1805 - 1970
1805 - 1833

Creator

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845 (other_unmapped, Person)

Biographical Note

John Jordan Cabell was born on November 30, 1772 in Virginia to Colonel John and Paulina (Jordan) Cabell. On February 24, 1803 he married Henrianne Davis and they were the parents of ten children. He was an early convert to Swedenborgianism. John Cabell studied medicine in Philadelphia, then established himself as a physician in Lynchburg, Virginia. He also had a country residence on his farm in Bedford County, Virginia. In addition to his medical practice Dr. Cabell owned more than one political paper and a store in Lynchburg, as well as managing his extensive landed estates. He established a weekly paper, the Jeffersonian Republican, in 1828 with Achilles D. Johnson; in 1830 the paper became a semi-weekly under the name The Jeffersonian with Dr. Cabell and Richard K. Crallé as its editors. The paper ceased publication circa 1832. One of his estates in Kanawha County contained salt wells and Dr. Cabell also became an active salt manufacturer. He died in Kanawha County, Virginia on August 7, 1834.