Slaveholders Discuss Hiring Slave to Work in Distillery in Lynchburg, Virginia

In this brief letter to Charles Anthony, Charles H. Lynch explains that John S. Langhorne would like to hire Anthony's slave Charles for the year 1850 to work in his distillery. The rental of slaves was common in antebellum Virginia, as was the employment of slaves in manufacturing, such as in Langhorne's distillery.

[SLAVERY.] Charles H. Lynch, Autograph Letter Signed, to Charles Anthony, December 30, 1849, Lynchburg, Virginia. 1 p., 7.75" x 6". Expected folds; some stains and toning.

Complete Transcript

                                                                        30th Decr 1849
Dear Sir
Mr. John Langhorn requested me to say to you that he wish,d to hire Charles for the next year. he wants him to work in what he calls his mash room in his distillery. he says he shall be well treated, & that the room in which he will work is entirely disconnected from the whiskey room he could not if he was disposed get any thing to drink. he says he will give you one hundred and ten dollars hire for him
yours truly
                                                                        Chas. H. Lynch

Charles H. Lynch (1800-1875) was born in Virginia. He was the grandson of Colonel Charles Lynch (1736-1796), a member of the House of Burgesses for whom "lynching" and "Lynch Law" was named because of his practice of summarily trying and hanging local Tories during the Revolutionary War. His great uncle John Lynch (1740-1821) founded Lynchburg, Virginia. Charles H. Lynch owned property and slaves near Lynchburg. He served as a Democratic member of the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1850-1851 and as a state senator from 1859 to 1865. He was also a director of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad.

Charles Anthony (1793-1884) was born in Virginia and became a tobacco and cotton planter in Campbell County, Virginia, just south of Lynchburg. In 1850, Anthony owned 103 slaves on his plantation "Walnut Hill" in Campbell County.

John S. Langhorne (1818-1886) was born in Virginia, the son of Henry S. Langhorne (1790-1854), who with his brother had erected Langhorne Mills (or Lynchburg Milling Company) in Lynchburg in 1831, owned numerous plantations and made whiskey. When his father died, the younger Langhorne inherited Langhorne Mills and most of his father's estate.

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