Scope and Content Note
The papers of the Carroll family span the years 1686-1897, with the bulk of the material dating from 1772 to 1838. The collection explores the personal relationships between members of the Carroll family, the management of family estates, such as Doughoregan Manor and Homewood, and other business concerns. The papers are primarily in English, with some French.
The bulk of the collection consists of letters received by Charles Carroll (1801-1862), also known as Charles Carroll of Doughoregan. Letters from various relatives provide updates on family news, especially while Carroll studied in Paris, France, and at Harvard University between 1817 and 1823. Letters from Carroll’s mother, Harriet Chew Carroll (1775-1860), his four sisters, and his wife, Mary Digges Lee Carroll (circa 1799-1859), provide insight into the lives of women during the 1810s to 1830s. Some letters from Harriet Chew Carroll include messages from her daughters and vice versa. In these cases, the correspondence is filed under the name of the person who wrote the first part of the letter. Letters between Charles Carroll (1801-1862) and his four brothers-in-law, including United States senator Richard H. Bayard (1796-1868), document the Carroll family's legal disputes regarding the settlement of the estate of Charles Carroll (1737-1832). Many letters from 1832 onward discuss the crops, livestock, equipment, and general operations of the Doughoregan Manor plantation after Charles Carroll (1801-1862) inherited the property from his grandfather. Other Carroll family properties, such as Homewood and Poplar Island in the Chesapeake Bay, are also mentioned. The correspondence refers to the enslaved people who worked on Carroll family estates, including unidentified individuals sold to other plantations in New Orleans and Tallahassee during the 1830s. Other business matters, such as sales of lots in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., and various financial transactions between Carroll family members are also described in this correspondence.
The collection additionally contains correspondence of Charles Carroll (1737-1832), known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton, and Charles Carroll (1775-1825), referred to as Charles Carroll of Homewood. These letters document the Carroll family's business affairs, including the management of Doughoregan Manor and Homewood, as well as personal matters. Correspondence between Charles Carroll (1775-1825) and his wife, Harriet Chew Carroll, refer to their separation, beginning in 1814, due to his alcoholism. Throughout the collection, letters between individuals both named Charles Carroll are filed under the recipient. The collection additionally includes a small amount of correspondence received by Mary Digges Lee Carroll and other family members. Also of note are various indentures and other land documents related to property held by the Carroll family. Other than a petition submitted by Charles Carroll (1702-1782) to the Maryland House of Delegates regarding a legal tender law and a protest by Charles Carroll (1737-1832) against a Maryland Senate bill about qualifications for state attorneys, there is little material concerning the Carroll family's political activities.