S. Bassett French, 1895:  S. Bassett French Biographical Sketches

The Library of Virginia in Richmond has a collection called the “S. BASSETT FRENCH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES “

According to its website, Samuel Bassett French (1820-1898), attorney, judge, Confederate officer, and editor, was a Norfolk native who lived in Chesterfield County and Richmond.  (Accession 21332)  Between 1890 and 1897 and in preparation for an intended biographical dictionary to be titled Annals of Prominent Virginians of the XIX Century, French compiled biographical information on almost 9,000 men, often obtaining information either from the subject or members of the immediate family.  This collection consists of those handwritten notes.  

A transcription of French’s notes offers the following description of John Wharton:

“[350] Wharton, John, Merchant, b[orn] in Accomack Co. Nov.22.1732 [sic].  He was long the Merchant Prince of the Eastern Shore, and did a large business with Europe and the West Indies, and owned a large number of trading vessels.  He was said to have been a great smuggler of imported goods especially of West Indie Rum and fine goods from the French and Spanish towns of America.  He built the “Wharton House”—which stands to this day, though not now owned by any of his descendents; It is said to be, by far the finest and most costly house, ever built on the Eastern Shore of Va.  D(ied) in Phila. Feby [sic] 23. 1814, and was buried in the garden of his residence in Accomac[k] Co., where his wife was laid, seventeen years later.”