Manuscripts by Subject

Each subject category contains an essay that describes the manuscript collections in the Davidson College Archives that information relative to the particular subject category. At the end of the essay, a listing of those related manuscript collections is provided.

Davidson College has graduated many students who went on to establish careers in politics. One such student was Dean Rusk (DC004), class of 1931. After graduating from Davidson College, Rusk attended St. John's College in Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. From 1940-1946 he served with the U.S. Army, eventually being promoted to Colonel in the operations division of the war department general staff. In 1946, he became assistant chief of the Davidson of International Security Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, and later served as Special Assistant Secretary of War. From 1947 to 1949, Rusk was the Director of the Office of United Nations Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, and in 1949 became Assistant Secretary of State. He was promoted to Secretary of State in 1961. In 1969, Rusk was invited to become a professor of law at the university of Georgia. He received numerous honors, including the Cecil Peace Prize, the Legion of Merit, the Oak Leaf Cluster, membership in the American Society of International Law, and almost 20 honorary degrees. The Davidson College Archives has a collection of materials on this important and influential man that includes biographical information, speeches and addresses delivered by Rusk, correspondence, interviews, printed materials, photographs, and recordings on interviews with Rusk.

Another important political figure to graduate from Davidson College was James E. Holshouser, Jr. (DC009), class of 1956. After obtaining his law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel-Hill, Holshouser served in the North Carolina House of Representatives for four terms. In, 1972, he became governor of North Carolina. Upon the completion of his term of office, Holshouser joined the law firm of Brown, Holshouser and Pate in Southern Pines, North Carolina. In 1978, he became chairman of the board of First Colony Savings and Loan Association. He has received numerous awards and honors, including an honorary degree from Davidson College in 1974. The Davidson College Archives has a collection of biographical information, addresses and speeches, correspondence, printed materials, and photographs of Holshouser. Included in the collection are Holshouser's statement of candidacy for governor, his commencement address to Davidson College in 1974, printed materials about his role as the Republican Party Chairman, and photographs from his years as governor of North Carolina.

James Grubbs Martin (DC002), class of 1957, followed in the footsteps of James E. Holshouser, Jr. by also becoming governor of North Carolina. After graduating fro Davidson College, Martin received his Ph.D. in chemistry from Princeton University. In 1973, Martin was elected as a Republican to the U.S. House of Representatives, and in 1985 he became governor of North Carolina. In 1992, Martin retired from political life and became chairman of the board that directs the James Cannon Research Center of Carolina's Medical Center. The Davidson College Archives has a collection of materials on Martin that include biographical information, speeches given by Martin, printed material, memorabilia, and scrapbooks. The majority of the collection is printed material, consisting of campaign literature from 1984-1989 and newspaper clippings of his political life.

Captain William Erskine Ardrey (DC001), member of the class of 1862, also established a strong political career. After leaving college to join the Confederate Army, Ardrey enlisted as a private and was at Appomattox at the surrender on April 9, 1865. He returned to Mecklenburg County, North Carolina and farmed in the Pineville area. In 1874, Ardrey was elected chairman of the board of County Commissioners. He served as member of the House of the first Democratic Legislature in North Carolina and in the House of State Legislature in 1879, 1885, and 1901. He joined the State Senate in 1891 and was appointed Superintendent in charge of the Assay Office of the U.S. Mint located in Charlotte in 1892. The Davidson College Archives has biographical information on Ardrey, as well as his diaries from 1862-1907, several of his speeches, accounts records, and petitions.

In addition to graduating several prominent alumni, Davidson College has witnessed the role of politics in the small town of Davidson, North Carolina. The Davidson Town Commission (DC0208s) was established in 1879 at the time of the town's incorporation. The act of incorporation called for a mayor and five commissioners. The commissioners were responsible for annually electing a town marshal, clerk, and treasurer. The Davidson College Archives has photocopies of the minutes of the commission from February 17, 1879 to April 6, 1906.

The following is a partial list of the manuscript of collections in the Archives that contain information on student life at Davidson College. The vast majority of these collections contain letters written by students to their families and friends that describe the collegiate experience during the nineteenth century and early twentieth centuries. References to the curriculum of Davidson, the faculty and administrative staff, and social events in the town of Davidson are found throughout the collections. In addition, the following collections may contain speeches written during the student years, notebooks from college classes, and/or reminiscences of the college years.

Complete descriptions of the collections are accessible through CHAL, Davidson's on-line catalogue. To locate a listing on CHAL, simply perform an author search using the name of the person of organization that appears in the title of the collection.

Alexander, Thomas H., Letter, 1842 (DC0108s)
Allan, James, Notebook, 1909-1910 (DC178s)
Allison, Thomas Johnston, Speech, undated (DC002s)

Bannerman, A. W., Letter, 1854 (DC0109s)
Barnes, Frank Arthur, Collection, 1894-1902 (DC027)
Belk, James Thomas Ketchen, Collection, 1845-1847 (DC0008s)
Blue, Larkin McLaruen, Speech, 1885 (DC0009s)
Bogle, Alexander M., Letter, 1839 (DC0110s)
Burwell, Dandridge Spottswood, Reminiscences, 1918 (DC0168s)
Bynum, William Preston, Notebook, 1838 (DC0177s)

Chambers, Henry Alexander, Reminiscences, 1917 (DC0141s)
Chambers, Joseph Lenoir, Collection, 1873-1920 (DC0020s)
Cobb, Paul Whitlock, Reminiscences, 1987 (DC0164s)
Crawford, James Pinckney, Letter, 1854 (DC0112s)

Davidson, Robert A., Letters, 1859-1860 (DC0125s)
Dick, Leslie Gilliam, Letters, 1874 (DC0134s)

Fairley, David, Letter, 1853 (DC0113s)
Fleming, John Alexander, Letters, 1856-1864 (DC0114s)
Fries, Henry Elias, Papers, 1874-1877 (DC0029s)

Gaddy, Risden Bennett, Notebook, 1854-1859 (DC0183s)
Gilchrist, John William Stuart, Letter, 1917 (DC0145s)
Greenlee, James Logan, Letters, 1859-1862 (DC0115s)

Hamilton, Thomas H., Letters, 1835-1839 (DC0116s)
Harper, George Washington Finley, Papers, 1855-1856 (DC0188s)
Howard, John R., Letter, 1993 (DC0230s)

Kerr, James Washington Alexander, Letter, 1916 (DC0162s)

Long, McKendree Robbins, Letter, 1906 (DC0158s)
Lowry, Thomas McCall, Papers, 1918-1922 (DC0171s)

Mahood, Danner Lee, Letter, 1917 (DC0172s)
McCombs, James Parks, Letters, 1854-1885 (DC0117s)
McDonald, William, Letters, 1856 (DC0118s)
McDowell, Franklin Brevard, Collection, 1903-1920 (DC0160s)
McGeachy, Daniel Patrick, Letters, 1921 (DC0197s)
McKay, Wilson James, Letters, 1920 (DC0159s)
McKeown, Calvin Brice, Letters, 1871 (DC0132s)
McLees, Hugh, Letters, 1855-1858 (DC0119s)
McLees, James Andrew, Letter, 1873 (DC0132s)
McNeely, Oni Davis, Letters, 1837-1856 (DC0120s)
Morrison, Robert Hall, Jr., Collection, 1819-1889 (DC0225s)
Morrow, James, Letters, 1840-1853 (DC0122s)
Morse, Lewis Teague, Letter, 1870 (DC0128s)

Neel, Samuel Reece, Notebook, 1859-1869 (DC0182s)

Price, Reynolds Bascomb, Notebooks, 1841-1843 (DC0181s)
Purcell, John Edwin, Notebook, 1906-1907 (DC0179s)

Robinson, William Wallace, Letters, 1857-1864 (DC0123s)

Sampson, Anne E., Reminiscences, 1920 (DC0156s)
Schenck, John Richard, Notebooks, 1891 (DC0176s)
Scott, Hugh Wilson, Reminiscences, 1917 (DC0155s)
Smith, Hugh Hollingsworth, Papers, 1918-1985 (DC0191s)
Smith, James Bayliss, Papers, 1868-1870 (DC0083s)
Smith, Neill Alexander, Letter, 1859 (DC0126s)
Smith, William Alexander, Reminiscences, 1920 (DC0154s)
Stringfellow, John James, Collection, 1858-1930 (DC0153s)
Student Wives Club, Records, 1946-1949 (DC0148s)

This essay discusses the manuscript collections in the Davidson College Archives that contain information on women at Davidson College and in the town of Davidson, NC. Complete descriptions of the collections are accessible through CHAL, Davidson's on-line catalogue. To locate a listing on CHAL, simply perform an author search using the name of the person of organization that appears in the title of the collection.

Although women were not admitted to Davidosn College as full-standing students until the mid-1970's, women were allowed to attend classes even during the 1800's. Generally, these women were daughters of faculty members or local townspeople. One such woman was Mrs. Goudyloch Erwin Dyer (DC0142s). Mrs. Dyer was the daughter of Edward Jones Erwin, professor at Davidson College from 1920-1954. She was the class mascot for 1925 and attended classes at Davidson in 1934-35. The collection of archival materials on Mrs. Dyer includes a typescript of a program written by her entitled "Growing Up in Davidson."

Mary Scofield Clifford (DC0165s) was also familiar with Davidson College during her childhood years. Clifford was raised in Davidson and Mt. Mourne, North Carolina. Her father, John N. Scofield, was the contractor for the building of Old Chambers. Her mother ran a boarding house for Davidson students and housed Woodrow Wilson during his student year at the college. Although Clifford did not enroll in classes at the college, she was tutored by Davidson faculty. The collection of archival materials on Mrs. Clifford consists of letters that describe her memories of Davidson COllege and her experiences being tutored by Davidson faculty. More information is available in "Scofield Family, Collection, 1883-1962 and undated (DC0190s)."

Two other manuscript collection that contain information on growing up in Davidson from a woman's perspective are the Lucy Martin Currie and Lucy Phillips Russell collections. Lucy Martin Currie (DC0193s) was the daughter of Col. William J. Martin, acting President of Davidson College from 1877-78. The Archives has a collection of Currie's reminiscences of growing up in Davidson and a typescript entitled "Fact and Fiction About Old Davidson." Lucy Phillips Russell (DC0157s) was the daughter of Charles Phillips, professor of mathematics from 1868-1875. The Archives has Russell's handwritten account of life in Davidson in the 1870s, as well as copies of her newspaper article "A Girl of the Seventies."

The collection of materials on Hattie Thompson (DC0150s) also contains information about life in Davidson in the nineteenth century. Hattie Thompson was born in Davidson and attended Statesville Female College for a year until the death of her father in 1892. She began working for Davidson College in 1914 as the assistant to the Treasurer. Miss Thompson was also the organist at the Davidson College Presbyterian Church. The Archives has several letters written by Miss Thompson and her music notebooks.

A prominent family in the 1800's was that of Reverend Drury Lacy, President of Davidson College from 1855-1860. President Lacy had four children by his first wife: Elizabeth, Drury, William, and Singleton. He married Mary Ritchie Rice in 1849 and had three more children: Agnes, Benjamin Rice, and John Holt. The collection of materials on the Lacy family (DC0147s) consists of correspondence primarily from Mrs. Mary Lacy to her stepdaughter Bess. These letters proivide an interesting insight into the life of women in the 1800's

With the help of women in the community and the daughters of faculty members, Davidson students in the nineteenth century enjoyed a relatively lively social life. One of the largest social events held on campus was the annual graduation ceremony. In 1869, Ann M. Mills (DC0169s), a local schoolteacher, attended the ceremony. The Archives has a letter dated July 8, 1869, written by Mills that describes her social life and the 1869 Davidson College graduation ceremony. In addition, the Archives has a large collection of materials on Mary Erwin Young (DC0136s), a local townswoman who was active in a number of Davidson's clubs and societies in the early 1900s. The collection consists of correspondence that describes Young's social life and a list of her social engagements from May 26-29, 1907.

Davidson women have a long history of organizing book clubs. These clubs sponsored social events as wee as book discussion. The Davidson College Archives has several manuscript collections that contain information on the activities of the book clubs. The following is a list of the clubs:

Aplian Book Club (DC031)
As You Like It Book Club (DC032)
Centennial Book Club(DC033)
Eighteen Book Club (DC034)
Sorosis Book Club (DC035)
Tuesday Club (DC036)
Twentieth Century Club (DC037)
Athenaeum Club (DC038)
Booklover's Club of Davidson (DC039)
Thelemite Club (DC040)
The majority of these collection contain the club's constitution, list of founding members, and a selection of minutes from the meetings.

Two other clubs organized by Davidson women were the Davidson Civic Club and the Davidson Music Club. The Davidson Civic CLub (DC025) began in 1911 under the direction of Miss Cornelia Shaw. Its purpose was to promote "a well-kept household and a place for good and pleasant living" in Davidson. The club raised money and solicited volunteers for such projects as the establishment and upkeep of a town library, beautification projects, and the naming of streets. The collection of archival materials on this club includes correspondence, history files, and minutes. The Archives has the constitution of the Davidson Music Club (DC0221s), a women's organization for music.

A christian organization formed by Davidson women in the late nineteenth century was the Davidson College Presbyterian Women of the Church (DC023). This group was formed in 1880 by women who felt it their duty to spread the "words of Eternal Life." Although the name of the organization has changed over the years, the group's primary purpose of working with local and national women's organizations in Christian endeavors has remained the same. The Archives has the constitution, minutes, reports, membership books, and financial statements of the group.

In 1946, the spouses of Davidson spouses organized their own club, the Student Wives Club (DC0148s). This club, originally named the G.I. Wives or GIves, started as an organization for women whose husbands were students at Davidson under the G.I. Bill. The organization was primarily a social club. The Archives has the minutes from 1946-1949 and an article on the "Cardboard Village," the student housing for married students at the time.

Another social club organized by Davidson women was the Daughters of the American Revolution, Battle of Cowan's Ford Chapter (DC021). This group began on November 27, 1961, by Mrs. Mattie Wilson Sadler, its organizing Regent and First Regent. The chapter was named for the battle in which General W.L. Davidson, the namesake of Davidson College, fell. The 17 charter members kept the chapter running until 1976. The Archives has a collection of materials on this group that include correspondence, by-laws, annual reports, financial record, yearbooks, scrapbooks, and memoribilia.

This essay discusses the manuscript collections in the Davidson College Archives that contain information on business. Complete descriptions of the collections are accessible through CHAL, Davidson's on-line catalogue. To locate a listing on CHAL, simply perform an author search using the name of the person of organization that appears in the title of the collection.

In 1890, eight local Davidson businessmen purchased land from the college and built the Linden Cotton Factory, later called the Linden Manufacturing Company (DC0215s), and eventually the Davidson Cotton Mill. By the end of the nineteenth century, the town of Davidson, North Carolina was quite a cotton market and often outsold the city of Charlotte in the total number of cotton bales. The Linden Manufacturing Company focused its efforts on producing yarn from cotton grown by local farmers. The Archives maintain a collection of shipping receipts, stockholders' reports, letters to stockholders, and notices of stockholder meetings from the Linden Manufacturing Company. More information is available on the Linden Manufacturing Company in the manuscript collection, "Smith, Henry Louis, Paper, 1881-1949 (DC046)."

Another local business in the town of Davidson was the store of Ruddock and Johnston (DC0213s). This store focused its efforts on growing and distributing cotton. The Archives has the company's expense accounts from 1865-66.

Main Street of Davidson was thriving by the mid-1800's. The store of Helper and Sloan (DC0218s) sold dry goods to local resident, while Knox and Brown (DC0233s) functioned as a department store. The collection of materials on Helper and Sloan includes three ledgers and a selection of invoices dating to 1867. The Archives has the 1909 ledger from the store of Know and Brown.

Between 1790 and the mid-1860's, Davidson residents often visited the Catawba Springs Hotel (DC0232s), a mineral springs resort located in Lincoln County, North Carolina. This hotel was popular with visitors from as far away as Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Peter Stuart Ney, the mysterious Frenchman who designed the college seal and claimed to be Marshal Ney of France, often frequented this resort. The Archives has the hotel's guest ledgers from 1838-1851 and 1852-1854. The collection of materials also includes a selection of newspaper articles, letters, and a history of the hotel as written by Dr. Chalmers Gaston Davidson ('28).

In 1916, the Bank of Davidson, later called the Piedmont Bank and Trust Company, opened its doors to the town of Davidson, North Carolina. Influential in the bank's development was William Howard Jetton (DC048), a graduate of Davidson College in 1930. The Archives is fortunate to own a collection of seven scrapbooks compiled by Mr. Jetton. These scrapbooks contain information about the Piedmont Bank and Trust Company, personal information about its employees, correspondence, bank certificates, and photographs. The Archives also has a collection of materials specifically related to the Piedmont Bank and Trust Company (DC029). This collection contains amendment to the bank's charter and bylaws, financial statement, annual reports, printed information about the bank, and a copy of the bank's long range planning.

Adam Brevard Davidson (DC0184s) was a trustee of Davidson College from 1845 to 1876. Although he was opposed to North Carolina's succesion during the Civil War, he invested heavily in Confederate bonds. The Archives has a collection on Mr. Davidson's Confederate bank and bond certificates.

Adam Davidson's son, Edward Lee Baxter Davidson (DC044) attended Davidson College and graduated in 1881. He eventually became a real estate dealer in Charlotte, North Carolina and gave generously to Davidson College throughout his lifetime. The Archives has a variety of information on. E.L. Baxter Davidson, including biographical and family information, correspondence, notebooks, business information memoribilia, photographs, and information pertaining to his bequest to Davidson College.

One of Davidson College's largest benefactors was E.H. Little (DC003). Mr. Little began his business career as a cotton buyer in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 1902 he became a soap and toilet article salesman for Colgate and Company and was made district manager in 1906. In 1914, Mr. Little began his career with the B.J. Johnson Soap Company, which became the Palmolive Company in 1917. When Palmolive merged with Colgate in 1928, Mr. Little was placed in charge of foreign sales. He went on to become president and chairman of the board for Colgate-Palmolive. Following his retirement, Mr. Little devoted his time to philanthropy, particularly toward Southern colleges and universities. The Archives is fortunate to have a substantial amount of materials on E.H. Little, correspondence, printed material, scrapbooks, and photographs. The majority of the collection relates to Mr. Little's association with Colgate-Palmolive.

Catawba Springs Hotel, Collection, 18380-1949 (DC0232s)
Davidson, Adam Brevard, Collection, 1854-1871 and undated (DC0184s)
Davidson, E.L. Baxter, Collection, 1874-1988 (DC044)
Helper and SLoan, Collection, 1852-1916 (DC0218s)
Jetton, William Howard, Scrapbooks, 1930-1980 (DC048)
Knox and Brown Store, Ledger, 1909 (DC0233s)
Linden Manufacturing Company, Papers, 1873-1923 (DC0215s)
Little, E.H., Papers, 1881-1981 (DC003)
Piedmont Bank and Trust COmpany, Collection, 1916-1980 (DC029)
Ruddock and Johnston, Papers, 1865-1866 (DC0213s)

This essay discusses the manuscript collections in the Davidson College Archives that contain information on Peter Stuart Ney, the mysterious Frenchman who designed the College Seal and claimed to be Marshal Ney of France. A listing of the related manuscript collections may be found at the end of the article. Complete descriptions of the collections are accessible through CHAL, Davidson's on-line catalogue. To locate a listing on CHAL, simply perform an author search using the name of the person of organization that appears in the title of the collection.

Peter Stuart Ney was a schoolteacher in the Carolinas during the nineteenth century. He reportedly came to America aboard a ship from France. This ship landed in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina, in 1818. After a number of moves, Ney took a position as teacher in Mocksville in 1822, and acquired a reputation throughout North and South Carolina for his wisdom and knowledge.

Towards the end of his life, Ney moved to the region surrounding Davidson, North Carolina. It was at this time that the Board of Trustees of Davidson College approached Ney and asked him to draw a design for the college seal. The year was 1840 and the college was only a few years old. Ney designed the seal that the college still uses today.

Although well-respected for his knowledge and skills, Peter Stuart Ney was a mysterious man. On his deathbed, Ney claimed to be Marshal Ney, Napoleon's famous Marshal of France. Historians have found other connections between the two men. First, the handwriting of the two men has been determined by some experts to be the same. Second, on several occasions Peter Stuart Ney was recognized in America as Marshal Ney by those who had served under him in France. Third, Peter Stuart Ney suffered a violet reaction upon learning of the death of Napoleon. Fourth, the personalities and physical characteristics of the two were reported to be extremely similar. Fifth, Peter Stuart Ney made several references, in addition to his last dying words, that he was in fact Marshal Ney of France.

The mystery may never be solved, but researchers and historians continue to explore the relationship between the two men. Dorothy Mackay Quynn (DC042), a graduate of the University of California and L'Universite de Paris, performed extensive research on Peter Stuart Ney and Marshal Ney. Quynn was on the faculty of Mills College from 1923-1926, West Virginia University from 1926-1930, Duke University from 1930-1947, Goucher College from 1947-1948, and Maryland from 1948-1949. She has published numerous articles on Marshal Ney, including "The Two Graves of Marshal Ney" and "Ney's Attempt to Escape." The Davidson College Archives has Quynn's research materials used in writing these articles, as well as a collection of her correspondence, manuscripts, printed materials, and photographs relevant to her research on Peter Stuart Ney.

Another researcher interested in the mystery surrounding Peter Stuart Ney is James Edward Smoot (DC041). Smoot was a physician in Concord, North Carolina, who published the book "Marshal Ney: Before and After Execution." He wrote a supplemental edition of the book which was never published. The Davidson College Archives has a collection of materials that contain Smoot's correspondence regarding Peter Stuart Ney, original manuscripts and documentation for his book and the supplemental edition, research materials and notes, printed material, newspaper articles, and photographs.

Of particular significance, the Archives has a manuscript collection on Margaret E. Hampton Alexander (DC0167s). Mrs. Alexander's family was acquainted with Peter Stuart Ney. The collection consists of handwritten reminiscences of family history and Peter Stuart Ney's connection to Davidson College.

Davidson's largest manuscript collection on Peter Stuart Ney (DC043) is comprised of gifts given to the college regarding this mysterious man. The collection is organized into the following series: gifts, correspondence, manuscripts, printed material, recordings, photographs, oversize, and books. Included in this collection are copies of acrostic poems and letters written by Peter Stuart Ney, original Marshal Ney documents, a field desk which had belonged to Peter Stuart Ney, portraits of Marshal Ney, a dictionary and notebook that had once belonged to Peter Stuart Ney, and variety of biographies and articles written on the two men. The amount of material is extensive and provides a useful starting point for anyone interested in researching Peter Stuart Ney.

Alexander, Margaret E. Hampton, Reminiscences, undated (DC0167s)
Ney, Peter Stuart, Collection, 1842-1992 (DC043)
Quynn, Dorothy Mackay, Collection 1931-1966 (DC042)
Smoot, James Edward, Collection, 1926-1947 (DC041)

This essay discusses the manuscript collections in the Davidson College Archives that contain information on the Civil War. A listing of the related manuscript collections may be found at the end of the article. Complete descriptions of the collections are accessible through CHAL, Davidson's on-line catalogue. To locate a listing on CHAL, simply perform an author search using the name of the person of organization that appears in the title of the collection.

The Civil War had a great impact on Davidson College. Although the battles were relatively removed from the campus, the college was immersed in the excitement and anticipation of the surrounding troubles. As described by James Logan Greenlee in a letter to his sister in 1860, "there is considerable excitement among the students...were have just learned that Lincoln is elected, and that South Carolina has withdrawn from the union...some of the students are talking of going home." The situation at the college became grave as the war continued. By the spring of 1864, the student body was reduced to eight college students and sixteen preparatory students. The number of faculty members had dropped to four. By 1866, commencement excercises were not even held because there were no seniors to graduate. Despite these setbacks, the colle's doors remained open throughout the entire conflict.

The Archives has several manuscript collections that focus on the trouble times of the Civil War. The majority of these collections are personal letters or notebooks written by Davidson students enrolled in the Confederate army. These letters function much like diaries, recording the student's experience on the battlefield and in the army. Several manuscript collections also contain reminiscences about Davidson College during the time of the Civil War. These reminiscences offer a glimpse into the life of the Davidson campus in the midst of and following the Civil War.

The Davidson College Archives has several letters written by students to their families discussing college life at the outbreak of and during the Civil War. The collections of James Logan Greenlee (DC0115s), John Alexander Fleming (DC0114s), and Robert Hall Morrison (DC0127s) all contain letters that written by students at the time of the Civil War.

Thanks to the efforts of Miss Cornelia Rebekah Shaw, author of Davidson College, the Archives has several collection that contain reminiscences about the College during the Civil War. While writing her book, Miss Shaw collected reminiscences from her former students, faculty, and staff. The collection Laban Miles Hoffman (DC0129s), a graduate of Davidson College class of 1869, contains a 32 page memoir titled "Reminiscences of Davidson College, 1862-1870." Other collections that include reminiscences as as correspondence with Miss Shaw about the Civil War include Franklin Brevard McDowell (DC0160s), Dandridge Spottswood Burwell (DC0168s), William Alexander Smith (DC0154s), and Henry Alexander Chambers (DC0141s).

Man Davidson students joined the ranks of the Confederate Army after leaving the college. William Erskine Ardrey (DC001), class of 1862, left the college to join the Confederate Army, first enlisting in Company C of "Charlotte Grays" of the First North Carolina Regiment and was at Appomattox at the Confederate surrender on April 9, 1865. The bulk of this collection include Ardrey's personal diaries. The entires describe his life as a soldier in the Civil War, farming, and his daily life after the war.

Three other students to join the Confederate Army were Samuel Reece Neel (DC0182s), William Wallace Robinson (DC0123s), and William Henry Verner (DC0130s). The collection of materials on Neel include a diary that describes his Civil War experience from 1861-1865. The collection of materials on Robinson includes letter from 1857-1860 that discuss college life and letters from 1861-1864 that describe his experiences during the Civil War. Davidson College President Rev. John Lycan Kirkpatrick wrote a letter for Verner, asking for his safe passage to return to home to join the army. This letter is located in the collection of materials on Verner.

A faculty member to join the ranks of the Confederate Army was Col. William Joseph Martin (DC026). Martin was eventually elected President of Davidson College, serving from 1887-1888. In 1861, Martin organized the 28th North Carolina Regiment for service in the Confederate States Army. He retired from the army as a colonel, and went on to accept the Chair of Natural Sciences at Davidson College. His manuscript collection includes a brief history of the 11th North Carolina Regiment, photgraphs, and letters.

Local residents of Davidson were also touched by the conflict of the Civil War. The Archives has a collection of materials on the Stirewalt family (DC0139s). This family lived and managed businesses in Catawba Springs and Statesville, North Carolina. Reminiscences of the Civil War years and the war's effect on the family are included in this collection.

Another local family involved in the Civil War was the Robert Zenas Johnston Family (DC022). Robert Johnston graduiated from Davidson College in 1858 and Columbia Seminary in 1861. He was ordained by Concord Presbytery and served as the minister of many churches before his death in 1908. The Archives has three handwritten letters fro his sister, Mary Gibsons, describing the effects of the war on her life and the restrictions on her ability to purchase slaves.

Ardrey, William Erskine, Collection, 1861-1907 (DC001)
Burwell, Dandridge Spottswood, Reminiscences, 1918 (DC0168s)
Chambers, Henry Alexander, Reminiscences, 1917 (DC0141s)
Fleming, John Alexander, Letters, 1856-1864 (DC0114s)
Greenlee, James Logan, Letters, 1859-1862 (DC0115s)
Hoffman, Laban Miles, Papers, 1917-1920 (DC0192s)
Johnston, Robert Zenas, Collection, 1863-1961 (DC022)
Martin, Col. William Joseph, Collection, 1859-1861 (DC026)
McDowell, Franklin Brevard, Collection, 1903-1920 (DC0160s)
Morrison, Robert Hall, Jr., Collection, 1819-1889 (DC0225s)
Neel, Samuel Reece, Notebook, 1859-1869 (DC0182s)
Robinson, William Wallace, Letters, 1857-1864 (DC0123s)
Smith, William Alexander, Reminiscences, 1920 (DC0154s)
Stirewalt Family, Collection, 1842-1883 and 1982 (DC0139s)
Verner, William Henry, Letter, 1864 (DC0130s)

This essay discusses the manuscript collections in the Davidson College Archives that contain information on religious issues. A listing of the related manuscript collections may be found at the end of the article. Complete descriptions of the collections are accessible through CHAL, Davidson's on-line catalogue. To locate a listing on CHAL, simply perform an author search using the name of the person of organization that appears in the title of the collection.

During the nineteenth century, students were encouraged to deliver speeches to the Philanthropic and Eumanean Literary Societies. These speeches often sparked debate among the students in the societies and generally led to in-depth discussion of the speeches' topics. In 1884, Evander Bradley McGilvary (DC0056s) delivered a speech on Jewish Persecution. A few years later, James Stephen Brown (DC0012s), class of 1889, delivered a speech on the Catholic Church. In 1882, Egbert Watson Smith (DC0081s) presented an essay titled "Agnosticism in Religion." The Archives is fortunate to have copies of these three speeches. In addition, the Archives has a collection a college compositions and speeches by Thomas Reece English (DC0026s) on such topics as the Catholic Church, Bible history, and happiness.

Davidson College has graduated many students who eventually became ordained ministers. Many of these students took inspiration from local town ministers or visiting preachers. The Reverend W.P. Williams (DC0216s) was mayor of Davidson, North Carolina from 1884-1889 and 1891-1895. He was also an active member of the local Methodist Church and often delivered the sermons. The Archives has several copies of his published sermons and texts.

On June, 1876, John Henry Bryson (DC0185s) delivered a sermon, "The Importance of Revealed Truth," at the commencement ceremony. The Archives has a manuscript copy of this sermon. In addition, the Archives has several copies os seven sermons delivered by the Reverend Drury Lacy (DC0147s), President of Davidson College from 1855-1860.

Omar Ibn Sayyid (DC0211s) was a slave of James Owen of Bladen County, North Carolina. Born to a wealthy family in Futa Toro, in what is now Senegal, Sayyid was sold into slavery in 1807 and came to the Owen household around 1810. He was Muslim and was given an Arabic Bible by Owens. Sayyid spent much time studying the Bible and eventually converted to Christianity. The Archives has the Arabic Bible used by Sayyid, a collection of documents that accompanied the Bible when it was donated to the Archives, and two pages of Sayyid's handwriting.

The teaching of the Bible in public schools was a topic of debate for Henry Louis Smith (DC046). Smith graduated from Davidson College in 1881, accepted a position on the faculty of the college in 1886, and was elected President of Davidson College in 1901. Several references are made in his general correspondence to the issue of religious teaching in the public school system.

Col. William Joseph Martin (DC026) also debated the topic of religious studies. Martin accepted the Chair of Natural Sciences at Davidson College in 1870, and was elected President of the college in 1887. In letters to Robert L. Dabney and W.S. Plumer, Martin refers to religious studies.

Dr. John Rood Cunningham (DC005) was President of Davidson College from 1941 to 1957. Prior to bring elected President, Cunningham served as minister to several Presbyterian Churches in Florida, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Cunningham also served as President of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. While President of Davidson College, Cunningham served on the World Council Service Commission of the World Council of Churches and was elected Executive Director of the Presbyterian Foundation. The Archives has a substantial amount of information on Dr. Cunningham. Included in the files are biographical information, correspondence, published manuscripts, printed material on the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Foundation, and photographs.

In addition, another prominent minister to become President of Davidson College was Reverend Walter Lee Lingle (DC014). After graduating from Davidson College in 1892 and Union Theological Seminary in 1896, Lingle accepted calls to Presbyterian Churches in Georgia and South Carolina. He returned to Union Theological Seminary in 1911, and eventually became President of the Presbyterian General Assembly's Training School. He was elected as President of Davidson College in 1929. The collection of materials on Rev. Lingle include biographical information, speeches and sermons, literary materials, notebooks, photographs, and a biography of Lingle by LeGette Blythe. Of particular interest, the literary materials include manuscripts on the Assembly Training School, Davidson College, Union Theological Seminary, plus manuscripts on Bible studies, Presbyterianism, Religious Education, and the Church.

Robert Zenas Johnston (DC022) graduated from Davidson College in 1858. He attended Columbia Seminary and was ordained by the Concord Presbytery. He served as the minister of many churches before his death in 1908. The Archives has several Johnston's handwritten sermons and a photocopy of a diary belonging to him. In addition, the Archives has Johnston's notes of the minutes of the Mecklenburg Presbytery and from several of his classes at Columbia Seminary. The class notes provide an interesting look at religious studies during the nineteenth century.

Historically, Davidson College has maintained close ties with the Presbyterian Church. In the nineteenth century, students were required to attend chapel, and religious studies were mandatory for graduation. The collection of materials on Hugh McLees (DC0119s), class of 1860, consists of letters written by McLees to his brother describing college life and particularly, the religious life of students in the 1860's. Similarly, the Samuel Blain Owen Wilson collection (DC0144s) and the Jethro Rumple collection (DC0222s), class of 1850, consists of correspondence concerning the Concord Presbytery and Davidson College in the 1840's.

Under the direction of Dr. Samuel Reid Spencer, Jr. (DC007), President of Davidson College from 1968-1983, the relationship between the Presbyterian Church and Davidson College was studied. Spencer organized the Church Relations Commission to direct this study. The collection of materials on Dr. Spencer contains valuable information regarding this commission.

Brown, James Stephen, Speeches, 1888-1889 (DC0012s)
Bryson, John Henry, Sermon, 1876 (DC0185s)
Cunningham, John Rood, Collection, 1940-1980 (DC005)
English, Thomas Reese, Papers, 1867-1872 (DC0026s)
Johnston, Robert Zenas, Collection, 1863-1961 (DC022)
Lacy Family, Papers, 1851-1860 and 1980 (DC0147s)
Lingle, Walter Lee, Collection, 1901-1991 (DC014)
Martin, Col. William Joseph, Collection, 1859-1861 (DC026)
McGilvary, Evander Bradley, Speeches, 1884 (DC0056s)
McLees, Hugh, Letters, 1855-1858 (DC0119s)
Omar Ibn Sayyid, Collection, 1871 and undated (DC0211s)
Rumple, Jethro, Collection, 1878-1905 (DC0222s)
Smith, Egbert Watson, Speech, 1882 (DC0081s)
Smith, Henry Louis, Papers, 1881-1949 (DC046)
Spencer, Samuel Reid, Jr., Collection, 1940-1994 (DC007)
Williams, W. P., Papers, 1864-1896 and 1980 (DC0216s)
Wilson, Samuel Blain Owen, Letters, 1841 (DC0144s)