This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the Duplication Policy section for more information.
This collection was rehoused and a summary created with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities; this finding aid was created with support from NC ECHO.
Size | 1.5 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 300 items) |
Abstract | Thomas Hume (1836-1912) was a Baptist clergyman of various locations in Virginia, and professor of English at the University of North Carolina, 1885-1912. The collection includes correspondence, sermons, class lecture materials, financial and legal papers, biographical and genealogical material, and other papers of Thomas Hume. Correspondence mainly consists of recommendations for Thomas Hume's appointment as professor of English language and literature at the University of North Carolina and expressions of sympathy to the family on his death. Other letters concern family, business, and church-related matters. Also included are volumes containing sketches of sermons, class lecture materials, and accounts of travel in Europe. Some financial accounts date from the late 18th century. Biographical material relates to Thomas Hume and his father, Thomas Hume (1812-1875). Genealogical material contains data on the Crocker, Gregory, Godwin, Borland, Baynham, and Hodges families. |
Creator | Hume, Thomas, 1836-1912. |
Curatorial Unit | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection. |
Language | English |
Processed by: SHC Staff
Encoded by: Noah Huffman, December 2007
Updated by: Kate Stratton and Jodi Berkowitz, September 2009
Updated because of addition, November 2018
This collection was rehoused and a summary created with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
This finding aid was created with support from NC ECHO.
Diacritics and other special characters have been omitted from this finding aid to facilitate keyword searching in web browsers.
Back to TopThe following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
Thomas Hume (1836-1912) was a Baptist clergyman of various locations in Virginia, and professor of English at the University of North Carolina, 1885-1912. Hume was born in Portsmouth, Va., the son of Rev. Thomas Hume, a Baptist minister, and Mary Anne Gregory Hume. He attended Virginia Collegiate Institute at Portsmouth in preparation for college and gained distinction as a student of languages. At the age of 15, Hume entered Richmond College from which he graduated four years later (B.A. 1855). One year later Hume entered the University of Virginia where he obtained degrees in several fields. While attending this institution he served as Washington society editor of The Literary Magazine and as president of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), which he helped to organize.
In the late 1850s Hume accepted the position of professor of English and French Literature at Chesapeake Female College; however, the Civil War soon broke up the institution. Hume joined the 3rd Regiment, Virginia Infantry, and served as chaplain. Soon he was transferred to the post chaplaincy at Petersburg, Va. He remained in Petersburg as chaplain to the Confederate hospitals until the end of the war.
After the war Hume became principal of the Petersburg Classical Institute, a college preparatory school. He traveled and studied abroad and, on his return, became president of Roanoke College in Danville, Va. He served the Baptist church there for several years. Hume returned to Norfolk, Va., in 1874 to succeed his father as pastor of the First Baptist Church. In 1878 he became professor of English and Latin at Norfolk College, a position he held until his move to Chapel Hill, N.C.
Thomas Hume married Annie Louise Whitescarver in October 1878, and to them were born four children: Thomas, Ann Wilson, Mary Baynham Gregory, and Helen. In 1885 Hume became professor of English Language and Literature at the University of North Carolina. Throughout his life, he devoted much time to religious work and biblical assemblies. The National Executive Committee of the YMCA nominated Hume as director of their Christian work in towns and colleges in North Carolina, a position which he served for five years after coming to this state.
Hume received his bachelor's degree and later a doctor of divinity degree from Richmond College in Virginia. He also received an LL.D. from Wake Forest College in North Carolina. He was a member of the Modern Language Association of America and served as president of the Shakespeare and the Philological clubs of the University of North Carolina, and the North Carolina Baptist Historical Society. In 1907 the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching granted Hume an annuity, the first award of its kind to be bestowed on a North Carolina teacher. Subsequently, Hume resigned his position with the University partly because of his poor health, but apparently primarily out of a desire to devote more time to research.
Back to TopCorrespondence and volumes comprise the bulk of this collection. Correspondence mainly consists of recommendations for Thomas Hume's appointment as professor of English Language and Literature at the University of North Carolina and expressions of sympathy to the family on his death. Other letters concern family, business, and church-related matters. The volumes chiefly consist of sketches of sermons and class lecture materials. Other volumes concern Hume's travel through Europe, financial accounts, and genealogy. Biographical material relates to Thomas Hume and his father, Rev. Thomas Hume (1812-1875), while genealogical material includes data on the Crocker, Gregory, Godwin, Borland, Baynham, and Hodges families. Some financial and legal materials and some printed materials are also included.
Back to TopChiefly letters to Thomas Hume from friends, and church and business associates. Letters dated 1838 and 1860-1867 generally concern family matters. Correspondence around 1885 consists almost entirely of letters recommending Hume for a position in the English Department at the University of North Carolina. Letters from 1886 to 1909 again concern family and business matters. The correspondence for 1910 and 1913 chiefly consists of recommendations for Hume's son, Thomas Hume Junior (1879-1950). Correspondence in 1912 is among family members and concerns the death of Thomas Hume. Correspondents in this series include Kemp P. Battle, Francis Venable, and Josephus Daniels.
Folder 1a |
Original finding aid |
Folder 1 |
1838, 1860-1861, 1863-1834, 1867 |
Folder 2-4
Folder 2Folder 3Folder 4 |
1885 |
Folder 5 |
1886 |
Folder 6 |
1887 |
Folder 7 |
1889-1898 |
Folder 8 |
1899-1902 |
Folder 9 |
1907 |
Folder 10 |
1908-1911 |
Folder 11-12
Folder 11Folder 12 |
1912 |
Folder 13 |
1913 and undated |
Items dated through 1906 and one undated item are receipts for household goods, furniture, and books. A 1907 conveyance of property and an undated, incomplete legal brief concerning Thomas Hume versus Overseers of the Poor of Princess Anne County are included.
Folder 14 |
1882, 1886, 1906-1907 and undated |
Chiefly biographical material concerning Thomas Hume in the form of magazine articles, newspaper clippings, and unsigned narratives. Several narratives are included on Hume's father, Thomas Hume (1812-1875). Genealogical information concerns the maternal ancestors and relatives of Margaret Jane Crocker, ancestor of Thomas Hume, and lists data on the Crocker, Gregory, Godwin, Borland, Baynham, and Hodges families.
Folder 15 |
Thomas Hume Senior (1836-1912) |
Folder 16-18
Folder 16Folder 17Folder 18 |
Thomas Hume Junior (1879-1950) |
Folder 19-20
Folder 19Folder 20 |
Related families |
Mainly articles published by Thomas Hume in various magazines and newspapers. Included are published letters recommending Hume for a position in the English Department at the University of North Carolina, and a book entitled Centennial of Court Street Baptist Church, Portsmouth, Virginia, 1890, which includes biographical information on Hume and his father.
Folder 21 |
1884-1887 |
Folder 22 |
1890 |
Folder 23 |
1897, 1903, 1909, 1911, and undated |
Image P-3239/1 |
Thomas Hume Senior, undated |
Image P-3239/2 |
Unidentified woman, undated |
Folder 24 |
Volume 1: Genealogy, accounts, and correspondence, 1777-1807 and undated |
Folder 25 |
Volume 2: Sermon notes and travel diary, 1829-1849; accounts, 1833 and 1848 |
Folder 26-32
Folder 26Folder 27Folder 28Folder 29Folder 30Folder 31Folder 32 |
Volumes 3-9: Sermon notes, 1875-1878 |
Folder 33 |
Volume 10: Pocket diary, 1862-1866 |
Folder 34 |
Volume 11: Travel diary, Europe, 1867 |
Folder 35-36
Folder 35Folder 36 |
Volumes 12-13: Instructor's notebook, 1868-1869 |
Folder 37 |
Volume 14: Lecture outlines, 1883-1884 |
Folder 38 |
Volume 15: Instructor's notebook, 1904-1907 |
Folder 39 |
Volume 16: Quotations and excerpts, undated; accounts, 1867-1870 |
Folder 40 |
Volume 17: Sketches of poets and excerpts of poems, undated |
Folder 41 |
Volume 18: Scrapbook, Mary Baynham Gregory Hume, 1899 |
Folder 42 |
Volume 19: Account book, 1907-1911 |
Folder 43 |
Volume 20: Genealogy, Hume, Wynn, Baker, 1908 |
Principally English Language and Literature lecture notes (unbound), course outlines, and test questions. Diplomas and certificates of Thomas Hume are included along with calling cards, invitations, and other miscellaneous materials.
Folder 44 |
1856-1909 |
Extra Oversize Paper Folder X-OPF-3239/1 |
Oversize papers |
Acquisitions Information: Acc. 101494.
Box 4 |
Genealogical papers of Vans (Vance) family, circa 500-1929 AD |
Correspondence and poems, circa 1900-1960s |
|
"Skeleton of Light," Thomas Vance, 1961, and associated papers |