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Collection Number: 04501

Collection Title: Frank Hunter Kennedy Papers, 1789-1987

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.


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Size 10.5 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 6000 items)
Abstract Frank Hunter Kennedy received his A.B. from the University of North Carolina in 1913, served as principal of Lees-McRae Institute in Plumtree, N.C., 1914-1915, and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1918. He practiced law in Charlotte, N.C., 1918-1970. Kennedy and his wife, Margaret (Rita) Letzer Kennedy, had three children: Margaret, Mary Hunter, and Philip. Chiefly personal correspondence of Frank Hunter and Rita Kennedy with family members and friends. Most items from the period 1912-1916 are love letters to Frank Kennedy from young women attending the North Carolina State Normal and Industrial College in Greensboro, N.C. These letters provide some detail about student life in a women's college. Kennedy described his experiences at Harvard Law School in a letter of 21 November 1915. Most of the correspondence for the period 1919-1921 concerns Kennedy's law practice in Charlotte. Beginning in the 1930s and continuing into the 1970s, most items are personal letters to and from Rita Kennedy, chiefly from her son Philip. Correspondence from 1951 documents Philip's studies and activities in Paris, France. Also included are memorabilia and dance cards from the University of North Carolina, circa 1913, and materials relating to Frank Kennedy's years as principal of the Lees-McRae Institute. Later additions include family correspondence from 1877 to 1983, Frank Hunter Kennedy's Harvard Law School notes, materials relating to Frank Kennedy's death in 1975, and his children's correspondence, Margaret Kennedy from 1948 to 1958 and Philip Kennedy from 1946 to 1987. There are also a few 18- and 19-century family papers.
Creator Kennedy, Frank Hunter, 1893-1975.
Curatorial Unit University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection.
Language English
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Restrictions to Access
No restrictions. Open for research.
Copyright Notice
Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], in the Frank Hunter Kennedy papers #4501, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Acquisitions Information
Created 24 November 1987 from material transferred from the Mary Hunter Kennedy Papers (#3242). Additions received from Philip Kennedy in January 1997 (acc. 97008) and Margaret Kennedy in December 1997 (acc. 98002).
Received from Margaret H. Kennedy of New York City on 31 December 1997.
Sensitive Materials Statement
Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.
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Processed by: Michael L. Van Cott, November 1987; Adera Scheinker, November 1997, March 1998

Encoded by: ByteManagers Inc., 2008

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The 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.

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Biographical Information

Frank Hunter Kennedy, son of Philip Butler Kennedy and Elizabeth Susan Dalton Kennedy, was born in Iredell County, N.C., 15 April 1893. Kennedy received his A.B. from the University of North Carolina in 1913 and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1918. Before he entered Harvard, Kennedy taught high school Latin in New Bern, N.C., 1913-1914. Kennedy also served as principal of Lees-McCray Institute in Plumtree, N.C., 1914-1915.

After graduating from law school, Kennedy opened his own law office in Charlotte, N.C., where he practiced from 1918 to 1924. From 1925 to 1937, Kennedy was a partner in the Charlotte law firm of Tillett, Tillett, and Kennedy. From 1948 to 1957, Kennedy was a senior partner in the Charlotte law firm of Kennedy, Covington, Lodbell and Hickman. Kennedy continued to practice law until his retirement in 1970.

Kennedy married Margaret Letzer (called Rita). They had three children: Margaret, Mary Hunter, and Philip. Frank Hunter Kennedy lived in Charlotte, N.C., until his death on 19 December 1975.

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Chiefly personal correspondence of Frank Hunter and Rita Kennedy with family members and friends. Also included are memorabilia and dance cards from the University of North Carolina, circa 1913, and materials relating to Frank Kennedy's years as principal of the Lees-McCray Institute. Later additions include family correspondence, 1877-1983, Frank Hunter Kennedy's Harvard Law School notes, materials relating to Frank Kennedy's death in 1975, and his children's correspondence, Margaret Kennedy from 1948 to 1958 and Philip Kennedy from 1946 to 1987. There are also eighteenth- and nineteenth-century family papers.

Personal correspondence of Frank Hunter Kennedy and his wife Rita with family members and friends includes letters from 1877 to 1912 about family affairs, postcards sent to the Kennedys from friends and family members, and letters about life at various schools. The bulk of the letters for the period 1912-1916 are love letters to Kennedy from several young women, many of whom attended North Carolina State Normal and Industrial College in Greensboro, N.C. In addition to its romantic content, this correspondence provides some detail about student life at a women's college in the early twentieth century. Also of interest is a letter dated 21 November 1915 in which Frank Kennedy describes his experiences at Harvard Law School.

Most of the correspondence for the period 1919-1921 concerns Kennedy's law practice in Charlotte, N.C.

Beginning in the 1930s and continuing into the 1970s, the bulk of the correspondence consists of personal letters to and from Rita Kennedy. These are chiefly from Philip Kennedy, although letters to and from Rita's other children, and letters between the children are also included. These letters document the close relationship between the Kennedys and their children.

Correspondence from the 1950s and 1960s traces Philip Kennedy's academic career and the continued financial support he received from his parents. Correspondence of 1951 documents Philip's studies and activities in Paris, France.

The last two folders of the first box contain memorabilia and dance cards from the University of North Carolina, circa 1913, and materials relating to Frank Kennedy's years as principal of the Lees-McCray Institute, Plumtree, N.C.

The Margaret Kennedy papers filed in folders 127-176 cover her life from high school through young adulthood. Many of the letters are from suitors, friends, and family members discussing social occasions and relations and university and employment activities. Also letters of interest are to Margaret from Hannah Nixon, mother of Richard Nixon, and friend of Margaret Kennedy's aunt, in which she invited Margaret, a graduate student at Berkley, to visit the Nixon home.

The Philip Kennedy correspondence and papers in folders 177-197 chronicles his life from his teenage years in prep school through adulthood. It contains information about his life and that of his family, especially about his time at the University of North Carolina, his work with folk music, his marriage to Laura Hasenpflung, and his Ph.D. in French.

Folders 198-210 contain primarily family papers from Kennedy's ancestors. Most of these are account books and school journals of members of the Houston family.

Account ledgers of Frank Hunter Kennedy in three volumes covering 1942-1970 and Kennedy's Harvard law school notes in nine bound volumes are filed in folders 211-222. The law school notebooks cover various law classes Kennedy took at Harvard in 1917-1918. The books are not differentiated by topic, date or class.

Correspondence written to Margaret Kennedy, Philip Kennedy, Frank and Rita Kennedy. The majority of these letters are from friends and family discussing family lives and local events. The Frank and Rita Kennedy letters include correspondence from Anna Kennedy, Frank's sister, chronicling her 1959 trip across Europe. The collection also includes collected nineteenth-century church books and novelettes, school papers of the Kennedy children, diaries, and mostly unidentified photographs of family members.

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Contents list

expand/collapse Expand/collapse Frank Hunter Kennedy Papers, 1789-1987.

Folder 1

1902-August 1911

Folder 2

September-December 1911

Folder 3

January-February 1912

Folder 4

March-April 1912

Folder 5

May-August 1912

Folder 6

September-October 1912

Folder 7

November 1912

Folder 8

December 1912-January 1913

Folder 9

February-March 1913

Folder 10

April-June 1913

Folder 11

July-September 1913

Folder 12

October 1913

Folder 13

November-December 1913

Folder 14

January-May 1914

Folder 15

June-July 1914

Folder 16

August-15 September 1914

Folder 17

16 September-October 1914

Folder 18

November 1914

Folder 19

December 1914

Folder 20

January 1915

Folder 21

February 1915

Folder 22

1-21 March 1915

Folder 23

22 March-6 April 1915

Folder 24

7-19 April 1915

Folder 25

20 April-10 May 1915

Folder 26

11-18 May 1915

Folder 27

19 May-14 June 1915

Folder 28

15 June-July 1915

Folder 29

August 1915

Folder 30

September-December 1915

Folder 31

1916-1919

Folder 32

Undated letters, circa 1911-1916

Folder 33

January-September 1920

Folder 34

October 1920

Folder 35

November 1920-1921

Folder 36

1922-June 1928

Folder 37

July 1928-December 1929

Folder 38

circa 1928-1929

Folder 39

1930-1932

Folder 40

1933-March 1937

Folder 41

June 1937-1941

Folder 42

1942-September 1945

Folder 43

October 1945-1946

Folder 44

1947-1948

Folder 45

1949

Folder 46

1950-July 1951

Folder 47

August 1951

Folder 48

September 1951

Folder 49

October-November 1951

Folder 50

December 1951

Folder 51

1952-September 1953

Folder 52

October 1953-June 1954

Folder 53

July 1954-July 1955

Folder 54

August 1955-August 1957

Folder 55

September 1957-March 1959

Folder 56

April-September 1959

Folder 57

October 1959-May 1960

Folder 58

June 1960-June 1961

Folder 59

July-December 1961

Folder 60

January-June 1962

Folder 61

July-December 1962

Folder 62

1963-1964

Folder 63

1965

Folder 64

1966

Folder 65

January-April 1967

Folder 66

May-August 1967

Folder 67

September-December 1967

Folder 68

1968

Folder 69

1969-May 1971

Folder 70

June 1971-1975

Folder 71

1976-1981

Folder 72-74

Folder 72

Folder 73

Folder 74

Undated

Folder 75

UNC memorabilia

Folder 76

Lees-McCray Institute

Folder 77

Family Correspondence Addition 1877-1906

Folder 78

Family Correspondence Addition 1907-08

Folder 79

Family Correspondence Addition 1909

Folder 80

Family Correspondence Addition 1910

Folder 81

Family Correspondence Addition 1911

Folder 82

Family Correspondence Addition 1912

Folder 83

Family Correspondence Addition 1913

Folder 84

Family Correspondence Addition 1914

Folder 85

Family Correspondence Addition 1915

Folder 86

Family Correspondence Addition 1916-1919

Folder 87

Family Correspondence Addition 1920-1922

Folder 88

Family Correspondence Addition 1923

Folder 89

Family Correspondence Addition 1924

Folder 90

Family Correspondence Addition 1925-29

Folder 91

Family Correspondence Addition 1930-32

Folder 92

Family Correspondence Addition 1933-37

Folder 93

Family Correspondence Addition 1938-46

Folder 94

Family Correspondence Addition 1947-49

Folder 95

Family Correspondence Addition 1950-51

Folder 96

Family Correspondence Addition 1952-54

Folder 97

Family Correspondence Addition 1955-56

Folder 98

Family Correspondence Addition 1957-59

Folder 99

Family Correspondence Addition 1960-69

Folder 100

Family Correspondence Addition 1970-73

Folder 101

Family Correspondence Addition 1974-83

Folder 102

Family Correspondence Addition Undated

Folder 103

Frank Kennedy's Death (December 1975)

Folder 104

Death of Betty D. Kennedy (January 1926)

Folder 105

Memorandum book, 1907

Folder 106

Notebook, 1910

Folder 107

DI Literary Society Bank Book, 1911-12

Folder 108

Law Notes/Patents, 1916-1917

Folder 109

Law Notes/Equity, circa 1915-18

Folder 110

School Records

Folder 111

Harvard University Letters

Folder 112

NC Law Notes [1918?] (1 of 3)

Folder 113

NC Law Notes [1918?] (2 of 3)

Folder 114

NC Law Notes [1918?] (3 of 3)

Folder 115

Mutual Building and Loan Association of Charlotte, NC payment book, 1919-22

Folder 116

Stock, 1938-66

Folder 117

Financial Material

Folder 118

Real Estate

Folder 119

Knights of Pythias

Folder 120

Programs and Postcards

Folder 121

Greeting Cards

Folder 122

School Papers

Folder 123

Pamphlets

Folder 124

Invitations and Announcements

Folder 125

Poems, Notes, and Miscellaneous Papers

Folder 126

Newspaper Clippings

Folder 127

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1944

Folder 128

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence September-October 1948

Folder 129

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence November-December 1948

Folder 130

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence January-February 1949

Folder 131

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence April-July 1949

Folder 132

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence September-November 1949

Folder 133

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence January-February 1950

Folder 134

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence March-April 1950

Folder 135

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence May-June 1950

Folder 136

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence July-August 1950

Folder 137

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence September-December 1950

Folder 138

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence January-April 1951

Folder 139

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence May-June 1951

Folder 140

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence July 1951

Folder 141

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence August-December 1951

Folder 142

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1952

Folder 143

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence January-April 1953

Folder 144

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence May-June 1953

Folder 145

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence June-July 1953

Folder 146

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence August 1953

Folder 147

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence September 1953

Folder 148

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence October-December 1953

Folder 149

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence January 1954

Folder 150

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence February 1954

Folder 151

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence March 1954

Folder 152

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence April-May 1954

Folder 153

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence June-July 1954

Folder 154

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence August-September 1954

Folder 155

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence October 1954

Folder 156

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence November 1954

Folder 157

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence December 1954

Folder 158

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence March-May 1955 (Hannah M. Nixon letters)

Folder 159

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence January-March 1955

Folder 160

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence April-July 1955

Folder 161

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence August 1955

Folder 162

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence September-December 1955

Folder 163

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence January-March 1956

Folder 164

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence April-May 1956

Folder 165

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence June-August 1956

Folder 166

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence September-December 1956

Folder 167

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence January-March 1957

Folder 168

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence April-August 1957

Folder 169

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence September-December 1957

Folder 170

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1958

Folder 171

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence Undated

Folder 172

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence Greeting Cards

Folder 173

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence Newspaper clippings

Folder 174

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence Printed Items

Folder 175

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence Miscellaneous

Folder 176

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence Undated notes

Folder 177

Philip Kennedy Correspondence 1946-48

Folder 178

Philip Kennedy Correspondence 1950-53

Folder 179

Philip Kennedy Correspondence 1957-59

Folder 180

Philip Kennedy Correspondence January 1960

Folder 181

Philip Kennedy Correspondence February 1960

Folder 182

Philip Kennedy Correspondence March 1960

Folder 183

Philip Kennedy Correspondence May 1960

Folder 184

Philip Kennedy Correspondence September-December 1961

Folder 185

Philip Kennedy Correspondence 1961

Folder 186

Philip Kennedy Correspondence 1963-67

Folder 187

Philip Kennedy Correspondence 1971

Folder 188

Philip Kennedy Correspondence 1973-77

Folder 189

Philip Kennedy Correspondence 1981-1987

Folder 190

Philip Kennedy Correspondence Undated

Folder 192

Philip Kennedy Correspondence Greeting cards

Folder 193

Philip Kennedy Correspondence Greeting cards

Folder 194

Philip Kennedy Correspondence Printed Items

Folder 195

Philip Kennedy Correspondence Financial

Folder 196

Philip Kennedy Correspondence School records

Folder 197

Philip Kennedy Correspondence Journal

Folder 198

Other Family Papers Mary C. Houston, arithmetic book, 1826

Folder 199

Other Family Papers Account book, Iredell County, 1789-1798

Folder 200

Other Family Papers Thomas F. Houston, arithmetic book, 1830

Folder 201

Other Family Papers Christopher A. Houston, Arithmetic book, 1833

Folder 202

Other Family Papers Jonesville Male and Female Academies Annual Catalog, 1856

Folder 203

Other Family Papers John M. Young, Account book, 1857-59

Folder 204

Other Family Papers Thomas F. Houston, Latin notebook, 1831

Folder 205

Other Family Papers Notebook, 1871

Folder 206

Other Family Papers Dalton & Kennedy Account Book, 1877-78

Folder 207

Other Family Papers Mellinger E. Henry, List of Autographs and Autograph letters in library

Folder 208

Other Family Papers Mrs. M.E. Henry, Notebook, 1931

Folder 209

Other Family Papers Mellinger E. Henry

Folder 210

Other Family Papers Miscellaneous

Folder 211

Frank Hunter Kennedy Notebooks Account book, 1942-1948

Folder 212

Frank Hunter Kennedy Notebooks Account book, 1949-1956

Folder 213

Frank Hunter Kennedy Notebooks Account book, 1957-1970

Folder 214-222

Folder 214

Folder 215

Folder 216

Folder 217

Folder 218

Folder 219

Folder 220

Folder 221

Folder 222

Frank Hunter Kennedy Notebooks Law notebooks

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Addition of December 1997 (Acc.98002).

Folder 223

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1940 - May 1956

Folder 224

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence April - December 1956

Folder 225

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1957 - 1959

Folder 226-227

Folder 226

Folder 227

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1960

Folder 228

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1961

Folder 229

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1962

Folder 230

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1963

Folder 231

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1964

Folder 232

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1965

Folder 233-234

Folder 233

Folder 234

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1966

Folder 235

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1967

Folder 238-239

Folder 238

Folder 239

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1970

Folder 240

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1971

Folder 241

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1972

Folder 242

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1980 - 1982

Folder 243

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1983 - 1985

Folder 244

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1986 - 1987

Folder 245

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence 1988 - 1996

Folder 246-248

Folder 246

Folder 247

Folder 248

Margaret Kennedy Correspondence Undated

Folder 249

Philip Kennedy Correspondence 1952 - 1955

Folder 250

Philip Kennedy Correspondence 1956 - 1958

Folder 251-252

Folder 251

Folder 252

Philip Kennedy Correspondence 1960

Folder 253

Philip Kennedy Correspondence 1961

Folder 254

Philip Kennedy Correspondence 1962 - 1963

Folder 255

Philip Kennedy Correspondence 1964 - 1966

Folder 256

Philip Kennedy Correspondence 1967 - 1969

Folder 257

Philip Kennedy Correspondence 1970 - 1981

Folder 258

Philip Kennedy Correspondence Undated

Folder 259

Frank and Rita Kennedy Correspondence 1912 - 1958

Folder 260

Frank and Rita Kennedy Correspondence 1959 January - April

Folder 261

Frank and Rita Kennedy Correspondence 1959 May - June

Folder 262

Frank and Rita Kennedy Correspondence 1959 July - December

Folder 263

Frank and Rita Kennedy Correspondence 1960

Folder 264

Frank and Rita Kennedy Correspondence 1961

Folder 265

Frank and Rita Kennedy Correspondence 1962 - 1963

Folder 266

Frank and Rita Kennedy Correspondence 1964 - 1967

Folder 267

Frank and Rita Kennedy Correspondence 1968 - 1977

Folder 268

Frank and Rita Kennedy Correspondence 1979 - 1980

Folder 269

Frank and Rita Kennedy Correspondence 1981 - 1982

Folder 270

Frank and Rita Kennedy Correspondence 1983 - 1987

Folder 271

Frank and Rita Kennedy Correspondence Undated

Folder 272

Other Papers Nineteenth-century paper novelettes

Folder 273

Other Papers Treatise on the Vine, book on agriculture, and books of church music

Folder 274

Other Papers 1920s church books on missionaries and the life of Jesus

Folder 275

Other Papers Margaret Kennedy memorabilia, grade school papers and achievements

Folder 276

Other Papers Margaret Kennedy memorabilia, college and graduate school notes, papers and diploma

Folder 277

Other Papers Margaret Kennedy memorabilia, diaries 1951 - 1955

Folder 278

Other Papers Margaret Kennedy memorabilia, sketch book and Life Magazine of July 1951 with cover story on her debutante ball

Image Folder PF-4501/1

Philip Kennedy photographs

Image Folder PF-4501/2

Margaret Kennedy photographs

Image Folder PF-4501/3

Miscellaneous photographs

Image Folder PF-4501/4

Family photographs

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