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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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Collection Overview
| Size | 1.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 500 items) |
| Abstract | Papers of the Rice, Thompson, and Winbourne families of North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, and Virginia are chiefly mid to late nineteenth-century letters received by farmer and carpenter Thomas Rice of Randolph County, N.C., and by one of his daughters Mary Elizabeth Rice Thompson (Lizzie) before and after her marriage in 1872. Siblings, parents and children, in-laws, cousins, and friends write on varied topics, primarily family, children, farming, crops, economic conditions, church and religion, health, grief, and the deaths of loved ones. Other topics include gardening, social life, politics, particularly in Florida after the Civil War, teaching and teachers at Normal and Common schools, boarding with families and taking boarders, college studies, homesteading in Colorado, and mineral wealth in Alaska. Passing mentions to African Americans in the community are made in some letters. Letters written during the Civil War reflect the attitudes and experiences of both Confederate soldiers and civilians living in the South. Some Reconstruction era letters refer to interactions with Federal soldiers, Radicals in the state and national governments, and economic difficulties. Also included are two land transaction documents, a copy of a will, newspaper clippings with obituaries and funeral notifications, printed items including materials from the University of North Carolina's 1901 commencement, genealogical information and family charts, and photographic copy negatives of children in the 1920s. |
| Creator | Rice Family.
Thompson Family. Winbourne Family. |
| Curatorial Unit | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection. |
| Language | English |
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Information For Users
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Processing Information
Processed by: Laura Hart, May 2016
Encoded by: Laura Hart, May 2016
Updated by: Nancy Kaiser, January 2021
Donor's original arrangement of the letters by recipient was retained, and transcriptions of the letters compiled by the donor are filed after each grouping of letters.
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Subject Headings
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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Biographical Information
Thomas Rice (1803-1893) of Randolph County, N.C., married Absala Williams Winbourne (1810-1897) in 1834. They had ten children: Stephen Winbourne Rice (1834-1889), Wilbur Fisk Rice (1836-1908), Nathan Walter Rice (1838-1840), Mary Elizabeth Rice (1841-1921), Sarah Joanna Rice (1848-1934), Marilla Frances Rice (1845-1914), Lucy Jane Rice (1847-1902), Absala Adelaide Rice (1849-1912), Thomas Bond Rice (1851), and David Thomas Rice (1853-1854). Thomas Rice's sister Sarah Rice Franklin lived in Castalian Springs, Tenn., his brother David Rice lived in Goodletsville, Tenn., and his brother John Rice lived in Henry County, Va. Winbourne cousins from Absala Winbourne Rice's side of the family lived in Somerville, Tenn., Larkensville, Ala., Greensboro, N.C., and Denver City in the Colorado Territory.
Mary Elizabeth Rice (Lizzie) married David Matthew Thompson (1844-1925) in 1872. They had three children: Holland McTyeire Thompson (1873-1940), Walter Thompson (1875-1921), and Dorman Steele Thompson (1878-1923). This branch of the family lived in Lincoln County, N.C., and Iredell County, N.C.
Wilbur Fisk Rice married Fannie Donnelly (d. 1883) with whom he had four children: Mary Williams Rice (Mamie), Thomas Donnely Rice (1878-1939), Wilbur Calhoun Rice (1880-1917), and Lucy Rice (b. 1883). After Fannie's death Wilbur Fisk Rice married Emma J. Parker (d. 1919). This branch of the family resided in Alachua County, Fla.
Information was drawn from family charts created by the collection's donor and from the content of letters in the collection.
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Scope and Content
Papers of the Rice, Thompson, and Winbourne families of North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, and Virginia are chiefly mid to late nineteenth-century letters received by farmer and carpenter Thomas Rice of Randolph County, N.C., and by one of his daughters Mary Elizabeth Rice Thompson (Lizzie) before and after her marriage in 1872. Other letter recipients are Absala Williams Winbourne Rice, Stephen Winbourne Rice, Wilbur Fisk Rice, Sarah Joanna Rice, Absala Adelaide Rice (Addie), Marilla Frances Rice (Fanny), D. Matthew Thompson, and Dorman Thompson. Frequent correspondents include Wilbur Fisk Rice and Fannie Donnely Rice writing from Alachua County, Fla., specifically Gainesville and Arredondo, John Winbourne writing from Larkinsville, Ala., Thomas Rice's friend Z.F. Rush writing from Burke County, N.C., Thomas's siblings writing from Tennessee and Virginia, and Mattie Winbourne writing from the Colorado Territory.
Siblings, parents and children, in-laws, cousins, and friends write on varied topics, primarily family, children, farming, crops, economic conditions, church and religion, health, grief, and the deaths of loved ones. Other topics include gardening, carpentry work, temperance movement, social life, national and local politics, particularly in Florida after the Civil War, teaching and teachers at Normal and Common schools, boarding with families and taking boarders, college studies, homesteading in Colorado, and mineral wealth in Alaska. Passing mentions to African Americans in the community are made in some letters written during and after the Civil War.
Letters written during the Civil War reflect the attitudes and experiences of both Confederate soldiers and civilians living in the South. Stephen Rice serving in the 2nd North Carolina Calvary Regiment for the Confederate States of America, Wilbur Fisk Rice, and Lizzie Rice's pen pal H. P. Kinzey write about marches, horses, provisions, camp, progress of the war, Confederate army officers, casualties, health, and why they fight. Civilians write about worthless Confederate money, scarcity of food, fear, and hopes for peace. Some Reconstruction era letters refer to interactions with Federal soldiers, Radicals in the state and national governments, and economic difficulties.
Letters received by Lizzie Rice in the 1860s from women friends and school administrators reflect the experiences of teachers in Common and Normal schools, including the number and quality of their students or "scholars," salary, living with families in the community, the communities in which they lived, and the viability of the schools' remaining open in difficult economic circumstances.
Also included are two 1876 land transaction documents for D. Matthew Thompson; a copy of Emma Parker Rice's will; newspaper clippings with obituaries and funeral notifications; printed items including materials from the University of North Carolina's 1901 commencement and a program for an 1899 debate between the Dialectic Society and Philanthropic Society; genealogical information and family charts with birth, death, and marriage dates; and photographic copy negatives of children in the 1920s possibly taken in Manchester, Vt.
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Series Quick Links
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Series 1. Rice and Winbourne Families, 1838-1972 and undated.
Arrangement: By recipient of letters.
The original order created by the collection's donor was retained. Letters are grouped by the recipient, and letters within those groupings are arranged chronologically. The original letters and the transcriptions compiled by the donor are in sequential folders.
Folder 1-2
Folder 1Folder 2 |
Letters received by Thomas Rice,1838-1848Originals Transcriptions Correspondents include Leroy Rice writing from Danville, Va., Thomas's brothers David Rice and James Rice and sister Sarah Rice writing from Castalian Springs, Tenn., and his brother John Rice writing from Henry County, Va. Topics include family, crops, religion, and politics. In a letter dated 18 November 1838, Leroy Rice writes about Aunt Margaret's mistreatment of Thomas's sister Sarah, "the fact is she acts most shamefully towards Sarah also John says she treats her more like a negro than a Sister in law...do you think that such treatment as that can be stood by a parcel of Brothers to see a sister domineered over by an old I had almost said devil for I can not find words to express my contempt for her." In a letter dated 18 February 1843, David Rice discusses sentiment toward "Old Hickory" Andrew Jackson and the Democrats. Of interest are several references to Sarah Rice's joining the "Campbellite Church" and her zealotry. |
Folder 3-4
Folder 3Folder 4 |
Letters received by Thomas Rice, 1859-1871Originals Transcriptions Correspondents include Thomas Rice's sons and nephews writing from Virginia, Colorado, Florida and Alabama. In a letter dated 9 April 1863, Stephen Rice writing from Orange Court House, Va., describes conditions in the army, "such a march I have never experienced before...the roads were so muddy that it was almost impossible to get allong either riding or walking. We left lots of old horses sticking in the mud along the road." His nephew Stephen D. Winbourne writing from Fort Lupton, Colo., describes business prospects there. "Carpenters get from $5 to $8 in Denver per day...Raising hay is the most profitable business here....Also William [and] I speak of putting up a saw mill." His son Wilbur Rice writing from Gainesville, Fla., and his nephew J.A. Winbourne writing from Larkinsville, Ala., discuss climate, crops, health, and family. Also included is an 1859 letter pertaining to repair work Thomas Rice completed on a church. |
Folder 5-6
Folder 5Folder 6 |
Letters received by Thomas Rice, February-April1872Originals Transcriptions Correspondents are Thomas Rice's sons Stephen Rice and Wilbur Rice, and James Thayer of Davidson County, N.C. Thayer's letters pertain to land. Wilbur Rice writing from Florida chiefly discusses crops, but in a 22 April 1872 letter, he writes about the state's political upheaval since the impeachment of the governor, Harrison Reed. "Reed the Carpet Bager was bad enough but Day the Scallawag is worse. So we honest folks encourage the quarrel." |
Folder 7-8
Folder 7Folder 8 |
Letters received by Thomas Rice, May-June1872Originals Transcriptions Correspondents are Thomas Rice's sons Stephen Rice writing from Lexington, N.C., and Wilbur Rice writing from Gainesville, Fla. Topics include crops, land, health, and family. |
Folder 9-10
Folder 9Folder 10 |
Letters received by Thomas Rice, August-November1872Originals Transcriptions Letters are from Thomas Rice's son Wilbur Rice writing from Gainesville, Fla. Topics include crops, health, and the expected election of a "Conservative Ticket" in Florida. |
Folder 11-12
Folder 11Folder 12 |
Letters received by Thomas Rice, 1875Originals Transcriptions Correspondents are Thomas Rice's sons Stephen Rice writing from Lexington, N.C., and Wilbur Rice writing from Gainesville, Fla., and his son-in-law D. Matt Thompson writing from the Rock Spring Seminary in Lincoln County, N.C. Topics include crops and family and children. In a letter dated 23 October 1875, Thompson writes, "Our school is doing tolerably well. We have between forty and fifty scholars. Several music scholars. Our section of the country seems to be a good deal depressed owing to scarcity of money. We are rather looking forward to a livelier time this winter. Cotton is right good, better than was expected some time ago. Price about 13 cts." |
Folder 13-14
Folder 13Folder 14 |
Letters received by Thomas Rice, 1876Originals Transcriptions Letters are from Thomas Rice's son Wilbur Rice writing from Gainesville, Fla. Topics include crops, health, and politics in Florida. In a letter dated 21 December 1876, Wilbur writes, "Well our returning Board has succeeded in cheating us out of the Election again but we expect to give them a race for it. it is now in the Supreme Court and the Congressional Committee is now in the State investigating the frauds." |
Folder 15-16
Folder 15Folder 16 |
Letters received by Thomas Rice, 1877Originals Transcriptions Letters are from Thomas Rice's son Wilbur Rice and Wilbur's wife Fannie D. Rice writing from Florida. Topics include crops, particularly vegetables, sales, land, family and children, health, and move from Gainesville to Arredondo, Fla. In a letter dated 4 May 1877, Wilbur writes, "Our people lost money on their vegetables last year from Sundry causes but it looks now as if they would make it up this Season. I shall build and move to within 1 1/2 miles of Arredondo Farm grow fruit attend to the Agency [railroad] there and my duties as Justice of the Peace which pays something. a Justice here has jurisdiction over all misdemeanors Petty Larceny [etc.]." |
Folder 17-18
Folder 17Folder 18 |
Letters received by Thomas Rice, 1878-1879Originals Transcriptions Letters are chiefly from Thomas Rice's son Wilbur Rice writing from Arredondo, Fla. Other correspondents are Z. F. Rush writing from Trinity College and later Happy Home, N.C., Thomas's brother David Rice writing from Goodletsville, Tenn., and David's widow Nancy Rice, following David's death Topics include family and children, religion, social life, and health. In a letter dated 9 September 1878, Rush writes, "I heard Dr. Craven yesterday preach one of his big Sermons upon the visitations of God, with his wrath upon the People for wickedness. It was a grand thing. Well Brother the People are a great deal more social here than is Ashboro not near the pride and a great deal of intelligence of course." |
Folder 19-20
Folder 19Folder 20 |
Letters received by Thomas Rice, 1880-1883Originals Transcriptions Correspondents are Thomas Rice's sister Sarah Franklin writing from Tennessee, his son Wilbur Rice writing from Arredondo, Fla., and Z. F. Rush writing from Burke County, N.C. In a letter dated 14 October 1883, Rush writes, "I must tell you we have here the best Sabbath School I ever attended. Composed of nearly 200 Methodist--Baptist. Presbyterians Lutherans of all Sex and ages. The Bible Class taught by one of Randolph's native Boys (Wiley) After Sabbath School this morning We Met and orgaise a Temperance Society. We got today 46 Members." |
Folder 21-22
Folder 21Folder 22 |
Letters received by Thomas Rice, 1884-1892Originals Transcriptions Correspondents are Thomas Rice's sister Sarah Franklin writing from Tennessee and Z. F. Rush writing from Burke County, N.C. Of interest is a letter dated 4 February 1884 from Rush in which he describes the people, customs, tobacco farming, and religion in western North Carolina and the progress of the temperance movement there. |
| Folder 23-24 |
Letters received by Absala Williams Winbourne Rice,1852-1881Originals Transcriptions Correspondents are her husband Thomas Rice, her son Stephen Rice, her niece M. M. Winbourne writing from Fort Lupton, Colo., her daughter-in-law Fannie D. Rice writing from Arredondo, Fla., and her grandson Walter Thompson. In a letter dated 13 September 1880, Fannie D. Rice writes about the illness and death of her four-year-old daughter Mamie. "Oh! it was so hard for us to give her up, but I gave her into God's keeping....I can't tell you how we all miss her - the house and everywhere is desolate without her." |
Folder 25-26
Folder 25Folder 26 |
Letters received by Mary Elizabeth Rice (Lizzie),1859-1861Originals Transcriptions Letters to Lizzie Rice are chiefly from Winbourne and Rice cousins. Topics include teaching, family, health, and boarding with families. In a letter dated 12 November 1860, M.C.W. writes, "Lizzie, if you ever leave home and go off amongst strangers to teach you will experience the same that I have. no matter how kindly your [sic] are treated, there will occasionally a spirit of loneliness steal over you which it requires an effort to dispel." Also included is a letter dated 28 June 1861 from G. N. Wiley, who writes, "I am glad to find well educated ladies, disposed to teach Common School, [and] cannot but hail the fact as auspicious...I will keep your application on file....I sincerely hope our Common Schools will go on." |
Folder 27-28
Folder 27Folder 28 |
Letters received by Mary Elizabeth Rice (Lizzie),1862-1863Originals Transcriptions Letters received by Lizzie Rice are from her Winbourne cousins writing from Tennessee and from Greensboro, N.C. Also included is a letter from a friend named Georgia writing from Thomasville, N.C. In a letter dated 13 January 1862, her cousin James Winbourne writes about his family's grief and his wish to fight in the Civil War. "If it was not for Ma, Fannie [and] David I would soon be at Columbus Ky where there is 70,000 Dixie boys ready to die for their dear homes." |
| Folder 29-30 |
Letters received by Mary Elizabeth Rice (Lizzie),1864Originals Transcriptions Letters received by Lizzie Rice are from friends, her cousin R. W. Winbourne writing from a Confederate army headquarters near Petersburg, Va., and a pen pal in the Confederate army H. P. Kinzey. In a 6 December 1864 letter, Kinzey writes, "we have nothing to break the dull Monotony nothing to interest us only to sit in our tents and let our thoughts wander back to the happy days that have gone and the happy homes we have left - and picturing our future happiness. Tho the happy days we so flateringly picture may never come Tho there is one thing that always cheir us we know that we still live in the Memory of the fair daughters of the South as friend and defenders if no more." Lizzie's friend Ann H. Scovell writing from Lumberton, N.C. discusses the Presbyterian Church and conditions there. In a 1 May 1864 letter, she writes, "People are complaining a great deal in town because they can purchase nothing scarcely with our present money. farmers are refusing to sell their eggs - chickens [and] the like for Confederate money. Are they so in Davidson? Is seems that we are doomed to bread [and] meat. I suppose we ought to be satisfied, [and] thankful to get that, well I think I am thankful but really I am not satisfied." |
Folder 31-32
Folder 31Folder 32 |
Letters received by Mary Elizabeth Rice (Lizzie),1865Originals Transcriptions Letters to Lizzie Rice are from friends including Augusta Hogan and Ann Scovell. Topics include teaching, boarding with families, health, family, and household concerns. In a letter dated 10 May 1865, M writes "I dont know how the house is arranged nor do I know at present whether we will be able to keep a teacher. I get very blue sometimes - We are nearly out of meat [and] how we are to feed our large family next year I cant see - I try to cast my burden on the Lord [and] as far as the white family are concerned I am easy, but the negroes dont seem to feel the necessity of economy [and] you know how I fret [and] worry if they complain." |
Folder 33-34
Folder 33Folder 34 |
Letters received by Mary Elizabeth Rice (Lizzie),1866Originals Transcriptions Letters to Lizzie Rice are from her Winbourne cousins writing from Somerville, Tenn., and Larkensville, Ala., and a friend named Cora. Topics include economic conditions and political environment in the aftermath of the war, crops, cotton ginning, family members who did and did not survive fighting in the Civil War, and interaction with federal troops. In a letter dated 12 May 1866, J.A. Winbourne writes, "I have been detained until this late day - by very unexpected business - over which I had no control I had to pay several debts which I knew nothing of. Such as paying the 'Freedmen's Bureau' any amount a negro might suggest." In a letter dated 9 September 1866, Julina Winbourne Wisdom writes of her resentment of Yankees, "They pretended to fight to get us back in the Union and now will not receive us, there is a northern mechanic at Larkinsville who has his family with him his daughter says that no rebel is fit to carry a spittoon for a northern man, I hate them worse than I ever did, if the radical party keep the ascendancy in congress we are a ruined people." |
Folder 35-36
Folder 35Folder 36 |
Letters received by Mary Elizabeth Rice (Lizzie),1867Originals Transcriptions Letters to Lizzie Rice are from friends and her Winbourne cousins. Topics include family and children, households, schools, teaching, religion, and social life. In a letter dated 30 January 1867, M writes from Alamance County, N.C., "The Sundays are short delightful days here - Mr M preaches in the morning to the whites - in the evening to the blacks [and] holds prayer meeting at night." Also included are requests from Joseph Moore in Bush Hill, N.C., for teachers for a Normal School. |
Folder 37-38
Folder 37Folder 38 |
Letters received by Mary Elizabeth Rice (Lizzie),1868-1869Originals Transcriptions Letters to Lizzie Rice are from her brother Stephen Rice writing from Lexington, N.C., her cousin Mattie writing from the Colorado Territory, and friends. Topics include schools, teaching, family, religion, costs of living in Denver City, and the political environment. |
Folder 39-40
Folder 39Folder 40 |
Letters received by Mary Elizabeth Rice (Lizzie),1870-1871Originals Transcriptions Letters to Lizzie Rice are from Jennie B. Thompson writing from Smithville, N.C. Topics include social life and Thompson's household and garden in Smithville, church, and family. In a letter dated 27 April 1870, Thompson writes, "They have no parsonage here, but have fitted up a rented house in which we live - It is the most pleasant house in S. and just a nice distance from the church...I feel as if I had gotten among a people that appreciate my position - and they do not expect every thing from me if I am 'the preacher's wife.'" |
Folder 41-42
Folder 41Folder 42 |
Letters received by Stephen Winbourne Rice, Wilbur Fisk Rice, and R.W. Winbourne, 1863-1872Originals Transcriptions Letters written by Stephen Rice to his brother Wilbur Rice during the Civil War and one letter received by Stephen from Wilbur in 1872. Stephen served with the North Carolina Cavalry Regiment, 2nd. In a letter dated 15 November 1863, Stephen writes, "I suppose your [sic] are aware that our army has fallen back from the Rappahannock to the rapadan....on saturday evening the yanks advanced on our forces capturing two entire brigades that were on the other side of the river at work on some fortifications and on sunday night we fell back to the Rapadan Why Gen Lee fell back I cannot tell but I suppose he did not like the position...Our calvary is in rather a poor condition at this time We are doing very little service now forage is very scarce in this country and I cant see how we are going to subsist." Also included is a letter dated 16 October 1865 from Jim Winbourne to R.W. Winbourne. |
Folder 43-44
Folder 43Folder 44 |
Letters received by Sarah Joanna Rice and Absala Adelaide Rice (Addie),1862-1879Originals Transcriptions Letters are chiefly to Addie from her brother Stephen Rice during and immediately after the Civil War and from her sister-in-law Fannie D. Rice writing from Gainesville, Fla. In a letter dated 20 June 1864, Stephen writes from a "Camp near Petersburg Va" about the conditions. "I must go hunt some grass for my horse Our horses are fareing badly now I would rather be on the north side of the James River. The Yanks threw a few Shells in to Petersburg yesterday but did not hurt many. While I write I can hear skirmishing on the lines guess there will be a general fight soon." In a letter dated 30 March 1877, Fannie D. writes about the crops in Florida. "It has been unusually cold, and wet with us, but nothing to compare with what you have had. Green peas, Irish potatoes, beans [etc.] are on our tables now, strawberries in abundance. Dont it make your mouth water?" Also included is a letter dated 29 July 1862 to Sarah Rice from a friend A. A. Vaughan. He writes from a "Camp near Petersburg, Va." about the toll sickness has taken on the North Carolina regiment in which he is serving. |
| Folder 45-46 |
Letters received by Marilla Frances Rice (Fanny), 1879-1882Originals Transcriptions Letters received by Fanny Rice are from her sister-in-law Fannie D. Rice, writing from Arredondo, Fla. In her letters, Fannie D. discusses the crop production and livestock on the farm and her children, including the death of her daughter Mamie in 1880. In a letter dated 25 December 1879, Fannie D. writes, "It is too warm for the orange crop for it makes them decay so fast that by the time they get to market, they are in bad order, and bring poor prices. Pork is still on its feet--too warm to kill. I hoped to have sausages for breakfast this morning, but for weeks past it has been summer." |
Folder 47-48
Folder 47Folder 48 |
Letters received by Absala Adelaide Rice (Addie), 1881-1889Originals Transcriptions Letters received by Addie are chiefly from her sister-in-law Fannie D. Rice and brother Wilbur Rice writing from Arredondo, Fla. Also included are letters from S. R. Ivey, her eight-year-old nephew Walter R. Thompson, and her sister Lizzie Rice Thompson. In a letter dated 16 July 1881, Ivey writes about social life in Clinton, N.C. "I must Confess, that I have been disappointed in the people. Of Course, there are some clever people, and I have some good friends; but take them all together, they will not compare with the Western people in point of Sociality [and] hospitality. Would you think they were when I tell you that we have been here nearly 7 months and none of the family have been invited to eat a meal in this plase...The people here dont live as well as they do in the up country: we have had verry little butter since spring; they pay verry little attention to cows, dont milk but once a day, and part of the time let the Calves run with them." |
| Folder 49-50 |
Letters received by Lucy Rice, 1902-1939Originals Transcriptions Chiefly letters written by Lucy Rice's brother Thomas Donnelly Rice (Tom). Also included is a copy of the will of Emma Parker Rice, widow of Wilbur Fisk Rice. Of interest is a letter dated 10 July 1914 from Tom Rice writing from Alaska. "There was not a day out that we did not meet some prospector, farmer, or surveyor. This is the busy season in the woods. The lure of gold is still as great as ever and we occasionally meet a lonely prospector with a 40 pound pack on his back. Not one in a thousand will strike it rich and after every trip the poor prospector swears off but the fever comes on again and off he goes." |
| Folder 51 |
Genealogy and Transcriber's notes, 1972and undatedOriginals Transcriptions Family charts compiled by the donor, letters pertaining to family history, inventory of letters, biographical information, and provenance information. |
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Series 2. Thompson Family, 1874-1940.
Arrangement: By recipient of letters.
The original order created by the collection's donor was retained. Letters are grouped by the recipient, and letters within those groupings are arranged chronologically. The original letters and the transcriptions compiled by the donor are in sequential folders.
Folder 52-53
Folder 52Folder 53 |
Letters received by Lizzie Rice Thompson and D. Matt Thompson,1874-1879Originals Transcriptions Letters to Lizzie Rice Thompson are from her sister Addie Rice, her brother Wilbur Rice, and her sister-in-law Fannie D. Rice writing from Arredondo, Fla. Topics include family and children, health, politics in Florida, and crops. In a letter dated 14 November 1876, Wilbur writes about a political campaign, "made my last speech for Tilden and Drew the night of the 6th to a crowd of Negroes I fear I done but little but in my feble health I talked myself hoarse and made my throat sore many times during the campaign. I worked in my way and if Fla has not gone for reform (which we don't know yet) it is not my fault May God give us an honest government is my prayer." Also included is a letter to D. Matt Thompson from Wilbur Rice. |
Folder 54-55
Folder 54Folder 55 |
Letters received by Lizzie Rice Thompson and D. Matt Thompson,1880-1883Originals Transcriptions Letters to Lizzie Rice Thompson are from her brother Wilbur Rice and sister-in-law Fannie D. Rice writing from Arredondo, Fla., and Clara writing from Clinton, N.C. Topics include family and children and the deaths of Wilbur's child Mamie Rice and his wife Fannie D. Rice six weeks after childbirth. Also included is a letter dated 6 April 1881 to D. Matt Thompson from J. Dorman Steele expressing appreciation for Thompson's naming his son "Dorman" in honor of Steele. |
Folder 56-57
Folder 56Folder 57 |
Letters received by Lizzie Rice Thompson,1884-1889Originals Transcriptions Letters to Lizzie Rice Thompson are chiefly from her brother Wilbur Rice writing from Arredondo, Fla. Other correspondents are her sister Addie Rice and cousin Mattie Winbourne. Topics include family, crops, gardening, quilting, debt, and health. In a letter dated 18 October 1888, Wilbur writes about a yellow fever epidemic in Florida. "Yellow fever was declared Epidemic in Jacksonville and since that time there has been possibly 4000 cases with 375 deaths. In Septr 16 Fever was declared in Gainesville and every one that could get away left You never heard of Such a Stampede Teams hired as high as $10.00 per hour We took in one family and rented my empty house up to date there has been 15 cases and 6 deaths of so called Yellow fever we apprehend no danger here Yellow fever is an Epidemic and not a personal contagion so if you do not Sleep in an infected district you are not likely to take it...The weather is warm here we have had no frost...A good frost would Settle Yellow Jack." |
Folder 58-59
Folder 58Folder 59 |
Letters received by Lizzie Rice Thompson and D. Matt Thompson,1892-1910Originals Transcriptions Letters to Lizzie Rice and D. Matt Thompson are from their sons Holland Thompson and Dorman Thompson and from Lizzie's brother Wilbur and wife Emma Rice writing from Florida. Topics include family, children, genealogy, and studies. Also included are two picture post cards from Norway. |
Folder 60-61
Folder 60Folder 61 |
Letters received by Lizzie Rice Thompson and D. Matt Thompson, September1921Originals Transcriptions Correspondents include D. Matt Thompson's former student writing from Hot Springs, Ark., a friend D. Atkins writing from Asheville, N.C., and Lizzie's granddaughter Evelyn. Letters from Evelyn focus on the death of her father Walter Thompson (Lizzie and D. Matt Thompson's son) and his funeral. |
Folder 62-63
Folder 62Folder 63 |
Letters received by D. Matt Thompson, November-December 1921Originals Transcriptions Letters and telegrams expressing sympathy following the death of D. Matt Thompson's wife Lizzie. |
Folder 64-65
Folder 64Folder 65 |
Letters received by Dorman Thompson,1899-1922Originals Transcriptions Letters and telegrams to Dorman Thompson from friends and family. Also included are a memorial statement for "Mrs. Dorman Thompson" from the Mae Dowell Music Club and a letter from the dean of the "Law Department" at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill certifying that Dorman passed examinations "prescribed by the Supreme Court for applicants for license to practice law in the Courts of North Carolina." |
| Folder 66 |
Telegrams received by Thompson family, 1923Telegrams and a letter pertaining to the death and funeral of D. Matt Thompson. |
| Folder 67 |
Newspaper clippings,1861-1940Chiefly Thompson family obituaries and funeral notices. |
| Folder 68 |
Land indenture and warranty deed,1876The indenture for D. Matthew Thompson is for a tract in Lincoln County, N.C., and the warranty deed, also for Thompson, is for a lot in Grayson County, Tex. |
| Folder 69 |
University of North Carolina printed items,1899-1901Items are an 1899 program for the "Inter-Society Debate between the Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies" and commencement invitation and programs for 1901. |
| Folder 70 |
Printed items,1892-1924and undatedItems are picture post cards, a directory for the West North Carolina Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (1894) and other church programs, and copies of the "The Rotary Ratchet" bulletin for the Rotary Club of Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Image Folder PF-5662/1 |
Photographs of children, circa 1920sCopy negatives Printed envelope "Finished by L.H. Lyon...Statesville, N.C" for "Mr. Thompson" with handwritten notation, "Manchester, Vermont, Hotel Equinox." |
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