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Papers of Samuel A'Court Ashe (1840-1938), Civil War veteran, newspaper editor, historian, and one of NC's leading Democrats. Ashe purchased the Raleigh Observer in 1879. Two years later the Daily News was consolidated with the Observer, and the entire management was committed to Ashe. In 1893, the News and Observer obtained possession of the Chronicle and Ashe published the News-Observer-Chronicle. In 1894 the paper was sold because of financial difficulties, and this ended Ashe's editorial career. (For biographical sketch, see Samuel A. Ashe, ed., Biographical History of North Carolina, Volume I, pp. 66-76.) The ca. 600 items of correspondence include a few Civil War letters, some personal letters, but the majority cover the period 1878-1898 and concern both state and national politics. Prominent men who wrote Ashe during this time, many of them asking advice, include R. T. Bennett, W. H. S. Burgwyn, William R. Cox, Thomas J. Jarvis, Augustus S. Merrimon, Lee S. Overman, Richmond Pearson, Matt W. Ransom, Thomas Ruffin, Jr., Alfred M. Scales, Furnifold M. Simmons, W. N. H. Smith, Zebulon B. Vance, A. M. Waddell, John H. Wheeler, Kemp P. Battle, and Josephus Daniels. Letters from those in Congress discuss bills in Congress and their position on them, personalities in Congress, speculations as to political appointments, the Senatorial campaign of 1878 between Vance and Merrimon, [S. J.] Randall in contest for speaker of the House in 1883, the tariff and cotton manufacturing in NC in 1884, the Farmers Alliance in 1890, and the silver question in 1893. Others thank Ashe for his support in his newspaper, request him to print in his paper letters refuting various charges made against them, or complain of his treatment by the press. Letters, 1872-1875, from John H. Wheeler outline his plans, after completing his history, for preparing a manual for the state, and later letters are about his work and ask Ashe to help with research, etc. There are also letters from his son Woodbury Wheeler concerning publishing Wheeler's Reminiscences in 1884. Letters, 1880-1898, from Thomas J. Jarvis include some written from Rio de Janiero during his term as minister to Brazil and others on his return after opening a law office in Greenville. Kemp P. Battle's letters, 1884-1894, comment on articles and speeches of Ashe, on University matters, and ask for information. A letter from Josephus Daniels in 1887 sets forth a proposition to merge the News and Observer and State Chronicle and one in 1888 proposes his buying the controlling shares in the News and Observer Company. Letters from James A. Weston, 1888-1893, concern his book on Peter Stuart Ney. Two letters from Mrs. Zebulon B. Vance in 1894 concern the dispute with Charley Vance over the burial of Governor Vance. Two letters in 1894 (S. S. Tillinghast and Richard Battle) mention the gold miners' strike at Cripple Creek, Colorado. A letter from Jacques Busbee in 1915 comments on a speech which Ashe gave on the dedication of Busbee's portrait of George Davis. A letter from R. D. W. Connor in 1917 asks for suggestions for historic sites, money having been appropriated by the General Assembly. Letters from James A. Sprunt concern his publishing the second edition of his Chronicles in 1915, mention the war in 1917, discuss personal matters, etc. Letters, 1866-1879, from Frederick L. Childs give personal and family news, discuss farming on his plantation in South Carolina, blacks during Reconstruction and how they are treated by Yankees, the contracts made with them in South Carolina for farming, Negro voting, and later his work in the Charleston harbor, and other topics. Many letters to Ashe comment on the respect which men had for him as editor of the newspaper and as one of the leading Democrats of NC at that time and as North Carolina historian. Some express regret during his financial problems with the News and Observer in 1894. Others express support in his bid for position as postmaster of Raleigh in 1885 and as state printer. There are drafts of a few letters by Ashe, including one to Grover Cleveland on the silver question in 1894 and one saying that he was going into the insurance business in 1894. Letters relating to Ashe's writing a history of NC include one in 1906 from Silver, Burdett, and Company, Publishers, which expresses interest in Ashe's completed history of NC and regrets that they cannot publish it at present since they have already entered into contract with someone else for a historical book on NC; a letter from R. D. W. Connor in October, 1908, thanking Ashe for the first volume of his History of North Carolina; copy of a circular letter (1927) sent to each member of the General Assembly asking their support for the enclosed bill proposing that his two-volume history be placed in the libraries of the high schools of the state. A letter in 1908, from Charles Van Noppen, publishers of Ashe's Biographical History of North Carolina, inquires about some sketches for the volumes. There are two letters of William S. Ashe, father of Samuel A. Ashe. Letters from Thomas S. Ashe and S. S. Ashe discuss family matters. There are typed copies of two letters, 1778-1779, of John Ashe. Seventeen letters, 1847-1862, are correspondence of the Miller and Land families of Georgia, most of which are to Mrs. Harriet Land Miller from her brothers and sisters and to her son James who moved to Wilmington. Pamphlets in this collection include: "Sketch of Major General Robert Howe..." (1862); "Organization of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Confederate States, A. D. 1861, and its Reunion with the Protestant Episcopal Church in the U. S., A. D. 1865" (1882); "The Confederate Defence of Morris Island..." (1884); "Sir Walter Raleigh's Lost Colony" by Hamilton McMillan (1888); "The Lost Colony of Roanoke..." by Stephen B. Weeks (1891); "Roanoke; or `Where is Utopia?'" by C. H. Wiley (1866?); "History of the North Carolina Railroad" by Rufus Barringer (1894); "Familiar Chats on Free Coinage" by S. A. Ashe (1895); North Carolina University Magazine, Volume 9, No. 10, June, 1860; "The Democratic Hand-Book" 1894; "Address of the Hon. William A. Graham on the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence..." (1875); and other miscellaneous pamphlets. Miscellaneous items include National American Ticket, 1956; copy of report, 1857, of chief topographical engineer giving plans for improve- ment of Cape Fear River; biographical sketch of William S. Ashe and resolution on his death, 1862; law license of Ashe, 1867; items relating to appointment of Ashe as postmaster of Raleigh, 1885; commission of Ashe as assistant marshal in cnetennial celebration of city of Raleigh, 1892; form letter offering for sale stock in News and Observer and State Chronicle, July, 1893; photograph of the Capt. Samuel A. Ashe, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Wadesboro, on May 24, 1934, taken on a visit to Raleigh; program and speech by George Gordon Battle at the unveiling of the Ashe Memorial tablet on Capitol Square on September 13, 1940; bills of sale, receipt, notes, affidavit, indentures, etc.; speeches, drafts, and notes of Ashe; newspaper clippings, including one about Ashe on his 82nd birthday and one on the death of Rear Admiral A. T. Mahan; history of the Ashe family (1 page, photocopy); genealogical material on Ashe and related families (photocopies); advertising copy for Polk's diphtheria cure; history of Galloway family of Brunswick County; sketch of Walker Meares of Wilmington; blueprint of map of Roanoke River from Weldon to Albemarle Sound, etc. The following newspapers were transferred to newspaper collection: [Goldsboro?] Anglo-Saxon, Wayne County, November, 1884, to N.P.32; [New Bern] Newbernian, extra, December 20, 1876, 1 page, to N.P.76. |
