Slotalon of Arctgtufo a till fitantMfrlpla
fctalf Department of Arrhineo anb Jllstnrg
Eatftgtj. Nor 11] (EaraUna
CoUection: JAMES TROTTER PAPERS-
'182b, 18U6-1878, 1918, n.d.
p.c. Hf« 22
Physical Description:
цд
items: incoming letters, deeds, plats, mortgage,
receipts, statement, appointments, and miscellaneous material.
Acquisition: Loaned for microfilming by Mr. W, T. Trotter,
Raleigh. Filmed by State Department of Archives and
History, February, 196?
«
Description: James Trotter was born in Alva, Scotland, probably, on Dec¬
ember Ii, 1828; he removed to England when about fifteen years old and
to Buncombe County, North Carolina, when about twenty-two years old.
While in England, ' Trotter apparently trained as a landscape gardener
or horticulturist, a trade which he continued for a time in America.
Sometime prior to the Civil War, he moved, to Greenville, South Carolina,
where he apparently remained. He was appointed Postmaster of Green¬
ville in 1866 and remained in this position at least until 1882.
The letters in this collection are for the most part from relatives
and friends in Scotland and England, and concern family matters. The
earliest letter (October 22, 182b) is from Ann Trotter to Mary Trotter,
and it seems possible that Ann was Jamee Trotter's mother.. Several let¬
ters from Mary Buchanan suggest that this may have been Mary Trotter's
married name.
A letter from D. Buchanan to Trotter, dated May 2, i860, states
that a Mr. Wilson, a teller in the National Bank of Scotland, Edinburgh,
was James Trotter's father. It adds, "So your name is quite correct";
but the meaning of this is not clear. Another letter of Buchanan, dated
February 19, 1861, informs Trotter that he (Trotter), was born December U,
I838; but it is probable that I838 should by 1828, as a statement by
Andrew Brown, Alva Parish minister, dated February 6, 1850, indicates that
Trotter would have been about twenty- two years old at that time.
D. Buchanan's letter of February 19, 1861, further expresses some
anxiety for. Trotter's safety in light of the talk of civil war, and it
outlines a code which Trotter can use to pass news back to England.
A letter, dated November 12, 1865, from Reuben Tomlinson, Superin¬
tendent of Education f or South Carolina, orders Trotter to "proceed to
Anderson S. C. and do all in your power to establish a school in that
place for Colored children." No further information on the outcome of
this is included in the collection.