BRIEF INVENTORY

Title: Connally Family Papers

Dates: 1808 – 1994

Quantity: 1½ boxes

Types of Material: correspondence, receipts, certificates, printed materials, photographs

Accession Number: 1989.39.1

Related Material: Mss. Coll. #82, Pulliam-Connally General Store Records

Brief Description: This collection consists of items relating to the Connally family, the Pulliam and Connally General Store, and the history of Leasburg. The materials about Leasburg are primarily photocopies: personal recollections of Leasburg, images and information about historical buildings, a newspaper article (“Four Octogenarian Sisters”), Leasburg trivia, and “Among Our Neighbors,” highlighting George Connally’s store (Greensboro Daily News, September 27, 1939).

Items from the Connally family include: correspondence, government, church, and commercial pamphlets, catalogs, phone directory for Yanceyville and Prospect Hill (July 1961), North Carolina personal property tax forms, newspaper clippings, an empty stamp album, teaching certificate, student project from UNC, handwritten script of a skit, notes, certificates of recognition of military service with devotional books, Boy Scout card, Summer Bulletin of the UNCG Women’s College (1961), Today’s Secretary (February and March 1961), newsletters (Advance Clipper, 1948 and 1949; The Voice of Korea, 1949), 20th Century Typewriting textbook (1947), and studio portraits of unidentified people (from the photography studios of R.L. Chappell in Roxboro, NC and Matthews in Winston-Salem).

Items relating to the Pulliam and Connally General Store include: tobacco receipts, correspondence, and a notebook used as a ledger for butter and milk.

Major Names/Subjects: Connally, Edgar
Connally, George
Connally, H.T.
Connally, Mildred
General stores–North Carolina–Leasburg
Leasburg (N.C.)–History
Womack, Mary Connally

Date Surveyed: 11/2/2011

INTRODUCTION

The Paul S. Clarkson Collection consists of material centering around the publication of A Bibliography of William Sidney Porter (O. Henry) (Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton Printers, Ltd., 1938). It includes several drafts of the book, correspondence concerning Clarkson’s efforts to find a publisher, and promotional materials produced by the publisher. The collection does not contain much research material.

Arrangement: This collection is arranged into six series by material type. The series are: Correspondence, ca. 1933-1945; Printed Materials, ca. 1915-1940; Literary Productions, ca. 1930-1938; Newspaper Clippings, 1938; Photographs; and Miscellaneous.

Provenance: This collection was donated by Paul Clarkson in 1970, and assigned accession numbers 1970.52.1 and 1970.67.1. Clarkson also donated his large collection of O. Henry first editions, but they were not assigned accession numbers at the time and were thus not identifiable as his items. They have been included as part of the William Sidney Porter Papers, and in the museum’s file on the Clarkson donation (see general introduction) is a listing of the volumes he donated. The published edition of Clarkson’s A Bibliography of William Sidney Porter (O. Henry) is housed in the Staff Reference Library.

Processing: This collection was processed by Karen C. Carroll, and the finding aid was completed in October 1983.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

For a biographical sketch of O. Henry, see the finding aid for the William Sidney Porter Papers at https://archives.greensborohistory.org/manuscripts/porter-ws.

Paul Stephen Clarkson was born on October 2, 1905, in Worcester, Massachusetts. He received his B.A. Degree from Clark University in Worcester in 1925. In 1928, he graduated from Harvard Law School and became an attorney for Consolidated Gas Electric Light and Power Company. After a long legal career, he became curator of Special Collections and Rare Books at Goddard Library at Clark University. Clarkson served in the United States Navy during World War II. He began collecting O. Henry materials in 1927 and amassed one of the most complete collections in existence.

SCOPE & CONTENT NOTE

This collection contains correspondence, literary drafts and notes, newspaper clippings, two photographs, printed materials, and other items. It is centered around notes and drafts produced in the writing of A Bibliography of William Sidney Porter (O. Henry) (1938), and includes several drafts of the work from the manuscript to the galley proof stages. Clarkson was very specific and exacting in his research, and he edited and re-edited the drafts. A large portion of the correspondence concerns Clarkson’s efforts to find a publisher for the book and his negotiations with publishers. The work received excellent reviews as noted in the newspaper clipping series. Promotional materials for the Bibliography, put out by the publisher, are included in the printed material series along with a few research articles on William Sidney Porter. However, the collection does not contain a large volume of research material.

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

1. Correspondence. 5 folders (ca. 700 items). ca. 1933-1945.

The majority of this series consists of correspondence to and from Paul Clarkson regarding the planned publication of his bibliography on William Sidney Porter, with some items congratulating him upon his publication. Other letters include a series to and from Ray Murmann, who used Clarkson as a consultant for his Master’s thesis (ca. 1945) on William Sidney Porter’s use of the pen name “O. Henry.”

2. Printed materials. 4 folders (19 items). ca. 1915-1940.

This series includes promotional literature for Clarkson’s Bibliography, as well as articles about William Sidney Porter from various periodicals. Several are from Bruno’s Weekly, a Bohemian magazine out of New York (ca. 1915-1916). Articles include: “O. Henry Returns To His Bagdad” (New York Times Magazine, November 24, 1935); “Where O. Henry Found His Stories,” by R. H. Davis and Arthur Maurice (Baltimore Sun, April 19, 1931); “O. Henry, Prison and Publicity” (Bruno’s Weekly, November 1, 1916); “Few Traces Left of O. Henry’s Bagdad” (New York Times Magazine, June 21, 1935); “O. Henry’s Wit” (Bruno’s Weekly, June 24, 1916); “O. Henry In Greenwich Village” (Bruno’s Weekly, December 11, 1915); “Poe and O. Henry” (Bruno’s Weekly, July 29, 1916); and “Recalling O. Henry” (The New Yorker, July 12, 1930). The issues of the Saturday Review of Literature (December 9, 1933; January 13 and February 10, 1934; May 4, May 25 and June 1, 1935) contain only one William Sidney Porter article – “O. Henry, 1898” by Christopher Morley – in the 1933 issue. It includes a little-known photograph of William Sidney Porter said to have been taken just before his entrance into the Ohio Penitentiary.

3. Literary Productions. 18 folders (ca. 250 items). ca. 1930-1938.

The vast majority of this series consists of working notes and drafts produced by Clarkson for A Bibliography of William Sidney Porter (O. Henry) (Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton Printers, Ltd., 1938). Other articles, drafts and notes by Clarkson included in this series are “A Decomposition of Cabbages and Kings” (American Literature, May 1935); a notebook entitled “O. Henry Scrapbook”; research notes on drug names used in William Sidney Porter’s stories; and a typescript entitled, “O. Henry’s First Story.”

4. Newspaper Clippings. 1 folder (9 items). 1938.

These clippings are reviews of Clarkson’s Bibliography from various sources.

5. Photographs. 1 folder (2 items).

The photographs are a 7” x 9” print of the profile photograph of Margaret Porter, and a 8” x 10” sepia of the O. Henry residence in San Antonio, Texas.

6. Miscellaneous. 1 folder (1 item).

This item is an engraving plate for a Christmas card utilizing an O. Henry quotation sent by Paul and Wilma Clarkson. The mock-up for the design and one of the cards is included in 2:4.

FOLDER LISTING

NOTE:  The numbers cited in parentheses, e.g. 1:5, refer the researcher to the Series#:Folder# in which that name/topic will be found.  ½

INTRODUCTION

This collection contains materials relating to the federally-funded child care centers established in Greensboro during World War II. The majority of the collection consists of photographs of children, their instructors, and their activities on a typical day. Several articles provide context for the creation of the centers, while advertisements highlight their appeal to working mothers. Of particular note are a few photographs of child care centers for African-American children. Researchers interested in the lives of women and children on the home front during World War II may find this collection useful.

Arrangement: This collection is organized into three series and arranged within series by document type and/or subject. The series are: Miscellaneous, ca. 1943-1944; Photographs, ca. 1943-1944; and Printed Materials, ca. 1943-1944.

Provenance: This collection was donated by Mazie Atkinson in November 2002 and assigned the accession number 2002.116.1. The donor got the materials from a painter who found them in an attic.

Processing: This collection was organized and the finding aid was prepared by intern Grace Zayobi in June 2024.

HISTORICAL NOTE

As the country began to send troops overseas to fight in World War II, women were needed to fill jobs men had vacated and in essential wartime industries. However, many women were mothers who only had their older children, other relatives, maids, or neighbors to provide childcare, so employers had difficulty filling positions and a higher rate of absenteeism also hindered productivity. As a result, Congress allocated funds under the Lanham Act to support a national childcare program. In April 1943, Greensboro was allotted $80,292, with that amount to be matched at 50% by donations and attendance fees. The administrative supervisor of the program was Ruth Steelman, the former principal of the David Caldwell School, who reported to School Superintendent Ben L. Smith since the centers were part of the Greensboro Public Schools. While the original funding was for a six month trial period, Steelman assured Greensboro officials that the program would extend into the school year, serving preschoolers as well as school-age students up to age 14. By 1944, Greensboro had 11 nursery schools and six school-age units operating between 7 AM and 6 PM six days a week and charging $1.80 per week.

Historical Sources: The sources used to compile this historical note include materials in the collection, particularly “While mothers work” (North Carolina Education, September 1943; 3:2) and “Women’s activities at work and play” (The Greensboro Record, July 1, 1944; 3:2), as well as “Child care units are boon to busy mothers” (Greensboro Daily News, July 25, 1943), a copy of which can be found in the folder at the front of the collection.

SCOPE & CONTENT NOTE

This types of materials in this collection include photographs, signs, advertisements, newspaper clippings, programs, and pamphlets that pertain to the child care centers in Greensboro during World War II. The majority of the collection consists of photographs showing the children, with a few that also include their instructors. While the centers served children up to age 14, most photographs feature nursery school students. The printed materials are all geared toward working mothers, with the bulk being advertisements encouraging mothers to take advantage of the services provided by child care centers while at work.

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

1. Miscellaneous.  3 folders (4 items).  ca. 1943-1944.

This series contains two handmade posters promoting the Nursery School (1:2), which cared for children from two to six years old. Of particular note is a blank questionnaire for school-age children to gage whether they would enjoy going to a child care center during the summer (1:3). Also included is a letter sent by Ruth Steelman and Ben L. Smith to “Supervisors of War Time Child Care” with a questionnaire about the policies and practices of federally-funded child care centers (1:1), but the questionnaire itself is not present.

2. Photographs.  8 folders (106 items).  ca. 1943-1944.

The photographs primarily feature child care units for younger children, showing students doing crafts, playing, napping, and eating under the watchful eyes of their teachers. The Greensboro Public Schools were segregated in the 1940s, so separate photographs show African-American students and their educators (2:2-3, 2:7-8). While few posed class photos are included (2:1), most are candids of activities during a typical day at a child care center. Many photographs exist in multiple copies and sizes, and some have stamps to indicate that they were taken for the U.S. Office of Education (2:5).

3. Printed Materials.  3 folders (11 items).  ca. 1943-1944.

A highlight of this series are the advertisements (3:1), which encourage working mothers to send their children to child care centers and assure them that the children would be fed, educated, and allowed playtime. Some also list the locations of the child care units. The articles address the challenges working mothers faced during World War II, with background and an overview of the child care program in Greensboro (3:2). Also contained in the series are a program relating to the J.C. Price nursery school that includes its objectives, as well as a pamphlet titled “A Guidebook for Parents of Beginning School Children.” (3:3).

FOLDER LISTING

NOTE:  The numbers cited in parentheses, e.g. 1:5, refer the researcher to the Series#:Folder# in which that name/topic will be found.

INTRODUCTION

The Carolina Sales Co. Collection consists primarily of correspondence and printed materials from the early, mail order years of a Greensboro surplus equipment business. Established by Joseph and Sylvia Grablowsky, the store gradually enlarged its inventory from U.S. Army surplus to general surplus. The mail order advertisements and the correspondence regarding order fulfillment offer some insight into marketing and sales fulfillment for a small business getting started in mail order during World War II.

Arrangement: This collection is organized into three series: Correspondence, 1944-1946; Financial, ca. 1943; and Printed Materials, 1944-late 1940s.

Provenance: This collection was donated by Sidney Gray, the youngest son of Joseph and Sylvia Gray, in March 2002 and assigned the accession number 2002.18.3.

Processing: This collection was organized and the finding aid was prepared by volunteer Ann Koppen in April 2022.

BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL NOTE

The Carolina Sales Co. was founded by Joseph B. Grablowsky and his wife Sylvia to sell U.S. Army surplus equipment. Although the company was in business by 1944, it does not appear in the Greensboro city directories until 1946, mostly likely because it was solely mail order until that date. The name of the company and the surname of the owners changed over time. The owners’ name was Grablow in the 1946 city directory and had become Gray by the 1947/48 city directory, when the store name was Carolina Sales Army Goods. In early 1949, the store name changed to Carolina Sales General Merchandise to reflect the expanded inventory beyond army surplus. Later that year, it became The Surplus Store, and the address changed from 606-1/2 to 606 South Elm. In 1960, the store expanded to 606-608 South Elm. After Joseph Gray’s death in 1955, Sylvia continued to run the business until she died in 1997.

Joseph B. Grablowsky (1909-1955) was born in Augusta, Georgia, and raised primarily in Brooklyn, New York. Around 1939, he moved to Greensboro with his widowed mother and three younger siblings. That year, he started Carolina Furniture Outlet at 606 South Elm to sell used furniture, and it appears that business evolved into Carolina Sales Co. (since the furniture store disappeared from the city directories in 1946, the same year that Carolina Sales Co. was first listed). Sylvia Samet (1917-1997) was born and raised in Mount Airy, North Carolina, and moved to Greensboro around 1938 to work as a stenographer for North State Chevrolet Co. and then Odell Mill Supply Co. She married Joseph Grablowsky in 1941, and they raised three children, daughter Michele and sons David and Sidney. In addition to their business activities, the couple were founding members of Beth David Synagogue, and Joseph was a member of the Greensboro Masonic Lodge No. 76.

Biographical Sources: The biographical and historical information was acquired from the donor, the Greensboro city directories, Ancestry.com, and the obituaries of Joseph Gray (Greensboro Daily News, March 18, 1955; Mount Airy News, March 22, 1955) and Sylvia Gray (News & Record, April 24, 1997).

SCOPE & CONTENT NOTE

The types of materials in this collection include business correspondence, financial documents, and printed materials. The bulk of the collection consists of a limited sampling of letters from customers requesting merchandise from the mail order company, and notations or replies from Carolina Sales Co. regarding mail order fulfillment. The letters, primarily from scoutmasters, show the items sold and the scope of the advertising campaign, with more than half the United States represented. The correspondence also reveals the logistics of fulfillment and the pricing for merchandise, postage, and Railway Express. Note that this “good used” army equipment was for sale during World War II, not just afterwards. The collection also includes a few advertisements mailed to scoutmasters and a couple items relating to bank deposits.

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

1. Correspondence.  5 folders (ca. 225 items).  1944-1946.

The correspondence consists of merchandise requests along with replies from Carolina Sales Co. or notations by the company regarding mail order fulfillment. These folders represent a small portion of the sales correspondence from 1944-1946: just the “E” and/or “H” files, providing some idea of the volume of sales by extrapolation. They are organized chronologically and then alphabetically. The requested merchandise was all army surplus: pup tents, packs, cartridge belts, canteens, and mess kits, as well as entire “outfits” that contain all these items, which are the same items listed in the advertisements (2:1). Gas masks, gas mask holders, pistol holders, and canvas leggings were also popular. The letters were sent from throughout the United States, primarily from scoutmasters but also from school superintendents and individuals, including Boy Scouts. One order came from someone in the U.S. Army (1:4), and two letters from a nephew of the Grays combined an order with well wishes (1:2). Note that sales began in January 1944 when the U.S. was still involved in World War II.

2. Financial.  1 folder (2 items).  ca. 1943.

The two financial items are a cancelled check made out to Glascock Stove & Manufacturing Co. and an empty envelope addressed to Security National Bank from Greensboro’s Fair Park Casino.

3. Printed Materials.  1 folder (6 items).  1944-late 1940s.

This series includes several flyers sent to scoutmasters to promote U.S. Army surplus kits and an advertisement for a Betty Crocker steam ironing attachment sold by Carolina Sales Co.

FOLDER LISTING

BRIEF INVENTORY

Title: Caldwell-Roan Family Papers

Dates (Inclusive & [bulk]): 1795 – 1975 [ca. 1895 – 1975]

Quantity: 1 box

Types of Material: correspondence; clippings; printed programs and pamphlets

Accession Number: 1983.2.3

Brief Description: The Caldwell-Roan Family papers primarily relate to the Rev. David Caldwell (1725-1824), and include biographical and commemorative materials. Some materials appear to relate to the Jones family, particularly J. Sterling Jones, a prominent Greensboro resident in the late 19th century.
Materials include: the pamphlet Battle of Guilford Court House by J.M. Morehead (1908); an Almanac published in Salem in 1863 (thus, a CSA imprint); an early NC imprint published in Halifax by Abraham Hodge in 1795 – this pamphlet concerns the ordination of Samuel Caldwell in 1792; the war record of J. Sterling Jones (compiled ca. 1902) – Jones served in the 37th Georgia (CSA); programs for Buffalo Presbyterian Church (1919-36); pamphlets related to the Presbyterian Synod centennial (1913); the pamphlet History of Alamance Church, 1762-1918 by E.C. Murray (1918); Biographical Sketches . . . of the Hopewell Section by J.B. Alexander (1897); miscellaneous papers, clippings and correspondence relating to the David Caldwell Log College (1935-ca. 1975); a photo of a bookcase built by David Caldwell (ca. 1950); correspondence relating to the Caldwell Monument at Guilford Battle Ground (1908); a program for the Greensboro High School graduation exercises (1931); the pamphlet Battle Field of Guilford Court House by Mary Caldwell Jones (1927); programs for the placement of plaques at the David Caldwell Log College and Rachel Caldwell home site (1935); an Alamance Day program (1922); a North Carolina Day pamphlet (1907); and a pamphlet on the First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro (1929).

Major Names/Subjects: Buffalo Presbyterian Church (Greensboro, N.C.)
Caldwell, David, 1725-1824
Guilford Courthouse, Battle of, N.C., 1781
Jones, J. Sterling
Presbyterian Church–North Carolina–History
United States–History–Civil War, 1861-1865

Date Surveyed: 8/20/1996

NOTE: The numbers cited in parentheses, e.g. 1:5, refer the researcher to the Series#:Folder# in which that name/topic will be found.

INTRODUCTION

The William P.D. Bush Papers contain correspondence, photographs, printed materials, and legal materials. The bulk of the collection, however, is primarily correspondence. Bush served in the U.S. Army during World War I and World War II, writing numerous letters to his mother in Greensboro. The letters discuss a wide range of topics from the scenery where he was stationed to military politics. While there is little information about Bush’s personal life, researchers interested in various aspects of military life will find this collection useful. Also of interest is a group of postcards with images of different historic sites, cathedrals, street scenes, and military subjects in Europe during World War I.

Arrangement: The William P.D. Bush papers are arranged by document type and then chronologically by date. The series are: Correspondence, Photographs, Printed Materials, and Legal.

Provenance: This collection was donated by Miss Mary D. Bush, 1503 Fairmont St., Greensboro, in 1971 and assigned the accession number 1971.59.1

Processing: Initial processing of this collection was undertaken by Archivist J. Stephen Catlett, and the finding aid was completed by Christine Dumoulin, Archives Assistant, in July 2001.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE*

* This biographical sketch was not prepared by the Archivist, and its sources and author are unknown.

William Pope Duval Bush was born on March 4, 1897, in Louisville, Kentucky, the son of Ellen Douglass Mark Bush and Harry R. Bush. He was named for his grandfather, William Pope Duval Bush, of Frankfort, Kentucky, a lawyer, publisher, and judge.

Bush’s early years were spent in Atlanta, Chicago, and Newark, New Jersey, his numerous residences being dictated by his father’s work in the insurance industry and the transfers incidental thereto. The family moved to Greensboro when young Bush was 12 years old and his father joined the Dixie Fire Insurance Company. Rising rapidly through company management, his father became the president of Dixie Fire Insurance Company in 1912 and served in that capacity until his death in 1934. Young William attended the Greensboro public schools and then went to Woodberry Forest for a 2-year stint, graduating with honors and receiving several scholastic medals.

After graduating from high school, William Bush entered the University of Virginia, but his education was soon interrupted by the outbreak of World War I. He enlisted with the ambulance group formed at the University in May 1917, went to a training camp in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and was sent overseas in August 1917. He served for some six months with the military government of Paris and then his ambulance unit was involved in evacuating the wounded under heavy fire during several engagements, including the battle for the Argonne Forest. He was slightly wounded in this action and sent to the south of France for recuperation. He was cited for distinguished conduct and the citation read in part: “Always ready to volunteer for the most dangerous missions, setting a fine example of coolness and energy at Exermont, France, through an intense bombardment.” Bush was awarded the Silver Star for valor, the Croix de Guerre Francaise, and the Victory Medal with six bronze stars. After his wounding he was a French instructor at the Army Area School at Nantes, France, and remained with the army of occupation in Germany after the armistice until discharged in June 1919.

Upon returning to the United States, Bush took a position with the Niagara Fire Insurance Company in their New York office and later served as assistant special agent in Georgia, Florida and Alabama. In 1924 he joined the Hartford Fire Insurance Company as a special agent, serving for two years in North Carolina and eight years in Louisiana. For six of his eight years in Louisiana, he served as chairman of the Rate Making Committee of the Louisiana Rating and Fire Prevention Bureau. In addition, he was chairman of the Advisory Committee of the National Automobile Underwriters Association for two years and secretary of the Southeastern Hail Insurance Association for four years.

In 1929 the Dixie Fire Insurance Company became a member of the American Insurance Company group, retaining its name, officers and considerable autonomy. Shortly after his father’s death in 1934, William Bush returned to Greensboro as Assistant Manager of the Carolina-Virginia Department of the American Insurance Company. In 1938 he was elected Secretary of the American Insurance Company and moved to the home office in Newark, New Jersey. In this capacity he had the active supervision of insurance in a number of states and was in charge of the company’s automobile underwriting as well as all of its foreign services.

His career was again interrupted when he volunteered on June 4, 1942, for service in the Army of the United States. During the four years from June 1942 to June 1946 he served as a Combat Intelligence Officer in the Pacific area, attaining a rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Corps prior to his discharge. Among the areas in which he served were Hawaii, Saipan, Guam, Peliliu and Korea, earning the American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal.

Upon his discharge in 1946 he returned to his position as Secretary of the American Insurance Company in Newark, and in 1949 was elected to a vice presidency in that company. In this capacity he developed and supervised the operations of the American Insurance Company in Mexico, Cuba and Puerto Rico. Bush served continuously as Vice President of the American Insurance Company until October 1958, when his health forced him into retirement. He died on March 17, 1959, in Greensboro.

Throughout his life, Bush regarded insurance as an avocation as well as a vocation and spent many of his leisure hours in research dealing with the whole field. In the summer of 1937 he visited England, France and Germany to study the operation of the insurance business in Europe, and for many years he collected books on all aspects of the insurance field. He took an active part in the Insurance Institute of America, serving as lecturer in many of its instruction courses and, in addition, acted as visiting lecturer in the Schools of Business Administration of Loyola University, University of Mississippi, Duke University and the University of North Carolina. At different periods in his lifetime he served as director of the Cotton, Fire and Marine Underwriters, a trustee of the American Foreign Insurance Association, officer of the Southeastern Underwriters Association, and on the Executive Committee of the Marine Office of America and the American Reinsurance Exchange.

In addition to his interest in insurance, Mr. Bush was an enthusiastic sportsman and particularly enjoyed golf and fishing. He was a polished chef and delighted in preparing Creole and Mexican dishes. He was an amateur photographer and linguist and read extensively in French literature. He collected a large personal library that included a variety of works in history, biography, science and fiction and contained fine sets of the works of his favorite French and Russian authors. Of all his hobbies, however, his insurance library was the dearest and to it he devoted his most serious efforts. His library, which has been donated to the University of North Carolina, was long regarded as one of the finest insurance libraries belonging to any individual in the United States and Bush poured much of himself into it.

Bush was the eldest of five children and was survived by three sisters and one brother in addition to his mother, Mrs. Ellen Douglass Mark Bush of Greensboro. His siblings were:

• Mark L. Bush of Charleston, West Virginia, also in the insurance business
• May D. Bush, on the faculty of the Woman’s College of the University of North Carolina
• Carolyn Bush Lyday, the wife of Greensboro surgeon Dr. Russell O. Lyday
• Ellen Douglass Bush of Raleigh, the Director of Field Services for the NC Department of Public Welfare

Bush was a member of the Chess and Checkers Club in New Orleans and the Essex Club in Newark, New Jersey, but always retained close ties with his home and family in Greensboro.

SCOPE & CONTENT NOTE

This collection consists primarily of letters from William Bush to his mother in Greensboro. They focus on Bush’s service in the U.S. Army during World War I (1917-1919) and World War II (1942-1946). He writes detailed letters explaining his movements, training, and military “politics,” and includes geographic descriptions and comments on people, events, and military preparations. This is true both for his World War I correspondence, which focuses on the U.S. and France, and for his World War II service in the U.S. and Pacific Theater.

In addition to the letters to his mother, there are a few from other individuals for the World War I period, and much additional World War I material: miscellaneous printed material (including a University of Virginia bulletin & related publications, and a U.S. War Savings Certificate. See 3:1), military cartoons (3:2), and two song sheets, including “Camp Songs of the U.S. Army Ambulance Corps” (3:3). There are also many photographs and numerous postcards from France.

Bush’s World War II correspondence includes interesting observations on the occupation of Korea (1:23-24), with comments on its people, climate and political situation. In general, his World War II correspondence reports negatively on the military bureaucracy and waste he encountered in the Pacific Theater. His service can be tracked through his “201” file (4:1).

Although Bush was a prominent insurance company executive (as was his father, Harry R. Bush), there is little if any information about his life beyond his years of military service.

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

1. Correspondence. 26 folders. ca. 1917-1945.

This series contains mostly personal letters from William Bush to his mother describing events and daily activities in the military. The bulk of the correspondence is divided into two time frames: 1917-1919 and 1942-1946. Earlier letters are from the University of Virginia and Allentown, Pennsylvania, where he trained before heading overseas. In one long letter, Bush mentions attending the Salem Reformed Church where the Tuskegee Singers were performing; they walked 22 miles from camp to “here the Negroes” (1:2). Another letter from France compares the difference between the American and French markets (1:3).

From 1942-46, the letters are mostly from different Army Air Force bases around the country, especially from western states such as Utah, Oklahoma, and California. Bush details his hectic schedule while attending Intelligence School in Pennsylvania (1:14). An interesting observation is that numerous letters had to be inspected and passed by a government examiner, who had the authority to censor all correspondence. The overseas letters focus primarily on his experiences in Japan and Korea.

2. Photographic Material. 4 folders. ca. 1917-1945.

This series is a miscellaneous collection of photographs and postcards with images. The photographs are mostly of Bush during his military career. Folder 2:1 contains photos of Bush in uniform and the barracks in Virginia (1917-1919). The World War II photos show Bush as an older man. One is a portrait with a fiddlehead fern and with his company. The postcards are mostly images of European cities during World War I. One series shows the destruction caused by bombing raids in Louvain, a section of Brussels, Belgium (2:2). Others include French castles, street scenes in Nice, the square in Darmstadt, Germany, the ambulance of the American Hospital in Neuilly-Paris, and the U.S.A.A.C. Camp in Pennsylvania (2:2-3).

3. Printed Materials. 3 folders. 1917-1919.

The printed materials are mostly souvenirs from Bush’s stint in the military. Of particular interest is a tiny 1918 Petit Almanach in French. It includes names days, postage prices, and the starting dates of the four seasons (3:1). There are also several Alumni News pamphlets from the University of Virginia and a U.S. War Savings Certificate (3:1). Also of interest is a page of cartoons depicting military life (3:2) and a series of song sheets from the U.S. Army Ambulance Corps and the Rotary Club (3:3).

4. Legal

This series is the “201” personnel file of Bush when he served during World War II. It contains special orders, clothing rations, certificates such as a diploma for completing Combat Intelligent Officers Course, and a thank you letter from President Harry Truman.

FOLDER LISTING

Index to the William P. D. Bush Papers (ca. 1917-1945)

Note: The numbers following the name/subject entry — e.g., 1:1 — Series#:Folder# (or, if no “:”, Series only) that name/topic can found.

Bush, William P. D.: correspondence, 1; military file, 4:1

Crenshaw, Lewis D.: 1918 letters, 1:25

France: correspondence from (World War I), 1:1-11; World War I postcards, 2:2-3

Korea: correspondence concerning occupation of (1945), 1:23-24

Pacific Islands: during World War II, 1:12-24
Postcards: France (World War I), 2:2-3

U.S. Army: (1917-19), 1:1-11; (1941-45), 1:12-24;
U.S. War Savings Certificate: World War I, 3:1
University of Virginia: printed material (1917-19), 3:1

Weaber, Thomas H.: 1917 letter, 1:26
World War I: “Camp Songs of the U.S. Army Ambulance Corps,” 3:3; cartoons, 3:2; correspondence, 1:1-11
World War II: correspondence, 1:12-24; occupation of Korea (1945), 1:23-24; Pacific Theater, 1:12-24

NOTE:  The numbers cited in parentheses, e.g. 1:5, refer the researcher to the Series#:Folder# in which that name/topic will be found.

INTRODUCTION

This collection consists primarily of literary and printed materials relating to Lavin J. Burcham’s preaching career. Starting at age five, Burcham traveled to preach at churches and tent revivals across the United States. He began to draw large crowds because of his age, and was invited to speak at events around Canada, Latin America, and England. The majority of the collection consists of flyers advertising his appearances and newspaper clippings pertaining to his life as a child preacher. Also included are books, photographs, magazines, and a scrapbook relating to his childhood. Most items dating after 1967 pertain to Burcham’s career as a Pentecostal minister at Four Seasons Chapel in Greensboro and his mission work in the Philippines.

Arrangement: This collection is organized into four series and arranged within series by document type and/or subject. The series are: Audio, ca. 1960s-2011; Literary, 1954-1980; Printed, 1954-1968; and Scrapbook, 1968.

Provenance: This collection was donated by Lavin J. Burcham in October 2011 and assigned the accession number 2011.43.1.

Processing: This collection was organized and the finding aid was prepared by intern Savanah Edwards in August 2019.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Lavin J. Burcham was born to Veatrice Willcoxen (1915-1999) and Shuble McCoin Burcham (1909-1977) in Halifax, Virginia. He has four siblings: Mackie Keith, Teddy Marconi, Sanders Willcoxen, and Rita Lou. When he was five years old, his family moved to Greensboro so Sanders could be treated for polio. The family decided to remain in Greensboro after his father found a job as a Pentecostal minister. In 1954, Burcham was called to preach and believed to have holy oil on his hands with healing abilities. He was invited to speak at tent revivals alongside revivalist A.A. Allen, sometimes delivering sermons to crowds of 13,000. As a child, he preached in over 30 states and several countries, including Canada, England, Mexico, Jamaica, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil, and Venezuela.

Burcham had a private tutor for elementary school and started attending Calvin Wiley School when he reached sixth grade. He traveled to preach during the weekends and attended school during the week. At Ben L. Smith High School, he participated in the marching band. After graduating, he became the minister at his father’s church, Four Seasons Chapel, where he remained until retirement. During his career, Burcham was active in mission work in the Philippines, and he donated the profits from the sale of Four Seasons Chapel to a preacher there after he retired. He also founded and led Four Seasons Chapel Incorporated, originally called the Lavin J. Burcham Evangelical Association, which ordained Pentecostal minsters. Burcham married Yvonne Carol Yates in 1969, and they divorced in 1974. Two years later, he married Loretta Faye Bates, and they had two children, Jennifer Lea and Lavin J. Jr.

Biographical Sources: The sources used to compile this biographical note include materials in the collection, the Guilford County Register of Deeds database, and Ancestry.com.

SCOPE & CONTENT NOTE

The types of materials in this collection include photographs, newspaper clippings, flyers, books, and other literary and printed materials pertaining to the early life of Lavin J. Burcham. Focusing on Burcham’s life as a child preacher, the majority of the collection consists of newspaper clippings and flyers advertising his speaking appearances, books written by Veatrice Burcham about her son’s early ministry, and writings and drawings by Burcham relating to his travels as a child preacher. A few items relate to Burcham’s life outside of his calling, including an oral history interview and school report. Researchers interested in Pentecostalism or tent revivals may find this collection useful.

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

1. Audio.  4 folders (4 items).  ca. 1960s-2011.

The audio includes an oral history interview of Lavin J. Burcham by staff at the Greensboro History Museum (1:2). In the interview, he describes how he became a child preacher and provides information about his life afterwards, including his career as a minister at Four Seasons Chapel and his mission work in the Philippines. Also included in this series are a reel-to-reel tape that seems to feature an Amway presentation (1:3), as well as a cassette tape (1:1) and record (1:4) containing music. The record relates to the Boy Scouts of America, of which Burcham was a member.

2. Literary.  7 folders (ca. 60 items).  1954-1980.

The literary series consists of materials written by Lavin J. Burcham and his mother, Veatrice Willcoxen Burcham. Of interest are the notes, newspaper clippings, and other written materials used to create a manuscript of Veatrice’s book, My Son Who Never Doubted (2:4). Some of these include a page Lavin wrote while he was speaking in tongues and drawings he made that were important to his ministry. Copies are included in the final version of the book (2:3). Also of importance is a diary kept by Veatrice with dates for the events that Lavin attended across the United States, Canada, and Mexico (2:5). His journal from a trip to England provides more details about what a speaking engagement entailed (2:7), while a paper that he wrote about Darwinism for his high school English class provides insight into his life outside preaching (2:6).

3. Printed.  29 folders (ca. 295 items).  1954-1968.

This printed material consists of newspapers and newspaper clippings (3:19-29) along with flyers (3:6-14) from various cities advertising Lavin J. Burcham’s preaching appearances. Some of the flyers and newspapers in Spanish are from revivals held in New York City for predominately Puerto Rican communities. Of importance is an article by Jerry Bledsoe about Burcham’s adjustment to adulthood (3:28). Some of the included copies of Miracle Magazine, a nationwide Pentecostal magazine founded by revivalist A.A. Allen, mention Burcham’s preaching and healing abilities (3:16-17). Also contained in this series are two Bibles that Burcham used while he was preaching (3:2-3) and a map on which he marked the countries he visited for his ministry (3:16). The copies of awards and certificates that Burcham received throughout his preaching career include the original certificate from his ordination by Calvary Holiness Church in Fayetteville (3:1).

4. Scrapbook.  1 folder (1 item).  1968.

This scrapbook was created by Jimmy Bentley in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It includes images and newspaper clippings from Lavin J. Burcham’s childhood preaching career. Bentley also typed Bible verses that Burcham used when he preached.

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