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 Oka T. Hester Jr. Family Papers consist primarily of correspondence, printed material and photographs pertaining to the professional and private life of Oka T. Hester Jr. As director of Greensboro’s Parks and Recreation Department from 1947 to 1977, Hester was known for his leadership in the recreation field, as well as his community service. Researchers interested in the city’s Parks and Recreation Department will find letters, newspaper clippings, photographs and reports from his tenure. The collection also includes materials documenting his daughter Julia “Judy” Hester’s life in Greensboro and time studying at Duke University.

Arrangement: This collection is organized into eight series by document type and/or subject. The series are: Awards/Certificates, 1944-1978; Correspondence, 1939-1994; Financial/Legal, 1947-1953, n.d.; Hester, Julia, ca. 1943-2006; Maps, 1975-1976, n.d.; Miscellaneous, ca. 1943-ca. 1966; Photographs, ca. 1950-ca. 1975; and Printed Material, ca. 1930-1977.

Provenance: This collection was donated by Graham Fripp in April 2017 and assigned accession number 2017.18.1. The donor purchased Julia Hester’s house and its contents after her death in 2016.

Processing: This collection was organized by volunteer Elizabeth Moore, and the finding aid was completed in February 2018.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Born in Raleigh, Oka T. Hester Jr. (1912-1978) attended Greensboro High School and played football as a freshman at Elon College. He joined Greensboro’s Parks and Recreation Department in 1934 as an athletic director, and between 1942 and 1947 directed departments in Raleigh and Augusta, Georgia. In 1947, he returned to Greensboro to become the city’s first Director of Parks and Recreation. During his tenure, he oversaw the development of fourteen neighborhood centers and forty playgrounds. He organized a comprehensive athletic program that included boxing, baseball and basketball, and served as a mentor to local marbles teams. He also worked with the Greater Greensboro Open golf tournament from 1938 until his retirement.

Oka Hester was active in multiple national and state organizations, including the American Recreation Society and the North Carolina Recreation Society, and he wrote articles for several national publications. In 1952, the State Department sent him to West Germany for five months to set up recreation programs in various cities. At the time of his retirement in 1977, his department was recognized as one of four premier parks and recreation departments in the country. He and his wife, Fay Holder (1917-2007), were members of First Baptist Church and lived at 1704 Liberty Dr. in Kirkwood.

The only child of Fay and Oka Hester, Julia “Judy” Glenn Hester (1936-2016) was born in Greensboro and graduated from Greensboro Senior High School (later Grimsley High School) in 1955. She earned a BS and PhD in nursing from Duke University, as well as a MS from UNC Chapel Hill, and she worked as a school psychologist in the Winston Salem-Forsyth County Schools. Like her parents, she was a member of First Baptist Church and active with youth programs, and she also volunteered at Irving Park School. She lived at 1704 Liberty Dr. in Kirkwood until her death.

Biographical Sources: The biographical information was gathered from materials in the collection, Ancestry.com, Oka Hester’s obituary (Greensboro Daily News, November 14, 1978), Fay Holder Hester’s obituary (News & Record, December 17, 2007), and Julia Hester’s obituary (News & Record, September 27, 2016).

SCOPE & CONTENT NOTE

The types of materials in this collection include correspondence, photographs, printed material such as newspaper clippings and reports, and maps of parks and recreation facilities. Most items pertain to Oka T. Hester and Greensboro’s Parks and Recreation Department. Also included are correspondence and printed material relating to his daughter Julia’s education in Greensboro and at Duke University. Researchers interested in the history of Greensboro’s Parks and Recreation Department and its facilities, as well as local schools, will find materials of interest.

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

1. Awards/Certificates.  5 folders (6 items).  1944-1978.

Among the items in this series is the Order of the Long Leaf Pine (1:3), the highest honor bestowed by North Carolina governors upon citizens who exemplify service to their communities. Also included is an award from the North Carolina Recreation and Park Society recognizing Hester’s leadership (1:2), and a certificate from the University of Alabama for attending the Southeastern Recreation Executives School in 1944 (1:5).

2. Correspondence.  10 folders (ca. 115 items).  1939-1994.

The majority of the correspondence centers on Oka Hester’s work within Greensboro’s Parks and Recreation Department. Some letters plan meetings with other directors, relay information between department employees, and share ideas with other recreation departments. Several thank Hester for his service to cities, organizations and causes, while others highlight his department’s accomplishments. This series also includes correspondence pertaining to marbles tournaments (2:11), an invitation to visit the Hester family in Raleigh (2:9), and the announcement of Hester’s appointment to the N.C. Zoological Authority (2:7). While most of the letters pertain to Greensboro, the series also contains a few that give insight into Hester’s work in other cities, especially Raleigh and Augusta, Georgia.

3. Financial/Legal.  3 folders (3 items).  1947-1953, n.d.

This series contains two receipts, one from the Hotel Bristol in Vienna, Austria (3:3) and the other from Wesley Long Hospital (3:1). Also included is an assignment to Oka T. Hester of an undivided one-twentieth interest in a patent for a “new type of Venetian blinds” designed by William E. Carter Jr. (3:2).

4. Hester, Julia.  21 folders (ca. 100 items).  ca. 1943-2006.

Oka T. Hester’s daughter Julia “Judy” Hester grew up and worked in Greensboro. She attended Greensboro Senior High School, and then UNC Chapel Hill and Duke University. The bulk of this series consists of photographs and personal correspondence sent from Private Thomas E. Cherry to Julia while at Duke. Other items include a 1952 Central Jr. High School yearbook (4:15), programs from school events (4:14-15, 4:18, 4:20), 3D glasses (4:6), a Greensboro library card (4:7), and Julia’s 1979 doctoral dissertation (4:16).

5. Maps.  1 folder (2 items).  1975-1976, n.d.

Included in this series are a map of Greensboro Parks and Recreation facilities in 1975-1976 and an undated design study for Oka T. Hester Park.

6. Miscellaneous.  5 folders (ca. 25 items).  ca. 1943-ca. 1966.

This series consists primarily of Oka Hester’s resume (6:4) and job applications for various recreation positions (6:3) that provide insight into his employment history and his colleagues’ perceptions of him. Also included is his FBI fingerprint card (6:1).

7. Photographs.  31 folders (ca. 330 items).  ca. 1950-ca. 1975.

A large portion of this collection consists of photographs, roughly half of which relate to Greensboro (7:3-20). Researchers interested in the city will find photographs of parks, recreation facilities and community centers, as well as group portraits primarily from social events and meetings throughout Greensboro. The series also includes portraits of Hester and his family (7:26-27), with most portraits of Hester appearing to have been taken in his office at the Parks and Recreation Department (7:27). Researchers interested in Hester’s work with Greensboro’s marbles teams will find the photos of the marbles tournaments particularly interesting (7:28-29). Also worth mentioning are the athletic portraits taken by North Carolina photographer Hugh Morton (7:30), as well as two photos of Hester with LeRoy T. Walker (7:21), the first African American president of the U.S. Olympic Committee and chancellor of North Carolina Central University.

8. Printed Material.  42 folders (ca. 55 items).  ca. 1930-1977.

The printed material includes newspaper clippings, reports, a magazine, bulletins and articles. Researchers focusing on the city’s parks and recreation facilities will find the annual reports useful (8:14-16, 8:35). Also included are an article written by Hester on the Glenwood Community Center (8:9) and an article about the Warnersville Community Center, one of Greensboro’s segregated recreation centers for African American residents (8:42). Numerous newspaper clippings pertain to Hester (8:21-25) and, along with press releases, the marbles teams that he oversaw (8:27, 8:37).

FOLDER LISTING

INTRODUCTION

This collection consists of scrapbooks relating to Tom Martin’s service as the general chairman of the 1981 Greater Greensboro Open (GGO) golf tournament. He worked for the Greensboro Planning Department and was very involved in his local community, especially with the Greensboro Jaycees, which organized the GGO. Some of the more interesting items in the scrapbooks include correspondence from golfers inquiring about playing in the tournament, name badges and commemorative pins from the GGO and other tournaments, and photographs of Martin and others at the tournaments and related events. Researchers interested in local sporting events and their impact on the community may find this collection useful.

Arrangement: This collection is organized in one series in original order. The series is: Scrapbooks, 1979-1981.

Provenance: This collection was donated by Tom Martin in December 2016 and assigned the accession number 2016.67.1.

Processing: The materials in these scrapbooks were removed from the original magnetic pages and rehoused with archival quality materials by various volunteers prior to 2021. The finding aid was prepared by intern Amanda McBryde in February 2023.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Originally from Burlington, North Carolina, C. Thomas “Tom” Martin moved to Greensboro at the age of 8. He attended Curry School for grades 4-12 before moving on to Gardner-Webb junior college and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), where he was one of the first male students and a member of the newly formed men’s basketball team. In 2015, he still held the record for rebounds in a single game, and he was inducted into the UNCG Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022. During his time at the school, he met Mary Hoyng, whom he later married.

After graduating with a degree in political science in 1970, Tom Martin began a 33 year career in the City of Greensboro’s Planning Department, for which he served as director from 1998 until his retirement in 2003. He also joined the Greensboro Jaycees in 1970, serving on the board of directors for several years and chairing numerous projects before being selected as the general chairman of the 1981 Greater Greensboro Open golf tournament. In 1980, the Jaycees made Martin a lifetime member for his contributions to the community. Other positions he has held in his commitment to community service include Tournament Director of the 1997 and 1998 NCAA’s Women’s Soccer Championships, president of the UNCG Alumni Association in 2002, chairman of the Carolina Theatre Commission, and member of the Greensboro Sports Council Executive Committee.

Biographical Sources: The biographical information was acquired from materials in the collection, a blog post titled “An Original Spartan – Tom Martin (Class of 1970)” (Spartan Stories: Tales from the UNCG University Archives, December 7, 2015), an article titled “Chief Planner Martin Retires: Tom Martin Has Served in Greensboro’s Planning Department for the Past 33 Years” (News & Record, November 28, 2003), and his page on the UNCG Athletics Hall of Fame website.

SCOPE & CONTENT NOTE

This collection consists of four scrapbooks chronicling Tom Martin’s time as the 1980 assistant chairman and 1981 general chairman of the Greater Greensboro Open golf tournament. Of particular interest are programs from the 1980 and 1981 GGO kickoff banquets, name badges and commemorative pins from the GGO and other tournaments, autographs from golfers who played in the 1981 GGO, and many photographs of Martin at the GGO in his green jacket and at other events during the documented two years. The scrapbooks also include newspaper clippings, correspondence, and other tournament-related items, such as programs and tickets. These materials are primarily in chronological order, with some items slightly out of place. Researchers interested in the Greater Greensboro Open golf tournament, the Greensboro Jaycees, or local sporting events and their impact on the community may find this collection useful.

SERIES DESCRIPTION

1. Scrapbooks.  4 album boxes (4 items).  1979-1981.

This series contains four scrapbooks that document Tom Martin’s time as the 1980 assistant chairman and 1981 general chairman of the Greater Greensboro Open golf tournament. The first scrapbook begins with a Greensboro Daily News article announcing that the Jaycees had chosen him as the next GGO chairman followed by letters of congratulations. Also of interest are articles about and items relating to the 1980 GGO and other tournaments. Articles from The Carolinas Golf Reporter, the Greensboro Daily News/Record, The Greensboro Record, and the Projector (the Greensboro Jaycees newsletter) discuss the lead-up to the tournament, celebrity appearances, and profits made by the event. Other items include the program from the GGO kickoff banquet, invitations to events relating to the tournament such as a coffee honoring players’ wives and a cocktail party for sponsors, an invitation to the Tournament Players Championship, a program for the 1980 Masters Tournament, name badges and pins from various tournaments, and photographs from all of the above.

The second scrapbook focuses on the aftermath of the 1980 GGO and the lead up to the 1981 tournament. Notable here are articles from The Carolinas Golf Reporter regarding the 1980 Cardinal Amateur and World Golf Hall of Fame tournaments, as well as items from the Roy Clark Celebrity Golf Tournament, the opening of the Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass, and the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am, all of which provide context for the greater world of golf at the time. The scrapbook begins with articles from the Greensboro Daily News and The Greensboro Record discussing the costs of and profits from the 1980 tournament and the prize money for the 1981 tournament. Next are an invitation to Perry Como’s private cast party following his performance at a benefit show and tickets to that show. The end of this scrapbook chronicles the beginning of the 1981 GGO tournament season with the invitation to and program from the 1981 GGO kickoff banquet, as well as newspaper articles discussing the players and celebrity attendees at the tournament.

Of particular note in the third scrapbook are many local newspaper articles discussing results from each round of the tournament and autographs from players on scraps of paper. It also contains an invitation to the Tournament Players Championship Pro-Am dinner and other items relating to Martin’s participation in that tournament. Correspondence from potential players regarding invitations to participate in the GGO can also be found. As newspapers geared up for the tournament, they published articles about the 1981 souvenir bottle of bourbon produced for the tournament and about various players slated to participate. A Greensboro Daily News article about Martin taking six weeks off from the Planning Department to prepare for the tournament elicited a response letter to the editor from Dr. Ken Eiler, the 1980 chairman, defending Martin’s work as both a member of the Planning Department and as chairman.

The fourth scrapbook contains several newspaper articles about profits from the 1981 GGO, as well as an interview with Martin looking back on his time as chairman. It opens with a short biography of him from the Projector, then picks up where the previous book left off with newspaper coverage of the tournament results. Two further responses address the article about Martin receiving six weeks off from work to prepare for the tournament, one disparaging the city for using taxpayer money to pay for his work for the GGO, a private event, and the other supporting the decision because of the local significance of the tournament. After the tournament ended, Martin received many letters congratulating him on its success and thanking him for his work. The scrapbook closes with photographs of him taken during the tournament.

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

This collection consists of employee newsletters published and distributed by J.P. Stevens & Co., one of the largest firms in the American textile industry, as well as one of the oldest diversified textile companies. The monthly News Weaver served as a resource for connecting departments and sharing local and national company news while emphasizing the interests and activities of the company’s Greensboro employees. It is filled with information about local functions and company activities in Greensboro, as well the significant advancements J.P. Stevens made within the textile industry between the 1960s and 1980s. Researchers interested in local businesses, the textile industry, or J.P. Stevens & Co. may find this collection useful.

Arrangement: This collection is organized in one series and arranged within the series by date. The series is Printed Materials, 1962-1981.

Provenance: This collection was donated by Charlotte M. Layton in December 2016 and assigned the accession number 2016.57.1. The newsletters belonged to her husband’s uncle, Robert “Bob” McKendry Layton, who worked for J.P. Stevens & Co. for 37 years, retiring as a supervisor in the accounting department.

Processing: This collection was organized by Archivist Elise Allison, and the finding aid was completed by LIS Capstone Intern Mary Puppo in February 2025.

HISTORICAL NOTE

J.P. Stevens & Co. was founded in 1813 by Captain Nathaniel Stevens of North Andover, Massachusetts, when he purchased a gristmill and converted it to produce woolen broadcloth, commonly used in the production of garments. Peak production occurred during the 1960s with 82 textile plants producing cotton, wool, synthetic yarns, fabric, and ready to buy products such as towels, carpets, hosiery, and sheets. At the company’s height, factories could be found in Alabama, Connecticut, California, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, along with administrative offices in New York City, Greensboro, and Greenville, South Carolina.

The Greensboro J.P. Stevens plant originated from a 1946 merger with Carter Fabrics Corporation, which was founded in Greensboro in 1937 by Wilbert J. “Nick” and Harry C. Carter. Nick Carter built the factory with the most efficient processing of rayon and acetate fibers in mind. As a result, it was the first fully air-conditioned plant, ideal for manufacturing fabrics from synthetic fibers. As part of J.P. Stevens, the factory and laboratory specialized in the research, development, and manufacture of synthetic materials, fabrics, and yarns such as rayon, nylon, fiberglass, acrylic, Orlon, Antron II, Dacron, and synthetic/wool blends, along with many other experimental synthetic and industrial fabrics. Under J.P. Stevens, the Greensboro plant, also known as the Carter plant, was among the leading producers of double-knit fabrics. Greensboro also became a major transport depot for the trucking and procurement departments. The administrative offices in Greensboro, located in the Starmount area off West Market Street, managed the accounting, engineering, data processing, industrial relations, and technical services work for various departments. The Trucking Department was formed with a single vehicle in September 1947, and its headquarters was eventually established off Highway 29 in Guilford County. The Computer Business Forms Department was located south of Greensboro, just off I-85, and was responsible for producing and printing documents, including the News Weaver.

The national management of J.P. Stevens & Co. came under scrutiny in 1976 with a national boycott organized by the Textile Workers Union of America (TWUA). The slogan of the boycott, “Don’t sleep with J.P. Stevens,” was effective in drawing national attention to the TWUA’s goals of improving working conditions and wages, ending racial discrimination, and organizing labor unions in Southern states. By 1988, the company was struggling under the weight of debts and the popularization of outsourcing textile work to cut labor costs. As a result, it was bought and split into three parts by West Point-Pepperell Inc. and Odyssey Partners. The 200,768 square-foot Greensboro factory on South Elm-Eugene Street was demolished in 2002, and the land now houses Greensboro Fire Station 11, the Police District 2 headquarters, and the city’s Water Resources Department.

Historical Sources: The historical information about J.P. Stevens & Co. was obtained from the finding aid for the J.P. Stevens and Company, Incorporated (1813-1989) Records, Mss. #135, at Clemson University, while details about the boycott were found in “U.S. textile workers win campaign in South (J.P. Stevens boycott),” by Anthony Phalen (Global Nonviolent Action Database, November 25, 2009). Information about the Greensboro plant was obtained from “A Brief Survey of Textile Mills in Greensboro,” by Meghan Coker (UNCG, 2014) and “Knocking down history: Carter plant, once a giant in textiles, sees its last days,” by Jim Schlosser (News & Record, April 9, 2002), as well as from the newsletters in the collection.

SCOPE & CONTENT NOTE

This collection consists exclusively of printed materials in the form of 20 years of newsletters arranged chronologically. The newsletters contain valuable information and context about the textile industry in Greensboro and at other J.P. Stevens facilities around the country. They also provide insights into the charitable work and activities of local employees. It is notable, but not surprising, that they omit any mention of the strikes and protests at J.P. Stevens factories or the national boycott of the company in 1976.

SERIES DESCRIPTION

1. Printed Materials.  10 folders (20 items).  1962-1981.

The printed materials consist of local employee newsletters titled News Weaver. Published and distributed monthly by J.P. Stevens & Co., the newsletter served the Greensboro based administrative office, Computer Business Forms, Forms Control, and local Trucking departments. It was printed in house by the Computer Business Forms Department and edited by Margaret Foust, a member of the South Atlantic Council of Industrial Editors. The newsletters focus on significant national and local occurrences, as well as changes and successes within the company, and they served to build a stronger sense of community among Greensboro employees in departments at disparate locations across the city.

Recurring themes include national promotions, significant national sales, and research breakthroughs. Local topics range from promotions, retirements, and marriages to prayers, recipes, participation in community blood drives, and reminders to get the flu shot. Charitable one-time campaigns, such as sending bivy bags to soldiers in Vietnam, are also detailed. Several issues highlight significant achievements on both the national and local levels, such as the successful deployment and landing of Project Gemini parachutes made from J.P. Stevens nylon in 1966 (1:3). Entry into the pulp and paper chemical business in 1973 provided the company with a new avenue for innovation (1:6). Local safety milestones for the Greensboro plant were documented in 1965, totaling 4,132,870-man hours worked accident free, a record for J.P. Stevens facilities known for being unsafe on the factory floor. The Greensboro location was declared the safest and an innovative model for textile factories (1:2). In 1967, the company sponsored the “Textiles in the Space Age” lecture about the use of science and technology to spur innovation in the textile industry (1:3), and an award was presented to the Greensboro administrative office for electrical energy reductions of 30% in 1977 (1:8). The newsletters also cover the company’s participation in the International Hosiery Exposition in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1980 (1:10).

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 Mildred S. Davis Papers consist of materials relating to the Extension Homemakers Association and the Mount Tabor community. The collection covers the local, county, state, and national levels of the organization, with the bulk of items relating to the North Carolina Extension Homemakers Association. Materials include meeting agendas, correspondence between agents, photographs of club activities, and event programs. Researchers interested in the activities and goals of the Extension Homemakers, particularly at the state level, will find this collection useful. Also of note in the collection are documents about the 100th anniversary of Mount Tabor United Methodist Church and newspaper clippings about local African American figures.

Arrangement: This collection is organized into five series by subject and arranged within those series by document type or subject. The series are: Guilford County Extension Homemakers Council, 1970-1983; Miscellaneous, 1955-2013; Mount Tabor Homemakers Club, 1954-1970; National Extension Homemakers, ca. 1974-1985; and North Carolina Extension Homemakers Association, 1969-1984.

Provenance: This collection was donated by Richard and Margarette Davis in May 2016 and assigned accession number 2016.31.1.

Processing: This collection was organized and the finding aid was prepared by volunteer Kimberly Oliver in July 2016.

BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL NOTE

Mildred Strickland Turner Davis (1921-2013) was born to Eva and Causey Strickland in Guilford County. After her father died, her mother married Lawrence Turner and the family took his surname. Mildred grew up in Durham, where she graduated from Hillside High School. She attended Immanuel Lutheran College in Greensboro, and married John Henry Davis (1915-2009) in 1937. The couple had three children: Johnnie, Richard, and Linda. Davis and her family returned to Guilford County where they lived in Mount Tabor, an African American community southwest of Greensboro city limits at the time. They attended Mount Tabor United Methodist Church before later joining Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Greensboro. Davis was a member of the North Carolina Extension Homemakers Association for many years, during which she served as President of the Mount Tabor Home Demonstration Club, Vice President of the Guilford County Council, and chairman of various committees within those organizations. In addition, Davis was employed by Community Funeral Service and was very active within community and church organizations, serving as chairman of the Mount Tabor UMC 100th Anniversary Task Force.

The Extension Homemakers Association began as a series of “tomato clubs,” local groups that taught advanced agricultural skills and canning to women as a way to supplement farm incomes. In 1911, the General Education Board appointed home demonstration agents in each southern state. Jane McKimmon, the North Carolina agent, also hired an extension agent for each county. 4-H clubs were established in 1916 to focus on instruction for girls, while home demonstration clubs were redirected to serve women. In Guilford County, tomato clubs in various towns were organized into a county affiliation under the leadership of Lucille Kennett, who hired the first home agent in 1915. The North Carolina Federation of Home Demonstration Clubs was founded at State College (later North Carolina State University) in 1920, and evolved into the North Carolina Extension Homemakers Association by 1966. Over time, Homemakers clubs broadened their range of teachings to educate women on a variety of home economics subjects, including nutrition and sewing, all taught with the goal of sharing the most recent research. By the 1950s, home demonstration clubs began to teach family relations and financial management, and started programs to improve community welfare and safety. In 1999, the North Carolina Extension Homemakers Council disaffiliated with the national association and changed its name to the North Carolina Extension and Community Association, Inc., continuing the work of the Extension Homemakers with a special focus on serving low-income families.

Biographical/Historical Sources: The biographical information was gathered from materials in the collection. The historical information about the Extension Homemakers Association was obtained from various online sources: “The History of Tomato Clubs,” by Josh Shaffer (Our State, July 9, 2014); “History of Home Demonstration in North Carolina” (Green ‘N’ Growing, NC State University Libraries); and General Information (North Carolina Extension & Community Association, NC State University).

SCOPE & CONTENT NOTE

The materials in this collection include correspondence (1:2), photographs (3:2, 5:6) and printed materials, such as agendas (1:1), programs (1:3), newspaper clippings (5:4) and newsletters (5:4). Each item provides information about one level of the Extension Homemakers organization, whether local (3:1-2), county (1:1-3), state (5:1-6), or national (4:1). Information about each level covers the period in which Mildred Davis participated in it, and includes program goals, photographs of activities, and meeting agendas or programs. The bulk of the collection is related to the state Extension Homemakers Association from 1969 to 1984. A weakness is the lack of context for many materials, as well their limitation to the years Davis participated. In addition, few materials involve the Mount Tabor Homemakers Club, meaning that the collection will be most useful to researchers interested in the wider state organization rather than the local club. Miscellaneous materials also found in the collection relate either to Davis or the Mount Tabor community, and include information about the 100th anniversary of Mount Tabor United Methodist Church (2:3), local African American figures (2:4), and the Guilford County Parent and Teachers Association (2:2).

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

1. Guilford County Extension Homemakers Council.  3 folders (9 items).  1970-1983.

Materials in this series include agendas for three county council meetings (1:1), miscellaneous correspondence from Agricultural Extension agents regarding various committee meetings and goals (1:2), and programs from meetings of the Guilford County Extension Homemakers Clubs (1:3).

2. Miscellaneous.  4 folders (18 items).  1955-2013.

This series contains materials not directly related to the Extension Homemakers Association. Included is information specific to Davis, such as her obituary, an undated photo from late in her life, and an issue of the Graphic Report with an article about a typing class she attended. Also included are a partial resume and a 1976 volunteer leader’s achievement report containing Davis’s application for a leadership award and detailing offices she held, information about her family, and all of her volunteer activities within the Homemakers Association and in other organizations (2:1). The series also contains materials related to the Mount Tabor United Methodist Church, including programs from the 1966 and 1971 Woman’s Days, a 1996 speech, and an undated letter to the Bishop of the Western North Carolina United Methodist Church. Of note are documents relating to the 100th anniversary of Mount Tabor United Methodist Church, including a report from the Anniversary Task Force (of which Davis was chairman), letters of invitation to the celebration, and an announcement that includes a brief history of the church (2:3). Additional materials include a 1955 program from the Commemorating Founder’s Day of the Guilford County Parent and Teachers Association (2:2), as well as a newspaper article about road changes affecting the Mount Tabor community (2:4). Other newspaper clippings focus on local African American figures, covering the deaths of oldest Boy Scout B.S. Austin, educator Charlotte Hawkins Brown, and racial justice activist Ervin Brisbon (2:4).

3. Mount Tabor Homemakers Club.  2 folders (10 items).  1954-1970.

This series contains various materials relating to the Mount Tabor Homemakers Club, including its revised bylaws, a 1959 community development progress report, and the agenda of a “What Every Family Should Know” workshop given by the club. Also included are an announcement and souvenir program from the club’s 23rd anniversary celebration (3:1). Photographs in this series show the club in 1954, a 1958 tour through a meat packing company, Davis and Ava Shoffner at a 1960 Extension Tea, and Davis showing off a refinished mirror frame (3:2).

4. National Extension Homemakers.  1 folder (8 items).  ca. 1974-1985.

This series consists of materials relating to the National Extension Homemakers, including a program for the 1974 annual meeting (in which are written names and addresses of various members), suggested questions for the organization’s oral history project, and lyrics to homemakers’ songs. Samples of information distributed by the national organization include a diagram of home management, guide to vital documents, and information about mushrooms from the Mushroom Processors Association. Also found within this series are a letter to Davis from Congressman Howard Coble regarding her interest in funding for the Agricultural Extension Program, and a NEH guide to writing letters to congressmen (4:1).

5. North Carolina Extension Homemakers Association.  6 folders (56 items).  1969-1984.

The materials in this series relate to the state level of the Extension Homemakers Association, and include the association’s constitution and bylaws as revised in 1979 (5:1) and two editions of the newsletter Tarheel Homemakers (5:5). Also included is correspondence between Davis and state agents regarding state and district meetings, Davis’s achievements and her appointment as State Vice Chairman of the Home Economics Committee, and program goals for that committee (5:2). Newspaper clippings include an announcement of Davis’s representation of the state at the National Extension Homemakers meeting in 1974, and several articles detailing the history and programs of the North Carolina Extension Homemakers (5:4). The series contains many items from the 1974 “University Days on Wheels” tour through the mid-Atlantic to New York City, including an agenda, a brochure from Winterthur Museum, Davis’s report notes, and photographs of locations visited on the tour (5:6). Additional materials include a list of addresses of 1973 Home Economics Committee members, a 1975 committee report, a program from the 1979 meeting, the club’s Collect and Creed, and forms for officer applications and program reports (5:3).

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

This collection consists of materials relating to Greensboro native Jesse Farlow’s 27-year career in the U.S. Navy. He served from World War II through the Vietnam War, rising in the ranks from seaman to senior chief quartermaster and naval instructor. The USS Rainier, on which he was stationed during World War II, is featured most heavily. Naval researchers may appreciate these materials, which include photographs of ships and their crews, as well as various printed materials such as certificates, a newsletter, and a seamanship book. A few items reveal a more lighthearted side of the Navy, and even a more personal side in the case of the Pacific Theater ink drawings by a crew member. The only Greensboro materials are a high school assignment and an atlas.

Arrangement: This collection is organized into four series and arranged within series by document type or subject. The series are: Drawings, ca. 1942-1944; Maps, 1976, 1985; Photographs, 1942-1968; and Printed Material, 1918-1966.

Provenance: This collection was donated by Jesse Farlow’s daughters, Gwen Farlow and Lynda Bare, in February 2016 and assigned the accession number 2015.58.1.

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

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Jesse Quinton “Buck” Farlow (1922-2015) was born in Greensboro to Sally Bean and Joseph Farlow, and raised in the Glenwood neighborhood. After high school, he worked briefly for A.C. Spark Plug in Flint, Michigan, and then embarked on a long career in the U.S. Navy. During World War II, he served on the USS Rainier, which completed five missions in the Pacific. Also a veteran of the Korean War and the Vietnam War, Farlow was an attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in the early 1960s, and he became an instructor in navigations and operations at the University of New Mexico after completing an instructor’s class at the Naval Training Center San Diego in 1963. During his career, he rose through the ranks from seaman to quartermaster and senior chief quartermaster, and he served on mine sweepers and four other naval vessels. His last assignment was to the Fleet Reserve on the USS Columbus in Portsmouth, Virginia. When not on assignment, he lived in Greensboro, where he also retired. He was a York Rite Mason, as well as a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and the Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem.

Biographical Sources: The biographical information was acquired from Jesse Farlow’s daughter Gwen, his obituary (News & Record, June 30, 2015), and copies of his military records. These sources and an informal list of ancestors can be found in the folder at the front of the collection.

SCOPE & CONTENT NOTE

The types of materials in this collection include maps, photographs, artwork, certificates, and other printed materials. Almost all these items document Jesse Farlow’s experience in the U.S. Navy during wartime, especially World War II, and later as a naval instructor in New Mexico. Those interested in the U.S. Navy will appreciate the creative and even humorous USS Rainier newsletter and certificates (4:2-3), as well as the edition of Reed’s Seamanship (1918; 4:1). A map produced for the 1985 reunion of the USS Rainier crew (2:2) presents a chronology of the ship’s ports and the routes of its missions, while ink drawings by a crew member feature scenes from the ship and Pacific Theater during World War II (1:1). The only items from Greensboro are a high school assignment (4:6) and a 1976 Greensboro atlas (2:1).

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

1. Drawings.  1 folder (10 items).  ca. 1942-1944.

These ten ink drawings were produced by E.M. Parker, one of Jesse Farlow’s shipmates on the USS Rainier. They depict buildings and landscapes on some of the Pacific islands, as well as part of an interisland ship and shipboard scenes on the USS Rainier.

2. Maps.  2 folders (3 items).  1976, 1985.

This series contains a 1976 atlas of Greensboro (2:1) along with a map and chronology from the 1985 reunion of the USS Rainier crew that details their five trips in the Pacific Theater during World War II (2:2).

3. Photographs.  2 folders (9 items).  ca. 1942-1968.

All of the photographs pertain to Jesse Farlow’s service in the U.S. Navy. He is featured receiving an award and in a group photograph taken upon his graduation from an instructor’s class at the Naval Training Center San Diego (3:1). Also included are photographs of the ships on which he served during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War (3:2).

4. Printed Material.  6 folders (7 items).  1918-1966.

This series spans from Jesse Farlow’s student days, with a high school worksheet on rumblings in Europe (4:6), through his tenure as an NROTC instructor in navigations and operations at the University of New Mexico in the 1960s. A newspaper clipping recounting protests in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) over U.S. involvement in Cuba dates from his time as attaché to the U.S. Embassy there (4:4). The most colorful items are from his time on the USS Rainier: a newsletter composed by the crew reporting on the war around the world, lightened by humorous cartoons, articles, and a poem (4:3); and two whimsical certificates, one from Neptune and one from the also mythical Green Octopus (4:2).

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 John E. Hodgin Jr. Family Papers consist primarily of correspondence and photographs pertaining to the Hodgin family, who were Quakers and lived in the Guilford College area for much of the 20th century. The focus is John E. Hodgin Jr., with many letters and photographs from his service in Europe during World War II, while numerous other photographs relate to his parents, his sisters, and their descendants. Of particular note is a manuscript describing the Guilford College area and its residents in the early 1900s. Researchers interested in the Hodgin family, the town of Guilford College, or local Quaker history may find this collection useful.

Arrangement: This collection is organized in four series and arranged within series by subject. The series are: Correspondence, 1912-1996; Miscellaneous, 1820-1996; Photographs, 1899-2005; and Printed Material, 1897-ca. 1989.

Provenance: This collection was donated by Mary Beth Kureczka in October 2015 and assigned the accession number 2015.56.1. The donor found these items in the attic at 811 Dolley Madison Road.

Processing: This collection was organized and the finding aid was prepared by volunteer Leah Nykamp in March 2023.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

John Ernest Hodgin Sr. (1876-1958) was born in Guilford County to Martha Blair and David J. Hodgin (1829-1898), a politician, teacher, and later farmer in Sumner Township. After farming as a young adult, John Hodgin Sr. worked for the U.S. Post Office in Greensboro for forty years, including as a supervisor. He married Aileen Ross Hodgin (1884-1975) in 1913, and the couple had three children: Julia Blair, John Ernest Jr., and Jonaleen. As Quakers, the family were lifelong members of New Garden Friends Meeting. In 1918, they moved from downtown Greensboro to a house they named Quaker Acres at 811 Dolley Madison Road near Guilford College.

John Ernest Hodgin Jr. (1916-2011), known by family and friends as Jack, attended Guilford High School and earned a B.S. in mathematics from Guilford College in 1937. During World War II, he served in the Army Air Forces as a weather forecaster, first attached to the British Royal Air Force and then as part of the Eighth Air Force and Mediterranean Allied Air Forces. After returning to Greensboro, he married Georgia Newton (1915-2003), and the couple had a son, John E. Hodgin III. In 1949, he became an insurance salesman with Federated Mutual Insurance Co., for which he worked for nearly two decades. He was living at Quaker Acres by 1970, and the Greensboro chapter of the American Red Cross recognized his many blood donations with the first Thomas Z. Osborne Memorial Award in 1992.

Both Julia Blair (1914-1990) and Jonaleen (1918-2002) also attended Guilford High School and Guilford College. In 1942, Julia Blair married Robert Kendall. The couple moved to Massachusetts and later Florida, and they had two children: Kim and Robert. Jonaleen married Walter A. Jacobsen and had two children: Jonalyn and John Nils. After leaving North Carolina, she lived in New York City and then Florida.

Biographical Sources: The sources for this biographical note include items in the collection; the Greensboro city directories; Ancestry.com; The Quaker (1937); the obituaries of John E. Hodgin Jr. (News & Record, February 10, 2011), John E. Hodgin Sr. (The Greensboro Record, September 17, 1958), Aileen Hodgin (Greensboro Daily News, April 2, 1975), Julia Blair Hodgin Kendall (News & Record, February 22, 1990), and Jonaleen Hodgin Jacobsen (News & Record, March 8, 2002); and “John E. Hodgin Jr. wins Osborne Award / Blood donor keeps promise” (Greensboro News & Record, September 30, 1992).

SCOPE & CONTENT NOTE

The types of materials in this collection include letters, photographic prints and negatives, financial and legal documents, newspaper clippings, and a plaque. The majority of items relate to members of the Hodgin family. A highlight of the collection is a manuscript describing the road between Guilford College Station and the college, along with the people living there in the early 1900s. Also of note is an early 1960s directory for New Garden Friends Meeting with a history of the meeting. Genealogical materials provide background on the Hodgin family, while notes and photos document John E. Hodgin Jr.’s service in Europe during World War II. Researchers interested in the Hodgin family, World War II veterans, the Guilford College area, or local Quaker history may find this collection useful.

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

1. Correspondence.  8 folders (23 items).  1912-1996, n.d.

The correspondence contains greeting cards, John E. Hodgin Jr.’s commencement announcement from Guilford High School, and a calling card for Aileen Hodgin and her daughter, Julia Blair (1:1). Of particular interest are John E. Hodgin Jr.’s notes and photos from his time in the military (1:3). Also included are long letters from his maternal aunt, Ona Hodgin, to her sister Aileen about her travels (1:7).

2. Miscellaneous.  5 folders (20 items).  1820-1996.

The most noteworthy items in this series are the genealogical materials, which include family trees, a copy of the family crest, and a brief synopsis of the family history in America (2:4). An article by Mary Mendenhall Hobbs about the life and faith of David Hodgin was reproduced from the February 1899 issue of The Guilford Collegian. Also of interest is a copy of the marriage license of Georgia Newton and John E. Hodgin Jr. (2:4). Among the financial and legal documents are Aileen Hodgin’s passport, Georgia Newton Hodgin’s driver’s licenses, and a Home Federal Savings and Loan Association savings account book (2:3). The Guilford College Civitan Club Award conferred upon John E. Hodgin Jr. demonstrates his involvement in the community (2:2).

3. Photographs.  10 folders (ca. 450 items).  1899-2005, n.d.

Almost all the photographic prints feature members of the Hodgin family, with a few of the family home named Quaker Acres. Multiple generations are depicted during a period spanning over a century, but the majority of the prints relate to John E. Hodgin Jr., his parents, and his two sisters (3:4-5, 3:7-8). Some photos are professional portraits by Greensboro studios, including Dixon White, Eutsler Studio, Howerton Studio, and J.A. Leonard, while others are more casual, taken at the family homes. Most of the negatives were taken by John E. Hodgin Jr. during his time serving in Europe during World War II (3:1). They show parts of England, Scotland, and Italy, and depict his fellow soldiers, army bases, army vehicles, and civilians.

4. Printed Material.  5 folders (14 items).  1897-1982, n.d.

The highlight of the printed material is the manuscript titled “Station Road.” Written by Hodgin neighbor Harriet Crutchfield Hood, it describes the road between Guilford College Station and the college itself, as well as the people living there in the early 1900s (4:5). The Quaker community in Guilford County is also featured through a 1960s directory from New Garden Friends Meeting with a history of the meeting, as well as a list of famous women involved in the meeting (4:3). Also contained in this series are newspaper clippings that mention Hodgin family members (4:4), a 1930s class roll from Guilford High School that includes John Hodgin Jr., and a copy of an 1898 list of students at Sumner Township School that includes Ona and Aileen Hodgin (4:2).

FOLDER LISTING