Braxton Craven records and papers, 1839-1882.

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Summary

Creator:
Craven, B. (Braxton), 1822-1882
Abstract:
Braxton Craven (1822-1882) served as an administrator and educator during the nineteenth century evolution of Trinity College (Randolph County, N.C.). Craven was Principal of Union Institute (1842-1851), President of Normal College (1851-1859), and President of Trinity College (1859-1863, 1866-1882). In addition, Craven actively participated in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South and the Order of the Masons in North Carolina. Collection includes correspondence, sermons and addresses, diaries, legal and financial papers, teaching materials, subject files, and photographs and portraits of Braxton Craven. Correspondents include John Wesley Alspaugh, Charles Force Deems, David Lowry Swain, David Settle Reid, Henry Toole Clark, and Calvin H. Wiley. Subjects include the Methodist Episcopal Church, college financial affairs, and the activities of the Trinity Guard, a unit of student-soldiers that Craven formed during the Civil War. English.
Extent:
9.2 Linear Feet
Language:
English.
Collection ID:
UA.03.51.0001
University Archives Record Group:
03 -- Presidents
03 -- Presidents > 51 -- Braxton Craven

Background

Scope and content:

Correspondence, student and financial records, reports, and other materials relating to the administration and academic program of Trinity College (Randolph Co., N.C.) as well as its predecessors, Union Institute and Normal College. Of particular interest are Braxton Craven's reports to the Board of Trustees, as well as minutes and resolutions of the trustees of Normal College, the constitution of Union Institute (1839), and Craven's correspondence with elected officials in North Carolina as well as Methodist clergymen. Individuals figuring prominently within the correspondence include trustee John Wesley Alspaugh; Charles Force Deems, a Methodist minister; David Lowry Swain, President of the University of North Carolina; North Carolina Governors David Settle Reid and Henry Toole Clark; and educator, Calvin H. Wiley. Subjects within the correspondence include the Methodist Episcopal Church, college financial affairs, and the activities of the Trinity Guard, a unit of student-soldiers that Craven formed during the Civil War. Some letters describe conditions and public sentiment in and around Randolph County during the Civil War. Also included are Craven's sermons and addresses, lecture notes, and diaries, as well as photographs of Craven.

Included are account books accounts of student tuition, bible, book, boarding fees, paper, and ink purchases. Several volumes include the signatures of students. Roll books contain students' names, courses, attendance, assignments, and grades. One volume contains accounting of women and children, and their amounts of bacon, meal, beef, and salt, that was possibly recorded during the Civil War.

Biographical / historical:

Educator and Methodist clergyman, Braxton Craven was born in Randolph County, N.C., in 1822. Craven became licensed to preach in 1840, earned an A.B. (Hon.) in 1849 from Randolph-Macon College, and received various other degrees during his lifetime. His career included the following educational and administrative positions: Student-teacher, Union Institute (1841-1842); Principal of Union Institute (1842-1851); President of Normal College (1851-1859); President of Trinity College (1859-1863, 1866-1882). Braxton Craven died in 1882.

Duke University (Durham, N.C.) was established in 1924 and evolved from the following institutions: Brown's Schoolhouse (Randolph Co., N.C), 1838-1839; Union Institute (Randolph Co., N.C.), 1839-1851; Normal College (Randolph Co., N.C.), 1851-1859; Trinity College (Randolph Co., N.C.), 1859-1892 and (Durham, N.C.), 1892-1924).

Acquisition information:

Received from multiple sources, including transfers from other campus units prior to the founding of University Archives:

No. 38-1528 received March 21, 1938. No. 66-136 transferred from the Office of the Treasurer, August 3, 1966. No. 78-54 transferred from the Craven-Pegram Papers in the Duke University Library, Manuscript Department, May 30, 1978. No. 80-41 received May 1980. No. 95-15 transferred from the vault of the East Duke Building, January 23, 1995. No. 97-2 received by the Divinity School Library January 1997 and transferred to the Duke University Archives, February 6, 1997. UA2008-0042 donation received June 22, 2008.

Processing information:

Torrence N. Thomas, Jill Katte; Completed October 2002.

Encoded by Joshua McKim, 2002.

Updated by Sherrie Bowser, June 2008.

Arranged and described account books in Boxes 6-7. Updated by Leah M. Kerr, March 2021.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Copyright for official University records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Braxton Craven Records and Papers, Duke University Archives, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

Permalink:
https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m1x71f