Bryan Grimes (1828-1880) Papers, PC.3
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Bryan Grimes (1828-1880) Papers
- Call Number
- PC.3
- Creator
- Grimes, Bryan, 1828-1880
- Date
- 1778, 1812-1912
- Extent
- 3.400 cubic feet
- Repository
- State Archives of North Carolina
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], PC.3, Bryan Grimes Papers, Private Collections, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC, U.S.A.
Collection Overview
Papers of Grimes, Confederate major general, and his wife Charlotte Emily Bryan Grimes,
including his UNC diploma and autograph album (class of 1848), essays, and correspondence
with family and J. Johnston Pettigrew, astronomer at the National Observatory in Washington,
D.C. Other antebellum papers are family letters; letters about Whig politics (1852-1860);
slave bills of sale and a list of slaves indicating families; description and plat
of "Grimesland"; copy of his will; and items relating to a tour of Europe (1860).
Civil War material includes muster rolls and payrolls of the 4th Regt. NCST (1861-1863);
papers relating to a argument and near duel between Grimes and Capt. Thomas M. Blount;
elections of junior officers; courts-martial papers; orders and reports; petition
from officers in N.C. troops concerning arbitrary selection of general officers (n.d.);
a "General Circular" giving instructions for new soldiers (1864); and Grimes's copy
of General Lee's final order, Apr. 10, 1865. Letters from Grimes describe camp life
and battles, while letters to him report on the taking of Forts Clark and Hatteras
(1861), Union raids in eastern North Carolina, W. W. Holden and the peace movement,
and Grimes's brief candidacy for the Confederate Congress in 1863. Postwar letters
(1865-1880) concern business opportunities in North Carolina and the West, agricultural
partnership with Col. W. L. Saunders (1869-1870), agricultural markets, mechanization
and fertilizer, politicians and elections, the reopening of UNC, and the collection
of war reminiscences. Also included are the papers of the Washington (N.C.) Toll Bridge
Company (1812-1879). After Grimes's assassination in Aug., 1880, there are letters
of condolence and a scrapbook of clippings.
Printed items include the following: "The Oeconomy of Human Life... by an Ancient
Bramin" (New York 1793); Appleton's Railway Map (1860); documents relating to secession
and to organization of the military in 1861; "Address of the Army," adopted by convention
of delegates from North Carolina troops in Virginia, denouncing peace movement (1863);
extracts from Grimes's Civil War correspondence (published 1884); and war maps.
Correspondents include George Burgwyn Anderson, Henry T. Bahnson, Victor C. Barringer,
Kemp P. Battle, William S. Battle, William Garl Browne, William Shepard Bryan, and
others of the Bryan family, Elias Carr, Pulaski Cowper, Jefferson Davis, William K.
Delaney, C. B. Denson, J. J. Faithful, Daniel G. Fowle, John A. Gilmer, J. B. Gordon,
D. H. Hill, Edwin A. Osborne, Leonidas L. Polk, R. E. Rodes, William B. Rodman, S.
S. Satchwell, Fenner B. Satterthwaite, W. L. Saunders, R. W. Singletary, Alfred M.
Waddell, A. D. Williams, Marcus J. Wright, John A. Young. Other Grimes family papers
are in the Southern Historical Collection, UNC.
Addition of 2017:
Bryan Grimes Papers.Addition, consisting of four land deeds and two attachments, 1881
to 1896, and a letter of October 21, 1896, regarding property located in Raleigh,
from north Lane Street to Person street, indicated in a will as early as March 1874,
and conveyed from the late Mary Williams Shepard Bryan, Raleigh, Wake County, to Henry
Ravenscroft Bryan, Craven County, her son and estate executor, and subsequently to
William F. Debnam, then Edward P. Moses, and lastly to Charlotte Bryan Grimes, a granddaughter
of Mary W. Bryan, then residing in Grimesland, Pitt County. (7 items) Charlotte Bryan
Grimes (1869-1950) was married in 1897, at Grimesland, to Alfred Williams II (1867-1937).
Her parents were Major General Bryan Grimes (1828-1880), of Grimesland, Pitt County,
and Charlotte Emily Bryan (1840-1920).
Biographical note on the Bryan Family and Raleigh property:
Mary Williams Shepard Bryan (1801-1881) was the wife of John Herritage Bryan (1798-1870).
They were natives of New Bern, Craven County, but moved their family to Raleigh in
1838, in large part for educational opportunities afforded their growing family. An
attorney, John Herritage Bryan could practice law in Raleigh and have his eight sons
in fairly close proximity to Chapel Hill and his daughters at nearby St. Mary's School.
He died in 1870, but his widow Mary W. Bryan continued to live until her death in
1881 in the family home at the southeast corner of Blount and North streets near Lane
and Person, on city lot 267. The deeds in the addition of 2017 concern the adjacent
city lot 268, owned by the Bryan family for a number of years.
After the death of Mary W. Bryan, Dr. Alexander B. Hawkins of Leon County, Florida,
bought the Bryan house on October 26, 1881. Family tradition holds that Dr. Hawkins
purchased the house because his wife Martha, was particularly fond of it. Dr. and
Mrs. Hawkins then returned to their home in Florida, after asking Dr. Hawkins' brother,
Dr. William J. Hawkins of Raleigh, to have the Bryan house renovated for them during
their absence. When they returned the Hawkins found to their dismay that the brother
had removed the Bryan house and built for them a new house of his own design. This
house is now known as the Hawkins-Hartness House and is a designated Raleigh Historic
Landmark. It serves as the offices of the Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina. See
https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/raleigh/haw.htm.
Contents of the Collection
-
• Papers (mounted volume)PC.3.01
-
• Papers (mounted volume)PC.3.02
-
• Papers (mounted volume)PC.3.03
-
• Papers (mounted volume)PC.3.04
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• CorrespondencePC.3.05-06
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• Washington Toll Bridge Company (1812-1879); Muster and Pay Rolls 4th Regiment North Carolina Troops (1861-1863)PC.3.07-08
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• Muster Rolls, 4th Regiment NC troops; Maps, pamphlets, brochures, leaflets and other printed materialsPC.3.08-09
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• Journal, pictures, diplomas, accounts, bills, receipts, etc., State National Bank, miscellaneous; Envelopes; Album (1848)PC.3.10-12
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• VolumesPC.3.12
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• Addition (unprocessed)PC.3.13
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• Addition of 2017PC.3.14
Subject Headings
Acquisitions Information
Gift