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Object Description
| Title | Assorted segments from handwritten drafts |
| Creator | Alexander, J. B. (John Brevard), 1834-1911 |
| Date Created | circa 1900 |
| Digital Collection | John B. Alexander papers, 1855-1911 |
| Description | This is a conglomeration of pages from a draft or drafts of J. B. Alexander's writings. Many pages are missing, sentences incomplete, and a variety of subjects sketchily covered. Some of the material appeared in his published books. No date is given on any of the 18 pages; however, one page has "published in Charlotte Observer" scrawled across it. It is a draft of a newspaper article published on page 3 of the Charlotte Observer on December 17, 1900, which leads to the belief that at least some of this material was written at the turn of the 19th/20th centuries. One of the primary topics argued is the mental and physical well-being of the former slave. Convinced that slaves were extremely well taken care of in the Carolina Piedmont, Alexander contends that they were unprepared for and unable to cope with their freedom after the Civil War, which led to an alarming amount of insanity and tuberculosis among the freedmen. The next portion of the draft(s) deals with the problems of "Free Suffrage." With the new voting rights even the commoner could have a say in who would govern him. Alexander writes, "In the olden time a voter could cast his ballot at any voting place in his county. Our system of voting or managing elections remained the same till the close of the civil war. Then all was changed, and an oath was required as long as a fishing pool [sic]..." After the subject of elections and voting, the next segment of draft is about a subject near and dear to Alexander. He writes about Davidson College and the history of higher education in the Carolina Piedmont. He discusses Queens College, the effect of war on the area schools, the founding of Davidson College, and P. S. Ney (who many thought was the Frenchman, Marshal Ney incognito). He gives the history of the school motto, "Alenda Lux Ubi Orta Libertas" which is Latin for "Let Learning Be Cherished Where Liberty Has Arisen." He also discusses the controversy over the first diploma design and how it came to be in the hands of Clay Graham. The history of the campus buildings, with bricks manufactured and delivered at $3.75 per thousand, is also examined. Alexander also discusses "Assiatic [sic] cholera" and its history in the United States. Care for the insane, no matter which race, through asylums, sanitoriums and hospitals was a very important topic to Alexander. Dorothy Dix and mental health care in N.C. were "editorialized" in the collection of drafts. From mental health, the subject turns to transportation through steam engineering in railroads and water vessels, or as Alexander phrases it, "steam as a motive power." He states, "[w]hen Fulton applied the power of steam to a boat on the Hudson, the world grew restless with excitement, bent on discovery or invention. This milepost should be stamped 1807, as the begining [sic] of rapid transit." Another marvel of invention worthy of Alexander's attention is the "Lucifer Match" which began production around 1833. Alexander writes at length about dueling. He discusses the history of the tradition in American, or "Coffee and pistols for two", a phrase that signified in common parlance a hostile meeting. It refers to the 18th- and 19th-century custom where each dueler nominated a "second" to assist him. He uses examples such as Aaron Burr vs Alexander Hamilton, and Gen. Andrew Jackson vs. Charles Dickenson. Alexander also discusses "Spiritual rappers [spirit-rapping, table-tipping, and entrancement] and the Fox Sisters" "Free lovism [sic]" the Freesoil movement, Abolitionism, and Black Republicanism. Alexander additionally considers the history of the US, statehood, and other expansionist issues. Turning closer to home, he considers the merits of the N.C. State House or Capitol in Raleigh and its importance and value to the state. The last subject covered in this hodgepodge of topics is a portion of an article titled, "The Mutiny on the Somers: Hanging of Spencer, Cromwell and Small-an Historical Event on the High Seas Recalled" which Alexander wrote for his local newspaper, the Charlotte Observer. He recounts the story of the U.S. Brig of War Somers and the roles of Capt. A. S. Mackenzie, Philip Spencer, Pres. Tyler, Lt. Gansvort [sic], S. Cromwell, and Elisha Small. Alexander wrote, "This was the first and last mutiny that ever occured in the U.S. Navy. ... Surely no pen of romance could weave a tale of imaginary crime equal in ghastly horror to this startling chapter." |
| Subjects--Names |
Mackenzie, Alexander Slidell, 1803-1848 Spencer, Philip, 1824-1842 Gansevoort, Guert Cromwell, Samuel, d. 1842 Small, Elijah, d. 1842 Tyler, John, 1790-1862 Dix, Dorothea Lynde, 1802-1887 Fulton, Robert, 1765-1815 Burr, Aaron, 1756-1836 Hamilton, Alexander, 1757-1804 Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845 Dickenson, Charles, 1780-1806 Fox, Margaret, 1833-1893 Jencken, Catherine Fox, 1836-1892 Alexander, J. B. (John Brevard), 1834-1911 Graham, Clay Ney, Peter Stuart, d. 1846 |
| Subjects--Organizations |
Somers (Brig : 1842-1846) Davidson College--History Free Soil Party (U.S.)--History United States. Navy--History |
| Subjects--Topics |
Somers Mutiny, 1842 Spiritualism--United States--History--19th century Mutiny--United States Dueling--History Free African Americans--Suffrage African Americans--Health and hygiene--Southern States--History--19th century African Americans--Mental health Slavery--North Carolina--History--19th century Elections--North Carolina--History--19th century Abolitionists--History--19th century Antislavery movements--United States--History--19th century |
| Subjects--Locations | Raleigh (N.C.)--Buildings, structures, etc.--History; |
| Coverage--Place |
Mecklenburg County (N.C.) |
| Digital Publisher | Charlotte, N.C.: J. Murrey Atkins Library University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
| Object Type | Text |
| Genre | manuscripts (document genre) |
| Finding Aid | http://library.uncc.edu/manuscript/ms0218 |
| Format | image/tiff |
| Relation | Forms part of : John B. Alexander Papers, 1855-1911 |
| Language | eng |
| Rights | Materials in the Digital Collections at Atkins Library are provided free for educational use under fair use as outlined by current U.S. Copyright law and accompanying guidelines. Written permission from the J. Murrey Atkins Library or the rights holder must be obtained before using an item for publishing or commercial purposes. |
| Location of Original | Manuscript 218, Special Collections Manuscripts--10th Floor, J. Murrey Atkins Library |
| Note | Atkins Library has provided the description and subject analysis for these images. We encourage you to contact us at spec-coll@uncc.edu with your comments and feedback. |
| Identifier | Alexander_MS218_1_9_09 |
| Date Digitized | 2011 |
| Rating |
Description
| Title | Alexander_MS218_1_9_09a |
| Creator | Alexander, J. B. (John Brevard), 1834-1911 |
| Digital Collection | John B. Alexander papers, 1855-1911 |
| Digital Publisher | Charlotte, N.C.: J. Murrey Atkins Library University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
| Object Type | Text |
| Genre | manuscripts (document genre) |
| Finding Aid | http://library.uncc.edu/manuscript/ms0218 |
| Format | image/tiff |
| Relation | Forms part of : John B. Alexander Papers, 1855-1911 |
| Language | eng |
| Repository | J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
| Rights | Materials in the Digital Collections at Atkins Library are provided free for educational use under fair use as outlined by current U.S. Copyright law and accompanying guidelines. Written permission from the J. Murrey Atkins Library or the rights holder must be obtained before using an item for publishing or commercial purposes. |
| Location of Original | Manuscript 218, Special Collections Manuscripts--10th Floor, J. Murrey Atkins Library |
| Note | Atkins Library has provided the description and subject analysis for these images. We encourage you to contact us at spec-coll@uncc.edu with your comments and feedback. |
| Date Digitized | 2011 |
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