Guide to the Collection 175. Thomas Lenoir Papers, 1837 - 1896

Guide to the Collection 175. Thomas Lenoir Papers, 1837 - 1896

Descriptive Summary
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
Copyright Notice
Preferred Citation
Acquisitions Information
Processing Information
Biographical Note
Collection Overview
Collection Arrangement
Online Catalog Headings
Container List
 Appalachian State University
© 2005 Appalachian State University. All Rights Reserved.

Contact Information:

Special Collections
Carol G. Belk Library and Information Commons
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina
28608 USA
Phone: (828) 262-4041
Fax: (828) 262-2553
Email: spcoll@appstate.edu
URL: http://www.library.appstate.edu/appcoll

Descriptive Summary

Repository: Appalachian State University W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection
Creator: Thomas Isaac Lenoir (1817-1882)
Title: Collection 175. Thomas Lenoir Papers, 1837 - 1896
Language of Material: Material in English
Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult Appalachian State University.
Abstract: The Thomas I. Lenoir Papers contains the correspondence, 1861-1862 diary, and other papers relating to Thomas Lenoir. Correspondence is from family members, especially his wife Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie" Garrett Lenoir, and some business associates.
Extent: 0.25 linear feet, 1 archival box

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Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

An appointment for research is required. No restrictions to access. No Inter-Library Loan.


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Copyright Notice

Standard federal copyright laws apply.


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Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Collection 175. Thomas Lenoir Papers, W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina, NC, USA.


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Acquisitions Information

Provenance is unknown. The accession number are MLT and MLD. This collection was opened to the public on 15 October 2002.


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Processing Information

Processed by Deborah Bell, 1994; Kathryn Staley, 15 October 2002

Encoded by Kathryn Staley, 27 June 2005


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Biographical Note

Thomas Isaac Lenoir (1817-1882) was the son of Colonel Thomas and Selina Louisa Avery Lenoir of Fort Defiance in Caldwell County, North Carolina. He was the grandson of General William Lenoir and Waightstill Avery. He lived in Haywood County, North Carolina on the Fork of the Pigeon operating his father's plantation. His plantation was aptly named the Bachelor's Den. In 1861, he married Mary Elizabeth Garrett of Lenoir, North Carolina. Lenoir served in the Company F of the 25th Regiment of the Confederate Army from 1861 to 1862 as Company Captain.


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Collection Overview

Correspondence is from family members, especially his wife Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie" Garrett Lenoir, and some business associates. Genealogical information on the Lenoir family and on the Bonham family are included in this collection also. Period covered is from the early nineteenth century to about 1900.

Collection Arrangement

This collection is organized into two / three series: 175A. Diary; 175B. Correspondence (Subseries Thomas I. Lenoir to Colonel Thomas Lenoir; Subseries Thomas I. Lenoir to Selina L. Lenoir; Subseries Family Members to Thomas I. Lenoir;


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Online Catalog Headings

Caldwell County (N.C.) -- Genealogy
Confederate States of America. Army. North Carolina Infantry Regiment, 25th. Company F
Farm life -- North Carolina -- Haywood County
Haywood Dragoons
Lenoir family
Lenoir, Mary Elizabeth Garrett, 1844-1880
Lenoir, Thomas, 1760-1861
Lenoir, Thomas Isaac, 1817-1882
Lenoir, Thomas Isaac, 1817-1882 -- Correspondence
Plantation life -- Appalachian Region, Southern
Slavery -- Appalachian Region, Southern
Soldiers -- Confederate States of America -- Correspondence
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives, Confederate

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Container List

Collection 175A. Diary Series. (1861-1862)
Diary Series contains the 1861-1862 diary of Thomas I. Lenoir. Photocopied. Lenoir describes his life in Camp Davis, Camp Lee, and western North Carolina. He includes descriptions of troop behavior, diseases, social activities. Brief mentions of free man of color enlisted in the C.S.A. and a Yankee attack on the Negro quarter.
Folder
1 1 Thomas I. Lenoir Diary, 1833-1847
Composition.
Poem.
Thomas I. Lenoir Diary, 1861-1862.
Collection 175B. Correspondence Series. (1837-1896)
Thomas I. Lenoir to Colonel Thomas Lenoir Subseries contains Thomas I. Lenoir's letters to his father Colonel Thomas Lenoir of Fort Defiance, chronological order. Letters are dated from 1848 to 1855 with two undated. Thomas the younger lived in Bachelor's Retreat at the Forks of Pigeon, North Carolina. This apparently Thomas the elder's Haywood County, North Carolina plantation which Thomas the younger oversaw. Lenoir details his social life, the livestock, tenants, and slaves. He describes a duel between John Baxter and Marcus Erwin. There is also a preoccupation on health. Photocopies.
Thomas I. Lenoir to Selina L. Lenoir Subseries contains two letters from Thomas I. Lenoir to his mother Selina Lenoir, chronological order. Photocopies.
Family Members to Thomas I. Lenoir Subseries contains letters written to Thomas I. Lenoir from various family members, arranged by correspondent and date. Included are Lenoir's wife Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie", his siblings, cousins, nephews and neices. Much of this series is Civil War era and gives descriptions of social and family life. Some describe the status of Civil War era slaves and ex-slaves and of the mountains. Photocopies.
Others to Thomas I. Lenoir Subseries contains letters written by non-relatives, arranged by correspondent and date. Two are from W. Kerr Scott. Photocopies.
William H. Howell to Mary Elizabeth Lenoir Subseries contains letters from William H. Howell to his cousin Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie" Garrett prior to her marriage to Thomas I. Lenoir, chronological order. Howell was a preacher in Tennessee, primarily near Chattanooga. The last letter was written after her wedding to Thomas I. Lenoir. Photocopies.
Thomas I. Lenoir to Mary Elizabeth Lenoir Subseries contains Lenoir's Civil War era letters to his wife, chronological order. Includes descriptions of social life and army movement. Many letters are illegible. Photocopies.
Others to Mary Elizabeth Lenoir Subseries contains correspondence from Lenoir and Garrett family members, arranged by correspondent and date. Photocopies.
Tom Lenoir to Rufus Lenoir Subseries contains letters from Thomas I. Lenoir to his brother Rufus, chronological order. Most of these originated prior to Lenoir's marriage to Mary Elizabeth. Photocopies.
Various to Sarah Lenoir Subseries contains three letters, arranged by correspondent and date. One is from Lizzie Lenoir and two are from Thomas I. Lenoir. Photocopies.
Other Subseries contains letters from various correspondents, arranged by correspondent and date. Most are Lenoir relatives, and many are postbellum. Photocopies.
Thomas I. Lenoir to Colonel Thomas Lenoir Subseries.
Folder
2 2 n.d., 1848-1860.
Thomas I. Lenoir to Selina L. Lenoir Subseries.
Folder
3 3 1837-1839.
Family Members to Thomas I. Lenoir Subseries.
Folder
3 3 From "Lizzie" Lenoir, n.d., 1861-1862.
From Rufus Lenoir, 1856-1864.
From Sade Lenoir, 1847-1876.
From Walter Lenoir, 1874.
From others, n.d. 1855-1869.
Others to Thomas I. Lenoir Subseries.
Folder
3 3 n.d., 1879-1890.
William H. Howell to Mary Elizabeth Lenoir Subseries.
Folder
4 4 1860-1861.
Thomas I. Lenoir to Mary Elizabeth Lenoir Subseries.
Folder
4 4 1862-1869.
Others to Mary Elizabeth Lenoir Subseries.
Folder
4-5 4-5 1861-1874, n.d.
Tom Lenoir to Rufus Lenoir Subseries.
Folder
5 5 1848-1855.
Various to Sarah Lenoir Subseries.
Folder
5 5 n.d., 1846-1853.
Other Subseries.
Folder
5 5 1851-1896.
Collection 175C. Genealogical Series. (n.d.)
Genealogical Series contains various documents about the Lenoir and Bonham genealogy, original order. Includes the Lenoir family crest. Photocopies.
Folder
6 6 Genealogy documents.
Collection 175D. Military Rosters Series. (1846-1861)
Military Rosters Series contains rooster for the Haywood Dragons and a Confederate Army dismissal, original order. Photocopies. Thomas Lenoir wrote a dismissal for John V. Reece of the 25th Regiment for an injury. It provides personal description of Reece.
Folder
6 6 Roster.
Collection 175E. Slave Series. (1878, n.d.)
Slave Series contains two undated inventories of slaves and one letter of reference for a Lenoir ex-slave, original order. Photocopies. The first slave inventory is for the slaves of the deceased Thomas Lenoir. It lists slaves' names, monetary values, ages, and names of new owners. The second slave inventory is for a second division of slaves. Slaves were sold on November 1863 and the document lists slaves' names, monetary values and possibly the new owners. Presumably, this is of the Thomas Lenoir slaves; however, some of the slaves' names were not listed in the first inventory. The 1878 character reference was written by Thomas I. Lenoir for former slave Henry Uriah Lenoir. The name Uriah appears regularly in the Lenoir correspondence.
Folder
6 6 Division of Slaves.
Character reference.
Collection 175F. Business Transactions Series. (1839-1879, n.d.)
Business Transactions Series contains two merchandise orders and one undated list of farm animals, original order. Photocopies. The merchandise was bought by Col. Thomas Lenoir in 1839 and Thomas I. Lenoir in 1879.
Folder
6 6 Documents.
Collection 175G. Photograph Series. (n.d.)
Photograph Series contains a photocopy of two photographs believed to be of Thomas Lenoir's "Bachelor's Den" in Haywood County, North Carolina, original order.
Folder
6 6 Photographs.
Collection 175H. Confederate Bonds and Money Series. (1863)
Confederate Bonds and Money Series contains two Confederate bonds and one Confederate ten dollar bill, original order. Photocopies.
Folder
6 6 Money.