HomeFinding Aids#9002 Brawley Collection

#9002 Brawley Collection

James S. Brawley Collection

MSS #9002

November 2000

Abstract:The Brawley Collection contains the papers, correspondence and research of James Shober Brawley (1918-1981) a well-known local historian and staff writer for the Salisbury Post. Included in the collection are the "Brawley Cards" which list articles in the Carolina Watchman by surname or subject and copies of Brawley's "Footnotes to History" column published in the Salisbury Post and miscellaneous photographs.

Subject Headings in Catalog:

Brawley, James Shober 1918-1981

Carolina Watchman (Salisbury, N.C.)

Newspapers in genealogy North Carolina Salisbury

Rowan County ( N.C.) History

Salisbury (N.C.) History

Salisbury Post (Salisbury, N.C.)

Size: 8 linear feet. 16 boxes.

Provenance: Created/compiled by James Shober Brawley during his lifetime. Donated to Rowan Public Library upon his death in 1981.

Copyright: Retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Introduction*
James Shober Brawley was born November 23, 1918 in Salisbury, NC and spent most of his life here. His father, Robert Vance Brawley originally from Iredell County, NC, was a medical doctor. His mother was May Wheat Boyden, a descendant of Salisbury's prominent families. The Boyden home, where she was reared, sat on the site of Rowan Public Library, built in the early 1950s. The Brawley home at 221 W. Fisher St, where James Brawley spent his younger years, was on part of the site of the present-day Rowan Public Library. James Brawley had two brothers: the oldest, Robert Vance Brawley, lived in Winston-Salem, NC where he practiced law and handled the family investments and the middle son, Boyden Brawley, remained in the family home. James Shober Brawley was the youngest of the three boys. In 1929, James Brawley lost both of his parents and his maternal grandfather, Archibald Henderson Boyden. Miss Anne Wilson looked after Brawley a number of years. He later attended Virginia Episcopal School in Alexandria, VA. James Brawley was graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1941. He joined the Navy during World War II, serving as communication officer aboard the battleship Maryland. After the war, he returned to Chapel Hill for an M.A. in History. In the late 1940's he married Love __?___, a nurse. They returned to Salisbury in 1953, when the Brawley joined the staff of the Salisbury Post. Salisbury was then in the midst of its bicentennial celebration and Brawley was hired to help prepare a special bicentennial edition of the paper. Miss Fowler remembers Mr. Brawley with friends gathered about, costumed in the finery of a Confederate officer, marching in the town's parade, and enjoying the occasion. Brawley remained on the Post's staff for most of the rest of his life, serving as wire editor and writing a popular weekly column on history, "Footnotes to History." Mr. Brawley wrote three books. His first, The Rowan Story, 1753-1953, was published in 1953 and won the Spangenburg Medal of the Wachovia Historical Society. Six years later, he published a reworking of some of his columns entitled Old Rowan, Views and Sketches. At the request of the North Carolina Department of Archives and History, Brawley wrote Rowan County, A Brief History in 1979. Brawley also was on of the catalysts of the Rowan Museum, the Historic Salisbury Foundation, and the Salisbury Historic District Commission. In 1976, he was the recipient of the North Carolina Preservation Society's Award of Merit. He was an early "re-enactor" taking on the role of an officer in the reactivated sixth North Carolina Regiment. He took part in the re-enactment of the First Battle of Manassas during the Civil War centennial celebration. He also served as president of the North Carolina Literary and Historical Association; and for his work in salvaging the USS North Carolina, Governor Terry Sanford named him an "admiral" in North Carolina's nonexistent fleet. Interested in genealogy, he was quick to help those from all over who were in search of their family roots. The Encyclopedia Britannica chose him to write the article on Salisbury and Rowan County for its North Carolina guide. James Brawley had three sons. James Shober Brawley, Jr. (Jimmy) who now lives in South Carolina. Robert Allison Brawley (Bobby), the second son, was at one time a photographer and is now living in the vicinity of Washington, D.C. The third son, Neil, is a cellist with the Sydney (Australia) Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Fowler recalled Brawley fondly: "He was the perfect Southern gentleman. I learned so much from him." James Brawley died of cancer of the liver on July 6, 1981. Most of James Brawley's personal papers were deposited in Rowan Public Library upon his death. The majority of these materials were used in his historical research and writing. Also present in these materials is Brawley's personal card index to the Salisbury Post, Carolina Watchman and several other newspapers.

*Notes from an Interview with Mary Jane Fowler regarding James Brawley (2/28/95). Supplemented by information from his Salisbury Post obituary. TKBC 3-01-95

Folder List:

Box 1

Folder 1Photograph of James Shober Brawley

Folder 2 Accounts - Financial

Folder 3 Accounts - Stewart, J.H.

Folder 4 Accounts - Young, Mrs. Margaret

Folder 5 Alexander, E.P. - Papers - 1861

Folder 6 Assorted Subjects - Notes

Folder 7 Brawley, Boyden - Report Card - 1925/26

Folder 8 Brawley, Mrs. J. S. - "Sisters of the Swish"

Folder 9 Bulletin of Assoc. For State & Local History - Loose pages

Folder 10 Brochures - Historic tours

Folder 11 Civil War - General Information - N.C.

Folder 12 Clippings - Misc.

Folder 13 Confederate Prison - Newspaper Article - Greensboro Daily - 1936

Folder 14 Conscripts - Civil War

Folder 15 Connelly Mineral Springs Hotel

Folder 16 Contract of Sale - Car

Folder 17 Correspondence

Folder 18 Correspondence - I.W. Ashburn, Jr.

Folder 19 Correspondence - Marlene Boyden - 1976

Folder 20 Correspondence - Boyden Brawley

Folder 21 Correspondence - Stevens Brewster, Jr.

Folder 22 Correspondence - D.L. Corbett - 1953

Folder 23 Correspondence - Millicent Lawrence

Folder 24 Correspondence - Hugh T. Lefler

Folder 25 Correspondence - Edward Manley - Hunt Family

Folder 26 Correspondence - Francis O. Price/ Karl Smith

Folder 27 Correspondence - Henry Rigby

Folder 28 Correspondence - Blackwell P. Robinson - 1953

Folder 29 Correspondence - Carol Warren

Folder 30 Credit Card Protection

Folder 31 Deed - Jane Boyden Craige

Folder 32 Deed - Mrs. Kate H. Hobgood

Folder 33 Early Maps

Folder 34 Earnheart, Calvin Monroe/ Hampton, Joseph Wade

Folder 35 Envelopes and Post Cards - Archives

Folder 36 Episcopal Church - Chapter VIII - 1987

Folder 37 Fair Week Daily - 1874

Folder 38 Gifts from Civil War - List of

Folder 39 Gospel of St. Mark

Folder 40 Hartman Family

Folder 41 Homes by Fisher

Folder 42 Guard Bond - 1805

Folder 43 Knight, Mrs. M. - Sale of Property - 1835

Folder 44 Constable Bond - John Ham - 1812

Folder 45 Indenture - Patrick Coffey/ William Howard

Folder 46 Indenture - 1806 - William Moore/ Hugh Wilson

Folder 47 Insurance - Car

Folder 48 Insurance - Home

Folder 49 Insurance - Ellis Street House

Folder 50 Insurance - Invoices

Box 2

Folder 51 Knight, Martha - Receipts

Folder 52 Klu Klux Klan

Folder 53 Letter To Bess - 1909

Folder 54 Letter - Fayetteville - 1865

Folder 55 Letters from NC State Archives |

Folder 56 Liberty Hill - Charlotte, NC

Folder 57 List of Belts & Buckles - NC Sixth Regiment

Folder 58 List of Books - Private Library

Folder 59 McNeely, Abel - Estate

Folder 60 Letter to O.D. Davis /Grand Jury List - 1840

Folder 61 Letter - Fisher/ Wm. Reid - 1810

Folder 62 McCorkle Articles

Folder 63 Misc. Envelopes

Folder 64 Misc. Notes - Families

Folder 65 Misc. Notes - Salisbury Families & Deeds - #1

Folder 85 Proclamation - By the King - 1767Receipts

Folder 86 Receipts

Folder 87 Salisbury Academy - Notes - 1807

Folder 88 Salisbury Prison Notes

Folder 89 Stockholders Report - Y.N. Co. - 1820

Folder 90 Swanton Indians of SE - Drawings

Folder 91 Temperance Advocate - 1837

Folder 92 Title of Land - 1952

Folder 93 West, Cyrus - Will - 1854

Folder 94 Woman's Club of Salisbury - Constitution

Folder 95 Yadkin Free Bridge - 1821

Folder 96 Yankee Invasion of Unity Township

Box 3

Folder 97 Salisbury Post - 1953 - Brawley Clippings

Folder 98 Salisbury Post - 1954 - Moses Bencini

Folder 99 Footnotes To History - Original Clippings - Undated

Folder 100 Footnotes To History - Original Clippings - 1959

Folder 101 Footnotes To History - Original Clippings - 1960

Folder 102 Footnotes To History - Original Clippings - 1961

Folder 103 Footnotes To History - Original Clippings - 1962

Folder 104 Footnotes To History - Original Clippings - 1963

Folder 105 Footnotes To History - Original Clippings - 1964

Folder 106 Footnotes To History - Original Clippings - 1965

Folder 107 Footnotes To History - Original Clippings - 1966

Folder 108 Footnotes To History - Original Clippings - 1967

Folder 109 Footnotes To History - Original Clippings - 1968

Folder 110 Footnotes To History - Original Clippings - 1969

Folder 111 Footnotes To History - Original Clippings - 1970

Folder 112 Footnotes To History - Original Clippings - 1971

Box 4

Folder 119 Footnotes To History - Original Clippings - 1978

Folder 120 Footnotes To History - Original Clippings - 1979

Folder 121 Footnotes To History - Original Clippings - 1980

Folder 122 Salisbury Post - Clippings - 1981

Folder 123 Salisbury Post - Brawley Fund Clipping - 1982

Folder 124 Carolina Watchman - 1832-1849 - Pt 1

Folder 125 Carolina Watchman - 1832-1849 - Pt 2

Folder 126 Carolina Watchman - 1850-1861 - Pt 1

Folder 127 Carolina Watchman - 1850-1861 - Pt 2

Folder 128 Carolina Watchman - 1861-1865 - Pt 1

Folder 129 Carolina Watchman - 1861-1865 - Pt 2

Folder 130 Carolina Watchman - Aug. 30 1877 - Dec 21, 1876

Folder 131 Carolina Watchman - Sept. 16, 1880 - Mar. 9, 1882

Folder 132 Carolina Watchman - 1880-1911 - Pt 1

Folder 133 Carolina Watchman - 1880-1911 - Pt 2

Box 5

Folder 134 Carolina Watchman - Apr. 30, 1890-1897

Folder 135 Notes - General Interest

Folder 136 Notes - General Interest - Pt 2

Folder 137 Notes - General Interest - Pt 3

Folder 138 Notes - General Interest - Pt 4

Folder 139 Hand written Notes from Newspapers - General Interest - mixed dates

Folder 140 Hand written Notes from Newspapers - General Interest - mixed dates #2

Folder 141 Life Magazine Article - 27 June 1918

Folder 142 Miscellaneous Notes

Folder 143 Misc. Minor Salisbury Newspapers - Pt 1

Folder 144 Misc. Minor Salisbury Newspapers - Pt. 2

Folder 145 Misc. Salisbury Newspapers - Pt 1

Folder 146 Misc. Salisbury Newspapers - Pt 2

Folder 147 Misc. Salisbury Newspapers - Pt 3

Box 6

Folder 148 Salisbury Papers - Mixed dates

Folder 149 Salisbury Post - 1909-1910

Folder 150 Western Carolinian - 1820/1842 -Yadkin Catawba Journal - 1828/1833 - Pt 1

Folder 151 Western Carolinian - 1820/1842 - Yadkin Catawba Journal - 1828/1833 - Pt 2

Folder 152 Rowan Story Published - 1953

Folder 153 Ellis & Henderson Street Named - 1955

Folder 154 Brawley, James S. - Obit - July 1981

Folder 155 Salisbury Yesteryears - J.M, McCorkle - 1945

Folder 156 Salisbury Yesteryears - J.M. McCorkle - 1946

Folder 157 Salisbury Yesteryears - J.M. McCorkle - 1947

Folder 158 Salisbury Yesteryears - J.M. McCorkle - 1948

Folder 159 Salisbury Yesteryears - J.M. McCorkle - 1949

Folder 160 Salisbury Yesteryears - J.M. McCorkle - 1950

Folder 161 Salisbury Yesteryears - J.M. McCorkle - 1951

Folder 162 Heath Thomas - 1954

Folder 163 Bill Jackson - Jackson's Jottings - 1960

Folder Brawley Cards: Box 7 - 14 contain cards listing articles in the Carolina Watchman by surname or subject. They are alphabetical.

Box 7

Notes on Salisbury and Rowan County

Also Family names Alexander - Glenn

Box 8

Family Names - Hairston - Yarbrough

Also Yadkin-Catawba Journal with family names Adams-Welch

Also NC Mercury with family names Alexander - Brooklyn

Box 9 Alphabetical Cards - Brown - Fraley

Box 10 Alphabetical Cards - Fraley - Lynn

Box 11 Alphabetical Cards - McCallum - Raleigh

Box 12 Alphabetical Cards - Raleigh - Swink

Box 13 Alphabetical Cards - Taylor - Young's Mountain

Box 14 Research Cards

Box 15 Footnotes to History - Originals - Undated to 1969

Box 16 Footnotes to History - Originals - 1970 - 1980