William J. Northen family papers

Descriptive Summary
Title: William J. Northen family papers
Creator: Northen, William J. (William Jonathan), 1835-1913
Inclusive Dates: 1790-1959
Language(s): English
Extent: 8.9 Linear Feet 9 document boxes, 4 cartons, 1 oversized box, 1 oversized folder
Collection Number: ms3327
Repository: Hargrett Library

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Collection Description

Historical Note

William J. Northen (1835-1913) was president of the Georgia State Agricultural Society, and governor of Georgia in the early 1890s. He advocated for reform measures such as prohibition, increased educational funding, and also against lynching laws. For more information, see the article William J. Northen in the New Georgia Encyclopedia.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of genealogy, land documents, correspondence, financial papers, writings, photographs, artifacts, and printed material. The correspondence includes letters to William J. Northen regarding the establishment of the town of Fitzgerald, Georgia; letters regarding an apparent scandal involving the Farmers' Alliance and Leonidas Livingston; William J. Northen's letters home as he traveled around Georgia in 1907 promoting racial harmony; and two Civil War letters from brothers William and John Henry Neel of the 15th Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry, Company K. The writings contain a journal by William J. Northen in which he writes of his trip to Tallulah Falls, speeches at Mercer University, his 21st birthday, death of his brother, and a letter to his sister regarding conditions at the end of the Civil War. Farm accounts are also included in the journal. Also of interest are slave documents and bills of sale; receipts from Mercer University and the Georgia Baptist Convention when Peter Northen was treasurer; Ruth Northen's photo album containing University of Georgia photographs from 1911-1912 and other travel photographs; and an 1801 indenture between the Catawba Indians and Thomas Neel for land in York County, South Carolina. The following items were separated from the collection: walking cane without the handle and one square back wooden chair with cane seat is housed in Organic storage.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

William J. Northen family papers, ms3327, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries.

Finding Aid Publication

Finding aid prepared on: 2010 April 15.

General Notes

Related collections held by the Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, The University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia: Georgia governors' messages, 1872-1943.

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Related Materials and Subjects

Subject Terms

Related Collections in this Repository

Related materials held in the following collections of this repository: William J. Northen letter to Charles Edgeworth Jones, ms1470.

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Series Descriptions and Folder Listing

 

1. Family
box	folder
Request box
1	1	Genealogy
1	2	Genealogy-Neel family
1	3	Genealogy-Northen family
1	4	Genealogy-A short history of the Northen family by Rev. E. E. Northen
1	5	Genealogy-Traylor family
1	6	Genealogy-Walker family
1	7	Estate papers-Charles C. Bailey
1	8	Estate papers-Henry McClellan
1	9	Estate papers-Thomas Neel
1	10	George W. Scott Mfg. Co. vs. J. H. Traylor, 1891-1897
1	11	Land documents-Carroll County, Ga., 1827 1843
1	12	Land documents-Hancock County, Ga., 1864-1869
1	13	Land documents-Troup County, Ga., 1826-1926
1	14	Land documents-South Carolina, 1794-1819
1	15	Lock of hair-William J. Northen, Jr.
1	16	Pension-War of 1812, Thomas Neel
1	17	Petitions-Hancock County, Ga., 1881
1	18	School report book-Martha Traylor, 1879
1	19	Wills, Power of Attorney, 1790-1959

 

2. Correspondence
box	folder
Request box
2	1	1847-1938
2	2	William J. Northen/Annie Belle Northen, 1878-1919
2	3	William J. Northen/Martha Northen, 1890-1908
2	4	William J. Northen/Thomas Henry Northen, 1880-1896
2	5	William J. Northen-Alliance scandal, 1890-1891
2	6	William J. Northen-Alliance scandal-typescripts of letters, 1890-1891
2	7	William J. Northen-business, 1872-1912
2	8	Annie Belle Northen, 1881-1934
2	9	George T. Northen, 1902-1957, 1984
2	10	George T. Northen - William J. & Martha Northen, 1907-1912
2	11	Thomas Henry Northen - Martha Traylor Northen, 1884-1933
2	12	Neel family, 1845-1897
2	13	Northen family, 1896-1934
2	14	Traylor family, 1894-1928

 

3. Writings
box	folder
Request box
3	1	Writings
3	2	Cookbook-Martha Traylor, 1879
3	3	In Memoriam book-Thomas Henry Northen, 1904
3	4	Journal-William J. Northen
3	5	Scrapbook pages
3	6	University System of Georgia

 

4. Financial
box	folder
Request box
4	1	Thomas & Nancy Neel, 1826-1844
4	2	Thomas & Nancy Neel, 1845-1880 & nd
4	3	Cotton receipts-Thomas & Nancy Neel
4	4	Slaves-bills of sale-Thomas Neel, 1818-1856
4	5	Northen family/Northen Shivers & Co., 1857-1911
4	6	Account book-Martha Traylor Northen, 1919-1932
4	7	University of Georgia War Memorial Fund Martha Traylor Northen, 1922-1923
4	8	Mercer University-Peter Northen, 1838-1845
4	9-15	Georgia Baptist Convention/Mercer-Peter Northen, 1845-1858
4	16	Georgia Baptist Convention/Mercer-Peter Northen - undated
4	17	Financial papers-Peter Northen, 1838-1849
4	18	Financial papers-Peter Northen, 1850-1861
4	19	Financial papers-Traylor family, 1872-1908
4	20	Financial papers-Miscellaneous, fragments

 

5. Photographs
box	folder
Request box
5	1	Neel, Nancy Veazey
5	2	Northen, Annie Belle
5	3	Northen, Annie Belle
5	4	Northen, George
5	5	Northen, Louisa Maria Davis
5	6	Northen, Martha Moss Neel
5	7	Northen, Martha Moss Neel
5	8	Northen, Peter
box	folder
Request box
6	1	Northen, Ruth
6	2	Northen, Ruth & William Jr.
6	3	Northen, Thomas Henry
6	4	Northen, William Jonathan
6	5	Northen, William Jonathan
6	6	Northen, William Jonathan & grandchildren
6	7	Northen, William Jonathan Jr.
6	8	Stokely, Susan
6	9	Traylor, John Humphrey
6	10	Traylor, Martha
6	11	Traylor, Mary Bailey
6	12	White, John
box	folder
Request box
7	1	Children
7	2	Men
7	3	Women
7	4	Groups
7	5	Houses/buildings
7	6	Mercer chapel & Northen graves in Penfield, Ga.
7	7	Travel snapshots
7	8	Travel in Washington, DC
7	9	Veazey graves in Hancock County, Ga.
7	10	Various subjects
7	11	Negatives
box	folder
Request box
8	1	Photograph album
8	2	Photograph album-Ruth Peterson, 1922-1923
8	3	Photograph album-Ruth Northen, 1906-1934

 

6. Printed Material
box	folder
Request box
9	1	Printed material
9	2	John M. Allen
9	3	Atlanta, Georgia
9	4	Invitations
9	5	Mercer University
9	6	Northen family
9	7	Programs
9	8	Religion
9	9	Tammany Times-Saratoga Convention, 1893
9	10	Traylor family
9	11	Writings by Annie Belle Northen
9	12	Writings by William J. Northen, 1889-1895
9	13	Writings by William J. Northen, 1899-1911

 

7.Artifacts and Oversize Material

box

Request box

10

Walking cane handles (Two)

item

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1

Cane

box

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10

Small pictures

10

Small cloth flag

10

Gold pocket watch

10

Kitchen cutlery and knife sharpener

10

Silver butter knife

10

Pocket book of Ephriam Northen

10

Indenture - York County, South Carolina land-Nation of Catawba Indians to William McMurray and Thomas Neel, 1801

10

Indenture - Troup County, Georgia land-Silas Carter to Charles C. Bailey, 1827

10

Photograph - Northen, Ruth

10

Photograph - Northen, Martha Neel

10

Photograph - Northen, Martha Neel with grandchildren

10

Photograph - Northen, Thomas Henry or William Jonathan?

10

Photograph - Unidentified man

10

Photograph - School class ?

10

Photograph - Unidentified group of girls

oversized_folder

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1B

Genealogy charts-Neel family, Rabun family, Traylor family, and Veazey family, 1700-1990

 

8. Books
box
Request box
11		Ball, B. L. Rambles in Eastern Asia. Boston: James French and Company, 1856
11		Bojesen, E. F. A manual of Grecian and Roman Antiquities. New Your: D. Appleton & Co., 1857
11		Champlin, J. T. The Oration of Demosthenes on the Crown with Notes. Boston: James Munroe and Company, 1860
11		Cowper, William. The Works of Cowper and Thomson. Philadelphia: J. Grigg, 1834
11		Drummond, Henry. The Programme of Christianity. New York: James Pott and Company, 1900
11		Fenelon, M. Les Aventures de Telemaque. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1860
11		Hale, Edward Everett. The Man Without a Country. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1904
11		Juvenal. Decimi Junii Juvenalis. Boston: Wilkins, Carter, and Company, 1831
11		Mell, P. H. A Manual of Parliamentary Practice. Rules for Conducting Business. Macon, Georgia: J. W. Burke & Co., 1888
11		Rollin, Charles. The Ancient History of the Egyptians, Carthaginians, Assyrians, Medes, and Persians, Grecians and Macedonians. New York: S. A. Rollo & Co., volumes I. III. and V, 1859
11		Scott, W. J. Lectures and Essays. Atlanta, Georgia: Constitution Publishing Company, 1889
11		Woolsey, Theodore D. The Gorgias of Plato. Boston: James Munroe and Company, 1850
box
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12		Knox, Thomas Lowell (ed.). Scenes From Every Land. Springfield, Ohio: Mast, Crowell & Kirkpatrick, 1893
12		Leonard, John W. (ed.). Who's Who in America. Chicago: A. N. Marquis & Company, 1899
12		Liddell, Henry George. A Greek-English Lexicon, based on the German work of Francis Passow. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1849
12		Maunder, Samuel. The History of the World: comprising a general history, both ancient and modern...New York: Henry Bill, 1854
12		Stoddard, John L. Portfolio of Photographs of Famous Scenes, Cities and Paintings. Chicago: Educational Publishing Company
12		Latin-English Lexicon (first pages missing)
box
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13		Angell, James Rowland. Psychology. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1909
13		Brooks, Charles. Family Prayer Book. Hingham: Press of Farmer and Brown, 1829
13		Call, Annie Payson. Power Through Repose. Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1893
13		Carlyle, Thomas. Heroes, Hero-Worship and the Heroic in History. New York: John B. Alden, 1892
13		D'Aubigne, J. H. Merle. History of the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century. New York: Robert Carter & Brothers, 1856
13		Grady, Henry Woodfin. The Speeches of Henry W. Grady With a Short Biographical Sketch of His Life. Atlanta, GA: Chas. P. Byrd, 1895
13		Lempriere, J. Bibliotheca Classica... New York: W. E. Dean, 1837
13		Lucas, E. V. A Wanderer in Holland. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1906
13		Manly, John Matthews (ed.). English Poetry. New York: Ginn & Company, 1907
13		Pope, Alexander. Homer's Iliad. Volume I. New York: A. S. Barnes & Co., 1849
13		Riley, James Whitcomb. Rhymes of Childhood. Indianapolis: Bowen-Merrill Co., 1894
13		The Spectator in eight volumes. Volume VI. Philadelphia: Robert Carr, 1803
13		Upham, Thomas C. Life and Religious Opinions and Experience of Madame De La Mothe Guyon...New York: Harper & Brothers, 1864
13		Whelpley, Samuel. A Compend of History from the Earliest Times... Volume I. Boston: American Stationers' Company, 1837
13		Woodbridge and Willard's Universal Geography. New York: Collins, Keese & Co., 1836
13		Morning prayer book and two other books with first pages missing
box
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14		Andrews, Garnett. Reminiscences of an Old Georgia Lawyer. Atlanta, Ga.: Franklin Steam Printing House, 1870
14		Anthon, Charles. The Aeneid of Virgil. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1860
14		Brittain, M. L. Semi-centennial History of the Second Baptist Church. Atlanta?, 1904
14		Luthers, D. Martin. Das Neue Teftament. Stuttgart
14		Notable Men of Atlanta and Georgia. Atlanta, Ga., 1913
14		Webster, Noah. An American Dictionary of the English Language. Springfield, Massachusetts: George and Charles Merriam, 1860