Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections

The Thomas Spratt Memoir consists of a typescript account titled "Recollections of the Spratt Family," detailing the history of the Spratt family of York County South Carolina from the arrival in America of Thomas Spratt from County Down, Ireland, in 1740 to 1876.

The White Family is one of the founding families of Rock Hill, SC. The White Home, which is maintained as an historic house museum, was one of the first constructed in Rock Hill, and White Street in the Rock Hill downtown area was named in the family's honor. The White Family Papers consist of a biographical sketch of Ann White, daughter of David Hutchinson (n.d.).

The Joseph Alexander Thomas Civil War Letter consists of a typescript copy of a letter from Joseph Thomas, who was at James Island, Legares Point, near Charleston, to Mrs. Lewis B. Bryant (Jennett N. Hemphill) in York County. The letter mainly describes living and working conditions during the American Civil War. The letter is dated April 26, 1864.

The Sadler Family Papers consist of photocopies of deeds, land grants, and wills (1809, 1840-1841, and n.d.), correspondence and newspaper clippings (1929-1941) with the bulk of the collection consisting of correspondence between members of the Sadler family of Rock Hill, South Carolina and their friends. Subjects include agriculture, the lives of women during and after the Civil War, the physical and mental condition of the Confederate Troops during the War, freedman labor, living standards during Reconstruction, and life in early Rock Hill.

The Carolina Teachers' Journal collection consists of the 1900, Volume 4, Number 10 (July-August) issue of the Journal which pertains to educational matters in South Carolina. It contains a good description of summer school activities at Winthrop for 1900. The issue also has biographical sketches of summer school teachers - R. Means Davis, Dr. Thomas, P. Bailey, Jr., Marshall Earle, Dr. Waller S. Leathers, J. William Pattison, Henry N. Snyder, Dr. Bond, Erich F. Rath, J.V. Lewis, William C.A. Hammel, Sarah Withers, and Charles W. Bain; articles on the Art Student, Methods in Language and Grammar, Readers, and Grammars, and a list of students enrolled at the State Summer School at Winthrop.

The Springs Cotton Mill History collection consists of a history of the Springs Cotton Mill based in Fort Mill, SC including a narrative and description of the company's first 75 years from 1888 to 1963, which includes photographs and illustrations. Also included is a copy of the annual message to stockholders (a report of the 1962 calendar year) titled "Freedom to Fight with Both Hands" by H.W. Close, President. The Springs Cotton Mill traces its beginning to the organization of the Fort Mill Manufacturing Company which opened a plant in Fort Mill, SC in 1888. The company went on to open plants in Lancaster and Chester, South Carolina. at one time Springs was the largest industrial employer in South Carolina. Springs began an association with a Brazilian based company Coteminas in 2001 and merged with Coteminas in 2005 forming Springs Global. By 2007, Springs had ended all manufacturing in South Carolina.

The Boulware Family Papers consist of photocopies of a plantation journal (302 pages), kept by Thomas McCullough Boulware I, (1829-1889) and a genealogy of the Boulware family written by Richmond Boulware II of Lakeland, Florida, in 1948. The journal concerns the Blackstocks Plantation in Chester County, South Carolina and subjects include the planting of crops and farming of land; family events, such as births, deaths, and marriages; family travel and vacations; church affairs, including the local Temperance League; land sales; free black and northerners in Chester County after the Civil War.

The Fishing Creek Presbyterian Church of Chester County Records include an historical statement (1839) on its origin and development by one of its pastors, Reverend John B. Davies, and copies of entries for various sessions containing information on how the church handled misconduct of its members. The Fishing Creek Presbyterian Church was organized ca. 1752. The current structure was built in 1785 and was encased in brick in 1958.

The Amelia Pride Book Club of Rock Hill Records consist of an historic file, minutes, constitution and bylaws, correspondence, photographs, program notes, newspaper clippings, yearblooks, Winthrop publications, and a scrapbook, all pertaining to the origin, growth, and literary activities of the club. The Amelia Pride Book Club of Rock Hill, founded in 1896, is Rock Hill's oldest book club and "was formed for the main purpose of exchanging books of a high type of biography, history, literature, and fiction" since there was no library in 1896. The club was named in honor of "Mrs. Amelia Pride, a citizen of Rock Hill who was very intellectual and influenced the young people for cultural living and enjoyment." Later the club became a social, literary, cultural, and philanthropic club.

Box 1-2; Folders 1-5; Folder 7; Scrapbook

The Carolina Planter was a weekly newspaper published in Columbia, SC in the 1840's that concerned agriculture and rural economy. The journal was published by A.S. Johnston, edited by R.W. Gibbs and had as its purpose the fostering of practical knowledge about Agriculture and the rural economy. The collection contains 37 bound issues published from January 1840 to January 1841 devoted to South Carolina agricultural activities. The subscription to the issues held by the Pettus Archives was in the name of J.N. McElwee of Spring Rock, York, SC.

The Southern Rights Association of Anderson District Records consist of the typescript account of a mass meeting of various citizens of the Anderson District, held at the courthouse on October 28, 1850 with the purpose of forming a Southern Rights Association for the district as a result of the alleged wrongs inflicted on the South by the 31st Congress. The collection includes the constitution, minutes, and resolutions adopted at the meeting and a list of charter members of the Association.

The Michael Gaffney Biography is a biography of Captain Michael Robert Gaffney (1775-1854), founder of the city of Gaffney in Cherokee County, SC. It was edited and issued by the Gaffney Chamber of Commerce and contains diary entries with biographical comments tracing "the travels, adventures, trials, quaint observations, and industrial conquests" of Captain Gaffney from his arrival in America from Ireland in 1797 to 1853.

The James H. Carlisle Speech consists of a typescript copy of a speech delivered by James H. Carlisle concerning the "Great Falls" of the Catawba River as well as the establishment of Mount Dearborn, a federal military arsenal in the early 1800's in Chester County, South Carolina. The title of the speech is "What Might Have Been: An Almost Forgotten Page of South Carolina's History." James Henry Carlisle [1825-1909] was an educator, professor at Wofford College [1854-1875], and president of Wofford College [1875-1902]. Rocky Mount, later known as Mount Dearborn, was the National Armory located on the Catawba River in Rocky Mount, SC from 1802-1829. Rocky Mount was located just below the Great Falls (sometimes called Catawba Falls) on the Catawba River. After the Catawba River was dammed by Duke Electric, the "Great Falls" no longer existed, although there is a town by that name in the area that was founded in 1907.

The Mount Arnon Baptist Church of Allendale Records is composed of two bound volumes of church minutes extending from 1839 to 1970, a church roster detailing members (1903-1952), and the original church Bible, presented to the Church at its founding in 1839 by Joseph A. Lawton.

Box 1; Folder 1

The John Gary Anderson Papers consist of biographical sketches of J.G. Anderson and Alice Holler Anderson (wife of J.G. Anderson), newspaper clippings offering accounts of the successes and failures of the Rock Hill Buggy Company, the Anderson Motor Company, and "the Rock Hill Plan" for reduction of the cotton crop in the south. Also included is a map of Rock Hill dated 1891 and scrapbooks containing advertising materials for Anderson's products, photographs, and correspondence relating to Anderson's businesses, as well as his will and papers from his years as a trustee of Winthrop College [1920-1937]. J.G. Anderson [1861-1937] founded the Rock Hill Buggy Company and was the president of the Anderson Motor Company in Rock Hill, SC. He was also one of the key figures in the early development of Rock Hill. He helped in the founding of the Rock Hill Chamber of Commerce, serving as its first president, he is credited with creating the Rock Hill Telephone company, as well as helping come up with the "Rock Hill Plan" for the reduction of the production of cotton.

The Freidheim Family was a prominent Rock Hill family from the mid 19th century through the late 20th century and were the owners of Freidheim's Department Store in downtown Rock Hill. The Freidheim Family Papers consist of family histories, correspondence, financial records, wills, land deeds, and newspaper clippings, all relating to the Rock Hill, SC family. There is much material concerning the financial affairs and estate of Arnold Freidheim and his brother, Julius Freidheim, owners of Freidheim's Department Store, and the heirs to their estates, which also included members of the Marshall Family. Also included are the executor's annual reports concerning actions taken in carrying out the terms of the Freidheim's will, as well as a genealogy of the John Clawson Family.

The Civil War Records consist of dispatches during the American Civil War from General P.G.T. Beauregard, mainly to General Robert E. Lee, but also to Lieutenant General Wade Hampton and Major General Lafayette McLaws, concerning the movement and position of Union and Confederate troops in North and South Carolina; dispatches to and from Lieutenant General Wade Hampton concerning the movement and deployment of Union and Confederate troops; summary of principle events in South Carolina from January to March, 1865; and a report of Lieutenant Colonel James E. Burton, 33rd Infantry on operations of Union troops in South Carolina in February 1865. The dispatches are invaluable to anyone researching General Sherman's March to the Sea through South Carolina and the burning of Columbia, SC during the Civil War in 1865. All are typescript copies.

The John Ratchford Hart Papers consist of correspondence between Mr. Hart [1873-1939] and A.S. Salley concerning the boundary between North and South Carolina, entries from deed books concerning lots of land in the city of York, SC, correspondence between Mr. Hart and various South Carolinians, including Captain W.E. Gonzales, in which they discuss historical matters in South Carolina, a history of York, a history of the Catawba River, and a biography of educator, senator, lawyer, and Confederate Major James Franklin Hart [1837-1905] of Yorkville, SC, written by Mr. Hart. Also included is a speech by Mr. Hart concerning the history of the Supreme Court of North Carolina titled "Historical Gems and Ideals" and copies of newspapers, including "The daily Southern Guardian," "The Press," and the "Tri-Weekly Mercury," all published in 1862.

The Six Mile Presbyterian Church Records consist of photocopies of a church ledger from the Six Mile Presbyterian Church in Lancaster, SC. This ledger contains minutes of church meetings, registers of pastors, elders and deacons, minutes of the church session, registers of communicants, baptisms and deaths. Six Mile Presbyterian Church was organized somewhere around 1804. Included is a note stating the original ledger was rebound in 1971.

John R. Schorb [1818-1908] was one of America's first photographers and operated a studio in York, South Carolina. The John R. Schorb Papers include 49 prints and over 200 glass plate negatives, daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, and tin types, all taken by John and his son, George. The images vary in size and subject. Most are portraits; however, there are also images of various family members, scenes around York, SC, and self-portraits. The images range in date from the late 1850's to the early 1900's. The collection also includes genealogical information relating to Schorb's life in York, SC, correspondence, papers relating to Schorb's student days at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, information concerning his photography teacher - Charles Avery, papers relating to Schorb's stay in Fairfield County, SC as a teacher at the Mount Zion Academy in Winnsboro, SC, and his participation in plays presented by the Winnsboro Thespian Corps, and a photocopy of an 1849 book, "The History and Practice of the Art of Photography," by Henry H. Snelling, with wood cuts by John R. Schorb.