Ransom Respess Papers

1846-1903
Manuscript Collection #1046
Creator(s)
Physical description
0.25 Cubic Feet, 20 items
Preferred Citation
Ransom Respess Papers (#1046), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Repository
ECU Manuscript Collection
Access
No restrictions

This collection (1846-1903) contains correspondence between Ransom Respess of Ransomville, North Carolina, and other members of his family including his son, Reverend George Respess of Ransomville, N.C. Topics include family members, agriculture, an 1860 uprising of enslaved persons in Alabama, and the Civil War Battle of Manassas (1862). Among other items included is an 1846-1849 arithmetic cipher book.


Biographical/historical information

Ransom Respess was born on the 17 July, 1802 to Thomas and Prudence Redditt Respess in Beaufort County, North Carolina. He was married to Sarah Boyd Windley Respess on 28 December, 1828. While married they had three sons: William Franklin, George, and John. Sarah died soon after their son John's birth and Ransom remarried Sarah Frances Allen Respess. He and his family later moved Anniston, Alabama, leaving George and John with their grandfather Rhuel Windley in North Carolina. Ransom Respess died 2 February, 1883.

John B. Respess was born in Plymouth, NC, in 1833. He was a representative and senator for Beaufort County in the North CarolinaNC Legislature and served as Postmaster in Washington, NC. He married Elizabeth Stubbs on 16 December 1853. After Elizabeth Stubbs passed away, he married Cornelia Alice Hyman on 16 January, 1893. He died in Pantego, N.C. in 1909.


Scope and arrangement

This collection contains documents covering the years 1846 through 1908 and includes multiple letters between Ransom Respess and other members of his family including his son, Reverend George Respess, of Ransomville, N.C. (1858-1875). These letters discuss subjects such as farming conditions, crops, an uprising of enslaved persons in Alabama (1860), conditions of family members in the Civil War, and marriages. These papers also contain letters between George Respess and Mary Respess talking about family affairs and children (1903). Another exchange of letters written by R.W. Respess and R.P McCoy discussed the Battle of Manassas or the Second Battle of Bull Run (1862).

Other documents in this collection include a receipt for a bail bonds between J.C.D and H.W and Ransom Respess is a witness (1849), a contract for apprenticeship between McCoy Byrd Respess and Harry Kelly, a check written to M.B Respess from the N.C. State Agricultural Society, a recipe for blood medicine for George Respess, and a love letter (1881). Finally, this collection has an arithmetic cipher book (1846-1849) used by George Respess.


Administrative information
Custodial History

August 10, 2005, 20 items, 0.25 cubic feet; Papers (ca. 1846-1903) of Ransom Respess, of Anniston, Alabama, including financial records, postcards, a school notebook, and correspondence with his son, Rev. George C. Respess, a preacher and farmer, of Ransomville, North Carolina; also W. B. Respess, R. W. Respess, and R. P. McCoy, relating to the Civil War Battle of Manassas (1862), etc. Donor: Victor M. Respess

Source of acquisition

Gift of Victor M. Respess

Processing information

Encoded by Lindsay Flood, April 1, 2008.

Processing completed July 2019 by Ryan Miranda.

Descriptions updated by Ashlyn Racine, May 2023

Copyright notice

Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.


Key terms
Personal Names
Respess, George C.--Correspondence
Respess, Ransom
Topical
Bull Run, 2nd Battle of, Va., 1862
Places
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865