Collection (1901-1926) of correspondence received by Maud Smith (née Tyson) and her husband Walter Edward "Edd" Smith, from family and friends. Collection includes letters to Maud Tyson, while she attended Littleton Female College, letters from Carl Tyson, during World War I, from the Headquarters of the 81st Division, at Camp Jackson, South Carolina, between May and November, 1918, and several other letters, as well as a list of transcripts and typed transcripts of all letters in the collection.
The Smith - Tyson Family collection consists of thirteen letters, written between 1901 and 1926, along with transcripts of the letters. Ten of the thirteen letters are addressed to Mrs. W. E. Smith (née Maud Tyson), one is addressed to Mrs. W. E. Smith and family, another to both Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Smith, and one is addressed to Mr. W. E. "Edd" Smith. The authors of the correspondence in the Smith-Tyson family collection include John Tyson, Caroline "Carrie" Tyson, Clarissa Belle Evans, Carl Tyson, Mrs. Alfred Taylor (Maybelle "Belle" Tyson), and Janie Smith. The Tyson family resided in Falkland, Pitt County, North Carolina. In 1902, Maud Tyson attended Littleton Female College, in Littleton, North Carolina. Maud Tyson later married Walter Edward "Edd" Smith. The Smith family resided in Fountain, Pitt County, North Carolina.
United States Census records from 1900, for Falkland Township, Pitt County, North Carolina, indicate that Mrs. W. E. Smith (née Maud Tyson) was born in 1885, to parents Henry S. Tyson (born ca.1861) and Caroline "Carrie" Tyson (born ca. 1861). This 1900 Census also indicates that Maud Tyson's siblings included John (ca.1882-1901), Susie (born ca.1886), Annie(?) (born ca.1888), Carl (born ca.1892), Laney(?) (born ca.1895), and Leona (born ca.1897). The 1910 U.S. Census for Falkland Township, Pitt County, North Carolina, also shows that Maud Tyson had additional siblings, including Alonzo (born ca.1895), Maybelle "Belle" (Mrs. Alfred Taylor) (born ca.1900), and Mary (born ca.1902). U.S. Census records from 1920, for Fountain Township, Pitt County, North Carolina, indicate that W. E. "Edd" and Maud Smith's children included Carrie (born ca.1908), Edward (born ca.1910), Mattie (born ca.1913), Henry (born ca.1916), and Grace(?) (born ca.1919).
The Smith-Tyson Family collection includes thirteen letters written between the years 1901 and 1926, to Mrs. W. E. Smith (née Maud Tyson) and her husband W. E. "Edd" Smith, from various friends and family members, as well as transcripts of these letters. The collection contains letters written by John Tyson, Caroline "Carrie" Tyson, Clarissa Belle Evans, Carl Tyson, Mrs. Alfred Taylor (Maybelle "Belle" Tyson), and Janie Smith, with typed transcripts of the letters. The letters and transcripts are organized in chronological order.
The first letter in the collection, dated 27 January 1901, was written by John Tyson to his sister Maud Tyson. The subject matter of this letter includes a speech given by John Tyson, information about family members, illness, a baptism, and romances. This letter also mentions the names of several people, including Willie Barett and Minie Raspberry.
Three letters were written in 1902 by Caroline "Carrie" Tyson to her daughter Maud Tyson, while Maud was away at Littleton Female College, in Littleton, North Carolina. The subject matter discussed in these letters includes grading tobacco, Maud's friend Nannie, the cost of schooling, clothing items such as a pique waist, and news regarding family members.
A classmate of Maud Tyson's from Littleton Female College, Clarissa Belle Evans from Cisco, N.C., wrote a letter dated 6 August 1902. The information in this letter pertains to Littleton Female College, mutual friends, and various illnesses such as typhoid fever, capillary bronchitis, and malaria. Also written about are topics including the death of Clarissa's siblings, a picnic at Ballard's Bridge with a talk delivered by the Hon. J. C. Scarborough, President of the Baptist Institute at Murfreesboro, mosquitoes, food, and a fire at the water mill owned by Clarissa's father, Z. W. Evans. This letter also mentions the names of various people, including Ethel Briedlove, Eleanor Evans, Zacharia Evans, and Janie Henderson.
Carl Tyson, the younger brother of Maud Tyson Smith, authored four letters written between May and November of 1918, while Carl was enlisted in the Army and stationed at Camp Jackson, South Carolina, during World War I. Three of the letters were addressed to Maud, and one to her husband Edd Smith. The information in these letters pertains to the progress of World War I and the draft, as well as his duties while at Camp Jackson. Additional topics covered in these letters include farming, weather, family, health, and financial issues.
Maud Tyson Smith's sister, Mrs. Alfred Taylor (Maybelle "Belle" Tyson) of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., wrote two letters. One is addressed to Mrs. W. E. Smith (Maud Tyson) dated 1924, while the other is only a partial letter and is undated. The subject matter addressed in these letters includes weather, gardening, making clothing, the purchase of chicks, family, and peaches.
The letter from Janie Smith to Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Smith is dated 1924. The information contained in this correspondence relates to an illness of Edward's, which may refer to Maud's husband Ed or their son Edward. There is another letter from Caroline "Carrie" Tyson to her daughter Mrs. W. E. Smith (Maud Tyson) and family dated 1926. This letter discusses an illness of Carrie's, religious faith, visits to Greenville and Winterville, N.C., produce, and family members. This letter also mentions the names of people and places such as Bust Allerton, E. F. Tucker, Herman Tucker, Aubry's Creek, and Young's store.
Gift of Mr. Edward T. Smith
Encoded by Lindsay Flood, March 28, 2008
Processed by Lindsay Flood April 2008
Transcripts by Lindsay Flood April 2008
Finding aid and container list revised by Allison N. Miller, March 2016.
Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.
For more information on Littleton Female College, the school attended by Maud Tyson Smith, see the
For more information on Camp Jackson, S.C., where Carl Tyson was stationed during World War I, see the