Biographical/historical information
Joseph Nicholas Bynum was born 1832 May 17 to Gideon Bynum and Sarah Jane May. Bynum lived in the Marlboro, North Carolina area most of his life where his family had extensive lumber operations and he and his brother ran a general store after the war almost until his death. He was a student under William J. Blow in Greenville, and earned his degree in 1855 from the University of Pennsylvania Department of Medicine. He served in the Civil War as a doctor for the 44th NC Regiment, and remained in the area of the future railroad town of Farmville after "Marlboro" faded to become the southern part of the new town. Bynum married Mary Alice Barrett in 1860, and they had Richard Benjamin, Leon, Lucy, and Annie Eloise. His wife died in 1888, and later that year he married Margaret Ann Sheppard and they had Joseph Henry. Bynum died 1909 May 24 in Farmville, Pitt County.
Scope and arrangement
Papers and ledgers of Dr. Joseph Nicholas Bynum.
Administrative information
Custodial History
2014 February 7, (unprocessed) 9 books and 10 ledgers delivered by Claude S. Kidd. Gift of Henry and Andrea Kidd.
Source of acquisition
Gift of Henry and Andrea Kidd
Gift of Claude Thomas Kidd
Gift of Cindy Kidd Coffey
Processing information
Processed by Baylus C. Brooks, 2015
Copyright notice
Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.
Container list
Box 1 Folder 1
Note from inside of Joseph and Richard business account book - mentions "Absilla Bynum's School" and accounts for Carolina J. Bynum and John T. Bynum; receipt from R.R. Lancaster to John Luy dam (8 January 1859); homemade greeting card with "Joseph N. Bynum" written on it [watercolor of tree]; various loose papers, 1847-1859
Box 1 Folder 2
Account Book of Jacob S. Barnes, 1850-1861
Box 1 Folder 3
General Account Book of Joseph Nicholas Bynum MD; originally belonged to his wife, "Miss M[ary] Alice Barrett, Farmville, Pitt County", 1861-1865
Box 1 Folder 4
Shared Business Account Book of Joseph N. Bynum and Richard A. Bynum, 1866-1878
Box 1 Folder 5
Ledger covering customers of extensive lumber operations, general store accounts, and employee wages, 1885
Box 1 Folder 6
Loose Pages Found in Ledger, 1885
Box 1 Folder 7
Ledger for Lumber Accounts, 1885-1887
Box 2 Folder 1
Note from Inside Front Cover of Lumber Accounts Ledger, 1886
Box 2 Folder 2
Loose page from Medical Account Ledger, 1886
Box 2 Folder 3
Account ledger including "Inventory of Stock of W. A. Barrett, Taken March 13th 1886"; Receipts and Disbursements, 1886, 1893-1897
Box 2 Folder 4
Leger covering general store accounts and employee wages; also contains notices of large lots of timber and/or liberland for sale in various other states, 1890-1902
Box 2 Folder 5
Medical accounts ledger of Dr. Joseph N. Bynum, 1894-1895
Box 2 Folder 6
Medical Diary of Dr. Joseph N. Bynum, 1897-1908
Box 2 Folder 7
Account ledger of various individuals and employees: Henry Vandiford, Redin Vandiford, Henry Speight, Nancy Lang, Lizzie May, Sampson Bynum, Joseph H. Bynum [son of Dr. Joseph N. Bynum], Joe May, and William Baker, 1905-1913