Special Collections Staff Picks

State of North Carolina Chowan County
In the name of God, Amen. I Edmund Brinkley, of the state and County aforesaid, being very sick but of sound and disposing mind and mery (sic). Thanks be to God. Being apprehensive of death I make this my last will and testament. I resign and commend my soul to Allmighty God, who gave it, my body to the earth to be buried in a decent manner.
I give and bequeath to my wife Susannah Brinkley certain property as follows, All my household furniture, Three bed and furniture, A pair of mahogany tables. A mahogany stand, one side board, and half dozen Willow Bottom Chairs excepted to be mentioned hereafter. All the work house and Cook room contents. All the stands in the smokehouse and store room, Her choice of two sets plough gear, Any two plows, one horse cart and tacklings, Rockaway and harnist (sic), Gig and harnest (sic). It is my desire that there shall be no sale until the crop is housed.
I give and bequeath to my wife or widow fifty barrels of corn, three thousand lbs. Fodder, All the Shucks, twenty Bushels peas, Thirty bushels wheat, fifteen hundred pounds pork, one thousand herrings, six bushels salt. Twenty gallons molasses, one hundred pounds sugar, fifty pounds coffee.
It is my will and desire that my sale be about the last of Nov. so that my hogs will be in good (illegible).
I now proceed with my stock. I give and bequeath to my wife or widow my young bay horse or seventy five dollars, Her choice of two cows & calves and one heifer, One Ox that is now on hand, Ten head of sheep, Her choice of two sows and pigs.
I now proceed with my land and negroes. I give and bequeath to my son Miles C. Brinkley All my land lying north of the shelter ditch that divides my low ground filed, Making a straight line on the south side of said ditch, from Riddicks line to James S. Roberts line, with the privilege of draining the water from said piece of land, down the leading ditch next to Mrs. Bushes line. I also give him my saddle.
I give and bequeath to my son William T. Brinkley and my daughter Sarah E. Creecy, all my land on the west side of the Virginia and Mill Road in the following manner. To be kept to gether (sic) and rented out until William T. Brinkley becomes of age, three fifths of rent to William and two fifths to Sarah. At that time if Sarah desires and her agent or guardian who is to be Miles C. Brinkley thinks it necessary, her two fifths is to be valued and laid out in such property as herself and agent or guardian thinks best to her use.
I also give and bequeath to my son William the piece of land in the fork between the Va and Mill Road. I give and bequeath to him my gun and after my wife deceased, side board and half dozen willow bottom chairs. I give and bequeath to my daughters Susan M. and Martha J. Brinkley a piece of land about eight or ten acres beginning in the Va. Road James S. Roberts line running said line to a pine named in the old deed and distance named one hundred and thirty poles, thence to Va. Road, again making a straight line and to be ninety yards wide at the Va. Road. To be sold by my executor provided he can sell it for one hundred dollars at any time, before my son Albert E. Brinkley becomes of age. If not sold in said manner it is to be publicly sold after Albert becomes of age and equally divided between them. I lend to my wife the track of land on which I live running as follows, to begin at the fork of a leading new ditch next to next to (sic) Mrs. Robinsons running up said ditch through the woods, one hundred and fifty yards from the field fence, thence to the pine before mentions. James S. Roberts line thence to Va. Road, down Va road to Stephen Dolbys line, running said line and swamp to first Station. The remaining land that I have not mentioned is to be rented out for the equal benefit of Ann E. Brinkley and Albert E. Brinkley. I give and bequeath to my daughters Susan M. and Martha J. Brinkley my boy Jim, to be hired out until he is sixteen years of age. Also to each of them a Bed and furniture, Also my wifes (sic) deceased a Mahogany table each, And to Martha Jane at my wifes (sic) decease a mahogany stand. I give and bequeath to my daughter Rosanna Brinkley my girl Charlotte to remain with my wife or widow until Rosannah becomes of age provided she will keep Rosannah free of charge. I give and bequeath to my son Albert E. Brinkley and my Daughter Anne E. Brinkley the land on which I live, their mother’s lifetime rights excepted, to be divided as follows: After my wife or wide death it is to be valued by albetration [arbitration ?] including the land that I have set apart to be rented out for them, giving Albert E. two thirds and Ann E. one third. If Albert E. is not willing to take at the valued price it is to be publicly sold. Also I give and bequeath to Ann E. one Bed and Furniture. It is my will and desire and I do appoint my son Miles C. Brinkley Executor to this my last will and testament as he is to cultivate my farm according to an agreement heretofore made. I put it in his power as executor to sell my property that is not given off to the best advantage, including one years (sic) rent of land, to pay all my just debts. If there should be any surplus left it is to be divided between my wife or widow & my executor, two thirds to her and one third to him. If my executor at any time thinks that he can get along with the crop without my sorrel filly he is at liberty to dispose of her at private sale and make a good right.
I appoint Miles C. Brinkley Guardian to Susan M., Martha J., and William T. Brinkley.
A appoint my wife Guardian to Rosannah, Ann E., and Albert E. Brinkley.
In witness whereof I set my hand and seal, March 18th 1853
Edm Brinkley [Seal]
Signed in the presence of
William Roberts
Jeremiah Evans
The foregoing paper writings purporting to be the last will and testament of Edmund Brinkley, deceased is exhibited for probate, in open court, by Miles C. Brinkley the executor thereon named and the due executor thereof by the said Edmund Brinkley it proved by oath and examination of William Roberts one of the subscribing witness[es] thereto. It is therefore considered by the Court that said paper writing and every part thereof is the last will and testament of the said Edmund Brinkley and the same is ordered to be recorded and filed.

And thereon the said Miles C. Brinkley executor as aforesaid duly qualified as such by taking the oath as required by law.

Wm. R. Skinner Clk [Clerk]

Source: Victoria Louise Pendleton Memoir (Manuscript Collection #17.1.b) Staff Person: Jonathan Dembo The program above, advertising a performance of Esther, The Beautiful Queen, to be presented at the Warrenton, North Carolina Town Hall on 11 October 1894, is from the Victoria Louise Pendleton Memoir manuscript collection. Mrs. Pendleton was born in October 1837, in Pitt [...]

The White House
Washington
September 18, 1970

Dear Mr. Morgan:

The enclosed article by Dr. Sidney Hook is among the most cogent and compelling documents I have read on the question of campus violence. I commend it to your consideration, for I know that you share my deep interest in resolving the crucial problems which our colleges and universities are facing at this time.

The heart of the matter — and of Dr. Hook’s thesis — is that the primary responsibility for maintaining a climate of free discussion and inquiry on the college campus rests with the academic community itself. As I said in my news conference in California in July, I hold this same point of view.

Thus it is with concern that I have noted — as did Dr. Hook — the growing tendency of college administrators to place the primary blame for campus violence and disruption on the failure of government to solve all our major problems at home and abroad. I recognize that many deeply concerned students and faculty members disagree with governmental positions at the national, state and local level, but while government can and must accept and carry out its responsibilities in connection with policies which may be unpopular on college and university campuses, there can be no substitute for the acceptance of responsibility for order and discipline on campuses by college administrators and college faculty.

The university is a precious national asset, a place in American society where the rule of reason and not the rule of force must prevail. Those who cannot accept that rule of reason, those who resort to the rule of force, have no place on a college campus. Only when college administrators, faculties and students accept and act on these premises will all of our universities again be able to go about the vital and important work of preserving and expanding our cultural heritage and training the future leaders of America.

I would appreciate receiving the benefit of your views on this vitally important subject.

With my best wishes,

[Signed: Richard Nixon]

Mr. Robert Burren Morgan
Attorney at Low
Lillington, North Carolina 27546

Greensboro, N. Ca.
July 29th 63
Dear Marney & Sissie
I thought I would write you a few lines to let you know how we are. We are well and hope you the same. Cousin Fannie and Cecie is staying with us. I wish you were with us. Nancie says please try and get her some snuff. I am writing with Confederate ink. I am writing on a Confederate spelling Book. I went to a Ball and Danced with two Confederate officers. Give my love to Aunt Mary Ann and Family, Uncle and Family, Mrs. Gardner and Family, and Mrs. Betry and receive a share for yourself and Sissie. Kiss Ephey for me. There is not any more News at present.
All join me in love
Good bye
Excuse write as soon as you can.
This from you affectionate Grand Daughter
Fannie Wallace
Fannie Wallace to Mannie & Sissie, 1863 07 29 Arthur Whitford Papers #18.1.a

Dear Bat Poet & Wife
Thanks for the pretty little book! delightful!
Our book looks gorgeous and soon – soon! – it will be all put together & we will rejoice.
So all good wishes!
[Cartoon]
Der Bat artist

Source: Carl Woodrow Thurman, Jr. Collection #15.1.a Staff Person: Jonathan Dembo Description: James T. Thurman, aged 72, and still suffering from a Civil War wound to his thigh, “weak lungs” and a “chronic cough”, submitted this pension application, on 18 June 1913, to the Adjutant General’s Office, in Jefferson City, Missouri. After a long life [...]

Source: Elihu A. White Papers, #14.11.a (P-14/6) Staff Person: Jonathan Dembo Description: This photograph of Carpenter’s Hall, Philadelphia dates from the 1870s.  It’s name derives from the fact that it was originally built in 1770-1773 to serve as a meeting hall for the Carpenters’ Companies of the City and County of Philadelphia, the nation’s oldest [...]

Source: John B. Green Collection #380.2.b Staff Person: Jonathan Dembo Description: Seen in the photograph above are four, unnamed, concrete-hulled river steamers at the Newport Shipping Corporation shipyard, in New Bern, North Carolina. They are obviously incomplete and unnamed. Built to solve the desperate shortage of steel for shipping during World War I, they were [...]

Source: John B. Green Collection #380.1.a Staff Person: Jonathan Dembo Description: This early combat photograph taken by an American sailor shows the first of approximately 2,300 sailors and marines from the South Atlantic Fleet and the 2nd Advanced Base Regiment landing at Veracruz, Mexico in the predawn hours of 21 April 1914. Two other marine [...]

United States Senate
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20510
January 13, 1988
Dr. and Mrs. Keats Sparrow
307 Queen Anne’s Road
Greenville, North Carolina 27858
Dear Dr. and Mrs. Sparrow:
Thank you for your letter regarding the proposal in the original House reconciliation bill that would have disallowed the future amortization of intangible assets, such as customer lists.
While it is important to study all options when searching for revenue sources to help balance our budget, we should not indiscriminately tax any or all of the sources of income we are able to discern. It is important to weigh the revenue potential of any suggested tax against its potential economic cost. Often this cost can far exceed the revenue potential of any given tax.
In the case of this provision, I was concerned that the arguments supporting the provision might be flawed. I therefore sided with the IRS [Internal Revenue Service] here; I think it is a mistake to disallow the depreciation of the intangible assets of a company when such assets are arguably depreciable.
I spoke to Senator [Lloyd] Bentsen and to the Senate Finance and Budget Committee staffs on this matter during the conference on reconciliation and fortunately the provision was removed from the final version of the reconciliation bill which passed on December 21, 1987.
Thank you again for writing me regarding this tax provision.
With best wishes always,
Sincerely,
[Signature]
TERRY SANFORD
United States Senator
TS/mjm