Biographical/historical information

James Alexander Hartness (1863-1934) was a native of Iredell County, N.C. As a leading Democrat and a practicing attorney, Hartness was involved in state politics throughout his career. He was a member of the N.C. General Assembly (1897), clerk of Superior Court for Iredell County (1898-1928), and N.C. secretary of state (1928-1933). He also was a member of the State Democratic Executive Committee, a leading advocate of prohibition, and the founder and editor of the Statesville Mascot.

Scope and arrangement

The collection consists primarily of drafts for articles and speeches on a variety of subjects.

Included are several drafts of a pamphlet or article which Hartness wrote on Robert E. Lee and the Civil War. The Lee material includes commentary on General "Stonewall" Jackson, General Ulysses S. Grant, the Battle of Gettysburg, various Civil War campaigns, and the South before and during the war. Of major interest are two articles or speeches on the topic of prohibition and the repeal effort in 1933. Hartness had been Superintendent of the Anti-Saloon League (1908) and a leading proponent of prohibition. One article is entitled "The Adoption of the Eighteenth Amendment" and the other "Can We as a People Afford in the Interest of Temperance and Economy to Repeal the 18th Amendment?" . Also pertaining to the prohibition issue is a printed broadside signed by Frances Renfrow Doak appealing to women voters of North Carolina and a typed tabulation of the statewide vote on the issue.

Other articles, speeches, and drafts in the collection include the Battle of Alamance (May 16, 1771), slavery, the "Old South," and portions of drafts concerning the Constitution and Jeffersonian America.

Correspondence consists of a letter (1932) from S. A. Ashe commenting on Hartness' pamphlets on Robert E. Lee and Stone Mountain, Georgia, and a printed campaign letter from Hartness appealing for support as a candidate for secretary of state (1932). Also included is a typescript account of a trip from North Carolina to California (undated) and a copy of the will of Hartness.

Administrative information

Custodial History

March 31, 1969, 25 items; Papers include speeches, articles, and a letter. Gift of Thomas H. Sloan, Washington, N.C.

Source of acquisition

Gift of Thomas H. Sloan

Processing information

Processed by D. Lennon, July 1975

Encoded by Apex Data Services

Copyright notice

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

Metadata Rights Declaration

Key terms

Personal Names

Ashe, Samuel A. (Samuel A'Court), 1840-1938
Doak, Frances Renfrow, 1887-1974
Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885
Hartness, J. A. (James Alexander), 1863-1934
Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863
Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870

Corporate Names

Anti-saloon League of America
Democratic Party (N.C.)--History--20th century
United States. Constitution. 18th Amendment

Topical

Alamance Creek, Battle of, N.C., 1771
Gettysburg, Battle of, Gettysburg, Pa., 1863
Prohibition--North Carolina--History--20th century

Places

Iredell County (N.C.)
North Carolina--Politics and government--1865-1950
Southern States--History--19th century
United States--Description and travel
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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