Joseph J. W. Powell Papers
1830, 1836-1855, 1872-1945
Manuscript Collection #453
- Creator(s)
- Powell, Joseph J. W., 1807-1861
- Physical description
- 1.715 Cubic Feet, 2 items , Halifax County physician's ledgers, 1836-1842; 4 volumes, Edgecombe County general account ledgers, 1872-1889.
- Preferred Citation
- Joseph J. W. Powell Papers (#453), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
- Repository
- ECU Manuscript Collection
- Access
- No restrictions
Papers (1836-1842; 1872-1889) of Halifax County, NC physician, including correspondence, plantation, relationship to patients, medication, charge, estate payments and general account ledger personal ledger (1849-1855), letter press books (1883-1912), writing ledger (1830, 1873-1876), receipt book, farm ledgers (1877-1945), and miscellaneous materials. Rec'd. 11/3/1982, 4/2/1993
Biographical/historical information
Dr. Joseph J. W. Powell (1807-1861) was a prominent Halifax County physician who purchased an Edgecombe County plantation in 1845 and developed it into Coolmore. The mansion was completed shortly before Powell's death in 1861.
Scope and arrangement
Dr. Powell's physician's ledgers reflect his work in Halifax County from 1836-1839 and 1840-1842. The ledgers include each patient's name, often their relationship to other patients, date of visit, medication prescribed, charge, date paid, and estate payments. Visits to enslaved persons were noted under the enslaver's family name.
The general account ledgers document purchases and payments for general merchandise and supplies, cotton-picking, buying and selling (1877-1880), and wages paid and purchases against them (1874) in Edgecombe County, N.C.
Administrative information
Custodial History
November 3, 1982, 6 volumes; Halifax County, N.C. Physician's ledgers (1836-1842) and Edgecombe County, N.C., general account ledgers (1873-1888). Deposited by Miss Mary Collins Powell and Mr. Joseph Clay Powell, Tarboro, N.C.
April 2,1993 (unprocessed addition 1), ca. 50 items; Halifax County, N. C. physician's ledgers (1832-1835, 1846-1851), personal ledger (1849-1855), letter press books (1883-1912), writing ledger (1830, 1873-1876), receipt book, farm ledgers (1877-1945), and miscellaneous materials. Donor: Miss Mary Collins Powell.
Source of acquisition
Gift of Miss Mary Collins Powell
Gift of Mr. Joseph Clay Powell
Processing information
Processed by M. Boccaccio, March 1986
Encoded by Apex Data Services
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
Powell, Joseph J. W., 1807-1861
Topical
Cotton picking--North Carolina--Edgecombe County
Medicine--Practice--North Carolina--Halifax County--History--19th century
Physicians--North Carolina--Halifax County
Slaves--Medical Care--North Carolina--Halifax County--History--19th century
Places
Edgecombe County (N.C.)--Commerce--History--19th century
Container list
Box 1
Physician's ledgers, 1836-1842, general account ledger, 1872-1874
Box 2
General account ledgers, 1873-1889