Biographical/historical information

The Old Sparta Farmers' Alliance was organized on December 16, 1887, in Tarboro, N.C., and met there until June 1888 when a separate Tarboro Alliance was formed. Thereafter, meetings were held in Old Sparta, N.C. After August of 1893, no meetings were held until October 1903 when the group was reorganized by a representative from the State Alliance.

Scope and arrangement

The minutes consist largely of organizational and procedural information, including the complete constitution and bylaws, rules of order, form of business, names of members and officers, financial reports, and general proceedings.

Elias Carr was elected the first president (1887-1890) and continued to be an influential leader after his two years in office. Inasmuch as Carr was active in farmers' associations on a broad scale, the minutes contain frequent references to interaction with the N.C. Farmers State Alliance as well as discussions of national events like the Ocala (January 8, 1891) and Birmingham (June 20, 1889) conventions.

The Sparta Alliance strongly supported the Edgecombe County Alliance and had a fraternal relationship with the local Granges. They joined the Grange in resisting the monopoly on cotton bagging and worked with the County Alliance to arrange cooperative purchase of fertilizer, cotton bagging, and other commodities. In 1889 they approved a resolution from the county on establishing a Cotton Exchange System.

Although the Alliance was not a charitable organization, the group frequently voted to assist members who had experienced personal catastrophes. At one point the Sparta Alliance tried to secure a cooperative loan to aid its members who were in debt because of poor crops in 1889.

In what may be considered an addendum to the minute book, separate sheets of paper dated during 1905-1906 contain the names of more than 150 applicants for veterans' crosses of honor. Unfortunately, there is no identification of the war for which the crosses were being awarded, although several of the names do appear in published Civil War rosters.

Administrative information

Custodial History

September 14, 1988, 1 volume; Minute book (1887-1904) of Old Sparta, N.C., Farmers Alliance. Gift of Miss Cora Edwards, Tarboro, N.C., and Mr. and Mrs. Ollen Johnson, Macclesfield, N.C.

Source of acquisition

Gift of Miss Cora Edwards

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Ollen Johnson

Processing information

Processed by L. Yoder, August 1989

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

Carr, Elias, 1839-1900

Corporate Names

Farmers' State Alliance of North Carolina
Old Sparta Farmers' Alliance

Topical

Farmers--North Carolina--Societies, etc
Tobacco industry--North Carolina--Edgecombe County

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