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The over eleven cubic feet of papers (1857-2021) in this collection compiled by local historian Edward Ellis are related to the history of Havelock and New Bern, N.C., the Civil War (especially New Bern and Eastern North Carolina), Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station, Sir Henry Havelock and Ellis's publications. Items included are aerial photographs (1938/1939, 1950) of Craven, Pamlico and Carteret counties, N.C.; New Bern Civil War-related items; two issues of The New York Times (1862) related to the Civil War in New Bern; 1857 issues of The Illustrated London News, Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, Harper's Weekly and The New York Times related to Sir Henry Havelock and the war in India; ephemera, engravings, prints and an image on glass related to Sir Henry Havelock; Havelock Tobacco caddy labels; Havelock Progress newspaper negatives (1981-1983); photographs used in Ellis's book Historic Images of Havelock and Cherry Point (2010); manuscripts for Ellis's books In This Small Place (2005), and New Bern History 101 (2009); and four cubic feet of historical files relating to Havelock and New Bern, N.C., Cherry Point, the Civil War, genealogy and other historical topics. Also included are a short history of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing, and ninety-seven photographs (1941) with corresponding indexes and map documenting property adjoining Havelock, N.C. prior to demolition of buildings for construction of Cherry Point Marine Air Station. The photographs include scenes of farm houses, barns, outbuildings, fishing camps, fields, roads, and waterways.

Papers (1870, 1919-1974) of the U.S. Navy officer, including correspondence, photographs, reports, clippings, certificates, and miscellaneous materials.

Papers (1950s-1960s) of prominent Greenville, NC attorney including correspondence, affidavits, appeals, motions, financial records, and a variety of other legal documents.

Copy of The Greatest Anti-Submarine Action of All wars (an account of the World War II action of the USS George (DE-697) and copies of supporting documents, including the USS George war diary for May 1944.

Papers of Maurice Sendak (1982-1986) documenting the life and literary career the famed Brooklyn, New York-born American artist, illustrator and writer of children's books; consisting of partial, non-consecutive, uncorrected bound proofs of Nutcracker (1984) the fantasy by E. T. A. [Ernst Theodor Amadeus] Hoffmann (1776-1822) that became the basis of the ballet of the same name by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893); translated by Ralph [Frederick] Manheim (1907-1992); pictures by Maurice Sendak; also including loose manuscript items transferred from the Stuart Wright Book Collection volume entitled The Art of Maurice Sendak (1982-1985), by Selma G. Lanes, including letters by and about Maurice Sendak to Stuart Wright.

This collection includes a scrapbook of clippings (1906-1954) kept by Charlotte Pearl Murphy Wright, the wife of Robert Herring Wright who was the first president of East Carolina University (known then as East Carolina Teachers Training School and later East Carolina Teachers College) in Greenville, North Carolina. Also included are correspondence, announcements related to family affairs, photographs, and genealogy notes (also a few deeds, and bills of sale for enslaved persons) related to the Murphy, and Wright families of Sampson County, N.C., and the Cromartie and Alderman families.

Papers of Stuart Wright (1783-2020, [Bulk: 1945-2014], undated) documenting the life and literary career of the noted Roxboro, North Carolina-born American educator, chiropodist, author, translator, bibliographer, editor, historian, publisher, musician and collector, vendor and donor of literary and musical manuscripts and published materials; consisting of correspondence, holograph and typescript manuscripts of published materials, clippings, loose manuscript items transferred from the Stuart Wright Book Collection; also original art, audio recordings, proofs and advance review copies of published works, photographic materials and oversized materials; including materials in English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

Papers of Peter Hillsman Taylor (1908-1995, undated) documenting the life and literary career of the noted American short story writer, novelist, biographer, and playwright, who specialized in subjects related to the Upper South, including manuscript materials and correspondence, especially his World War II letters to his wife, Eleanor Ross Taylor; proofs of published materials; loose manuscripts from the Stuart Wright Book Collection; and oversized materials, by or about Peter Hillsman Taylor, Madison Smartt Bell, Robert Penn Warren, Eudora Welty, and others, in English and French language.

Papers of Barry Hannah (1960-2016 [Bulk: 1972-2016], undated) documenting the life and literary career of the noted Meridian, Mississippi-born, novelist and educator at the University of Mississippi, where he directed the Masters of Fine Arts program; consisting of correspondence, manuscripts, photographic materials, loose manuscript items transferred from the Stuart Wright Book Collection, proofs of published materials, & printed broadsides of his poem Boomerang and other works.

Papers of Gore Vidal (1984) documenting the life and literary career of the noted West Point, New York-born American novelist, playwright, and essayist consisting of bound uncorrected proofs for Lincoln: A Novel (1984), by Gore Vidal; also a publisher's newsletter advertising the publication.

Papers of Shirley Bowers Anders (1983-1984) documenting the life and literary career of the Winston-Salem, North Carolina-born American poet and writer in residence at the University of Wisconsin – Fox Valley, 1988-1989; also at Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin, 1989-1994; consisting of typescripts and page proofs of her volume of poetry published by Palaemon Press and entitled Shirley Anders (Palaemon Poets Number One, 1983-1984) and transmittal notes relating to possible publication.

Papers of Mary Lee Settle (1956-1986 [Bulk: 1980-1984]) documenting the life and career of the popular Charleston, West Virginia-born American novelist, actress, and educator at Bard College, the Iowa Writers' Workshop, and the University of Virginia; consisting of loose manuscript items transferred from the Stuart Wright Book Collection volumes by Settle including All the Brave Promises (1966), The Killing Ground (1980), O Beulah Land (1956), The Scapegoat (1980), and Water World (1984), containing advertising letters, a biographical sketch of Settle by George Garrett, and Settle's letters to Stuart Wright, etc.

Papers of Allen Wier (1978-1983 [Bulk: 1978]) documenting the life and career of the noted San Antonio, Texas-born American writer and creative writing educator at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, who was formerly married to the poet, Dara Wier [#1169.089], consisting of loose manuscript items relating to Wier, transferred from Stuart Wright Book Collection volumes, entitled Blanco & Things About to Disappear: A Novel and a Collection of Stories, by Allen Wier (1978); Blanco, by Allen Wier (1978); and Departing as Air, by Allen Wier (1983); including letters to Stuart Wright and Fred Chappell; also an inventory control card for Departing as Air (1983).

Papers of Erskine Caldwell (1932-1982), documenting the life and literary career of the noted Coweta County, Georgia-born, American novelist of the rural poor in the American South; consisting primarily of his correspondence with Robert Cantwell; also Paul C. Richards, Autographs' description of the letters and Stuart Wright's correspondence with Paul C. Richards, Autographs relating to purchase of the letters.

These papers (1848-1882) belonged to Johnson H. Bryan, Jr.(1824-1883) of Craven County, North Carolina. Included are deeds, statements of debt and obligation, receipts, receipts for purchase and sale of enslaved people, correspondence, mortgages, bankruptcy papers, and a resolution of complaint related to tariff discriminations and maintenance deficiencies on the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad.