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Collection consists of a two volumes titled "Journal of a Cruise from Norfolk, Virginia to the Pacific Ocean in the United States Frigate United States, Isaac Hull, Esq'r, Commander" kept by Philadelphian midshipman Lawrence Penington from 4 December 1823, through 22 April 1827. United States was one of six frigates authorized to be constructed by the Naval Act of 1794 and it served as the flagship for Commodore Hull who was head of the American naval squadron on the Pacific Coast of South America. Penington documents navigation statistics, weather reports and daily ship life, along with the larger issues of interaction between the American naval squadron and British, Spanish, Chilean, Colombian and Peruvian naval and military counterparts.

This collection contains a logbook (1891-1929) kept by William Hadlock Gooding (b. June 1, 1856, d. September 7, 1936), the purser for the barkentine Olive Thurlow. During this time, Olive Thurlow, which operated out of Philadelphia, travelled to New York, Boston, Savannah, Washington, Port Royal, Barbadoes, Buenos Aires, and Montevideo. Other entries in the logbook refer to the settling of accounts in Boston by Gooding for his time with the bark Grace Deering (1901-1902); and accounts (1906-1909, 1925-1929) related to his life in Yarmouth, Cumberland County, Maine.

Major General Charles Justin Bailey was born at Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, on June 21, 1859. He commanded the 81st Infantry Division, American Expeditionary Forces, fighting in France during 1918 and 1919. Bailey compiled this album during 1918 and 1919 and it contains postcards of French and German towns and provinces; a few letters; photographs of France and the 81st Division including behind the lines scenes, Camp Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina, and identified officers and dignitaries; clippings and ephemera; and eight large color fold-out maps. The strength of the collection is its representation of World War I in France.

Congressional files (1966-1992), of businessman and Democratic mayor of Farmville, NC, 1949-1953; state representative, 1955-1959; state senator, 1965; and U. S. Congressman from the 1st District of NC, 1966-1989, including correspondence, reports, legislative bills, memorandums, clippings, etc. 378 boxes. 126.0 cubic feet.

Correspondence & Financial Records (ca. 1845 - 1917, undated) of merchants, shipbuilders and mercantile family from Elizabeth City and Weeksville, Pasquotank County, NC. Individuals include Woodson Bradford Fearing, Enoch Pratt Fearing, Lizzie Parker Fearing, George Fearing, Pratt Fearing, Woodruff Fearing, Emily Fearing, Emily Ramsay Commander, M. E. Fearing, Joseph Commander and Walter J. Rhode.

Collection (1901-1926) of correspondence received by Maud Smith (née Tyson) and her husband Walter Edward "Edd" Smith, from family and friends. Collection includes letters to Maud Tyson, while she attended Littleton Female College, letters from Carl Tyson, during World War I, from the Headquarters of the 81st Division, at Camp Jackson, South Carolina, between May and November, 1918, and several other letters, as well as a list of transcripts and typed transcripts of all letters in the collection.

Papers (1938–1993 [Bulk: 1938–1953]), of U.S. Naval Reserve officer and destroyer escort commander, including official files and service records, and a History of USS SC-631; postwar correspondence relating to the Destroyer Escort Commanders Organization (DECO); a History of the USS Kendall C. Campbell (DE-443), by Cdr. Richard E. Warner; a scrapbook, compiled by Cdr. Warner's father, entitled Sub Chaser Navy: World War II, which documented the achievements of destroyer escorts, and Warner's service in destroyer escorts, patrol craft, and sub-chasers; also oversize material including a blueprint of USS PC-497 [renamed SC-497]; and a laminated fact sheet entitled United States Ship USS Kendall C. Campbell (DE-443) including orders, letters, printed forms, certificates, commissions, and documents signed by Admiral Chester Nimitz; Secretaries of the Navy Frank Knox, Francis P. Matthews, Claude A. Swanson, and James Forrestal; by Governor of California Frank F. Merriam.

Papers (1923-1986) including correspondence, orders, reports, newsletters, photographs, news clippings, scrapbooks, programs and miscellany.

Papers (1900-1918, 1944) including birthing records, genealogical records, copies of estate settlement, financial records, deeds of sale for parcel of land.

Collection (1936, 1941-1942) consisting of a photograph album of the S.S. ZamZam, an Egyptian-owned ship, its crew and passengers, including 120 American missionaries (from 21 different denominations), tobacco buyers and other passengers traveling from New York to Alexandria, Egypt, via Capetown, South Africa, who survived sinking by the German raider Tamesis 17 April 1941, including newspaper and magazine clippings, photographs, periodicals, correspondence, and photocopies of an autobiographical account.

Register (1851-1852) including correspondence, list of day to day activities, list of activities of provisioner, list of orders supplies to ships, etc.

Papers (1892-1940, 1960-1964, 1972, 1988) consisting of correspondence, pamphlets, photographs, clippings, newspapers and a book pertaining to the life of Rev. David Wells Herring, a Baptist missionary in China. The book titled Papa Wore No Halo was written about Herring by his daughter Susan Herring Jefferies Taynton.

Photograph album documenting the travels (1951) of the USS Seiverling through stops in Pearl Harbor, Midway, Japan, and probably Hong Kong, participation in the Taiwan Strait Patrol, and bombardments near Songjin, North Korea. Photographs depict not only the activities of the sailors, but also activities of the local people. Also included are photographs of other U.S. Navy ships, and small boats carrying surrendering North Koreans.

The C. B. West collection consists of a ledger documenting construction projects of C. B. West and his son in Greenville and other cities; and materials purchased from such suppliers as W. H. Dail of Greenville; and three Greenville Mayor's Court record books documenting minor crimes in Greenville.