Papers of Beaver Dam Township, Pitt County, North Carolina farmer and justice of the peace, including bills, receipts, letters, maps, plats, & surveys, photographic print, writings, genealogical accounts, estate records, and agricultural records.
Collection contains a variety of items relating to Eastern North Carolina especially including a photograph of East Carolina Teacher's College scene (ca. 1940's); a theater Program (ca. 1933/34) for a play presented by The Episcopal Junior Guild, Austin Building, East Carolina Teacher's College; and a Measles in Quarantine Keep Your Babies Away From Measles Broadside (4/7/1934) posted on the home of Ella Viola McGowan when she had the measles. Also included are photographs (some unidentified) of World War II era of which several pertain to military bases such as the 657th Engineer Topographic Battalion (40th Infantry Division, U.S. Army), and one is of Cecil May in U.S. Marine corporal uniform; a photocopy of a letter (1913) containing reminiscences of Confederate veteran John W. Vernelson (of N.C. State Troops) war service and describing the Veterans Reunion at Gettysburg, PA; receipts (1909-1910) for sales by Crown Bottling Works in New Bern, NC; Pitt County, NC, land grants and deeds (1782-1837) related to the Boyd, Edwards, and Nobles families; Bible Records and birth and death records for the Eldridge, Wilder/Hatsell, Pittman, Moore, Sewell, and Davis families; and the book (2011) "One of the Lucky Ones," Edgar Cannon's Contributions in World War II. Other materials (1856-2001) consist of manuscripts, research clippings, notes, photocopies, photographic prints, programs, notebooks, and newspapers, relating to the history and genealogy of Eastern North Carolina, especially Robersonville and Williamston in Martin County, NC. Also included are a 1941 color silent 16mm film about Greenville and slides (ca. 1970) documenting tobacco and old houses in Pitt County, NC.
Two minute books (September 1874-January 1949) for the Conoho Primitive Baptist Church that was located near Oak City, Martin County, North Carolina. The church was founded in 1794 by former members of Flat Swamp Church. The church building was torn down ca. 1970, leaving a cemetery still in existence.
Papers (1908 – 1986, undated [bulk: 1964 – 1986]) of John Porter East, including biographical, genealogical, and historical materials relating to his life (b. 5 May 1931 – 29 June 1986) ; his marriage to Priscilla Sherk East and their children; his service as an officer in the U. S. Marine Corps; his battle against poliomyelitis and the paralysis it caused; his graduate studies in political science and as a professor of Political Science at East Carolina University, 1964 – 1980, including his teaching files for each of his classes, his academic and professional publications, speeches, interviews; and also his conservative Republican political beliefs and affiliations and political career, including his several unsuccessful attempts to win political office in North Carolina, 1966 – 1976, culminating in his successful campaign for and election to the United States Senate in 1980; but the bulk of the collection focuses on his service in the Senate, where he was aligned with Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC) and a member of Helms' political organization, the Congressional Club; including his mailing lists, correspondence and constituent cases and projects files; his office and staff files, including files of this administrative assistants, press secretaries and legislative assistants; his political patronage and nomination files, committee and legislative activities; his voting records, newsletters, voluminous clipping files, press and public relations files, including publications, audio and video of interviews, speeches, and political events; his frequent bouts of ill health due to poliomyelitis, hyperthyroidism, urinary tract blockages, and depression, and their side effects which may have contributed to his death by suicide; also including photographic prints and negatives, microfilm of committee records, correspondence, case and general files, voter registration files; and also oversized materials, 1981 – 1986, undated.