Material included in this collection has been copied from the files of the late Mrs. Charles S. Hollister, Sr., of New Bern, and a conscious effort has been made to maintain her original arrangement of papers. Because of this, five specific sections or divisions exist within the collection.
Section I consists of 130 pages and contains the histories of the King family of Long Island, N.Y., and New Bern, N.C.; and the Slover family, the Isaac Taylor family, and the Hollister family, all of New Bern, N.C. These families were all related by marriage as can be seen from a quick perusal of the collection. Included are narrative histories and genealogical information along with typescript copies of pertinent documents which appear in original form in later sections. Of particular note in the Isaac Taylor history is a typescript of his estate inventory (1846) complete with a detailed account of plantation equipment; slaves, along with their age and monetary value; household and kitchen furniture; and the books in his personal library. Section I also contains Bryan, Green, and Moore genealogical information and an essay on the life of Revolutionary War Brigadier General William Bryan of Craven County.
Section II contains copies of original papers pertaining to the activities of Isaac Taylor and members of the Taylor family. Included are several documents (1799-1800) pertaining to the seizure and sale of the sloop the
Rainbow, sailing from New Bern in 1799, was captured by a French privateer and shortly thereafter was retaken by the British frigate
Surprise. The
Rainbow subsequently was carried to Kingston, Jamaica, where it and its cargo were sold. Included in the
Rainbow documents is an abstract of sales and expenses for the sloop and its cargo. Other items in this section include correspondence pertaining to the shipment of a barrel of salt to New Bern from Grand Turks Island (1819) and the question of investing funds in Confederate bonds (1864), a biographical sketch of Isaac Taylor, and a family tree.
Section III includes notes on the Hollister and Moore family genealogies and the life of William Blackledge. Several items relative to Blackledge touch upon
North Carolina Gazette articles (1777), which mention a salt works on the Newport River and Revolutionary War privateering along the N.C. coast. Copies of original documents in this section consist of a bill for the sale of a slave (1824) and a letter describing a visit to Paris, France (1828).
Section IV is devoted to the life of Revolutionary War Brigadier General William Bryan. Included is a biographical sketch, notes, and correspondence recounting various aspects of his life.
Finally, Section V pertains to the activities of the King and Slover families. Although the overwhelming majority of the correspondence is concerned with personal family matters, letters do tell of voyages from New Bern to Newport, Rhode Island (1806) and from New Bern to New York by boat and railroad (1833). Religious views and high esteem for the recipient of the letters are profusely expressed. Also included are copies of original verse, Charles Slover's obituary, and Slover Bible records and genealogical notes.