Robert Hall Morrison Collection

folder

Identifier: DC0225s

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection contains correspondence, deeds, receipts, and certifcates. The correspondence is primarily related to family matters and includes letters from Morrison's granddaughter Julia Jackson. It also includes references to Davidson College and to Presbyterian churches in North Carolina. The deeds refer to lands in Lincoln County, NC and the receipts primarily concern railroad bonds and patents for land warrants. The certificates are housed in Oversize cases and include Morrison's diplomas, land bounty certificates, and a pardon from U.S. President Andrew Johnson. Two additional folders, tranferred from the collections of the Presbyterian Historical Society in 2007 contain a typescript, from originals at the University of North Carolina, of family and business correspondence, including outgoing letters to Morrison's cousin in Virginia; incoming letters from Morrison's brother in Dallas County, Alabama; incoming letters from Morrison's agents managing his lands in Tipton County, Tennessee, and western Arkansas; and an original eight-page letter, 1873, about the future of Davidson College. Related collections include DC0127s - Robert Hall Morrison, 1843-1922 and RG 01/01 - President's Office. Morrison.

Dates

Creation: 1819 - 1899

Biographical / Historical

Robert Hall Morrison was the first President of Davidson College serving from 1836 to 1840. A graduate of the University of North Carolina (1816), Morrison was licensed as a Presbyterian minister by the Concord Presbytery. He founded the North Carolina Telegram, the first religious gazette in the South while in Fayetteville in 1822. He was pastor of Sugar Creek Prebyterian Church from 1827 until accepting the presidency of Davidson College. He left Davidson due to ill health and retired to a Lincoln County farm, Cottage Home. He returned to preaching in 1842 and became known as one of the best preachers in North Carolina.

Extent

6 folders_oversize (6 folders + oversize)

Language

English

Additional Description

Physical Location

Single Manuscript Box 10s

RBR Map Case B-1

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Two folders transferred from Presbyterian Historical Society, Montreat, NC (PHS accession 66696,66695,66696, 66697. 73851- According to the accession register this collection was intended as a "gift" from Miss Madeline Orr of Charlotte, N.C. in June 1945 and from the University of North Carolina in November 1949.Collection number 386)