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Gant Family Collection

 Collection
Identifier: DC0277s

Scope and Contents

The collection contains a variety of materials related to James Oscar Gant and his family. The correspondence file (1950-1982) primarily concerns the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award given to Gant in 1950. There is also a file on the Davidson Fire Department with a copy of the minutes of the first meeting of the department in 1933 and a brief history of the department and the fire brigade, including lists of interesting facts, memorable events, and fire chiefs. There is also a file of certificates given to members of the Gant family from: Calvary Presbyterian Church, N. C. State Universtiy, Central Piedmont Community College, and the North Carolina State Fireman's Association. There is also the 1937 Charter for Boy Scout Troop #2, Davidson, NC. The newsclippings pertain to the Gant family, with articles on J. Oscar Gant, his wife Annie Janie Gant, their son James O. Gant, Jr., and their home in Davidson. The Printed Materials file contains a program for J. Oscar Gant's memorial service, a poem written by Gant to his wife, a resolution of Calvary Presbyterian Church recognizing Gant upon his death, a copy of Gant's birth certificate, a list of children born into the Freeze family, an Individual and Family Preparedness guide issued by the Offic of Civil and Defense Mobilization in the event of a nuclear event, a program from a play presented by Davidson Unity Church, and a family tree of the Gant family. The Photograph folder contains copy prints of family photographs. Digital copies of the photographs are housed with the Archives digital collections. In addition, there is an oversize file containg a retirement card signed by college staff members, 2 Fire Service Training certificates, a certificate entering David Andrews Gant on the Cradle Roll of Davidson Unity Church, and the Algernon Sidney Sullivan Award certificate awarded to J. Oscar Gant. Artifacts related to the collection include a plaque (Meck. county fire dept), a trophy (Davidosn Fire Dept) and two decorative license plates (Home of Davidson CollegeFire Chief and Member Volunteer Fire Dept) are housed with the artifact collection. Two recorded interviews with James O. Gant Jr. are housed with the Oral Histories and Interviews Record Group in RG19-02: Interview with James Oscar Gant Jr. [interview 1], 2003 June 10 and Interview with James Oscar Gant Jr. [interview 2], 2003 June 10.

Dates

  • Creation: 2017

Biographical / Historical

James Oscar Gant, Sr. worked at Davidson College for 35 years, retiring as the college's supervisor of custodians in 1973. He was perhaps best known for setting up for chapel every day when Davidson had assembly five days a week and Vespers on Sunday night in Chambers auditorium. Born in Clover, S. C., Gant moved with his family to Davidson in 1924 and he worked at the textile plant for a few years before joining the college staff in 1938. He was the volunteer fire chief of Davidson in the late 1950s and in 1958 was named the college's first civil defense contractor. The college awarded Gant the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award in 1951 for his service to the college community.

Extent

10 folders_oversize (6 folders + 4 oversize Oversize stored at the bottom of the Small Manuscript shelving unit )

Language

English

Physical Location

Oversized stored at the bottom of the Small Manuscript shelving unit

Mapstand C-6 (Oversize - Certificates)

D3.4 (Sullivan Award)

D-Room Case III, shelf 3

Immediate Source of Acquisition

James O. Gant, Jr.

Related Materials

Two recorded interviews with James O. Gant Jr. are housed with the Oral Histories and Interviews Record Group in RG19-02: Interview with James Oscar Gant Jr. [interview 1], 2003 June 10 and Interview with James Oscar Gant Jr. [interview 2], 2003 June 10.

Processing Information

Processed on 06/23/2004

Title
Gant Family Collection
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Manuscript Collections Repository