Davidson Family Correspondence

Collection

Identifier: DC089

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection includes 174 folders of correspondence between members of the Davidson family and their respective communities ranging from March 6, 1836 to June 20, 1913. The majority of the letters are from 1880 to 1912. The collection is arranged alphabetically by author's first name, with the correspondence arranged chronologically within the folders. The collection contains mostly handwritten letters, postcards, greeting cards, and invitations to and from various members of the family. Most of the correspondence is between Harry, Josephine, Wilmer, John, their mother Mary, and their father Joseph (J.M.). Joseph sent many of his letters from Norton Infirmary where he lived for several years. Many of the letters between John, Harry, and Wilmer discuss their business aspirations and John's insurance company. Most of the invitations are for friends' weddings. Brother Elzear sent primarily holiday cards to Mary at Easter and Christmas. There are also many bills of service from people that did business with the family.

Dates

1836 - 1913

Biographical / Historical

Joseph M. Davidson (J.M.), brother of William Lee Davidson and Robert (Robin?) F. Davidson, married Mary Caldwell and they had Harold (Harry) L. Davidson, E. Wilmer Davidson, John Caldwell Davidson, Sara Josephine Davidson (addressed as Josephine), Bessie Davidson, and Leila Davidson. Leila Davidson married Charles Hansell. John C. Davidson later married Julia Haacks. Sara Josephine Davidson married Tom Mallard. Cousins of the family include S. Caldwell-White, M.M. Pitts, Pattie Farborough, Pollie Davidson, Annie Davidson and her husband Josephus Johnston, Kate Guion, James Latta, Jane Latta, J. Gaston, Fannie Newsom, and L.L. Newsom. A close friend of Mary's was Brother Elzear. The family also had extensive business and friendly correspondence with E.A. Osborne. The collection was donated to Davidson College by Betsy Sherman Duls in memory of her mother Elizabeth Bradfield Sherman, whose great grandmother was a member of the family.