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Brabson Family Papers

 Collection
Identifier: AppMs-0167

Scope and Contents

The Brabson Family Papers contain day books and ledgers belonging to Dr. A. W. Brabson; a family Bible; elementary and high school certificates belonging to Lyle E. Brabson, Jr. and his wife Sarah Ruth Anderson; property deeds; receipts and I. O. Us from D. B. Barkley's general store; and other miscellaneous family papers. In addition to these items, there are letters scattered throughout the collection, an undated survey map, and five freedman's books, which document purchases and labor contracts made by free African-Americans in both antebellum and postbellum periods. The papers date between 1829 and 1941, but the bulk of the collection falls predominantly between 1831 and 1880.

Dates

  • 1829 - 1941
  • Majority of material found within 1831 - 1880

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The papers are open for research.

Extent

2.00 linear feet (Including 1 oversize photograph)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

The papers are arranged alphabetically by type of material. Please note that all five account books of African-Americans were kept together under the title "Freedman's Books," and placed alphabetically under the letter "F," even though the first two books' titles do not begin with the letter "F." The oversized certificates and photographs have been removed from the collection and placed in oversized storage by accession number. Five books have been removed also and cataloged into Special Collections.

Method of Acquisition

The Brabson Family Papers were donated to the Archives of Appalachia on July 22, 1983 by Mrs. Margaret Brabson of Knoxville, Tennessee.

Separated Materials

The oversized certificates and photographs have been removed from the collection and placed in oversized storage by accession number. Five books have been removed also and cataloged into Special Collections.

Processing Information

Norma Myers completed processing and the papers were opened in 1983. Marie Tedesco revised the finding aid in 1995.

Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
eng

Repository Details

Part of the Archives of Appalachia Repository

Contact:
PO Box 70295
344 J.L. Seehorn Jr. Rd.
Johnson City TN 37614 USA
423-439-4338
423/439-4338