Inventory of
the Brantley York Records and Papers,
1838 -
1966
[
top]
Descriptive Summary
Title
Brantley York Records and Papers,
1838 - 1966.
Creator
York, Brantley,
1805-1891.
Extent
0.3 Linear Feet,
100
Items
Repository
University Archives, Duke
University
Abstract
Brantley York was an educator, author, and
Methodist clergyman in North Carolina. He organized Union
Institute Academy at Brown's Schoolhouse in Randolph Co.,
N.C. in 1839, which would evolve into Normal College,
Trinity College, and later Duke University. York also wrote
an English grammar, as well as several other instructional
textbooks. The Brantley York Records and Papers contain
correspondence, a grade book, certificates, manuscripts,
and published works. Modern materials were added to the
collection; these include York family genealogical
information, as well as clippings about York and his
activities. Major subjects include the early history of
Union Institute, Normal College, Trinity College and Duke
University; education in North Carolina in the 19th
century; and the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South.
Language
English.
[
top]
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
Patrons must sign the Acknowledgement of Legal Responsibility and Privacy Rights form before using this collection.
No restrictions.
Use Restrictions
Copyright for Official University records is
held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by
the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants,
as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Brantley York Records
and Papers, University Archives, Duke University.
Provenance
The Brantley York Records and Papers were
received by the University Archives as a transfer.
Processing Information
Processed by University Archives staff, 1996;
completed 2003. Preservation photocopies of clippings made
in October 2003.
Encoded by Jill Katte, October 2003
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.
[
top]
Biographical Note
A largely self-taught educator, Methodist
minister, and author of a series of English grammars,
Brantley York (1805-1891) was asked by Methodist and Quaker
farmers in rural Randolph County, N.C. to help provide
education for their sons and daughters. At the site of the
former Brown's Schoolhouse, he organized Union Institute
Academy in 1838 and met with instant success, building two
new buildings within a year-and-a-half. Though gratified at
his accomplishment, he worked extremely hard raising money,
and he began to go blind working late at night preparing
recitations in subjects he had not adequately studied. In
fact, he recorded in his diary a statement saying he
considered his years at Union Institute to be "truly
onerous." York, however, had found his life's work at Union
Institute and though completely blind by age forty-eight,
he lived to be eighty-six and founded half-a-dozen schools,
lectured over 8,000 times, and taught more than 15,000
pupils. He served as Principal of Union Institute from 1838
to 1842.
Duke University (Durham, N.C.) was established in
1924 and evolved from the following institutions: Brown's
Schoolhouse (Randolph Co., N.C.) 1838-1839; Union Institute
(Randolph Co., N.C.) 1839-1851; Normal College (Randolph
Co., N.C.) 1851-1859; Trinity College (Randolph Co., N.C.)
1859-1892 and (Durham, N.C.) 1892-1924.
[
top]
Collection Overview
The Brantley York Records and Papers include
correspondence, clippings, a grade book, certificates,
manuscripts, and published works. Modern materials were
added to the collection; these include York family
genealogical information, as well as clippings about York
and his activities. Preservation photocopies of all
deteriorating clippings have been made for patron use.
The first series, Brantley York papers, includes
certificates and other documents, a small amount of
correspondence, and a grade book. The second series,
Writings, features manuscript drafts and a published copy
of York's autobiography, as well as copies of three of his
instructional texts. The final series contains both
contemporary and modern clippings about Brantley York's
life, work, and family members. Also included in this
series is a York family genealogy.
[
top]
Subject Headings
These and related materials may be accessed under
the following subject headings in the Duke University
Libraries online catalog.
-
Brown's
Schoolhouse (Randolph County, N.C.)
-
Duke
University--History.
-
Duke University.
President.
-
Normal College
(Randolph County, N.C.)--History.
-
Methodist
Episcopal Church, South--Clergy--North
Carolina.
-
Trinity College
(Randolph County, N.C.)--History.
-
Union Institute
(Randolph County, N.C.)
-
College
presidents--North Carolina.
-
Education--North
Carolina--History--19th century.
-
Randolph County
(N.C.)--History.
-
Textbooks--North
Carolina.
-
York, Brantley,
1805-1891.
[
top]
[Forms part of:] Duke University
President records.
University Archives, Duke
University.
Trinity College (Randolph Co., N.C.)
Collection
University Archives, Duke
University.
[
top]
Detailed Description of the Collection
Brantley York papers,
1838-1950
and undated
Oversize
1
Folder 1
Documents,
1838-1895 and undated
"Money received from College,
Jan. 6,
1875"
Certificate ordaining Brantley
York as a Deacon in the North Carolina Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South,
Feb. 4,
1838
Certificate ordaining Brantley
York as a Minister in the North Carolina Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South,
Nov. 26,
1848
Blank certificate: "Improved
System of Teaching, by Rev. Professor B. York. Know all men
by these Presents: I Hereby Certify, that _____ has gone
through under me a full course of instruction in the
English Language, on the Analytical, Constructive and
Illustrative System ... I feel no hesitancy in recommending
_____ as a Teacher of the English Language...",
undated
Folder 2
Correspondence,
1841-1910,
1950
Includes two postcards and one letter
written by Bascom A. York, son of Brantley York. Bascom
York (1858-1958) was a Methodist minister in N.C.
Folder 3
Grade book,
1856-1860 and undated
Writings,
1860-1910
and undated
Folder 4
The Autobiography of
Brantley York, Holograph manuscript,
undated
Folder 5
The Autobiography of
Brantley York, Typewritten excerpt of Chapter 11,
undated
Folder 6
Published volumes,
1860-1910
York, Brantley,
1805-1891.
An
Illustrative and Constructive Grammar of the English
Language.
Raleigh, N.C.:
Warren L. Pomeroy,
1860.
York, Brantley,
1805-1891.
The man of business and railroad
calculator, containing such parts of arithmetic as have a
special application in business transactions ... by
Brantley York; to which are appended a few of the plainer
legal forms necessary in ordinary business, prepared by
Richard Watt York.
Raleigh, N.C.:
J. Nichols & Co.,
1873.
York, Brantley,
1805-1891.
Introduction to the analytical, synthetical
and illustrated grammar; or, A grammar for common schools
and beginners: illustrated by several original diagrams,
embracing analysis and construction of sentences in
familiar lessons, with models, copious exercises and
directions, in two parts.
Raleigh, N.C.:
L. Branson,
1885.
York, Brantley,
1805-1891.
The Autobiography of Brantley York.
Durham, N.C.:
The Seeman Printery,
1910.
The digital version of this book is
part of the
Documenting the American
South project at the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill. Researchers requiring assistance with the
digital version should contact this repository
directly.
Material about Brantley York and the
York family,
1888-ca.
1900,
1957-1966,
1982, and
undated
Folder 7
York family genealogy,
1982
and undated
Folder 8-9
Clippings on Brantley York and
family [photocopies and transcriptions],
1888-ca.
1900,
1957-1966, and undated
