Rufus Barringer Papers Inventory (#1028-z)

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Manuscripts Department, Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Collection Information
block Descriptive Summary Including Abstract
block Administrative Information
block Online Catalog Terms
block Biographical Note
block Collection Overview
plus Description
block Items separated
block Related Collection
Contact Information:
Manuscripts Department
CB#3926, Wilson Library
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC 27514-8890
Phone: 919/962-1345
Fax: 919/962-3594
Email: mss@email.unc.edu
URL: http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/
Processed by
John Foster
Date Completed
October 2000
Encoded by
John Foster
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Descriptive Summary Including Abstract

Title
Rufus Barringer Papers (#1028-z) 1837-1886
Creator
Barringer, Rufus, 1821-1895.
Extent
About 20 items.
Repository
Southern Historical Collection
Abstract
North Carolina lawyer, politician, and Civil War brigadier general Rufus Barringer (1821-1895) was born in Cabarrus County, N.C.; attended the University of North Carolina, from which he was graduated in 1842; represented Cabarrus County in the House of Commons, 1848-1850; was a delegate to the 1875 North Carolina Constitutional Convention; and practiced law in Concord and Charlotte, N.C. He served with the First North Carolina Cavalry and then as commander of North Carolina's cavalry brigade until his capture at Namozine Church, Va., in 1865. The collection includes student materials, 1837-1844; diaries, 1842-1846 and 1865; correspondence, 1865-1886; and a photograph. Student materials are chiefly from when Barringer was a student at the University of North Carolina and studying law in Concord, N.C. They include a typed copy of an account book, a composition book, and other exercises. Diaries include two, 4 July 1842-13 December 1842 and 1 January 1843-1 December 1846, from his time as a law student in Concord. There is also a diary with entries, 1 April-8 August 1865, that Barringer kept while a prisoner at Fort Delaware, Del., after his capture. Correspondence includes a letter, 10 June 1865, from Barringer at Fort Delaware to his children; a typed transcription of a letter, 27 January 1866, to Barringer's brother detailing his experiences during the Civil War; and an 1886 circular addressed to Barringer's farm tenants about payment of rents and related matters. Also included is a photograph of a portrait of Barringer in military uniform.
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Administrative Information

Access
No restrictions.
Usage Restrictions
Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Provenance
Received from Paul B. Barringer of New York, N.Y., in July 1944; from Osmond L. Barringer, Sr., of Charlotte, N.C., in October 1945; from Brandon Barringer of Philadelphia, Pa., in March 1973; from Osmond L. Barringer, Jr., of Rocky Mount, N.C., in December 1980; from C. Minor Barringer of Chadds Ford, Pa., in October 1999 (Acc. 98492); and from Rufus Barringer of Lyme, Conn., in February 2000 (Acc.98575).
Processing Note
Microfilm copies of account book, 1837-1842, (M-1028/1) and diary, 1865, (M-1028/2) are available.
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Online Catalog Terms

Barringer, Rufus, 1821-1895.
College students--North Carolina--Economic conditions--19th century.
Confederate States of America. Army. North Carolina Cavalry Regiment, 1st.
Confederate States of America. Army--Officers.
Confederate States of America. Army--Officers--Diaries.
Fort Delaware (Del.).
Law--Study and teaching--North Carolina--History--19th century.
Lawyers--North Carolina--History--19th century.
North Carolina--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Prisoners and prisons.
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Personal narratives, Confederate.
University of North Carolina (1793-1962)--Students--Social life and customs--19th century.
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Biographical Note

Rufus Barringer was born in Cabarrus County, N.C., on 2 December 1821. He studied ancient languages with Robert J. McDowell at Sugar Creek Church beginning in 1837. He entered the University of North Carolina in 1838 and was graduated in 1842. Barringer then studied law with his brother, Daniel Moreau Barringer, in Concord, N.C. Barringer settled in Concord, representing Cabarrus County in the North Carolina House of Commons, 1848-1850. In 1854, he married Eugenia Morrison, who died in 1858. In 1861, he married Rosalie Chunn of Charlotte; he later married Margaret Long of Orange County.

Although a Union supporter, Barringer was among the first to volunteer when North Carolina seceded. He fought with the First North Carolina Cavalry and rapidly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming brigadier general in charge of North Carolina's cavalry brigade, which included the first, second, third, and fifth regiments. Frequently cited for bravery, he was captured at Namozine Church, Va., in 1865 and confined at Fort Delaware.

After the War, Barringer moved to Charlotte while maintaining his law office in Concord. He returned to politics, urging North Carolina's acceptance of reconstruction measures and serving in the 1875 North Carolina Constitutional Convention. After his bid for election as lieutenant governor failed, he practiced law, worked on the development of North Carolina's rail system, and wrote about his Civil War experiences. Barringer died on 3 February 1895.

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Collection Overview

The papers of North Carolina lawyer, politician, and Civil War brigadier general Rufus Barringer consist of student materials, 1837-1844; diaries, 1842-1846 and 1865; correspondence, 1865-1886; and a photograph. Student materials are chiefly from when Barringer was a student at the University of North Carolina and studying law in Concord, N.C. They include a typed copy of an account book with notes from the transcriber (microfilm copy available), a composition book, and other exercises. Diaries include two, 4 July 1842-13 December 1842 (typed transcription available) and 1 January 1843-1 December 1846, from his time as a law student in Concord. There is also a diary (microfilm copy available) with entries, 1 April-8 August 1865, that Barringer kept while a prisoner at Fort Delaware, Del., after his capture at Namozine Church, Va.

Correspondence includes a letter, 10 June 1865, from Barringer at Fort Delaware to his children; a typed transcription of a letter, 27 January 1866, to Barringer's brother, V. C. Barringer, detailing his experiences during the Civil War, first with the First North Carolina Cavalry and then as commander of the North Carolina's cavalry brigade; and an 1886 circular addressed to Barringer's farm tenants about payment of rents and related matters. Also included is a photograph of a portrait of Barringer in military uniform.

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Description

Papers, 1837-1866
About 20 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
The papers of North Carolina lawyer, politician, and Civil War brigadier general Rufus Barringer consist of student materials, 1837-1844; diaries, 1842-1846 and 1865; correspondence, 1865-1886; and a photograph. Student materials are chiefly from when Barringer was a student at the University of North Carolina and studying law in Concord, N.C. They include a typed copy of an account book with notes from the transcriber (microfilm copy available), a composition book, and other exercises. Diaries include two, 4 July 1842-13 December 1842 (typed transcription available) and 1 January 1843-1 December 1846, from his time as a law student in Concord. There is also a diary (microfilm copy available) with entries, 1 April-8 August 1865, that Barringer kept while a prisoner at Fort Delaware, Del., after his capture at Namozine Church, Va.
Correspondence includes a letter, 10 June 1865, from Barringer at Fort Delaware to his children; a typed transcription of a letter, 27 January 1866, to Barringer's brother, V. C. Barringer, detailing his experiences during the Civil War, first with the First North Carolina Cavalry and then as commander of the North Carolina's cavalry brigade; and an 1886 circular addressed to Barringer's farm tenants about payment of rents and related matters. Also included is a photograph of a portrait of Barringer in military uniform.
P-1028/1: Rufus Barringer in military uniform
   Folder 1
Student materials, 1837-1844. A microfilm copy of account book, 1837-1844, is available (M-1028/2)
   Folder 2-3
Diaries, 1842-1846, 1865. A microfilm copy of 1865 diary is available (M-1028/2)
   Folder 4
Correspondence, 1865-1886

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Items separated

Separated items include one photograph (P-1028/1) and two reels of microfilm (M-1028/1-2).

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Related Collection

Daniel Moreau Barringer Papers (#3359)