Manuscripts Department
Library of the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
SOUTHERN HISTORICAL COLLECTION
#4807
NATHANIEL C. BROWDER PAPERS
Inventory
Abstract: Nathaniel Clenroy Browder (10 February 1904-7
November 1984) was born in Hickory, N.C., the son of
Caroline Elizabeth Deitz and Nathaniel Clenroy
Browder. He received an A.B.Ed. degree from the
University of North Carolina in 1930 and taught high
school in North Carolina. He worked for the Federal
Writers Project in Chapel Hill, N.C., 1939-1940. He
took a drafting course at North Carolina State College
in 1940 and then worked for the State Highway
Department. In 1943, he went to work for the Signal
Corps in Arlington, Va., and stayed on with the
National Security Agency until his retirement.
Browder returned to North Carolina and wrote, edited,
and published books relating to North Carolina
history.
Letters, 1930-1943, 1962, 1964, of
Nathaniel C. Browder, nearly all from Browder to his
wife, Blanche Penland Browder. Letters, 1930-1931,
describe the rural school and community where Browder
taught. Letters, 1939-1940, describe Browder's work
writing life histories for the Federal Writers Project
and life in Chapel Hill. Beginning in April 1940,
Nathaniel's letters describe his life in Raleigh while
he took drafting at State College. Letters, January-
May 1943, describe life in a boarding house in
Arlington, Va. Also included are two brief letters
from Nathaniel to Blanche when he was traveling on
business in 1962 and 1964.
Online Catalog Terms:
Arlington (Va.)--Social life and customs--20th century.
Browder, Blanche Penland.
Browder, Nathaniel C., 1904- .
Chapel Hill (N.C.)--Social life and customs--20th century.
Federal Writers' Project.
North Carolina State College--Students--Social life and
customs--20th century.
Raleigh (N.C.)--Social life and customs--20th century.
Teachers--North Carolina--History--20th century.
Size: About 3,200 items (4.5 linear feet).
Provenance: Received from Blanche Penland Browder on 18 March
1996 (Acc. 96050); addition from Betsy Wilson
received November 1996 (Acc. 96182).
Access: RESTRICTED: Boxes 1-4 CLOSED until 1 January
2002, boxes 5-9 CLOSED until 1 January 2020.
Processing Note: Materials from the November 1996 need to be
removed from envelopes and re-foldered.
Copyright: Retained by the authors of items in these papers, or
their descendants, as stipulated by United States
copyright law.
DESCRIPTION
Nathaniel Clenroy Browder (10 February 1904-7 November 1984)
was born in Hickory, N.C., the son of Nathaniel Clenroy Browder
and Carolina Elizabeth Deitz Browder. He received an A.B.Ed.
degree from the University of North Carolina in 1930 and taught
high school for several years. He returned to Chapel Hill in
1938 for a year of graduate work in English and employment with
the Federal Writers' Project. He moved to Raleigh in April 1940
and took a drafting course at North Carolina State College. Late
in 1940, he went to work for the State Highway Department. In
1943, he went to Washington, D.C., to work for the Signal Corps.
He stayed on with the National Security Agency until his
retirement.
After his retirement, Browder became interested in researching
North Carolina history. He wrote, edited, and published several
books: The Cherokee Indians and Those Who Came After (1973); De
Soto & Other Spanish Explorers & Their Historians (1975); The Tri-
State Tobacco Growers Association, 1922-1925 (1983); Just Plain
Folks (ed., 1983); The Enciphered Diary of William Thomas
Prestwood, 1808-1859 (ed., 1983); Ground Level History (1984); A
Story of the Civil War by Hannah Lide Coker (ed., 1984); Notes on
the Browder Family of Tidewater, Virginia, 1704-1850 (with
Blanche Penland Browder, 1970).
Nathaniel C. Browder married Blanche Penland in December 1930.
They had two children: Nathaniel C. Browder, Jr. (referred to in
letters as Chunk or Beau) and Elizabeth (Betsy).
Nearly all the letters in this collection are letters Browder
wrote to his wife, Blanche Penland Browder. In 1930 and again in
1943, there are some letters from Blanche to Nathaniel Browder.
The earliest letters were written before the Browders were
married, when Nathaniel was in Chapel Hill and then teaching near
Taylorsville, N.C., and Blanche was living with her family in
Hayesville, N.C. The Browders were married in December 1930, but
they continued to live apart until the end of the school year.
Nathaniel's daily letters describe the school, students, and
community and also express his feelings for Blanche.
Letters, 31 August 1939-April 1940, while Nathaniel was in
Chapel Hill working on the Federal Writers Project and Blanche
was teaching in Clay County, describe his work writing life
histories and people he knew in Chapel Hill. Beginning in April
1940, Nathaniel's letters describe his life in Raleigh while he
took drafting at State College. Letters describe his daily
activities, his finances, his attempts to find drafting jobs, and
the possibility of getting a patent on an idea of his.
Letters, January-May 1943, when Nathaniel was working for the
Signal Corps in Washington, D.C., and Blanche and their children
were in Asheville, N.C., describe his life in a boarding house in
Arlington, Va., and then his hunt for a house to buy. Letters to
Nathaniel from Blanche tell him about selling their house in
Asheville.
Also included are two brief letters from Nathaniel to Blanche
when he was traveling on business in 1962 and 1964.
1930
Folder 1 Aug.-Sept.
2 Oct.
3 Nov.-Dec.
1931
4 Jan.-Feb.
5 Mar.
6 Apr., Sept.
1939
7 Aug.-Oct.
8 Nov.-Dec.
1940
9 Jan.-Mar.
10 Apr.-Aug.
11 Sept.
12 Oct.-Nov.
13 1941-1942
14 1943 Jan.-Mar.
15 1943 Apr.-May, 1962, 1964
Addition of December 1996
Boxes 2-4 CLOSED until 1 January 2002.
Box 2 Notes on DeSoto, and manuscript for Just Plain Folks.
Box 3 Manuscript for Ground Level History and other notes.
Box 4 Notes and subject files.
Boxes 5-9 CLOSED until 1 January 2020.
Box 5-7 Family letters, 1904-1984.
Box 8-9 Family letters, 1985-1992.