Manuscripts Department
Library of the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
SOUTHERN HISTORICAL COLLECTION
#M-4177
FITZGERALD FAMILY PAPERS
Inventory
Abstract: Diaries, 1864 and 1867-1871, and a sketchbook of
Robert G. Fitzgerald (1840-1919); copies of his
pension record and marriage certificate and of the
manumission certificate of Thomas Fitzgerald (father
of Robert G.); two letters; and articles about members
of the Fitzgerald family, including Fitzgerald's
granddaughter, Pauli Murray. Fitzgerald's diary,
1864, describes his trip from Boston to Virginia; life
in the 5th Massachusetts Colored Cavalry Regiment; war
news, especially the activities of other black
regiments; and his feelings about the war and the
future of blacks. His later diary describes his work
in freedmen's school in Amelia County, Va., and in
Hillsborough, Orange County, N.C.; church affairs and
social life; and his political activities, including a
description, 31 July-2 August 1867, of the Virginia
state Republican convention, to which he was a
delegate. Some entries in 1867 describe Fitzgerald's
studies at Lincoln University (originally Ashmun
Institute), life at the college, and church and social
life. Entries, 1868-1871, describe in detail
Fitzgerald's school in North Carolina; the Ku-Klux
Klan; Republican politics; the Union League;
Fitzgerald's tanning business; a brick kiln
established with his brother; building his house; and
his farm and family life, including his new wife,
Cornelia Smith. Fitzgerald's undated sketchbook
includes portraits of soldiers, a sketch of Ashmun
Institute (later Lincoln University), and other
scenes.
Online Catalog Terms:
Afro-Americans--Diaries.
Afro-Americans--Education--North Carolina--History--19th
century.
Afro-Americans--History--1863-1877.
Afro-Americans--North Carolina--Social life and customs.
Afro-American teachers--North Carolina--History--19th century.
Amelia County (N.C.)--Social conditions.
Ashmun Institute.
Diaries--United States--History--19th century.
Family--North Carolina--Social life and customs--19th century.
Fitzgerald, Cornelia Smith.
Fitzgerald family.
Fitzgerald, Robert G., 1840-1919.
Fitzgerald, Thomas, fl. 1832.
Freedmen--North Carolina.
Freedmen--Virginia.
Ku-Klux Klan (1866-1869)--North Carolina.
Lincoln University (Pa.)--Students--History--19th century.
Murray, Pauli, 1910- .
Orange County (N.C.)--Social life and customs--19th century.
Republican Party (N.C.)--History--19th century.
Tanning--North Carolina--History--19th century.
Union League of America.
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Participation,
Afro-American.
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Personal
narratives.
United States. Army--Afro-American troops--History--Civil
War, 1861-1865.
United States. Army. Massachusetts Colored Cavalry Regiment,
5th.
Size: 1 reel of microfilm.
Provenance: Lent for filming by Pauli Murray of Washington,
D.C., in May 1979.
Access: No restrictions.
Processing Note: This collection was processed with support
from the Randleigh Foundation Trust.
Copyright: Retained by the authors of items in these papers,
or their descendants, as stipulated by United
States copyright law.
Table of Contents:
Biographical Note
Description
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Robert George Fitzgerald was born in 1840 in Newcastle County,
Del., the son of Thomas Fitzgerald (b. 1808), a freed slave. In
1859, he enrolled in Ashmun Institute, which became Lincoln
University. Fitzgerald served in the union navy aboard the North
Carolina, William G. Anderson, and Ohio from July 1863 until
January 1864, when he enlisted in the 5th Massachusetts Colored
Cavalry. He served with the army around Richmond, Va., until he
was discharged in October 1864 because of illness.
In August 1866, Fitzgerald moved to Amelia County, Va., where
he conducted a school for freedmen until September 1867, when he
returned to school at Lincoln University. In November of that
year, he decided to return to the South and, in January 1868,
moved to Hillsborough, Orange County, N.C., where he again
conducted a school for freedmen. Later, he also operated a
tannery, established a brick kiln in partnership with his
brother, and began farming. In both Virginia and North Carolina,
Fitzgerald was active in the Union League and the Republican
party.
In 1869, Robert G. Fitzgerald married Cornelia Smith (1844-
1924) of Chapel Hill, N.C. He died near Durham, N.C., in 1919.
DESCRIPTION
This microfilm, made by Recordak Corporation from manuscripts
owned by Dr. Pauli Murray, a descendant of Robert G. Fitzgerald,
includes diaries and a sketchbook of Robert G. Fitzgerald; copies
of his pension record and marriage certificate and of his
father's manumission certificate; two letters, 1866 and 1952; and
articles about members of the Fitzgerald family.
Robert G. Fitzgerald's diary, May-September 1864, includes
brief daily entries about the weather; his trip from Boston to
Virginia; life in the regiment and other developments in the war,
especially the activities of other black regiments; and his
feelings about the war and the future of blacks. There are also
scattered pencil sketches of soldiers.
The letter, 26 August 1866, from Fitzgerald in Amelia Court
House, Va., to J. N. Randall at Lincoln University describes
Fitzgerald's arrival at Amelia Court House; the blacks in the
area; his work in a nearby freedmen's school and Sunday school;
and his own plans for further education.
Fitzgerald's diary, June 1867-December 1871, opens with daily
entries about his work at the Virginia school, including a list of
new students, February 1867, and an account of graduation
exercises, August 1867; church affairs and social life in the
community; the feelings and opinions of the local black
community; and his political activities, including a description,
31 July-2 August 1867, of the state Republican convention to
which he was a delegate.
From September to November 1867, Fitzgerald attended Lincoln
University; the entries for this period cover his studies, life
at college, and church and social life.
In January 1868, Fitzgerald moved to Hillsborough, Orange
County, N.C. His diary describes in detail his school there,
including problems of financing, housing, and staffing the
school; life of the black community; the attitude of the white
community; the Ku-Klux Klan; and his involvement in Republican
politics and the Union League. Later, he also wrote of his
tanning business; the brick kiln established with his brother,
including accounts for supplies and labor; and building his own
house, of which there is a sketch dated June 1870. After 1870,
he wrote little of school and more of his farm and his family
life, including visits from his parents and siblings and his new
wife, Cornelia Smith.
Fitzgerald's undated sketchbook includes portraits of soldiers
and a sketch of Ashmun Institute (Lincoln University) and other
scenes.
Also included is a copy of the manumission certificate, 1832,
of Thomas Fitzgerald, signed by George Lodge, Brandywine, Del.,
and copies of Fitzgerald's military and pension records,
including accounts of his army career by several colleagues, his
own account of his naval service, and a copy of his marriage
certificate. These military records include other family data.
There is also a letter, 1952, from Horace Mann Bond, Lincoln
University, to Pauli Murray, about Fitzgerald's work at Ashmun;
an article, 1920, about Robert Fitzgerald from The Crisis; an
article, 1886, about Mary Ruffin Smith from the University
Magazine; an article about Amos Burton; and an article, 1954,
from the Howard Alumni Journal about Pauli Murray.