Manuscripts Department
Library of the University of North Carolina
at
Chapel Hill
SOUTHERN HISTORICAL COLLECTION
#4377
JANE ROSS HAMMER AND OTHO BESCENT ROSS COLLECTION
Inventory
Abstract: Otho B. Ross was a 1905 graduate of the University
of North Carolina; a physician in Charlotte, N.C.; and
a lifelong student of philosophy, especially that of
Professor Horace Williams. His daughter, Jane Ross
Hammer, received an M.A. in philosophy from the
University of North Carolina in 1937.
Papers documenting the lives of Otho B. Ross, his
wife Lucy Harris Ross, and her parents, Eugene and
Lena Foust Harris. The Charlotte Philosophy Society
and The Horace Williams Philosophical Society, both
founded and sustained by Otho Ross are particularly
strongly documented. There also is a collection of
material relating to Williams himself, including
letters from him, lectures by him, and a 1927 travel
diary he kept. Ross's strong ties to the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his wife Lucy's
long affiliation with her alma mater, Queens College
in Charlotte, N.C., are also well documented. Lucy
and Otho's courting days and early relationship are
documented by substantial correspondence, as are the
courtship and marriage of Lucy's parents, Eugene and
Lena Foust Harris. Also notable are pocket diaries,
with sketches, that Eugene Harris kept as an art
student in New York in early 1882, and a book of
sketches by Harris including scenes from the
University of North Carolina campus, perhaps from the
1890s. Otho Ross's medical career and Lucy Harris
Ross's experiences as a music teacher are less well
documented.
Online Catalog Terms:
Art students--New York (State)--New York--History--19th century.
Charlotte Philosophy Discussion Group.
College teachers--North Carolina--History--20th century.
Courtship--North Carolina--History.
Drawing, American--19th century.
Hammer, Jane Ross.
Harris, Eugene.
Harris, Lena Foust.
Horace Williams Philosophical Society.
Notebooks--United States.
Philosophy--North Carolina--Societies, etc.
Queens College (Charlotte, N.C.).
Ross, Lucy Harris.
Ross, Otho Bescent, 1884-1982.
Travelers--Diaries.
University of North Carolina (1793-1962)--Alumni and alumnae--History.
University of North Carolina (1793-1962)--Faculty--History--20th century.
University of North Carolina (1793-1962)--Photographs.
Williams, Henry Horace, 1858-1940.
Dates: 1871-1987
Size: About 5,000 items. (10.5 linear feet)
Provenance: Received from Jane Ross Hammer of Palm Harbor,
Fla., and Edgewater, Md., in June 1983, October 1988,
June 1999 (Acc. 98376), and October 2004 (Acc. 99918),
and transferred from Davis Library in June 1999 (Acc. 98890).
Access: No restrictions.
Items separated: Oversize papers (OP-4377); photographs (P-4377); photogragh
albums (PA-4377); audiodiscs (D-4377).
Related Collections: HENRY HORACE WILLIAMS PAPERS (#1625)
PHILIP G. HAMMER PAPERS (#4527)
Copyright: Retained by the authors of items in these papers,
or their descendants, as stipulated by United
States copyright law.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Biographical Notes
Collection Overview
Series Descriptions
Series 1. Materials Relating to Henry Horace Williams
Series 2. Otho Bescent Ross Papers
Series 3. Lucy Harris Ross Papers
Series 4. Eugene Lewis Harris and Laura Valena Foust Harris
Papers
Series 5. Audio-Visual Materials
Additions after March 1990
INTRODUCTION
Biographical Notes
Otho Bescent Ross (1884-1982), son of John D. and Sarah Rumple
Ross, was a 1905 graduate of the University of North Carolina and
a practicing physician in Charlotte until his death at age
ninety-eight.
After receiving a master's degree in philosophy from the
University of North Carolina in 1906, Ross earned an MD degree at
the medical school at the University of Pennsylvania and then
completed his residency in New York City. He considered
becoming a medical missionary in Asia, but decided instead to
return to North Carolina and open his practice in Charlotte. On
29 August 1912, Ross married Lucy Harris.
In 1912 Otho B. Ross founded the Charlotte Philosophy
Discussion Group, and in 1944 he helped found the Horace Williams
Philosophical Society. This latter group, established by former
students of Williams, a revered University of North Carolina
professor, met annually in Chapel Hill from 1944 through the
1950s, then occasionally until the late 1970s, and assisted in
the publication of two books of Williams's philosophical
writings.
Lucy Harris Ross (1889-1972), wife of Otho Ross, was the
daughter of Eugene Lewis Harris and Laura Valena Foust Harris.
Eugene Harris was an 1881 graduate of the University of North
Carolina and an artist of some merit. Besides serving as general
secretary for the YMCA in North Carolina, Harris became registrar
of UNC in 1894, and remained in that position until his death in
1901. He designed the "Old Well," which was constructed under
President Alderman, on the University of North Carolina campus.
Lucy Harris was a 1907 graduate of Presbyterian College for
Women (later Queen's College) in Charlotte, North Carolina.
After graduation she taught music, for a time at Lees-McRae
Institute of Plumtree, North Carolina. She first met Otho B.
Ross in 1906. They were engaged in 1910, and were married in
1912, after Otho finished his medical training. Lucy Harris Ross
was active in the Presbyterian Woman's Synod of North Carolina
and with her alma mater. Lucy and Otho had three children: Jane
Amelia, who received an MA in philosophy at UNC-CH and was a
Kenan fellow, has edited books of Horace Williams's works, and
whose donation of materials and assistance have made this
collection possible; and Laura Eugenia and Otho, Jr., both of
whom earned medical degrees, at the University of Pennsylvania
and Duke University respectively.
Jane Ross Hammer was born in Charlotte, N.C., on 9 April 1916.
The daughter of Dr. Otho Ross and Lucy Harris Ross, she shared her
father's interest in the teachings of University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill professor, Horace Williams. Studying philosophy and political
science, Hammer earned an A.B. from the University of North Carolina in 1936
and an M.A. in 1937. After serving as a Kenan Fellow in 1937-1938, she took
further graduate coursework at Radcliffe College, while also studying violin
at the New England Conservatory. During 1937, she married Phillip Gibbon
Hammer, an economist, and eventually had three sons, Phillip Hammer, Jr.,
Dr. Thomas Ross Hammer, and Michael Levering Hammer.
Philosophy has continued to be one of Hammer's primary interests. From
1946 to 1958, she taught at Spelman College in Atlanta, Ga. During this
time, she edited "Logic for Living," containing the lectures of Horace
Williams. Hammer's broad interest in human rights has led her to advocate
racial equality, voting rights, school desegregation, and environmental
programs. Throughout her career, she has won numerous awards and honors
from sources such as the Friends of the United Nations Environmental
Programme (FUNEP), Good Housekeeping, the World Who's Who of Women, and the
American Biographical Institute. In 1989, she published a book about
Richard Cromwell, but has also remained committed to educating people about
the work of her mentor, Horace Williams. She has served as the treasurer
of the Horace Williams Philosophical Society and helped to publish Williams's
"Origin of Belief" in 1978.
Collection Overview
These papers document aspects of the lives of Otho B. Ross,
his wife Lucy Harris Ross, and her parents Eugene and Lena Foust
Harris. The Charlotte Philosophy Discussion Group and The Horace
Williams Philosophical Society, both founded and sustained by
Otho Ross are particularly strongly documented. There also is a
collection of material relating to Williams himself, including
letters from him, lectures by him, and a 1927 travel diary he
kept. Ross's strong ties to the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill and his wife Lucy's long affiliation with her alma
mater, Queen's College in Charlotte, are also well represented in
the collection.
Lucy and Otho's courting days and early relationship are
documented by substantial correspondence, and there also is
significant correspondence between Lucy's parents, Eugene and
Lena Foust Harris, during their courtship and marriage. Also
notable are pocket diaries, with sketches, that Eugene Harris
kept as an art student in New York in early 1882, and a book of
sketches by Harris including scenes from the University of North
Carolina campus, perhaps from the 1890s. Otho Ross's medical
career and Lucy Harris Ross's experiences as a music teacher are
less well documented.
This material was collected by Otho B. Ross and his daughter,
Jane Ross Hammer.
These papers are arranged in series and subseries as follows:
Series 1. Materials Relating to Horace Williams
Subseries 1.1. Otho Ross Files
Subseries 1.1.1. Records of the HHWPS and Related Items
Subseries 1.1.2. Logic for Living and Origin of Belief
Subseries 1.1.3. Other Materials
Subseries 1.2. Jane Ross Hammer Files
Series 2. Otho Ross Professional and Family Papers
Subseries 2.1. Subject Files
Subseries 2.2. Family and Miscellaneous Correspondence
Subseries 2.2.1. Family Correspondence
Subseries 2.2.2. Miscellaneous Correspondence
Subseries 2.3. Date Books and Diaries
Series 3. Lucy Harris Ross Papers
Subseries 3.1. Subject Files
Subseries 3.2. Other Papers
Series 4. Eugene Lewis Harris and Laura Valena Foust Harris
Papers
Subseries 4.1. Correspondence
Subseries 4.2. Pocket Diaries
Subseries 4.3. Other Materials
Series 5. Audio-Visual Materials
Subseries 5.1. Pictures
Subseries 5.2. Sound Recordings
Additions after March 1990
Additions of June 1999 and March 2001
Series 1. Materials Relating to Horace Williams
Subseries 1.1. Otho Ross Files
Subseries 1.1.1. Records of the HHWPS and Related Items
Subseries 1.1.2. "Logic for Living" and "Origin of Belief"
Subseries 1.1.3. Other Materials Relating to Horace Williams
Subseries 1.2. Jane Ross Hammer Files
Series 2. Otho Ross Professional and Family Papers
Subseries 2.1. Subject Files
Series 3. Lucy Harris Ross Papers
Subseries 3.1. Subject Files
Subseries 3.2. Other Papers
Series 4. Eugene Lewis Harris and Laura Valena Foust Harris Papers
Subseries 4.3. Other Materials
Series 5. Audio-Visual Materials
Subseries 5.1. Pictures
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1. Materials Relating to Henry Horace Williams
1921-1987. About 2100 items.
Materials collected by Otho B. Ross and Jane Ross Hammer that
relate to Henry Horace Williams (1858-1940), professor of
philosophy at the University of North Carolina. Ross, a student
of Williams just after the turn of the century, was a founding
member and first secretary of the Horace Williams Philosophical
Society, and Ms. Hammer (his daughter), also a student of
Williams, became the Society's treasurer in 1977. These
materials cover a broad variety of topics, and in addition to
records of the Society, include letters from Williams, book
manuscripts, a travel diary of Williams, and a copy of Williams's
will.
Subseries 1.1. Otho Ross's Files
1921-1983. About 1900 items.
Subseries 1.1.1. Records of the Horace Williams Philosophical
Society and Related Items
1941-1979. About 1500 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
See also Additions after March 1990.
Correspondence, memos, speeches, booklets, drafts, and
business records of the Horace Williams Philosophical Society
from the files of O. B. Ross, secretary. The Horace Williams
Philosophical Society was formed in 1944 by some of Williams's
former students to help keep their former professor's ideas and
charismatic spirit alive. The Society met regularly during the
1940s and 1950s, but only very sporadically in the '60s and '70s,
with official records ending in 1983.
These records center around the annual meeting held in Chapel
Hill, the publication by members of several books and articles
about Williams, and fund raising. Also included is routine
friendly correspondence between Society members. Individuals
represented in these materials include: Paul Green, Sam Ervin,
Judge John J. Parker, Frank Porter Graham, Charles Tillet, Albert
Coates, Otho Ross, and Jane Ross Hammer.
Folder 1 1941
2 1942
3 1943
4 1944
5 1945
6 1946
7 1947 (See also Subseries 5.2)
8 1948
9 1949
10 1950
11 1951
12 1952
13 1953
14 1954
15 1955-57
16 1958
17 1959
18 1960-67
19 1968
20 1969
21 1970
22 1971
23 1972
24 1973
25 1974
26 1975
27 1976
28 1977
29 1978
30 1979
31 Undated
Subseries 1.1.2. Logic for Living and Origin of Belief
1921-1922, ca. 1949-1953, 1969-1982. About 300 items.
Arrangement: by book, then by type.
See also Additions after March 1990.
Williams's original manuscript and a further draft of Logic
for Living, a draft of Origin of Belief, book reviews,
correspondence with publishers, and personal letters relating to
the books. Both books were published with the assistance of the
Horace Williams Philosophical Society, Logic for Living
(published 1951) edited by Jane Ross Hammer, and Origin of Belief
(1978) edited by William Beidler.
Logic for Living
Folder 32 Original ms.--"Evolution of Logic"
33 Edited draft
34 Other materials
Origin of Belief
35 Draft
36 "Preface" drafts
37 Publisher's letters
38 Press search correspondence
39 1969-1975
40 1976-1977
41 1978
42 1979-1982
Subseries 1.1.3. Other Materials Relating to Horace Williams
1924-1983. About 60 items.
See also Additions after March 1990.
Materials produced by, or directly pertaining to, Horace
Williams. Included are letters (most are to Daniel Lindsay
Grant) and writings by Williams, a travel diary, Williams's will,
class lectures, and students' notes from his classes, materials
relating to a portrait of Williams, a copy of the issue of
Reader's Digest containing Otho Ross's 1968 article about
Williams, Horace Williams: Individualist, Teacher, Philosopher (a
booklet about Williams with materials organized and bound by Otho
Ross), and various items relating to Robert Watson Winston's The
Gadfly of Chapel Hill (1942).
Folder 43 Correspondence between Ross and Williams
44 Other letters by Williams
45 Notes about E. K. Graham by Williams
46 European Travel Diary kept by Williams, ca. 1927
47A Transcriptions of Horace Williams own notes for class
lectures
47B Notes by Horace Williams on "Lectures on Logic"
48-51 Transcriptions taken in shorthand by Tyre C. Taylor,
a UNC student, of proceedings of classes conducted by
Williams
52 Transcriptions of notes apparently taken by Nathan
Mobley, a UNC student, during lectures by Williams
53-54 Transcriptions of notes taken by Charles T. Boyd,
a UNC student, during lectures by Williams
55 Williams, Henry Horace--Death and Estate of
56 Letters and Items concerning Williams
57 "Horace Williams: Gadfly of Chapel Hill" (By Winston)
58 Williams, Henry Horace--Radio Program about (1952)
59 Williams, Henry Horace--Portrait material, 1933-1934
60-61 Williams, Henry Horace--Ross's Reader's Digest Article
about (Versions)
62 Williams, Henry Horace--Ross's Reader's Digest Article
about (Letters)
63 "Horace Williams: Individualist, Teacher, Philosopher
(1970)"
Subseries 1.2. Jane Ross Hammer Files
1977-1987. About 200 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
See also Additions after March 1990.
Files of Jane Ross Hammer maintained in her capacity as
treasurer of the Horace Williams Philosophical Society. These
files consist chiefly of correspondence about the publication of
Origin of Belief, creation of the Horace Williams Memorial Fund,
Ms. Hammer's attempts to gain recognition for her father at UNC,
and letters relating to the Horace Williams Philosophical Society
Memorial Plaque in the Davis Library at UNC-CH. Various drafts
of a history of the Society are also included.
Folder 64 1977
65 January-July 1978
66 August-December 1978
67 1979
68 1980-1982
69 1983-1987
70 Letters to UNC officials and faculty members about
Otho B. Ross and his promotion to the work of Horace
Williams (1982)
71 Letters About HWPS Memorial (1987)
Series 2. Otho Bescent Ross Papers
1900-1987. About 1500 items.
See also Additions after March 1990.
Subseries 2.1. Subject Files
1902-1987. About 750 items.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by file title.
See also Additions after March 1990.
Correspondence, notebooks, various writings, and other
materials produced or collected by Otho B. Ross. Ranging from
his early college years to a few years beyond his death, these
papers represent the diverse interests of Dr. Ross. Materials in
these files include notes and essays by Ross about his personal
philosophy, memoirs and other personal writings, and some school
related materials from UNC. Some of these files were established
during processing.
Folder 72-75 Charlotte Philosophy Discussion Group
76 Graham, Frank Porter
77 Medicine, Ross's philosophy of
78 Memoirs and personal notes
79 Miller, Dr. T. Grier
80 Miscellaneous/Other
81 Philosophy, Ross's ideas about
82 Recommendation and reference, letters of
83-84 School related items (chiefly UNC)
85 School related items (other)
86 Travel notes (chiefly from Mexico and Europe;
includes report of meeting with George Santayana
in 1948)
87 World War II ration items
Subseries 2.2. Correspondence
1900-1987. About 800 items.
Subseries 2.2.1. Family Correspondence
1900-1987. About 500 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Chiefly correspondence between Otho B. Ross and Lucy Harris
before and after their marriage on 29 August 1912. Most of the
letters are from the period of their courtship, when Otho lived
in Philadelphia and New York while Lucy remained in North
Carolina. Much of this correspondence consists of love-letters.
Other letters discuss Otho's medical studies and internships or
Lucy's teaching positions and travels (before and after their
marriage).
Also included are letters to Otho Ross from his mother, Sarah
Jane (Rumple) Ross. These letters report family news and include
occasional advice on Otho's life decisions.
Later correspondence includes letters from the Ross's three
children (Jane Ross Hammer, Laura Ross Venning, Otho B. Ross,
Jr.) from their childhood and college years, and into adulthood.
Some letters from close family friends are also included.
Folder 88 1900-1907
1908
89 January-March
90 April-June
91 July-September
92 October-December
1909
93 January-June
94 July-September
95 October-December
1910
96 January-March
97 April-June
98 July-August
99 September
100 October
101 November
102 December
1911
103 January-March
104 April-September
105 October-December
1912
106 January-June
107 July
108 August-December
109 1913
110 1914
1915
111 January-June
112 July-December
113 1916-1924
114 1925
115 1926-1932
116 1933-1987 and undated
Subseries 2.2.2. Other Correspondence (Non-Family)
1905-1979, and undated. About 300 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Chiefly personal and professional correspondence of Otho B.
Ross with friends, patients, and professional associates.
Included is correspondence before 1910 with officials of the
Presbyterian Executive Committee of Foreign Missions about the
possibility of Ross becoming a medical missionary.
This correspondence chiefly consists of personal letters from
friends and communication about medical equipment, expenses, and
particular cases that Ross handled.
Folder 117 1905-1907
118 1908
119 1909
120 1910
121 1911
122 1912
123 1913-1914
124 1915-1916
125 1917
126 1918-1925
127 1928-1979
128 Undated
Subseries 2.3. Datebooks and Diaries
1902-1910. 7 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Folder 129 "Composition Book," 1902, used as a diary. Ross's
notes on his daily activities as a student at the
University of North Carolina from 23 June to 16
October 1902.
About 50 pp.
Pocket diary, 1903-?, brief entries detail Ross's
daily activities, letters written and received,
football scores, campus speakers, sermons, and course
requirements at the University of North Carolina.
About 50 pp.
Pocket diary, 1905, containing addresses,
expenses/calculations, and brief descriptions of daily
activities at the University of North Carolina during
some months. About 50 pp.
Folder 130 Calendar notebook, 1908, used to record Ross's daily
activities at the University of Pennsylvania Medical
School from 5 January through 31 December 1908. About
50 pp.
Pocket diary, 1909, kept while at University of
Pennsylvania Medical School and during travels back
and forth to North Carolina. About 50 pp.
Pocket notebook, Summer 1908-Summer 1909, only
partially filled, describing experiences and opinions
of two summers traveling in the Northeast. About 20
pp.
Pocket diary, 1910, containing brief entries which
describe Ross's time in New York City and his
courtship/engagement to Lucy Harris. About 70 pp.
Series 3. Lucy Harris Ross Papers
1897-1965. About 140 items.
Subseries 3.1. Subject Files
1930-1965. About 75 items.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by file title.
See also Additions after March 1990.
Files of materials of Lucy Harris Ross containing materials
collected by Ross on her cousin, Cosette Foust-Newton; papers on
various topics submitted to the Fortnightly Book Club; items
about Queen's College (Charlotte, NC), of which Lucy Harris Ross
was a 1907 graduate; and materials relating to Mrs. Ross's
affiliation with the Woman's Auxiliary Synod of North Carolina
(Presbyterian Church in the United States).
Folder 131 Foust-Newton, Cosette, b. 1889
132-133 Fortnightly Book Club (Charlotte, NC)
134 Queen's College (Charlotte, NC)
135 Women's Auxiliary Synod of North Carolina
(Presbyterian Church in the United States)
Subseries 3.2. Other Papers
1897-1986. About 60 items.
Arrangement: by file type.
See also Additions after March 1990.
Scattered correspondence, valentines, and miscellaneous other
items. The correspondence is with relatives and friends. It
includes letters from Lucy to her sister Eugenia Harris; letters
to Lucy from her father, Eugene L. Harris; letters to Lucy from
her mother, Laura Valena Foust Harris; and a letter to Lucy from
her "Uncle Henry" concerning her upcoming marriage in 1912.
These letters chiefly concern routine family affairs and daily
activities.
Non-correspondence includes biographical notes about Lucy
Harris Ross, miscellaneous family financial information, and
newspaper clippings relating to family members and other
interests of Lucy Harris Ross.
Folder 136 Miscellaneous correspondence, 1898-1947
137 Miscellaneous correspondence, undated
138 Recommendations
139 Valentines
140-141 Miscellaneous Other Items
Series 4. Eugene Lewis Harris and Laura Valena Foust Harris
Papers
1871-1983. About 200 items.
See also Additions after March 1990.
Correspondence, diaries, addresses and essays, clippings, and
genealogical information of the Eugene and Lena Harris family.
Eugene Lewis Harris (1856-1901) was an 1881 graduate of the
University of North Carolina, and became University Registrar in
1894, remaining in that capacity until his death, apparently from
tuberculosis. He married Lena (Laura Valena) Foust on 26 July
1882, and they had two children, Eugenia and Lucy. Eugene Harris
was an artist, and studied at the Cooper Union in New York City
immediately preceding his marriage. He designed the renovated
version of the "Old Well" at UNC, built in 1896.
Subseries 4.1. Correspondence
1881-1910. About 150 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Chiefly letters between Eugene and Lena Harris dating from
1881 (the year before their marriage) until the time of his death
in November 1901. Eugene and Lena were frequently apart due to
his study at the Cooper Union in New York City and work-related
travels in his position as general secretary for the YMCA in
North Carolina and in his brief service with the N. C. Geological
Survey. The majority of the letters are from Eugene to Lena and
typically describe his job responsibilities and travel
observations. Early correspondence, however, consists of love
letters.
There are also a number of letters between the Harrises and
their two young daughters, Eugenia and Lucy. Most early letters
are between the girls and their father during his travels. (See
also P-4377/26.) There are also letters from Lucy to her mother
after 1901 relating to her experiences at the Presbyterian
College for Women (later Queens College) in Charlotte, and
travels to various locations. One letter of note details Lucy's
first meeting with her future husband, Otho B. Ross, during a
YMCA trip to Tennessee in 1906.
Also included are letters (late 1901 and early 1902) from many
different persons writing to express condolences to Lena and
discuss business after Eugene's death on 11 November 1901.
Folder 142 1881
143 1882
144 1883-1885
145 1887
146 1891
147 1892-1893
148 1896-1898
149 1901-1902
150 1906-1910
151 Undated
Subseries 4.2. Pocket Diaries of Eugene Harris
1881, 1882, 1900. 3 Volumes.
Folder 152 Pocket diary, January 1882, with addresses, sketches,
and notes detailing Eugene Harris's stay in New York
City. Harris's descriptions and drawings reflect the
perspective of a newcomer from North Carolina in New
York City. Frequent topics are evangelical religious
activities and reflections, and artistic studies and
activities.
About 50 pp. plus 6 enclosures.
153 Pocket diary, 11 March 1882-19 April 1882, with notes,
addresses, and sketches of life in New York City
similar to those in the January 1882 diary. About 80
pp.
154 Pocket diary, July-August 1900, with notes, addresses,
and personal financial information, largely from a
stay in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. About 25 pp.
Subseries 4.3. Other Materials
1871-1983. About 75 items.
See also Additions after March 1990.
Addresses and essays, poetry (drafts and clippings), family
genealogical records, a heavily annotated Bible, and various
other materials chiefly collected or created by Eugene Harris.
Of interest are school-related materials such as an essay
entitled "Art in North Carolina," and Harris's
certificate/diploma on having completed a "Thorough and
Scientific Course" in "The Science of Penmanship," Chapel Hill,
March 1881.
The Bible is inscribed "W. W. Holden. Presented by Sunday
School Class, December 25, 1883," and "Loaned E. L. Harris
Raleigh, N.C. [June?] 20 '87". (According to Horace W. Raper
(William W. Holden, UNC Press, 1985), Holden attended First
Baptist Church, Raleigh, from the early 1870s to 1887.) This
Bible is heavily annotated, and tattered and torn from much use.
An attendance register for "Bible Training Class" and other items
are tipped in.
Folder 155 Addresses and Essays by Eugene Harris
156 Miscellaneous Poetry
157 Other Materials Relating to Eugene Harris
158 Miscellaneous Items
159 Family Genealogical Notes and Clippings
160 Bible
Series 5. Audio-Visual Materials
1879-1947. About 60 items.
See also Additions after March 1990.
Chiefly photographs of members of the Harris and Ross
families. Some artwork by Eugene L. Harris is also included.
The audio materials are recordings of the third annual Horace
Williams Philosophical Society Meeting (1947), chaired by Otho
Ross.
Subseries 5.1. Pictures
1879-1935(?) About 50 items.
See also Additions after March 1990.
A variety of pictures relating to the Harris and Ross
families, including portraits, snapshots, postcards, and drawings
deriving from travel and various other aspects of their lives.
There are also six photographs of Horace Williams. Unless
otherwise noted, all photographs are black-and-white prints.
P-4377/1 Photograph of a portrait of Henry Horace Williams,
1934.
/2-5 Different poses of Horace Williams as photographed
by Sam Hood, 1940.
/6 A paper/cardboard etching, undated, ca. 1940.
/7 Miss Durham's third-grade class at the Charlotte
Public School. Otho Ross is third from the right
on the front row, ca. 1890.
/8 Studio portrait photograph of Otho Ross taken in
New York City, ca. 1911.
/9 Lucy Harris at Presbyterian College (Charlotte,
NC) "About 1906."
/10 Lucy Harris, undated.
/11-12 Two picture post cards (possibly dated 1904), of
unknown subjects.
/13 Photograph inscribed "Home of Thos. Harris at
Berkeley, California" dated May 1923.
/14 Photograph inscribed "3 Thomas West Harrises at
Berkeley, Cal. Xmas About 1926." Photo depicts a
young child and two men seated in a yard.
/15 Photograph of 7 persons (including Otho Ross) in a
winter setting, dated 1929. Written on Reverse:
"A Fine Likeness of Isaac F. Harris."
/16 Photograph (L to R: Otho and Lucy Ross, Beth,
Helen and Ike Harris) dated Christmas 1929.
/17 Photograph of a sidewalk/street-scene, marked on
back: "Leaving - after spending Christmas eve
with us. Beth Harris, (Lucy and Otho), 1929."
[presumably in Charlotte, N.C.]
/18 Post card/photograph postmarked 17 August 1931 in
Munich, Germany. Shows the Harris family hiking
on a glacier in Switzerland(?)
/19 Photograph of an older woman standing on a porch.
She is identified as Eugenia H. Holt; the photo is
dated 29 March 1935, Oak Ridge, N.C.
/20 Photograph/portrait of Cosette Foust while
attending Salisbury, N.C. High School. Not dated.
/21 Portrait of Cosette Foust signed, "With much love,
Cosette." Not dated.
/22 Tintype of Lucy Harris (originally enclosed in a
letter dated 20 May 1907, from Lucy to her mother,
Lena Harris--from Subseries 3.2).
/23 Carte-de-visite showing woman and young child
(originally enclosed in letter dated 13 Sept.
1881--from Subseries 4.1)
/24 Small floral watercolor (originally with Harris
family materials).
/25 Studio portrait photograph of "Eugene Lewis Harris
and bride - Laura Valena Foust, married July
1882." Not otherwise dated.
/26 Tintype detailing a sleeping cat, and an
accompanying letter from Eugene Harris to his
daughter Lucy, ca. 1900.
/27 Photograph inscribed: "Parson Moss--Rev. W. D.
Moss, Pastor Presbyterian Church at Chapel Hill,
NC. Mama's friend. (He baptized Laura [Ross] as
a baby (about Nov. 1913) and buried Grandma Harris
(Mrs. Lena Foust Harris) in C. H. Nov. 4, 1925).
Not dated.
/28 Photograph identified as Linville Falls, N. C.,
undated.
/29-30 A group including Otho Ross, standing in front of
a building, undated.
/31-33 Two photographs of members of the Philanthropic
Society and one of the Dialectic Society at UNC,
1879. Eugene Harris was a member of the former.
/34 Photograph of the University of North Carolina's
1881 graduating class, including E. L. Harris.
/35 Carte-de-visite of Zebulon B. Vance, found in the
Harris family materials, undated.
/36 Unidentified, undated picture.
/37 Signed print of Rev. Elisha Mitchell, UNC
Professor of Chemistry, Mineralogy, and Geology,
undated.
/38 Studio portrait of Dr. E. A. Alderman when he was
president of the University of North Carolina,
undated.
/39 Photograph of the Alumni Building at Chapel Hill,
dated "1905 or earlier".
/40 Photo collage of portraits of University of North
Carolina professors/faculty from 1905.
/41-43 Three pencil sketches/drawings by Eugene Harris.
All are depictions of outdoor scenes, but only one
can be dated, sometime during the Summer of 1893.
PA-4377/1 Sketchbook of Eugene L. Harris, perhaps from the
1890s. It contains drawings of nature scenes,
people, sites on the University of North Carolina
campus, etc. About 30 pages.
/2 A small photo album belonging to Lucy Harris
(later Ross). One photo is dated Fall, 1904.
About 20 pages.
/3 Post card album belonging to Lucy Harris, with
most of the cards dated between 1906 and 1922.
About 40 pages.
Subseries 5.2. Audio Recordings
1947. 4 items.
Recordings ("Flexograph" disks) made at the third annual
meeting of the Horace Williams Philosophical Society, held in
June 1947 in Chapel Hill. Among the participants heard on these
recordings are Charles Tillett, Nathan Mobley, Phillips Russell,
and John Umstead.
An apparently complete transcript of the meeting is available
in Subseries 1.1.1, folder 7.
D-4377/1-4
ADDITIONS AFTER MARCH 1990
Additions of May and June 1999, and October 2004 (Acc. 98376, 98890, 99918)
Size: About 1,000 items (2.0 linear feet).
Dates: 1910-1999.
Provenance: Received from Jane Ross Hammer in May 1999 (Acc. 98376)
and October 2004 (Acc. 99918), from Davis Library in June 1999
(Acc. 98890).
Access: No restrictions.
Processing Note: These additions have been consolidated and arranged in the
same way as, but not incorporated into, the original deposit
of materials.
Series 1. Materials Relating to Horace Williams
Subseries 1.1. Otho Ross Files
Subseries 1.1.1. Records of the HHWPS and Related Items
1944-1991. About 50 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Materials relating to the Horace Williams Philosophical Society, including
correspondence between members, lecture reprints, narratives about the Society,
and minutes of meetings.
Folder 161 Horace Williams Philosophical Society, 1944-1991
Subseries 1.1.2. Logic for Living and Origin of Belief
1946-1997. About 75 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Material relating to the books, Logic for Living and Origin of Belief,
published with the help of the Horace Williams Philosophical Society. Items
include correspondence, publicity, reviews, and other clippings.
Folder 162 Logic for Living, 1946-1953
163 Logic for Living, clippings, 1950-1952
164 Origin of Belief, 1970-1997
165 Logic for Living and Origin of Belief, library holdings, 1980
Subseries 1.1.3. Other Materials Relating to Horace Williams
1920-1998. About 75 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Additional items discussing the life and work of Horace Williams, including
his manuscript on "A Historical Development of Religion," transcribed notes of
his class lectures, items from the Charlotte-based Horace Williams Philosophy
Discussion Group, his house, and articles or tributes to him.
Folder 166 Correspondence between Otho Bescent Ross and Williams, 1936-1939
167 Manuscript: "Historical Development of Religion" (I), undated
168 Manuscript: "Historical Development of Religion" (II), undated
169 Lecture: "The Good Teacher," 1915
170-171 Lecture notes: The Philosophy of Christianity, 1920-1921
172 Lecture notes: Philosophy 16-17-18, 1920-1921
173 Moss, William D, "Williams' Evolution of Logic," 1933
174 Winston, Judge Robert W., Horace Williams: Gadfly of Chapel Hill,
ca. 1943
175 Brooks, Van Wyck, The Confident Years: 1885-1915, 1943
176 Ross, Otho B., "My Most Unforgettable Character" (Reader's Digest),
1968
177 "Horace Williams: Individualist, Teacher, Philosopher," 1970
178 Hammer, Jane Ross, Horace Williams entry in Dictionary of North
Carolina Biography, 1979
179 The Owl of Minerva (Hegel Society of America), 1982
180 And So It Goes: An Evening with Horace Williams, undated
181-182 Horace Williams Philosophy Discussion Group (Charlotte), 1998
183 Horace Williams House, 1957-1977
Subseries 1.2. Jane Ross Hammer Files
ca. 1910-1999. About 150 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Items relating to Jane Ross Hammer concerning her education, career,
writings, and association with the Horace Williams Philosophical Society.
Included are lecture notes, a draft of her thesis, correspondence,
articles/speeches, research materials, and financial papers from the Society.
The lecture notes were initially bound together; it is not entirely clear if
all of the lecture notes were taken by her or if some were older notes that she
added to her collection.
Folder 184 Lecture Notes: Philosophy 64, Logic
185 Lecture Notes: Philosophy of Religion, Spinoza, draft of thesis,
ca. 1938
186 Lecture Notes: Psychology 21, Ethics, Logic, ca. 1910
187 Lecture Notes: Political Science, ca. 1937
188 Lecture Notes: Political Science, Social Problems, Botany, ca.
1936-1939
189 Preliminary exam for Ph.D. in History of Philosophy, 1938
190 Radcliffe College Graduate Catalogue, 1938-1939
191 Writings, ca. 1936-1940s
192 Writings, ca. 1991-1999
193 A More Perfect Union (previously How Perfect a Union), original
manuscript (I), ca. 1930s-1940s
194 A More Perfect Union, original manuscript (II), ca. 1930s-1940s
195 A More Perfect Union, readings and bibliographic notes, ca.
1930s-1940s
196 A More Perfect Union, other materials, 1941-1978
197 Notes for book on Cromwell, ca. 1980s-1990s
198 Notes for book on Cromwell, ca. 1980s-1990s
199 Correspondence, 1949-1998
200 Horace Williams Philosophical Society: Histories, Brochures, and
Member Lists, ca, 1983-1987
201 Horace Williams Philosophical Society: Finances, 1977-1983
202 Biographical Information, 1936-1993
203 "International Biographical Association Directory," 1989-1990
204 Philip Hammer: Biographical Information, ca. 1991
205 Arts and Music, 1987-1990
Series 2. Otho Ross Professional and Family Papers
Subseries 2.1. Subject Files
ca. 1948-1982. About 5 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Some chiefly narrative information about Otho Bescent Ross, discussing his
life, Horace Williams, and his meeting with George Santayana.
Folder 206 Biographical Material, 1948, 1982
207 Memoirs, 1971
208 Travel Notes, 1948
Series 3. Lucy Harris Ross Papers
Subseries 3.1. Subject Files
1942. 1 item.
Arrangement: chronological.
Paper written by Lucy Harris Ross for her Book Club.
Folder 209 Treatise on the University of North Carolina, 1942
Subseries 3.2. Other Papers
Undated. 2 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Book likely belonging to Lucy Harris Ross.
Folder 210 Betts, A. D., Experience of a Confederate Chaplain, 1861-1865,
undated
Series 4. Eugene Lewis Harris and Laura Valena Foust Harris Papers
Subseries 4.3. Other materials
1938, 1977. 3 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Information about the family's connection to the Old Well at the University
of North Carolina and a clipping about the death of E. P. Ross.
Folder 211 Family Genealogical Notes and Clippings, 1938
212 The Old Well (University of North Carolina), 1977
Series 5. Audio Visual Materials
Subseries 5.1. Pictures
ca. 1948-1982. About 25 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Images of Horace Williams, relatives Thomas Coke Hunter and Lucy Harris, and
a set of images for Jane Ross Hammer's work on Richard Cromwell.
Folder P-4377/7 Horace Williams portraits, ca. 1940
/8 Thomas Coke Hunter, ca. 1835-1840
/9 Lucy Harris, 1904
/10 Images for Richard Cromwell work (including pictures of Jane
Ross Hammer), ca. 1980-1990s