Inventory of the Matthias Evans Manly Papers, 1717-1928
Collection Number 485
Manuscripts Department, Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- 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
- SHC Staff
- Date Processed
- 1930s-November 2003
- Encoded by
- Linda Sellars
- Date Encoded
- November 2003
Back to Top
Descriptive Summary
- Repository
- Southern Historical Collection
- Creator
- Manly, Matthias Evans, 1801-1881.
- Title
- Matthias Evans Manly Papers, 1717-1928
- Call Number
- 485
- Extent
-
- About 400 items (1.0 linear feet)
- Abstract
- Matthias Evans Manly of New Bern, N.C., was a lawyer, state legislator, superior court judge, and state Supreme Court judge. Scattered papers of Matthias Evans Manly, include letters, among them an 1835 William Gaston letter about the North Carolina constitution, slavery, and other topics. There are also civic and political speeches. Also included is correspondence of his son, lawyer Clement Manly of Winston, N.C., particularly in 1896 when he was state Democratic Party chair. Some letters relate to the North Carolina Populist Party. Earlier items consist of colonial family deeds, land grants, and other legal papers. The addition of November 2002 includes financial and legal documents and correspondence of Matthias Evans Manly, including an 1862 letter about his leaving New Bern as the enemy took over the town.
Administrative Information
- Provenance
- Gift of A. S. Buford of Richmond, Va., before 1940 and purchased from L & T Respess Books of Charlottesville, Va., in November 2002 (Acc. 99380).
- Preferred Citation
- [Identification of item], in the Matthias Evans Manly Papers #485, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
- Copyright Notice
- Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Online Catalog Headings
These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs.
- Democratic Party (N.C.)--History--19th century.
- Gaston, William, 1778-1844.
- Judges--North Carolina.
- Lawyers--North Carolina.
- Lawyers--North Carolina--Political activity--History--19th century.
- Manly, Clement, 1853-1928.
- Manly family.
- Manly, Matthias Evans, 1801-1881.
- New Bern (N.C.)--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.
- North Carolina--Politics and government--1775-1865.
- North Carolina--Politics and government--1865-1950.
- Populist Party (N.C.).
- Slavery--North Carolina.
Biographical Note
Matthias Evans Manly (12 April 1801-9 July 1881), lawyer and jurist, was born near Pittsboro, N.C., the third of six children of Elizabeth Maultsby and Basil Manly, who had moved to Chatham County from Bladen. His father was originally from St. Marys County, Md., and was Roman Catholic. His mother was a Quaker. Matthias Evans Manly was Roman Catholic.
Manly received his early education at the Bingham School in Orange County and was graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina in 1824. Five years later, he received an M.A. degree, and, in 1862, the University awarded him the honorary degree of LL.D. For a while after his graduation, Manly tutored mathematics at the University. He then studied law under his brother Charles; settled in New Bern, N.C.; and became a successful lawyer.
In 1834 and 1835, Manly served in the state legislature, and, in 1840, the governor appointed him a superior court judge to complete the term of R. M. Saunders, who had resigned. When the legislature met the following year, he was elected to that position, which he held for the next 19 years.
In December 1859, Manly was appointed to the North Carolina Supreme Court and served for six years. After the Civil War, Manly was one of the few former supporters of the Confederacy to be elected to the constitutional convention of 1865. In 1866, Manly was elected to represent Craven County in the state senate, of which he was voted president. At that session, he was elected by the General Assembly to the United States Senate, but when the state was denied representation in Congress, he was not permitted to take his seat.
Manly resumed his law practice in New Bern and served as presiding justice of Craven County until the county court system was abolished in 1868. He also became mayor of New Bern and represented the state as its proxy in the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad.
In 1832, Manly married Hannah Gaston, daughter of Judge William Gaston, with whom he had two daughters: Jane and Hannah. After his wife's death, Manly married, in 1844, Sarah Louisa Simpson, daughter of Samuel Simpson, and they had nine children: Matthias Evans, Jr., Maria, Elizabeth, Gaston, Basil, Clement, Mary, William, and Sarah Simpson.
Matthias Evans Manly's son, Clement Manly (1853-1928), was a lawyer in Winston, N.C., and was chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party in the 1890s.
Back to TopCollection Overview
The collection includes correspondence and business and legal papers of judge and lawyer Matthias Evans Manly of New Bern, N.C., and of his son lawyer Clement Manly. There are also earlier family papers consisting of colonial family deeds, land grants, and other legal papers.
Nearly all of the papers dated before 1835 are deeds, plats, or other items related to property, mostly property along Brice's Creek in Craven County, N.C. A letter, 16 August 1835, from William Gaston to Manly describes Gaston's opinions on the proposed North Carolina Constitution, including the proposed changes in the basis of representation in the state legislature, popular election of governors, slavery ("the question of modifying or abrogating the free negro suffrage"), restrictions on private legislation, and changes relating to the judiciary.
Beginning in 1872, most items belong to Clement Manly, including essays, scripts, orations, and legal papers. There are speeches and much correspondence from the 1890s, when Clement Manly was chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party. Also included are numerous letters from Hal W. Ayer, chair of the People's Party in North Carolina, about candidates for governor, senator, and president.
The undated folders contain writings, speeches, plats, and letters. Included are many speeches to "Gentlemen of the Cosmos Club."
The addition of November 2002 includes financial and legal documents and correspondence of Matthias Evans Manly. Most of these documents relate to Manly's personal affairs rather than to his legal or political career. Included is an 1862 letter about his leaving New Bern as the enemy took over the town during the Civil War.
Back to Top
Detailed Description of the Collection
Papers, 1717-1928.
Back to Top
Back to Top
Back to Top
Items Separated
Items separated include a photograph (P-485) and an oversize paper (OP-485).
Back to Top
Related Collections
-
Basil Manly Papers (#486)