Manuscripts Department
Library of the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
SOUTHERN HISTORICAL COLLECTION
#4464
THOMAS PARKS
COLLECTION OF
PARKS AND MCELRATH FAMILY PAPERS
Inventory
Abstract: Correspondence, financial and legal items,
photographs, and other material relating to ancestors
and other relatives of Thomas Parks (1889-1980).
Parks collected the material in an effort to document
his genealogy, and much of the material concerns the
Parks family of Mecklenburg County, N.C. The bulk of
the other material concerns the McElrath family of
Burke County, N.C.
Online Catalog Terms:
Family--North Carolina--Burke County.
Family--North Carolina--Mecklenburg County.
Folk-songs, English--North Carolina.
Genealogy.
Gold mines and mining--California.
Matrimonial advertisements.
McDowell, family.
McElrath family.
Parks family.
Slavery--Insurrections, etc.
Slavery--North Carolina--Burke County.
Slavery--North Carolina--Mecklenburg County.
Tune-books.
Size: About 1394 items (2.5 feet)
Provenance: Received from Florence P. Johnston, Edisto Beach,
SC, in August 1986, through J. Andrew Johnston,
Research Triangle Park, NC, and William P.
Johnston, Rocky Mount, NC.
Access: No restrictions.
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
Collection Overview
Series Descriptions
Subcollection 1. Parks Family
Series 1. Correspondence
Series 2. Financial and Legal Items
Series 3. Ballads and Poems
Series 4. Printed Materials
Series 5. Other Papers
Series 6. Volumes
Series 7. Pictures
Subcollection 2. McElrath Family
Series 1. Correspondence
Series 2. Financial and Legal Items
Series 3. Writings
Series 4. Printed Material
Series 5. Genealogical/Historical Items
Series 6. Volumes
Series 7. Pictures
Shelf List
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
The Parks family, like many other Scotch-Irish dissenters,
made their way to the North Carolina Piedmont, settling in Rowan
County. There, William Parks (1770-1842) was born. He married
Mary Beaty (1778-1846) in 1795, and the two had ten children,
among them a son, John L. Parks (1822-1906).
John Parks married his first wife, Margaret McDowell McElrath,
in 1848. Following two other marriages and service as a
Confederate private, Parks moved to the Hopewell area, near
Huntersville in Mecklenburg County, NC, in 1868. There he owned
a substantial farm and cotton gin. One of his sons, William
Beaty Parks (1851-1929), also became a farmer and was the owner
of a general store. W. B. Parks married Nancy Alice Gluyas in
1873. They had three sons, one of whom was the Thomas Parks
(1889-1980) who collected this material.
The McElraths were related to the Parks by marriage. David
McElrath left Scotland for America in 1730, and a son, also
David, moved to Burke County, NC. Two of his sons, Robert
(1780-1814) and John, married into the McDowell family.
Robert McElrath and his wife Margaret McDowell (1819-1854) had
at least four daughters and a son. One daughter, Margaret
(1819-1854), married John Lindsay Parks (1822-1906). The son,
Robert Jackson (1832-1898), married F. Emily Dobson (1832-1907),
and owned a large farm in Silver Creek Valley, Burke County, NC.
A notable episode in Robert J. McElrath's life was his
participation in the California gold rush. In 1851, McElrath
sent several slaves to Tuolumne County, California, under the
supervision of a son-in-law, G. D. Dodson, to work in placer
mines there. Most of the gold was to go towards substantial
debts incurred by McElrath, but the slaves were allowed to keep
the earnings from their sixth day of labor each week (see sub-
collection 2, folders 2 and 22).
Robert and Emily McElrath had a daughter, Lillie (1868-1897),
and a son, John, who worked as a railroad foreman.
The family charts that follow provide additional information.
Parks Family
William Parks (1770-1824) + Mary Beaty (1778-1846)
William B. Parks (1814-1868) + Harriet F. Gibbs
John L. Parks (1822-1906) + (1) Margaret McElrath (1819-1854)
(2) Sarah Alexander (1823-1858)
(3) Sarah Butler (d. 1876)
(4) Elizabeth Williams (1827-1904)
Mary Ann Parks (1849-1950)
William B. Parks (1851-1929) + Nancy Alice Gluyas
(1853-1925)
John L. II (1874-1956)
Walter Beaty (1896-1971)
Thomas (1889-1980) + Minnie Brice Ranson (1886-1969)
McElrath Family
David McElrath (fl. 1730)
David + Catherine Averharte
Robert (1780-1854) + Margaret McDowell (1787-1874)
Robert Jackson (1832-1898) + F. Emily Dobson
(1832-1907)
Lillie (1868-1897)
John McDowell (1863-1939)
Elisa
Mira
Margaret (1819-1854) + John L. Parks (1822-1906)
Mary Ann (1849-1950)
William Beaty (1851-1929) + Nancy Alice Guyas
(1853-1925)
Thomas (1889-1980) + Minnie Brice Ranson
(1886-1969)
Florence Vivian (b. 1916) + Philip L.
Johnston (b. 1914)
Matilda + G. D. Dodson
John + Elizabeth McDowell
McDowell Family
Joseph McDowell (b. 1715) + Margaret O'Neale
Joseph
Charles
John
Margaret (1787-1874) + Robert McElrath (1780-1854)
Robert Jackson (1832-1898) + F. Emily Dobson (d. 1906)
Elisa
Margaret (1819-1854) + John L. Parks (1822-1906)
Mary Ann (1849-1850)
William Beaty (1851-1929) + Nancy Alice Gluyas
(1853-1925)
Thomas (1889-1980) + Minnie Brice Ranson
(1886-1969)
Florence Vivian (b. 1916) + Phillip L.
Johnston (b. 1914)
Elizabeth + John McElrath (1810-1842)
Hugh
Elizabeth
Hannah
This chart includes only those individuals featured in or
important for understanding these papers. Thus, only selected
children and marriages are noted. For more detailed genealogical
information, see subcollection 1, folder 51.
COLLECTION OVERVIEW
The bulk of these papers consists of correspondence and
financial and legal documents relating to the Parks and
McElraths. The collection reflects the genealogical interests of
Thomas Parks, as indicated by many notes on family history
included in the correspondence. There is also some specifically
genealogical material in the collection, including printed and
typescript materials relating to Parks genealogy. Various
writings, photographs, and account books round out the
collection.
In order to facilitate the use of this collection, it has been
divided into two subcollections, one containing items related
largely to the Parks family and the other related largely to the
McElraths. The arrangement is as follows:
Subcollection 1. Parks Family
Series 1. Correspondence
Series 2. Financial and Legal Items
Subseries 2.1. Deeds and Indentures
Subseries 2.2. Wills and Related Items
Subseries 2.3. Slave Documents
Subseries 2.4. Receipts and Other Financial and Legal
Items
Series 3. Ballads and Poems
Series 4. Printed Materials
Subseries 4.1. Matrimonial Advertising
Subseries 4.2. Other Printed Material
Series 5. Other Papers
Subseries 5.1. Military Documents
Subseries 5.2. Blueprints
Subseries 5.3. Genealogical/Historical Items
Series 6. Volumes
Series 7. Pictures
Subcollection 2. McElrath Family
Series 1. Correspondence
Series 2. Financial and Legal Items
Subseries 2.1. Deeds and Indentures
Subseries 2.2. Slave Documents
Subseries 2.3. Receipts and Other Financial and Legal
Items
Series 3. Writings
Series 4. Printed Material
Series 5. Genealogical/Historical Items
Series 6. Volumes
Series 7. Pictures
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
SUBCOLLECTION 1. PARKS FAMILY
Series 1. Correspondence
1852-1981. About 73 items.
Arrangement: chronological
Correspondence of the Parks family, most with various
relatives and friends (including correspondence from the
McElraths-folder 7), and some letters to business and legal
contacts. Notable items include letters from John L. Parks to
his wife and brother during an 1852 trip to Texas (folder 1) and
two letters of the Civil War era (folder 3). Matters discussed
consist almost entirely of genealogy, farming, and routine
business and family affairs.
Folder 1. 1852
2. 1854-1855
3. 1862
4. 1875
5. 1877
6. 1878-1879
7. 1880-1900
8. 1902-1904
9. 1904-1907
10. 1912-1921
11. 1938-1981
Series 2. Financial and Legal Items
1777-1940. About 648 items.
Subseries 2.1. Deeds and Indentures
1777-1929. About 21 items.
Arrangement: chronological
Deeds and indentures tracing land dealings of the Parks
family and the history of their tract of land in Mecklenburg
County.
Folder 12. 1777-1821
13. 1860-1863
14. 1870-1872
15. 1876-1885
16. 1920-1929
Subseries 2.2. Wills and Related Items
1846-1905. About 18 items.
Arrangement: chronological
Wills and various related items (such as property inventories)
relating to the Parks family.
Folder 17. 1846-1869
18. 1872-1896
19. 1905
Subseries 2.3. Slave Documents
1853-1857. 3 items.
Arrangement: chronological
Two bills of sale for slaves and a physician's bill for
treatment of slaves of John L. Parks.
Folder 20.
Subseries 2.4. Receipts and Other Financial and Legal Items
1825-1940, and Undated. About 606 items.
Arrangement: chronological
Receipts, promissory notes, and account sheets tracing Parks
family agricultural and business activities. Many of the
receipts are for state, local, and national taxes, and insurance
payments.
Folder 21. 1825-1849
22. 1850-1859
23. 1860-1865
24. 1866-1869
25. 1870-1873
26. 1874-1875
27. 1876-1879
28. 1880
29. 1881
30. 1882-1883
31. 1884-1885
32. 1886
33. 1887-1889
34. 1890-1899
35. 1900-1904
36. 1905-1907
37. 1908-1909
38. 1910-1919
39. 1920-1929
40. 1938-1940, Undated
Series 3. Ballads and Poems
1829, 1834, 1886. 19 items.
A manuscript copy of a poem by John L. Parks as a child, a
hand-written shape-note tune-book, and a collection of ballads.
Folder 41.
Series 4. Printed Materials
1840-1917. 43 items.
Subseries 4.1. Matrimonial Advertisements
1909, 1917, and undated. 4 items.
Two "matrimonial catalogs" and two advertisement sheets for
matrimonial agencies of the early 1900s, apparently utilized by
one of the Parks or McElrath's in his search for a wife.
Folder 42.
Subseries 4.2. Other Printed Material
1840-1979, and undated. 39 items.
Various advertisements, newspapers and newspaper articles,
obituaries, church publications, and other printed materials that
reflect the daily life and interests of the Parks family.
Folder 43. 1840-1898
44. 1906-1907
45. 1910-1913
46. 1916-1963
47. 1964-1979, undated
Series 5. Other Papers
1781-1950s. 29 items.
Subseries 5.1. Military Documents
1781-1864. 8 items.
A substitute's certificate from the Revolutionary War, some
records (mostly photocopies) documenting John L. Parks's service
in the Confederate Army, and other items.
Folder 48.
Subseries 5.2. Blueprints
1905, 1920, undated. 5 items.
A diagram of a fluid pump and storage device, two blueprints
of proposed additions to the Hopewell Presbyterian Church
graveyard (where many of the Parks family are buried), and two
surveyor's drawings of Parks property.
Folder 49. 1905, 1920, undated
Subseries 5.3. Genealogical/Historical Material
1950s-1960s. 16 items.
Typescript, manuscript, and photocopied material related to
the history and genealogy of the Parks family.
Folder 50-51.
Series 6. Volumes
1836-1915. 10 items.
Arrangement: chronological
Account books used by the Parks family in their business and
farming activities.
Volume 1. Mathematics text, The Federal Instructor (Jones-
borough, Tenn. ca. 1836), with blank pages used
by the Parks family as an account book.
2-3. Two account books, ca. 1863, used by John Parks
to record debts owed him, various business trans-
actions, and slave births.
4-5. Two small account books, used by John Parks
and/or William B. Parks to record debts, business
transactions, and various property sales.
1868, ca. 1871.
6. Account book used by John Parks and/or William B.
Parks to record farm transactions. ca. 1870s.
7-8. Two small account books, probably used by
William B. Parks, to record farm transactions.
1904.
9. Account book recording farm transactions of
William B. Parks. ca. 1908.
10. Account book recording road work done by the
Parks family. ca. 1915.
Series 7. Pictures
Ca. 1860, 1955. 4 items.
Black and white photographs relating to the Parks family.
P-4464/1. Roxanna Parks Bradford, ca. 1860.
/2. Peacock at "Uncle Gluyas," 1955.
/3-4a. Home of John L. Parks, 1955.
/4b. Cotton press owned by John L. Parks, ca. 1900.
SUBCOLLECTION 2. MCELRATH FAMILY
Series 1. Correspondence
1820-1969. About 141 items.
Arrangement: chronological
Correspondence of the McElrath family, with relatives,
friends, and business and legal contacts, including some letters
from members of the Parks family (folders 2, 4-6). Many of the
letters discuss religious activities, genealogy, and agriculture,
but most deal with routine family matters.
Notable items include correspondence from James McElrath, G.
P. Dodson, and W. P. Robinson, all three of whom oversaw the
working of a claim during the California gold rush from 1851 to
1852. The three North Carolinians sent letters to friends and
family back home, describing the daily life of those working the
claims and mentioning the use of slaves in the mines (see folders
2 and 13 and related financial items in folder 22). Another
notable letter, received by the McElraths from a relative in
Tennessee, mentions action taken to avert a slave insurrection in
1860 (folder 5).
Folder 1. 1820-1849
2. 1850-1852
3. 1853
4. 1854-1859
5. 1860-1869
6. 1870-1879
7. 1883-1887
8. 1888-1889
9. 1890-1894
10. 1895-1899
11. 1900-1905
12. 1905-1909
13. 1910-1969
Series 2. Financial and Legal Items
1777-1937. About 373 items.
Subseries 2.1. Deeds and Indentures
1779-1907. 24 items.
Deeds and indentures recording land transactions of various
members of the McElrath and related families.
Folder 14. 1779-1816
15. 1825-1907
Subseries 2.2. Slave Documents
1827-1857. 4 items.
Two bills of sale, a deed granting a slave to a physician
(probably in consideration of services), and a physician's bill
for a visit to one of the McElrath slaves.
Folder 16.
Subseries 2.3. Receipts and Other Financial and Legal Items
1777-1937. 345 items.
Receipts, promissory notes, and other items tracing the
business and farming activities of the McElraths and their
relatives. Notable items are a receipt for gold dust from the
Brindletown mine, Burke County, North Carolina, dated 24 April
1835, and items related to the McElraths gold prospecting
activities in California, including a record of the slaves' share
of the gold (folder 22).
Folder 17. 1777-1809
18. 1810-1819
19. 1820-1829
20. 1830-1839
21. 1840-1849
22. 1850-1859
23. 1860-1869
24. 1870-1879
25. 1880-1889
26. 1890-1899
27. 1900-1909
28. 1910-1937
Series 3. Writings
1870, undated. 7 items.
A cure, notes, and songs for a July 4 celebration; a
penmanship sample; and three articles by F. Emily Dobson, wife of
Robert Jackson McElrath.
Folder 29.
Series 4. Printed Material
1890-1969. 9 items.
Advertisements and other printed material, some of which
relates to the history of the McElrath and McDowell families.
Folder 30.
Series 5. Genealogical/Historical Items
1859-1984. 23 items.
Largely typescript and manuscript materials (some copies of
newspaper articles) tracing the history of the McElraths and
McDowells
Folder 31. 1859-1893
32. 1894-1984
Series 6. Volumes
1909. 1 item.
Account book recording work done by John McElrath and
including some genealogical information.
Series 7. Pictures
Ca. 1860, 1955. 14 items.
Photographs relating to the McElrath family.
P-4464/5. John McElrath as a railroad foreman, ca. 1900,
tintype.
/6. "Lewis, Step, and John" - John McElrath ?,
ca. 1900, tintype.
/7. Middle-aged woman, ca. 1900, tintype.
/8. Young woman, ca. 1900, tintype.
/9. Young woman, ca. 1900
/10. Young woman, ca. 1900
/11. Mrs. J. M. McElrath (?), ca. 1900, tintype.
/12. Young man and young woman, ca. 1900, tintype.
/13. "Katie Lewis, age 15 years", ca. 1900, tintype.
/14. Small girl, ca. 1900
/15. Middle-aged woman, ca. 1900
/16. "Miss Ruidie Bingham, Asheville", ca. 1900
/17. Young woman, ca. 1900
/18. World War I group photo. - U. S. Army, unit
unknown, individuals identified on verso,
ca. 1918
SHELF LIST
SUBCOLLECTION 1. PARKS FAMILY
Box 1. Series 1. (folders 1-11)
Series 2. (folders 12-40)
Series 3. (folder 41)
Series 4. (folders 42-47)
Series 5. (folders 48-51)
Box 2. Series 6. (vols. 1-10)
SUBCOLLECTION 2. MCELRATH FAMILY
Series 1. (folders 1-13)
Series 2. (folders 14-28)
Series 3. (folder 29)
Series 4. (folder 30)
Series 5. (folders 31-32)
Series 6. (vol. 1)
Items separated:
Series 7. Pictures (P-4464/1-18)
Oversize Papers (1 folder - OP-4464/1-18)