Manuscripts Department
Library of the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
SOUTHERN HISTORICAL COLLECTION
#3805
DARLEY HIDEN RAMSEY PAPERS
Inventory
Abstract: Darley Hiden Ramsey of Asheville, N.C., was a
newspaper editor, public speaker, city and state
official, member of educational boards, writer, and
sportsman.
Correspondence, speeches, and writings of Ramsey,
including more than 200 manuscript speeches on a wide
variety of subjects and occasions and 30 essays and
articles on public issues and events. Correspondence
is with politicians, businessmen, educators, writers,
and conservationists concerning the North Carolina
Democratic Party and the civic life, economic
development, and history of the North Carolina
mountain region. Correspondents included Emily
Bridgers, Oliver Max Gardner, Josiah William Bailey,
Clyde Roark Hoey, Robert F. Campbell, John Temple
Graves, Richard Heath Dabney, Virginius Dabney, Hoyt
M. Dobbs, Josephus Daniels, Jonathan Daniels, Josh L.
Horne, Glenn Tucker, and Wilma Dykeman. The bulk of
the papers are 1940-1965, although speeches date back
to 1912. Also included are materials pertaining to
the Asheville municipal government in the early 20th
century, personal recollections concerning Thomas
Wolfe and Woodrow Wilson, and information on the death
of Elisha Mitchell.
Online Catalog Terms:
Appalachian Region, Southern--History.
Asheville (N.C.)--Politics and government--20th century.
Bailey, Josiah William, 1873-1946.
Bridgers, Emily.
Campbell, Robert F. (Robert Fishburne), b. 1858.
Dabney, Richard Heath, 1860-1927.
Dabney, Virginius, 1901-.
Daniels, Jonathan, 1902-.
Daniels, Josephus, 1862-1948.
Democratic Party (N.C.)--History.
Dobbs, Hoyt M.
Dykeman, Wilma.
Gardner, Oliver Max, 1882-1947.
Graves, John Temple, 1856-1925.
Hoey, Clyde Roark, 1877-1954.
Horne, Joshua Lawrence, 1887-1974.
Journalists--North Carolina--Political activity.
Mitchell, Elisha.
North Carolina--Politics and government--20th century.
North Carolina--Social conditions--20th century.
Ramsey, D. Hiden, 1892-1966.
Speeches, addresses, etc., American.
Tucker, Glenn Irving, 1892-.
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924.
Wolfe, Thomas, 1900-1928.
Size: About 7,200 items (9.5 linear feet).
Provenance: Received from Mrs. D. Hiden Ramsey of Asheville,
N.C., in April 1968.
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:
Introduction
Biographical Note
Collection Overview
Series Descriptions
Series 1. Correspondence
Series 2. Writings
Series 3. Other Papers
Series 4. Clippings
Series 5. Volumes
Series 6. Pictures
Shelf List
INTRODUCTION
Biographical Note
Darley Hiden Ramsey, son of Simeon Clay and Lucy (Pinckard)
Ramsey, was born in Gretna, Va., in 1891. In 1903, his family
moved to Asheville, N.C., to the same neighborhood as Thomas
Wolfe. Ramsey received two degrees from the University of
Virginia, an A.B. (1912) and an M.A. (1913) in economics. He
also pursued a year of doctoral studies as Supply Professor of
Economics.
In 1915, Ramsey was elected Commissioner of Public Safety of
Asheville and served a year in the same capacity in Winston-Salem
after his term expired in 1919. In 1920, he joined the Asheville
press as associate editor of the Citizen, and was successively
editor of the Asheville Times, 1921-1926; general manager of the
Times, 1926-1930; and general manager of the Citizen-Times
Company, 1930-1954.
Ramsey was actively connected with public education during
most of his career. He served as chairman of the board of
trustees of Western Carolina College; a member of the State Board
of Education, 1945-1953; and on the first Board of Higher
Education, 1955-1960. Among other civic posts he held were
president of the North Carolina Conference for Social Service,
1923-1924; chairman of the State Planning Board, 1944-1945;
president of the North Carolina Press Association and director of
the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association; chairman of the
Buncombe County Sinking Fund Commission, the clean-up operation
in the wake of the Asheville-Buncombe County financial default;
treasurer of the School of Journalism Foundation of North
Carolina, 1949-1953; director of the North Carolina Forestry
Association; and director of the James G. K. McClure Education
and Development Fund (Farmers Federation Fund), which engaged in
health, educational, and religious philanthropies in Western
North Carolina.
Ramsey was often urged by his correspondents and by editors in
the state press to become a candidate for governor. He never
sought public office after 1919, but was influential in the state
Democratic Party through keynote addresses, writing party
platforms, and campaigning for governors. He was a presidential
elector in 1940 and 1960.
Ramsey was much in demand as a speaker for commencements,
elections campaigns, radio broadcasts, memorials, dedications,
and other civic occasions. Besides editorials, he frequently
wrote magazine articles on journalism, education, conservation,
Western North Carolina history, and other topics.
Ramsey married Mary Sumner in 1926. He was made Doctor of
Laws by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and
Doctor of Letters by Western Carolina College.
Collection Overview
The collection consists primarily of correspondence, both to
and from Ramsey, and speeches between the years 1940 and 1965.
Correspondence includes many letters relating to organizational
affiliations. Speeches include addresses for commencements,
campaigns, and political and civic occasions. Papers from the
Board of Education, the Board of Higher Education, and the
Foundation of Journalism are separated into different series.
Subject files include papers other than correspondence that touch
on many of the subjects discussed in letters. Clippings include
articles by and about Ramsey.
The collection is arranged as follows:
Series 1. Correspondence
Series 2. Writings
Subseries 2.1. Speeches
Subseries 2.2. Articles
Series 3. Other Papers
Subseries 3.1. Education
Subseries 3.2. Journalism
Subseries 3.3. Subject Files
Series 4. Clippings
Series 5. Volumes
Series 6. Pictures
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1. Correspondence
1914-1966. About 3,200 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Personal, business, and political correspondence often
relating to the many positions he held throughout his career in
journalism and politics. Political and business correspondents
include Emily Bridgers, Oliver Max Gardner, Josiah William
Bailey, Clyde Roark Hoey, Robert F. Campbell, John Temple Graves,
Richard Heath Dabney, Virginius Dabney, Hoyt M. Dobbs, Josephus
Daniels, Jonathan Daniels, Josh L. Horne, Glenn Tucker, and WIlma
Dykeman. Personal correspondence is mainly with friends with
whom Ramsey went fishing and hunting yearly.
Some letters deal with projects on the preservation of
monuments in Western North Carolina; mounting a portrait of Frank
Graham; and scholarship programs, such as Rhodes and Markle. In
1935, Ramsey corresponded with Emily Norfleet and discussed his
childhood memories of his neighbor, Thomas Wolfe. From 1939 to
1946, Ramsey received lengthy letters from Edward Astley
describing World War II and its repercussions in England. In
1954, Ramsey helped to nominate Reuben B. Robertson for an award
on forest conservation. Race relations are discussed primarily
from 1942 to 1949.
Folder 1 1914-1916
2 1917-August 1918
3 September 1918-1919
4 1935-1936
5 1937-1939
1940
6 January-June
7 July-December
1941
8 January-May
9 June-December
1942
10 February-September
11 October-December
1943
12 January-March
13 April-August
14 September-December
1944
15 January-March
16 April
17 May
18 June-August
19 September-October
20 November-December
21 Undated
1945
22 January-February
23 March-May
24 June-August
25 September-15 October
26 16 October-December
1946
27 January-February
28 March
29 April
30 May
31 June-August
32 September-October
33 November
34 December
1947
35 January-February
36 March-June
37 July-August
38 September
39 October-December
1948
40 January-March
41 April-May
42 June-August
43 September-November
44 December
1949
45 January
46 February
47 March
48 April
49 May-June
50 July-August
51 September
52 October
53 November-December
1950
54 January-March
55 April
56 1-15 May
57 16-20 May
58 22-30 May
59 June
60 July
61 August-September
62 October-December
63 1951
1952
64 January-June
65 July-December
1953
66 January-April
67 May-June
68 July-August
69 September-December
1954
70 January-March
71 April-14 May
72 16 May-15 June
73 16 June-July
74 August-September
75 October
76 November
77 December
1955
78 January-March
79 April-June
80 July
81 1-24 August
82 25-30 August
83 1-15 September
84 16 September-October
85 November
86 December
1956
87 January
88 February
89 March
90 April
91 May
92 June
93 July
94 August-September
95 October-December
1957
96 January-February
97 March
98 April
99 May
100 June
101 July
102 August-October
103 November-December
1958
104 January-February
105 March
106 April-May
107 June
108 July-September
109 October-December
1959
110 January-June
111 July-October
112 November-December
1960
113 January-February
114 March
115 April
116 May
117 June
118 July-August
119 September
120 October
121 November
122 December
123 Undated
1961
124 January-February
125 March-May
126 June-July
127 August-October
128 November-December
1962
129 January-February
130 March-April
131 June-December
1963
132 January-April
133 May-June
134 July-August
135 September-20 October
136 21 October-December
1964
137 January-September
138 October
139 November-December
1965
140 January-April
141 May-July
142 August-September
143 October-December
144 1966
145 Undated
Series 2. Writings
1912-1965. About 1,600 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Speeches and articles written by Ramsey. A few speeches were
apparently written for other people. Most speeches and articles
are typewritten, but some are in note form. Miscellaneous notes
for speeches or articles are filed at the end of articles series.
Subseries 2.1. Speeches
1912-1965. About 1,300 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Speeches by Ramsey on the newspaper business, politics,
education, political leaders, and other topics. Some of the
speeches were for delivery at memorial occasions and
commencements.
Folder 146 1912
147 1913-1914
148 1915-1916
149 1922-1929
150 1930-1936
151 1939-1941
152 1942
153 1943
1944
154 January-May
155 July-December
156 1945-1946
157 1947
158 1948
159 1949
1950
160 January-May
161 5 June
162 July-December
163 1951
164 1953
165 1954
166 1955
167 8 November
1956
168 January-February
169 21 January
170 April
171 18-19 May
172 20 May
173 28 May
174 June-July
175 October-November
1957
176 28-29 May
177 9 June
178 27 June
1958
179 26 May
180 2 June
181 10 June
182 5 October
183 1960-1962
184-187 Undated
Subseries 2.2. Articles
1910-1965. About 300 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Articles and writings by D. Hiden Ramsey; some may originally
have been intended as articles for the Asheville Citizen or other
publications or as speeches. Included are notes in preparation
for articles and speeches, many fragmentary.
Folder 188 1910-1911
189 1914-1939
190 1940-1949
191 1950-1959
192 1960-1965
193 Undated, City Article
194 Undated, Mexico Article
195 Notes
Series 3. Other Papers
1948-1965. About 1,600 items.
Correspondence and other materials pertaining to Ramsey's
positions on the Board of Education, the North Carolina Board of
Higher Education, and the School of Journalism Foundation.
Subject files include papers on other organizations with which
Ramsey was affiliated.
Subseries 3.1. Education
1948-1966. About 800 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Correspondence and other papers, primarily reports and tables,
concerning Ramsey's position on the Board of Education, 1948-
1966, and the North Carolina Board of Higher Learning. The two
main topics are the State Insurance Fund and adequate housing for
college students. Some material pertains to integration and
other problems of education in North Carolina and the South.
Folder 196 1948
1949
197 January
198 February
199 March-April
200 May-July
201 August-December
1950
202 January-July
203 August-December
204 1951
205 1952
206 1953
207 1954
208 1956
1957
209 January-November
210 December
1958
211 January-February
212 March-December
213 1959
214 1960
215 1961
1962
216 January-March
217 April-May
218 June-December
219 1963-1966
220 Undated
Subseries 3.2. Journalism
1949-1953. About 250 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Letters, financial materials, and other business papers of the
School of Journalism Foundation of North Carolina, Inc. Ramsey
served as treasurer of the Foundation from 1949 until 1953.
During that time, he handled the finances of the Foundation,
including donations.
1949
Folder 221 October-December
1950
222 January-July
223 August-December
224 1951
1952
225 January-July
226 August-December
1953
227 January-February
Subseries 3.3. Subject Files
1930-1965. About 550 items.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Reports and other information pertaining to various topics and
organizations of interests to Ramsey. The "Historical Letters
and Information" file includes copies of a letter by Zebulon
Vance, information about Vance's death, and an account of finding
the body of University of North Carolina professor Elisha
Mitchell.
Folder 228-9 Awards and Certificates
230 Bermuda Vacation, 1955
231 Cherry Campaign, 1944
232 Dedication of D. Hiden Ramsey Library, 1965
233 Historical Letters and Information
234 Invitations and Programs
235 Legal Papers
236 Lord's Acre Project
237 Markle Scholars
238 McClure Education and Development Fund
239 Press Releases
240 Rhodes Scholarship
241-2 Smith-Graham Primaries, 1950
243 Speeches (not by Ramsey)
244 1942-1944 State Democratic Convention
245 1946-1952 State Democratic Convention
246 State Revenue Reports, 1950-1951
247 Other Papers
Series 4. Clippings
1911-1966. About 800 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Mainly newspaper clippings of editorials by Ramsey or articles
about Ramsey.
Folder 248 1911-1915
249 1916-1919
250 1919-1921
251 1920-1929
252 1930-1939
253-254 1940
255 1940-1943
256 1944-1946
257 1947-1948
258 1950
259 1950-1952
260 1953-1955
261-262 1954 retirement clippings
263 1956
264 1957
265 1958-1959
266 1960-1963
267 1964
268 1965
269 1966 obituary
270 Undated
271 Magazine clippings
Series 5. Volumes
1911-1940. 6 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Primarily scrapbooks of newspaper clippings about Ramsey.
Folder 272 Volume 1: 1911-1915, 27 pp. "Vanity Book" of
newspaper clippings, mainly concerning Ramsey's
activities at the University of Virginia.
Folder 273 Volume S-2: 1915-1917, 50 pp. Scrapbook of
newspaper clippings concerning Ramsey's position
as Commissioner of Public Safety.
Folder 274 Volume 3: 1916-1917, 200 pp. Bound volume of
notes for a lecture series on American government
by Ramsey.
Folder 275 Volume 4: 1919-1921, 62 pp. Scrapbook of
newspaper clippings of Ramsey.
Folder 276 Volume 5: 1926-1927, 14 pp. Scrapbook of
newspaper clippings of Ramsey.
Folder 277 Volume 6: 1935-1940, 75 pp. Financial record
book with reports, accounts, and figures
concerning the Asheville-Buncombe Sinking Fund.
Series 6. Pictures
1963-1965. 18 items.
P-3805/1 Photograph of Alfred E. Smith.
P-3805/2-5 Photographs of D. Hiden Ramsey with groups of
people.
P-3805/6-10 Photographs of groups of people associated with
the Cradle of Forestry in America, 1963.
P-3805/11-17 Photographs of the Laurence Ellis Mansfield
Library at the Oriskany Club, Canada, ca. 1961.
P-3805/18 Picture of mural "Industrial Awakening."
SHELF LIST
Box 1 Series 1. Correspondence (folders 1-19)
Box 2 Series 1. Correspondence (folders 20-39)
Box 3 Series 1. Correspondence (folders 40-62)
Box 4 Series 1. Correspondence (folders 63-77)
Box 5 Series 1. Correspondence (folders 78-93)
Box 6 Series 1. Correspondence (folders 94-110)
Box 7 Series 1. Correspondence (folders 111-126)
Box 8 Series 1. Correspondence (folders 127-145)
Series 2. Writings
Box 9 Subseries 2.1. Speeches (folders 146-157)
Box 10 Subseries 2.1. Speeches (folders 158-171)
Box 11 Subseries 2.1. Speeches (folders 172-185)
Box 12 Subseries 2.1. Speeches (folders 186-187)
Subseries 2.2. Articles (folders 188-195)
Series 3. Other Papers
Box 13 Subseries 3.1. Education (folders 196-208)
Box 14 Subseries 3.1. Education (folders 209-220)
Box 15 Subseries 3.2. Journalism (folders 221-227)
Subseries 3.3. Subject Files (folders 228-237)
Box 16 Subseries 3.3. Subject Files (folders 238-247)
Series 4. Clippings (folders 248-249)
Box 17 Series 4. Clippings (folders 250-258)
Box 18 Series 4. Clippings (folders 259-271)
Series 5. Volumes (folders 272-273)
Box 19 Series 5. Volumes (folders 274-277)
Items separated:
OP-3805/S-2
P-3805/1-18