Inventory of the Matt W. Ransom Papers, 1845-1914
Collection Number 2615
Manuscripts Department, University 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/
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Descriptive Summary
- Repository
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection.
- Creator
- Ransom, Matt W. (Matt Whitaker), 1826-1904.
- Title
- Matt W. Ransom Papers, 1845-1914 (bulk 1868-1904).
- Call Number
- 2615
- Language of Materials
- Materials in English
- Extent
- About 26,000 items (32.5 linear feet).
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Administrative Information
- Additional Descriptive Resources
- A more complete finding aid for this collection is available at the Southern Historical Collection.
- Preferred Citation
- [Identification of item], in the Matt W. Ransom Papers, #2615, Southern Historical Collection, The 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.
- Agriculture and politics--Southern States--History--19th century.
- Agriculture--North Carolina--History--19th century.
- Cotton growing--North Carolina--History--19th century.
- Democratic Party (N.C.)--History--19th century.
- Mexico--Foreign relations--United States.
- North Carolina--Politics and government--1865-1950.
- Ransom, Matt W. (Matt Whitaker), 1826-1904.
- Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877)--North Carolina.
- Silver question--Southern States.
- Southern States--Economic conditions.
- Swepson, George William, 1811-1883.
- Tariff--United States--History--19th century.
- United States--Foreign relations--Mexico.
- United States--Race relations--History--19th century.
- United States. Congress--Constituent communication--History--19th century.
- Women--Suffrage--United States--History--19th century.
Biographical Note
Lawyer, planter, state official, Confederate general, Redeemer, Democratic United States senator from North Carolina, 1872-1895, and minister to Mexico, 1895-1897.
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Correspondence, chiefly 1868-1904, relating to the political, economic, and racial aspects of Reconstruction in North Carolina, particularly the machinations of George William Swepson; to Ransom's plantations in northeastern North Carolina, particularly in regard to cotton marketing and labor; to national and state party politics, 1868- 1904; and to his diplomatic service in Mexico. Much of the collection is Ransom's papers as a senator, including correspondence with politicians and constituents covering most of the major issues of the time: race relations; federal actions affecting southern agriculture and industry, including the tariff, the silver question, and agrarian unrest; women's suffrage; and many others. Also included are papers relating to a variety of family and business concerns. Material on Ransom's Civil War career and the first three years of Reconstruction is relatively slight and there is nothing about his prewar political career.