Manuscripts Department
Library of the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
SOUTHERN HISTORICAL COLLECTION
#4506
ALVARETTA KENAN REGISTER PAPERS
Inventory
Abstract: Alvaretta Kenan Register (1907-1985), social
worker and professional genealogist, of Norfolk, Va.
Correspondence, research materials,
photographs, and other items documenting the work of
Alvaretta Kenan Register, focusing on her work on The
Kenan Family (1967). Most items are copies or
compilations of family records, family correspondence,
or family photographs.
Online Catalog Terms:
Family--United States--Social life and customs.
Genealogists--Virginia.
Kenan Family--Genealogy.
Register, Alvaretta Kenan, 1907-1985.
Register, Alvaretta Kenan, 1907-1985. The Kenan family and
some allied families of the compiler and publisher.
Women genealogists.
Size: About 4000 items (3.5 linear feet)
Dates: 1700-1985.
Provenance: Received from J. Shields Kenan of Statesboro,
Georgia, in January 1988 and Julie Sikes in
December 1997.
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:
Introduction
Biographical Note
Collection Overview
Series Descriptions
Series 1. Genealogical Materials
Series 2. Personal Papers
Series 3. Clippings
Series 4. Volumes
Series 5. Pictures
Addition
INTRODUCTION
Biographical Note
Born in Statesboro, Ga., on 4 September 1907, Alvaretta Kenan
Register received her baccalaureate degree from George State
College for Women and her master's degree in social work from
Tulane University. Upon graduation, she was employed by the
Georgia State Welfare Department, where she organized USO
Travelers Aid at Fort Benning, Ga. She was subsequently
transferred to Norfolk, Va., to organize USO Travelers Aid for
naval personnel and their families. Quickly rising to
executive-level positions, she joined the staff of the Norfolk
Social Services Bureau and was commissioned to reorganize that
agency. She served as superintendent of the Social Service
Bureau of the Department of Public Welfare in Norfolk for
twenty-four years, retiring 1 March 1973.
In anticipation of her retirement, Register completed courses
of study at the American Institute of Genealogy Research and the
North Carolina Archives, qualifying her for certification in
genealogy.
Register's published works include The Kenan Family (1967),
One Branch of the Parrish Family of Bulloch County, Ga., and
Bulloch County, Georgia, Genealogical Source Material (1985).
She served as contributing editor of the Georgia Genealogical
Magazine.
In recognition of her professional work and community service,
Register received many regional, state, and local awards. She
was a life member of the National Society of Daughters of the
American Revolution, state president of the Georgia Society of
Colonial Dames of the XVII Century, and a member of the Daughters
of American Colonists, Magna Charta Dames, and Americans of Royal
Descent. She was active in Quota International and the Virginia
League of Local Public Welfare Executives.
Alvaretta Kenan Register died 22 April 1985.
(Source: Prefatory remarks to Everett/Everitt Family (1987), a
genealogical study by Alvaretta Kenan Register, published
posthumously by the estate of Alvaretta Kenan Register.)
Collection Overview
This collection contains both professional and personal papers
of Alvaretta Kenan Register. The bulk of the collection centers
around Register's work as a genealogist, particularly her work on
The Kenan Family, a genealogical study of her own family.
In addition to genealogical materials, there are a number of
items relating to Register's social work career and her personal
life.
The arrangement of the collection is as follows:
Series 1. Genealogical Materials
Subseries 1.1. Research Materials
Subseries 1.2. The Kenan Family
Series 2. Personal Papers
Series 3. Clippings
Series 4. Pictures
Series 5. Volumes
Addition of December 1997
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1. Genealogical Materials
Subseries 1.1. Research Materials
1770-1970. About 1500 items.
Arrangement: alphabetical by file title.
Documentation of the compilation of materials used for
genealogical research leading to the publication of The Kenan
Family. Included are records from archives in Raleigh, N.C.;
Atlanta, Ga.; and Washington, D.C. Also included are materials
from the Daughters of the American Revolution, court records, and
letters Register received in response to requests for specific
genealogical data.
Individual Kenan Ancestors
Folder 1 Graham-Kenan
2 Kenan, Annie Eunice
3 Kenan, Augustus Homes
4 Kenan, Daniel Lafayette
5 Kenan, Daniel LeRoy
6 Kenan, Daniel Love
7 Kenan, Elizabeth Fayette
8 Kenan, Felix
9-10 Kenan, (Colonel) James
11 Kenan, James
12 Kenan, James Shields
13 Kenan, Jennie Dupree
14 Kenan, Jessie Gregory
15 Kenan, John Addison Nathans
16 Kenan, Mary Lois
17 Kenan, Mattie Jane
18 Kenan, Michael Johnston
19 Kenan, Owen
20 Kenan, Robert G.
21 Kenan, Spalding
22 Kenan, Temperance
23 Kenan, Thomas and Elizabeth Johnston Kenan
24 Kenan, Thomas and Elizabeth Rand Kenan
25 Kenan, Thomas James
26 Kenan, Thomas Stephen I
27 Kenan, William
28 Kenan, William Rand
29 "Incidents by the Way"
30 Kennan, Thomas Lathrop
General Kenan Material
31 Blacks with Kenan name
32-34 Blank family letters, 1833-1903 (carbon copies of
typescripts)
35 Kenan as a given name
36 Kennon family of Virginia
37 Miscellaneous ancestors
38 Records from Scotland
39 Unidentified ancestors
Subseries 1.2. The Kenan Family
1850-1975. About 700 items.
Arrangement: alphabetical by file title.
General background information and publication data related to
The Kenan Family, a genealogical study by Alvaretta Kenan
Register, published by James Shields Kenan II in 1967. Folder
titles are chiefly those assigned by Register.
Folder 40 Additions not recorded
41 Book reviews
42 Census, 1880
43 Church records
44 Corrections on Johnstone
45 Corrections submitted and made
46 Correspondence
47 Deeds/county records
48 Financial statement
49 Gifts, Kenan Family
50 Letters of commendation
51 Marriage and death records
52-53 Miscellaneous notes and records
54 New data/corrections/guide sheet
Series 2. Personal Papers
1940-1985. About 1250 items.
Arrangement: alphabetical by file title.
Materials of a more personal nature, including correspondence
with family members and items related to Register's professional
career and domestic life.
Folder 55 Academic and miscellaneous clubs
56 American Association of Social Workers
57 Certificates and awards
Correspondence
58-60 General, 1960-1984 and undated
61-62 Immediate Family, 1966-1972
63 Kenan, Anna Potter, 1971-1973
64 Kenan, James Wilder, 1967-1969
65 Kenan, Patrick, 1963-1967
66 Kenan, Rebahah L., 1965-1969
67 Kenan, Richard and Sinclair, 1965-1969
68-69 Kenan, Robert G., 1958-1985 and undated
70 Kenan, Sharon Ann (Flip) and Skeebo, 1971-1972
71 Kenan, Thomas S., III, 1966-1981
72 Service Award commendations
73 Scott, Blanchard Killis, 1964-1968
74 Courtship and wedding
75 Job transfers/applications
76 Kenan professorship
77-78 Kenansville/Duplin County
79 Liberty Hall restoration
80 National Travelers Aid Association, 1943-1949
81 Quota Club, 1952-1960
82 Work experience
Series 3. Clippings
1950-1985. About 550 items.
Newspaper clippings on a variety of topics, including
Register, Liberty Hall in Kenansville, North Carolina, and
activities of other Kenan family members.
Folder 83 Register, Alvaretta Kenan
84-85 Liberty Hall
86-90 Kenan family activities
Series 4. Volumes
Volume 1 Register, Alvaretta Kenan. The Kenan Family and Some
Allied Families of the Compiler and Publisher.
Statesboro, Georgia: James Shields Kenan II, 1967.
Series 5. Pictures
Pictures have been divided into two groups: (1) P-4506/1-29,
general photographs, chiefly of Register and other family
members; and (2) P-4506/30-57, originals of plates included in
The Kenan Family.
P-4506/1-6 Register, Alvaretta Kenan, undated
/7 As a child, undated
/8 27 August 1941
/9 May 1963
/10 4 September 1982
/11 With Elisa Kenan, 4 September 1982
/12 With Elise Richardson Kenan (Mrs. James Shields Kenan),
4 September 1982
/13 With Jennifer Kenan, 4 September 1982
/14 With Jennifer, Elisa and Mrs. (Lanier) Kenan, 4
September 1982
/15 With James Shields Kenan II, 4 September 1982
/16-17 Brannen, Alvaretta Rebecca Gertrude, (Mrs. William C.
Hedleston), undated
/18 Engraving, bust of unknown man, undated
/19 Kenan, Daniel Lafayette, undated
/20-22 Kenan, James (d. 1810), gravestone Sampson-Duplin
County, N.C., undated
/23-25 Kenan, James Shields, undated
/26 Kenan, John Addison, undated
/27 Kenan, Michael, (d. 1799), gravestone, undated
/28 Liberty Hall, May 1963
/29 Thompson, Ivan C., III, February 1960
/30 Kenan coat of arms (iii) [Numbers in parentheses are
page numbers in The Kenan Family]
/31 Grove Church, 1963 (7)
/32-33 Kenansville sign (7 and 11)
/34 James Kenan High School (13)
/35 Kenan Place (15)
/36 Old Philadelphia Presbyterian Church (20)
/37 Kenan, Owen Rand (22)
/38 Kenan, Daniel Lafayette and Mariba Ann Gregory (28)
/39 Kenan, Daniel Lafayette (29)
/40 43rd Regiment (31)
/41 Kenan, James Graham (32)
/42 Kenan, William Kinbro (36)
/43 Kenan, Rebehah McGehoe (36)
/44 Gibson, Julia Kenan (37)
/45 Kenan, James Gregory (40)
/46 Loving, Mrs. Oliver (Mary Lois Kenan) (41)
/47 Ramsey, Mrs. George (43)
/48 Kenan, James Shields, Sr. (45)
/49 Kenan, Owen Hill (46)
/50 Flagler, Mary Lily Kenan, 1901 (48)
/51 Flagler, Henry Morrison (49)
/52 Kenan, William Rand, Jr. (53)
/53 Fleming, Emily Gibson (57)
/54 Harville, Julia Gibson (58)
/55 Womach, Carolina Booth (59)
/56 Kenan, Nil (61)
/57 Register, Alvaretta Kenan, 1961 (66)
ADDITION OF DECEMBER 1997 (Acc. 98003)
Size: About 250 items (0.5 linear feet).
Dates: 1950-1985.
Provenance: Received from Julie Sikes on 15 December 1997.
Access: No restrictions.
Description: Papers of Alvaretta Kenan Register including
awards and certificates, scrapbooks, genealogical
work and personal papers.
Box 3 Folder 91 Awards and Certificates. Awards from Who’s Who
organizations, Quota International,
Civitan Public Service, Virginia Council
on Social Welfare and the Magna Carta
Dames.
Folder 92 College Scrapbook. Scrapbook containing news
clippings, invitations, commendations, cards and
memorabilia from clubs.
Folder 93 Employment Scrapbook. Scrapbook containing history
of accomplishments, memorabilia from work on
traveler’s aid society and the Virginia
department of welfare.
Folder 94 Genealogical Work. Transcripts of speeches,
correspondence, card catalogue files and
announcement of book signings related to work on
Kenan family genealogy book.
Folder 95 Personal Papers. Insurance records, employment
records, Christmas card lists, will, posthumous
letters about will.
Folder 96 Newspaper Clippings. Clippings recording Register’s
accomplishments as writer, club leader, civic leader
and philanthropic involvement.
P-4506 Photographs of club activities and family events.