Guide to Collection 196. Mildred McDowell Jones Papers, 1874-1988

Guide to Collection 196. Mildred McDowell Jones Papers, 1874-1988

Descriptive Summary
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
Copyright Notice
Preferred Citation
Acquisitions Information
Processing Information
Biographical Note
Online Catalog Headings
Container List
 Appalachian State University
© 2005 Appalachian State University. All Rights Reserved.

Contact Information:

Special Collections
Carol G. Belk Library and Information Commons
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina
28608 USA
Phone: (828) 262-4041
Fax: (828) 262-2553
Email: spcoll@appstate.edu
URL: http://www.library.appstate.edu/appcoll

Descriptive Summary

Repository: Appalachian State University W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection
Creator: Mildred McDowell Jones
Title: Mildred McDowell Jones Papers, 1874-1988
Language of Material: Material in English
Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult Appalachian State University.
Abstract: Mildred McDowell Jones, a resident of Caldwell County, North Carolina, and descendant of prominent families of the area, is best known for her leadership in the restoration of Fort Defiance, the home of General William Lenoir and his descendants.
Special historical interests were the American Revolutionary and Civil War periods.
Extent: 1 linear foot, 2 archival boxes

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Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

An appointment for research is required. No restrictions to access. No Interlibrary Loan.


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Copyright Notice

Standard federal copyright laws apply.


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Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Collection 196. Mildred McDowell Jones Papers, W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina, NC, USA.


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Acquisitions Information

Provenance is unknown. The accession number was MJM. This collection was opened to the public on 22 May 2003.


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Processing Information

Processed by Deborah Bell, 1994, and Kathryn Staley, 2003

Encoded by Kathryn Staley and Rachel Critzer, January 2005


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Biographical Note

Mildred McDowell Jones, (1905-1993) a resident of Caldwell County, North Carolina, and descendant of prominent families of the area, is best known for her leadership in the restoration of Fort Defiance, the home of General William Lenoir and his descendants. Her parents were Frank and Ella Lee Jones McDowell. She was raised in her father's home town of Morganton, North Carolina and regularly visited her mother's Happy Valley ancestral home. She was also interested in the history, architecture and genealogy of western North Carolina and wrote a column, "Happy Valley Views," which appeared in the Granite Falls Press and in the Caldwell Courier. She received keys of Lenoir and Ft. Defiance. Special historical interests were the American Revolutionary and Civil War periods. She was a member of the Episcopal Church.


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Online Catalog Headings

Appalachian Region, Southern -- Genealogy
Caldwell County Genealogical Society
Episcopal Church -- North Carolina
Ervin, Sam J. (Sam James), 1896-1985
Fort Defiance (Caldwell County, N.C.)
Fort Defiance, Inc
Jones family
Jones, Mildred McDowell, 1905-1993
Lenoir family
Lenoir, Walter Waightstill
Lenoir, William, b. ca. 1751
McDowell family
North Carolina -- Genealogy

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Container List

196A. Mildred McDowell Jones Papers. Mildred McDowell Jones Series. (1972-1988)
Audiotapes Subseries: contains two audio-cassettes of a February 29, 1988 interview with Mildred Jones. The interviewer is unknown. Side 1 of Tape 1: Fort Defiance restoration. Side 2 of Tape 1: Biographical information. Discusses old Happy Valley plantation homes locations and when they were destroyed. Side 1 of Tape 2: Fort Defiance's "Bed Controversy".
By Mildred McDowell Jones Subseries: contains photocopies of Mildred Jones' column "Happy Valley Views", original order. Caldwell Courier and the Granite Falls Press published her column in the 1970s and the 1980s. Jones' column consisted of historical reminisces of the Happy Valley section of Caldwell County, North Carolina and contemporary local events.
About Mildred McDowell Jones Subseries: contains five photocopied newspapers about Mildred Jones, original order. Discussion of Jones' Fort Defiance restoration activities and interest in the Battle of Kings Mountain is the focus of the articles. Only scant biographical information is included. Enclosed are many black and white photographs of Jones.
Subseries Audiotapes
Box
1 Audiotapes
Box
2 Two audio-cassettes
Subseries By Mildred McDowell Jones
Box Folder
1 1 "Happy Valley Views"
Other Writings
Subseries About Mildred McDowell Jones
Box Folder
1 1 Newspaper clippings
196B. Mildred McDowell Jones Papers. Fort Defiance and Restoration Series. (1964-1984, n.d.)
Newspapers and Newsletters Subseries: contains photocopied newspapers about the restoration of Fort Defiance, original order. Includes many black and white photographs of houses. Articles contain information about Fort Defiance's history as well as contemporary grant development, benefit dinners, and donations for restoration.
Correspondence Subseries: contains correspondence regarding the restoration of Fort Defiance, alphabetical order. Much of the correspondence relates to the North Carolina Department of Archives and History's participation in Fort Defiance's restoration. The letters provide additional information about Fort Defiance's development. Also contains the agendas and minutes of Fort Defiance, Inc.
Other Materials on Fort Defiance Subseries: contains photographs of Fort Defiance, booklets, brochures and one paper silhouette of William Lenoir, original order. Also includes Volume 1, Issue 1 of Sweet Bess, a Caldwell County oral history magazine produced by Lenoir High School cultural studies students in the mid-1970s. This issue includes an interview with Margaret Harper about General William Lenoir.
Subseries Newspapers and Newsletters
Box Folder
1 1 Newspaper clippings
Subseries Correspondence
Box Folder
1 1 Letters
2 Letters
Subseries Other Materials on Fort Defiance
Box Folder
1 2 Official Business
3 Official Business
Other
196C. Mildred McDowell Jones Papers. Western North Carolina Series. (1949-1985, n.d.)
Buncombe County Subseries: contains a black and white photograph of Jeb Vance's home.
Caldwell County Subseries: contains a map of Caldwell County, North Carolina, a newspaper article about Caldwell Arts Council, a 1949 copy of The Hypodermic, and photocopies of various newspaper articles, original order. Newspapers articles from The Lenoir News-Topic and The Caldwell Informer were noted and removed.
McDowell County Subseries: contains a note card from the Carson House of McDowell County and a brochure of the McDowell House.
Subseries Buncombe County
Box Folder
1 3 Photograph of Vance home place
Subseries Caldwell County
Box Folder
1 3 Maps
4 Maps
Newspapers and Clippings
Other
Subseries McDowell County
Box Folder
1 4 Note paper and brochure
196D. Mildred McDowell Jones Papers. Revolutionary and Civil War History Series. (1975-1987, n.d.)
Revolutionary War Subseries: contains programs for the 1976-1984
Civil War Subseries: contains a scrapbook, an incomplete 1985-1987 run of
Subseries Revolutionary War
Box Folder
1 4 Programs of Commemorative Services
Newspapers and Clippings
Other
Subseries Civil War
Box Folder
1 4 Scrapbook
5 Scrapbook
6 Scrapbook
7 Scrapbook
Company Front
North Carolina Confederate Monuments, Gettysburg
Other
196E. Mildred McDowell Jones Papers. Genealogy Series. (1872-1987, n.d.)
Newsletter of Caldwell County Genealogical Society Subseries: contains the incomplete run of 1982-1987 issues of Caldwell County Genealogical Society newsletters, chronological order. The newsletter includes officer information, book lists, calendar of events, membership lists, transcribed primary sources, queries, illustrations, and historical pieces.
Families Subseries: contains contemporary correspondence, historical
Subseries Newsletter of Caldwell County Genealogical Society
Box Folder
1 7 Newsletter Issues, 1982-1987
8 Newsletter Issues, 1982-1987
9 Newsletter Issues, 1982-1987
10 Newsletter Issues, 1982-1987
Subseries Families
Box Folder
1 11 Cilley Family
12 Cilley Family
Dula Family
Erwin Family
Isbell Family
Jones Family
McDowell Family
Lenoir Family
Other
196F. Mildred McDowell Jones Papers. Episcopal Church Series. (1929-1985, n.d.)
Photographs Subseries: contains color photographs of an unidentified church.
Correspondence Subseries: contains one 1976 thank you note to Mildred Jones from William Weinhauer, the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina.
Clippings and Newsletters Subseries: contains newspaper articles and a newsletter from Lenoir's Saint James Episcopal Church. Issues of The Episcopalian were noted and removed.
Other Subseries: contains miscellaneous information. Included are In Concert George Hamilton IV program from a July 14, 1985 concert at St. Mary's Church in Ashe County, North Carolina, an obituary for Margaret Harper, and a flier regarding church contributions.
Subseries Photographs
Box Folder
1 12 Two photographs
Subseries Correspondence
Box Folder
1 12 1976 letter
Subseries Clippings and Newsletters
Box Folder
1 12 The Episcopalian, July, 1974. 23 pp.
Clark, Larry. "Patterson Board Votes to Dismiss School Headmaster," Lenoir News-Topic, May 1, 1976. (Patterson is an Episcopal school.) Pp. 1-2 and 11-12 of newspaper included.
Kilpatrick, James J. "Changes Spoil Prayer Book," Lenoir News-Topic, August 27, 1929.
Subseries Other
Box Folder
1 12 Booklet and certificate
196G. Mildred McDowell Jones Papers. Other Material Series. (1923-1987, n.d.)
Correspondence and Cards Subseries: contains cards, correspondence, and an invitation to the North Carolina awards, original order.
Newspaper Clippings Subseries: contains newspaper articles about various personalities, original order. These individuals are Senator Sam J. Ervin, Jr., Tom Ferguson, Katheryn Kortheuer, Andrew Schorr, and historians John and Ina Van Noppen.
Other Printed Material Subseries: contains a brochure, a map, and the March 1971 and March 1968 issues of Carolina Comments, original order. The brochure is entitled "Innovations in Clay: Catawba Valley Pottery". The 1930 U.S. Coast and Geodatic Survey Shoreline Map entitled "Cape May to Cape Hatteras" is 36 inches x 47 inches.
Typed and Handwritten Materials Subseries: contains 1954 Craft Workshop Western District at N.C. State College, Daniel M. Henderson's handwritten poem, "I Have A Boy", and the circa 1984 resume of William T. Alexander.
Subseries Correspondence and Cards
Box Folder
1 12 Christmas card, Mildred McDowell Jones from Blackstone Home Demonstration Club, date unknown.
13 Christmas card, Mildred McDowell Jones from Blackstone Home Demonstration Club, date unknown.
Christmas card, Mildred Jones from "William and Ruby." date unknown.
Get-well card, Mildred Jones from Blackstone Home Demonstration Club, date unknown.
Hand-made Valentine card, Mildred Jones from South Caldwell High School Art Club, date unknown.
Letter, Mildred Jones and others from Sue N. Beaver, County Home Economics Agent, November 7, 1961. Carbon of typescript.
Letter, Mildred Jones from Mildred Fossett, June 15, 1977. Original, typescript.
Letter, Mildred (Jones) from Margaret (Harper?), November 12, 1978. Original, handwritten, ink.
Note, Mildred Jones from Sam J. Ervin, Jr., December 18, 1981. Original, typescript.
Invitation, Mrs. Jones from Governor and Mrs. James B. Hunt, to awards dinner of North Carolina Dept. of Cultural Resources, postmarked September 30, 1983. Reply card and envelope included.
Request for contribution, Mildred Jones from Ronald Reagan and National Republican Congressional Committee, dated May 4, 1984. Reply card and envelope included.
Mrs. Jones from J. Myrick Howard, executive director, Historic Preservation Foundation of North Carolina, Inc., June 11, 1986. Membership card included.
Note, "Mildred" from Pat (Gwyn Woltz), February 18, 1987. Written on note card designed by Mrs. Woltz. Original, handwritten, ink.
Frank C. McDowell from J. F. Cannon, January 3, 1923. Original, typescript.
Subseries Newspaper Clippings
Box Folder
1 13 People: a. Senator Sam J. Ervin, Jr., b. Tom Ferguson, c. Katheryn Kortheuer, d. Andrew Schorr, e. John and Ina Van Noppen
Other Clippings
Subseries Other Printed Material
Box Folder
1 13 Brochures, maps
Subseries Typed and Handwritten Materials
Box Folder
1 13 Program, poem, resume