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Mary Stevenson Collection

 Collection
Identifier: Mss-0353

Scope and Contents Note

The Mary Stevenson Collection documents the people and places of the South Carolina counties of Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens—especially the Clemson-Pendleton area—through the research of Mary Stevenson, a Clemson University librarian and chair of the Research and Publication Committee of the Foundation for Historic Restoration in the Pendleton Area. The Collection contains articles, bills, book chapters, booklets, brochures, chronologies, clippings, correspondence, genealogies, invoices, maps, negatives, orders, pamphlets, photographs, plats, postcards, publications, research notes, sketches, and copies/transcripts of original documents among other items. The materials in the collection date from 1784 to 1995, with most of the items dating between 1960 and 1988. However, there are significant gaps within the overall date span. Much of the material in this collection was created or received by Stevenson as a result of her duties as the chair of the Foundation for Historic Restoration in Pendleton Area Research and Publication Committee and as part of her research on the history of the Upstate area of South Carolina, particularly the Clemson-Pendleton area. Some of this material was used for articles in the Foundation’s newsletter. There is also personal correspondence in the series as well as a few items relating to her career as a librarian at the Clemson University Libraries. The African-American section focuses on African-Americans in the Clemson/Pendleton area and includes six spirituals collected by Robert Adger Bowen during the 1880’s. Folders within the section are arranged alphabetically by folder title. The Miscellaneous section is mainly Foundation for Historic Restoration in Pendleton Area Research and Publication Committee book sales records with an occasional personal letter. Folders within the section are arranged alphabetically by folder title. The Persons section contains information about and correspondence regarding important families in the Clemson-Pendleton area and those associated with the historic houses Ashtabula and Woodburn. The files include those on the Adger, Bee (particularly Confederate General Barnard E. Bee), Bowen, Calhoun, Gibbes, Huger, Pickens, and Pinckney families. One of the other individuals profiled is Jane Edna Harris Hunter, who founded the Phyllis Wheatly Association (an African-American social service organization) in Cleveland, Ohio in 1911. Folders within the section are arranged alphabetically by folder title. The Pictures section contains not only negatives and photographs but artwork and printed material as well. Many of the files relate to those in the other sections of the Papers. Most of the material relates to persons, buildings, monuments, etc. in Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens Counties, especially the Clemson-Pendleton area; however, there are some images taken in other parts of South Carolina and a few in North Carolina. Folders within the section are arranged alphabetically by folder title. The same geographical focus is true for the Places section, which for the most part concerns itself with buildings, cities, and towns. Among the locations highlighted in this section are the historic houses of Ashtabula and Woodburn; Fort Hill Plantation, Hanover House, and Hopewell Plantation, all on the Clemson University campus; Farmer’s Hall in Pendleton; the Old Stone Church; Orange Grove; the town of Pendleton (including churches) and the Pendleton District; Rivoli Plantation; and Varennes Tavern. Folders within the section are arranged alphabetically by folder title. The Things section has information about such things as architectural details, gold mining in the area, and local railroads. Folders within the section are arranged alphabetically by folder title. Correspondents include the writer Robert Adger Bowen; Marguerite V. Doggett, who was the Clemson College librarian 1923-1930; poet Sidelle B. Ellis; Richard W. Simpson, Jr.; and Clarissa Walton Taylor, granddaughter of Clarissa Adger Bowen.

Dates

  • 1784 - 1995
  • Majority of material found within , 1960-1988

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Mss 353, Mary Stevenson Collection, Special Collections Library, Clemson University Libraries, Clemson, SC 29634

Organizational History Note

The Foundation for Historic Restoration in Pendleton Area founded on June 1, 1960 and incorporated later that year. Its purpose is "to promote the education, cultural or other eleemosynary [charitable] purposes, and for the general welfare of the public through the preservation and restoration of historic sites in and around Pendleton, [South Carolina]." The Foundation operates two historic house museums, Ashtabula and Woodburn. The Research and Publication Committee is responsible for conducting research on behalf of the Foundation for exhibits, historical markers, newsletter articles, etc. and for promoting and selling Foundation publications.

Extent

9 Cubic Feet (747 folders, 1 oversize folder)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Mary Stevenson Collection documents the people and places of the South Carolina counties of Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens—especially the Clemson-Pendleton area—through the research of Mary Stevenson, a Clemson University librarian and chair of the Research and Publication Committee of the Foundation for Historic Restoration in the Pendleton Area. The collection also documents the families who lived in or were associated with the two historic houses the Foundation operates, Ashtabula and Woodburn. The personal correspondence in the Papers give insight into Stevenson’s life as she communicates with other researchers, a number of whom were descendants of the families she was researching.

Arrangement Note

The collection is arranged alphabetically into six sections: African-Americans, Miscellaneous, Persons, Pictures, Places, and Things. Folders within each section are arranged alphabetically by folder title.

Other Finding Aids

Unpublished finding aid available in Special Collections Library, Clemson University Libraries, Clemson, SC 29634.

Acquired from:

Jim Stevenson of Greenville, SC in 1997 as accession 97-143 and in 1998 as accession 98-149; Mary Stevenson in 1998 as accession 98-036.

Related Materials

Mss 0222, Foundation for Historic Restoration in Pendleton Area Records.

Processing Information

Processing assistance was provided by student assistants Taylor Johnson, Patrick Kent, and Joshua Rooks. James Cross prepared the register in 2014.

Creator

Title
Mary Stevenson Collection, 1784-1995
Status
Completed
Author
James Cross
Date
2014
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Repository

Contact:
230 Kappa St.
Clemson SC 29634 U.S.A. US