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From: DC0339s (Finding Aid)
Transcript
Davidson College [1]
July 28 [2]
Dear Parents,[3]
We have not received a letter from you since we arrived here. I think your last was dated May 23, I can’t imagine what is the matter. We received two from Leon Bacon but he writes no news of you. We have been here nearly a month will be a month on the 31, which is next Thursday. It seems
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like we get letters from every one but you.
I like this place very well and think I will like it better when the session commences. Charlie still thinks of going back to the University. I tell him he acted very foolish in coming down here when he said he knew he would not be pleased and I tried to get him to stay there before we started because I knew if he came down here with his mind biased against it he would not be pleased and of course loose [sic] about 25 or 30 dollars [4] by the act Charlie will finish. [5]
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Dear Parents[6]
Find enclosed a letter which I received from Mr Dold [7], the clerk of the faculty at W+L U [8]. I want you see what he says about those scholarships and expenses generally [9]; if there is anything that you dont understand about it just write to him or Gen Lee and will get any information you want: the expenses will be a little heavier this next session than any following session: the tuition and collegiate expenses will be a little over half each following
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year.[10] If you feel that you can buy one of those for $250 I would be very glad, remember that this would be for one only: if you have not got the money to pay my tuition. Gen Lee will credit me for it if you think will not have money enough to put me through there, if you are willing I had rather give my bond for tuition than to go any other school.[11] If can buy that scholarship buy it immediately as I will want it the beging [sic] of session [12]. Charlie [13]
Original
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Annotations
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[1] Davidson College was located north of Charlotte and south of Statesville in North Carolina. The town was also called Davidson College at the time, though it was later shortened to simply Davidson (Davidson College Catalog 1872-1873,13). In the 1873-1874 academic year, the college had 117 students and 7 faculty members (Davidson College History and Statistics). John R. Blake served as the chair of faculty (DCC, 6). Terms of admission included good moral character, a certificate of honorable dismission and examinations in English, Latin, Greek, and Mathematics (DCC, 14). Students at Davidson College were required to take both classical courses for four years and scientific courses for three years, but eclectic courses were also offered, at the discretion of the Faculty, for those who wanted to get instruction in specific areas (DCC, 15-18). The tuition was between $50 to $70 for that year. Overall expenses (excluding clothing, traveling-expenses and pocket money) were estimated to be between $200 and $250 a year. (DCC, 20)(DCC 1874-1875, 19).
[2] This date would have been in the middle of the summer before Walter Leveretts’ first term at Davidson College. The spring semester of 1872-73 academic year ended on June 28th (DCC 1872-1873, 3) and the 1874-75 academic year started on Sept. 25th (DCC 1874-1875, 3). Both brothers were living at a boarding house in the town of Davidson between school sessions. Walter planned on attending Davidson College, and his brother Charles planned on attending Washington and Lee University. At Washington and Lee University, the spring semester of 1872-73 academic year ended on June 26th and the 1873-74 academic year started on Sept. 18th (Catalogue of Washington and Lee University, 60). The brothers have written this letter jointly, with Walter writing first and Charlie second.
[3] Walter was writing home to his parents Captain Marshall Duncan Leverett and Elizabeth Anne Patterson Leverett in their hometown of Leverett’s Chapel, Rusk County Texas. Leverett’s Chapel was named for the family, particularly Eliza, who settled there in the 1850s. The Leveretts traveled by ox wagon from Savannah, Georgia, and lived in a log house. They brought with them slaves, cattle, and equipment to construct what became an effective farming plantation that specialized in cotton. Captain Leverett was born circa 1815, and died before the year 1900. He and Eliza married the 29th of September, 1851, in Rusk County, Texas. Eliza was born in May of 1826 and the date of her death is unknown (Captain Marshall Duncan Leverett).
[4] The reference to money lost could possibly have been from transferral fees, money lost in travel, or increasing tuition cost.
[5] Walter Burns Leverett, brother of Charles Clinton Leverett, was born in 1865 in Rusk County, Texas. Walter attended Davidson College and was part of the class of 1876. At Davidson, Walter was in the Philanthropic Society, one of the two Literary Societies at Davidson (More information is available at: https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/encyclopedia/literary-societies)(The Semi-Centennial Catalogue).Walter later attended Washington and Lee University. He was in the Class of 1876, but he did not earn a degree (McCormick-Goodhart). He studied Latin, Greek, French and Mathematics at Washington and Lee University (Catalogue of Washington and Lee University,12). Walter moved away from the family farm at Leverett’s Chapel and became a farmer at San Saba in Texas (Munger).
[6] Charlie was writing home to his parents Captain Marshall Duncan Leverett and Elizabeth Anne Patterson Leverett in their hometown of Leverett’s Chapel, Rusk County Texas. Leverett’s Chapel was named for the family, particularly Eliza, who settled there in the 1850s. The Leveretts traveled by ox wagon from Savannah, Georgia, and lived in a log house. They brought with them slaves, cattle, and equipment to construct what became an effective farming plantation that specialized in cotton. Captain Leverett was born circa 1815, and died before the year 1900. He and Eliza married the 29th of September, 1851, in Rusk County, Texas. Eliza was born in May of 1826 and the date of her death is unknown (Captain Marshall Duncan Leverett).
[7] Mr. Dold referred to here is William Dold born in 1824 (Stonewall). He resided in Lexington Virginia and attended Washington and Lee University. Dold was the treasurer of Washington and Lee University between 1870-1875 (Dold).
[8] W+L U refers to Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, where Charlie attended from 1872 to 1874. Charlie studied Greek, Latin, Mathematics, and French at Washington and Lee University (Catalogue of Washington and Lee University,12). Washington and Lee University was first established in 1749 by Robert Alexander as a Mathematical and Classical School, called Augusta Academy (Catalogue of the Officers and Alumni of Washington and Lee University, 7). The school was moved to Lexington in 1782, and the name was changed to Washington College in 1813. General Robert E. Lee became the president of the college in 1865, and the trustees voted to change the name to Washington and Lee University after his death in 1870 (A Brief History).
[9] Tuition at Washington and Lee University in the academic year 1873-74 would have been about $100 to $115 including both the tuition and the matriculation fee (Catalogue of Washington and Lee University 1873-74, 63).
[10] “Gen. Lee” is either Virginia native General Robert E. Lee of the former Confederate army or his son, George Washington Custis Lee. After the Civil War, Robert became president of Washington College, now called Washington and Lee University, and held the position until his death on October 12, 1870. Charlie’s reference to General Lee is odd because of this, as he had attended the school for the 1872 school year under his son who was not a general, only a major, yet still refers to general as though he was alive (Robert E. Lee)(George Washington Custis Lee).
[11] Charlie is referring to taking out a loan for his school payment (Online Etymology Dictionary).
[12] Scholarship likely refers to either buying the total cost for schooling. He is asking his parents if they can afford the large, up-front payment that would cover all of his years at college (Online Etymology Dictionary).
[13] Charles Clinton Leverett was born on Mar. 14th, 1853 in Leverett’s Chapel, Rusk County Texas. His parents were Marshall Duncan Leverett and Elizabeth Anne Patterson Leverett. Charles was the oldest son. His younger brother Walter Burns Leverett attended Davidson College. Charles attended Washington and Lee University from 1872 to 1874. He was in the Class of 1876, but he did not earn a degree (McCormick-Goodhart). He studied Latin, Greek, French and Mathematics at Washington and Lee University (Catalogue of Washington and Lee University,12). Charles died on Apr. 22nd, 1897 in Rusk County Texas (Captain Marshall Duncan Leverett).
Works cited
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A Brief History – Washington and Lee University. N.p. n.d. Web. <http://www.wlu.edu/about-wandl/history-and-traditions/a-brief-history>
Captain Marshall Duncan Leverett and Eliza Ann Patterson.” Gone to Texas. N.p., 26 Mar. 2011. Web. Accessed 27 Apr. 2014. <http://gonetotexasgtt.com/2102.htm>.
Catalogue of the Officers and Alumni of Washington and Lee University. 1749-1888. Baltimore: John Murphy & Co. [1888]. Digital file.
Catalogue of Washington and Lee University, 1872-1873.Virginia.[1873]. Digital file.
Davidson College Catalog, 1872-1873. Davidson: Davidson College Office of Communications.[1873]. Accessed 5 May. 2014. <https://archive.org/details/davidsoncollegec18721873>
Davidson College Catalog, 1874-1875. Davidson. Davidson College Office of Communications. [1875]. Accessed 5 May. 2014. <http://archive.org/details/davidsoncollegec18741875>
Davidson College History and Statistics, 1873-1874. Davidson College Archives, Davidson, NC. Accessed 5 May. 2014. <https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/databases/colhist>
Dold, William– Find A Grave. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. Accessed 5 May. 2014.<http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=dfl&GRid=7650420>.
McCormick-Goodhart, Seth. “RE: Charles Leverett.” Message to David Nnadi. 25 Apr. 2014. E-mail.
George Washington Custis Lee – Washington and Lee University. N.p., n.d. Web. Accessed 29 Apr. 2014.<http://www.wlu.edu/presidents-office/about-the-presidents-office/history-and-governance/past-presidents/george-washington-custis-lee>.
Munger, Greta. “Subject: Re: info on your relies.” Message to Shireen Campbell. 25 Apr. 2014. E-mail.
Online Etymology Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. Accessed 29 Apr. 2014. <http://www.etymonline.com>.
Photograph of Walter Burns Leverett and Addie Leverett. DC0399s. Davidson College Archives, Davidson College, NC.
Robert E. Lee – Civil War Trust. N.p., n.d. Web. Accessed 29 Apr. 2014 <http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/robert-e-lee.html>.
The Semi-Centennial Catalogue of Davidson College, 1837-1887. Davidson: Davidson College Alumni Association. [1887].
Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery – wlu.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. Accessed 30 Apr. 2014. <http://library.wlu.edu/SJCemetery/>.
Transcription and annotation authors: Shuk Hang (Grace) Li, David Nnadi, and Elizabeth Wright.
Date: May 2014.
Cite as: Li, Shuk Hang (Grace), David Nnadi, and Elizabeh Wright, annotators. 28 July 1873 Walter B. and Charles C. Leverett Letter to Parents. DC0339s.
Available: https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/digital-collections/walter-b-and-charles-c-leverett-letter-28-jul-1873.
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