Restrictions to Access

No restrictions. Open for research.

Restrictions to Use

No usage restrictions.

Copyright Notice

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], in the William James Samford and Thomas Drake Samford Diaries, #3007, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Alternate Form of Material

Typed transcriptions of four volumes are also on the microfilm.

Acquisitions Information

Loaned for microfiliming in 1954.

Location of Originals

Originals returned to private owner in 1954.

Additional Descriptive Resources

A copy of the original finding aid for this collection is filed in folder 1.

Sensitive Materials Statement

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.

Processed by: SHC Staff

Encoded by: Noah Huffman, December 2007

Updated by: Adam Fielding, Kate Stratton, and Jodi Berkowitz, March 2011

This collection was rehoused and a summary created with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

This finding aid was created with support from NC ECHO.

The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.

Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.

• Agriculture--Alabama--History--19th century.
• Alabama--Biography.
• Alabama--Politics and government--1865-1950.
• Auburn University--Alumni and alumnae--History--20th century.
• Democratic Party (Ala.)--History--20th century.
• Diaries.
• DuBose, John Witherspoon, 1836-1918.
• Family--Alabama--Social life and customs.
• Lawyers--Alabama--History.
• Methodists--Alabama--Biography.
• Plantation owners--Alabama.
• Plantations--Alabama.
• Politicians--Alabama--Biography.
• Real estate business--Alabama--History--20th century.
• Samford, Thomas D., 1868-1947.
• Samford, William James, 1844-1901.
• United States. Congress. House--History--19th century.

William James Samford (1844-1901) of Opelika, Ala., was a planter, lawyer, United States representative, and governor of Alabama. Samford's son, Thomas Drake Samford (1868-1947) of Opelika, Ala., was a planter; lawyer; United States attorney for the Middle District of Alabama; Democratic party leader and member of the State Democratic Executive Committee, 1892-1894, and 1900-1940; businessman with interests in farming, trading, and manufacturing companies; real estate investor; Methodist layman; member of several fraternal and civic organizations; and active alumnus of Auburn University.

MICROFILM ONLY. The collection contains the diary, 1884-1899, of William James Samford (1844-1901) chiefly relating to family life, planting, and law and politics; biography of Samford by John W. DuBose; and diary, 1901-1946, of Samford's son, Thomas Drake Samford (1868-1946). Thomas D. Samford's diary relates to his life since the time of his father's death in 1901. Topics include business transactions, law cases, his work as the United States district attorney for the Middle District of Alabama, Democratic and national politics, family events, his activities related to church and civic organizations, and alumni activities of Auburn University. Also included is a brief diary, 1904-1906, of his wife, Louise A. Westcott.