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Size | 260 items (1.0 linear feet) |
Abstract | Members of the McLean-Stinson-Grigsby family, an African-American family of Wake County, N.C., included Harriet Ragland McLean of Holly Springs, N.C.; her daughter Alberta McLean Stinson of Holly Springs and New York City, who was active in the Baptist Church; and Alberta's daughter Gladys Natal Stinson Grigsby of Lawrenceville, Va., and Holly Springs, who was graduated from the Durham State Normal School in 1924 and Shaw University in 1928, after which she taught in North Carolina and Virginia public schools and worked for the Baptist Church. In 1938, she married George Talmadge Grigsby, professor and administrator at Saint Paul's School, Lawrenceville, Va. The collection includes correspondence, 1870-1952, that relates chiefly to Harriet Ragland McLean, Alberta McLean Stinson, and Gladys Natal Stinson Grigsby. Included are many courtship letters to each of these women. There are several letters from George Talmadge Grigsby to Gladys and her family before and after their marriage. While most of the letters document activities of family and friends, there are a few relating to Alberta's Baptist Church work. Other materials include Gladys's bridal book; her Durham State Normal School commencement book, 1924, with handwritten narrative of school activities, autographs of classmates, and photographs; and Shaw University materials, circa 1928, including class notebooks, an autograph book, commencement programs, and other materials. There are also materials, including many handwritten obituaries, relating to Alberta and Gladys's Baptist Church work, especially at the Holly Springs First Baptist Church and the Wake County Baptist Sunday School Convention. Also included are 37 photographs, 1905-1939 and undated, of various family members and friends. |
Creator | Grigsby, George Talmadge. |
Curatorial Unit | Southern Historical Collection |
Language | English. |
Processed by: Roslyn Holdzkom
Encoded by: Roslyn Holdzkom
Updated by: Nancy Kaiser and Meaghan Alston, June 2021
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Late in life, Alberta McLean Stinson wrote the following family history (see folder 13):
I was born Alberta McLean in Harnett County, Lillington, N.C., to Albert McLean and Harriet Raglan McLean. After my father's death [in 1877], my mother and I moved to Raleigh, N.C. [but Holly Springs postoffice], where we lived in a prominent white family, Rev. Walters Durham. While in Raleigh, I attended the Washington Graded School and the First Baptist Church.
At the age of fourteen, my mother and I went to Philadelphia, Pa., to better conditions. There we lived in the home of a white doctor. As I did not have an opportunity to attend school, I read papers and books. Two years later, I went to New York [City]. Soon I joined a mission church and began to speak in public until I was placed on programs in various parts of the city.
While in New York, I married Lonnie Shepard Stinson, son of Alsey Stinson and Easter Richardson Stinson. Five years later was born the only child, a daughter, Gladys Natal, who later attended the Durham State Normal [School], Durham, N.C., and is a graduate of Shaw University, Raleigh, N.C. She is now the wife of George Talmadge Grigsby, a Hampton [University] graduate, now acting director of industries and trades of Saint Paul's School, Lawrenceville, Va.
I came South to live when my daughter was two years of age and made my home in Holly Springs, N.C. Here I joined wholeheartedly in work for Christ and doing missionary work. In 1922, I was elected corresponding secretary of the Wake County Baptist Sunday School Convention. I served in this capacity for five years. In 1932, I was elected concert manager of the same organization and served for seven years. Now I travel in the interest of the Good Samaritan and do missionary work.
Alberta McLean Stinson died in 1952. Her daughter Gladys Natal Stinson Grigsby was graduated from the Durham State Normal School in 1924 and from Shaw University in 1928, after which she taught in North Carolina and Virginia public schools. In 1938, she married George Talmadge Grigsby, who was a professor and administrator at Saint Paul's School, Lawrenceville, Va. After her husband's death, Gladys returned to Holly Springs, where she was active in business, civic, and Holly Springs First Baptist Church activities. She died in 1988.
Back to TopThe collection includes materials relating to members of the McLean-Stinson-Grigsby family, an African-American family of Wake County, N.C. Correspondence, 1870-1952, relates chiefly to Harriet Ragland McLean, Alberta McLean Stinson, and Gladys Natal Stinson Grigsby. Included are many courtship letters to each of these women. There are several letters from George Talmadge Grigsby to Gladys and her family before and after their marriage. While most of the letters document activities of family and friends, there are a few relating to Alberta's Baptist Church work. Other materials include Gladys's bridal book; her Durham State Normal School commencement book, 1924, with handwritten narrative of school activities, autographs of classmates, and photographs; and Shaw University materials, circa 1928, including class notebooks, an autograph book, commencement programs, and other materials. There are also materials, including many handwritten obituaries, relating to Alberta and Gladys's Baptist Church work, especially at the Holly Springs First Baptist Church and the Wake County Baptist Sunday School Convention. Also included are 37 photographs, 1905-1939 and undated, of various family members and friends.
Back to TopArrangement: chronological.
Chiefly correspondence of Harriet Ragland McLean (d. 1900) of Holly Springs, N.C.; her daughter, Alberta McLean Stinson (d. 1952) of Holly Springs and New York City; and Alberta's daughter, Gladys Natal Stinson Grigsby (d. 1988) of Lawrenceville, Va., and Holly Springs.
Early items include courtship letters to Harriet Ragland from Albert McLean in Montrose, N.C. Letters show that they were married by 1876. Albert McLean died in 1877. Letters in the 1880s are chiefly to Harriet from friends and relatives who discussed their social and business affairs. In 1893, there are courtship letters to Harriet from N. Ballentine of Baltimore and to Alberta McLean from J. W. Chavis in Raleigh. In 1898 and 1899, there are materials relating to Alberta's school career and good character. By 1900, Alberta had moved to New York City. In a letter dated 17 February 1900, Alberta described her wedding to Lonnie Shepard Stinson to Harriet, who was apparently unable to attend. Harriet died sometime in 1900. Letters show that Alberta was in Holly Springs in 1902 and 1903, while her husband remained in New York. No correspondence survives between 1903 and 1922, but Alberta's family history (see folder 13) indicates that she moved back to Holly Springs around 1907.
Letters in 1922 show that Alberta had become deeply involved in church activities in Holly Springs and in Wake County. The first letter addressed to Gladys Natal Stinson, dated 1927, is from a friend who had apparently dropped out of school. From 1929 to 1931, there are several courtship letters to Gladys, apparently teaching at Eastern High School in Enfield, N.C., from Jack Hardy in Henderson, N.C., and later, in New York City. These letters chiefly address Hardy's feelings for Gladys, but also shed some light on his life in New York.
In a letter of 28 January 1936, George Talmadge Grigsby wrote to the Stinsons about his plans to marry their daughter. On 14 April 1938, Gladys wrote to her mother from Lawrenceville, Va., about the impending announcement of her marriage. George and Gladys married in 1938.
Letters are sparse after 1938. In a letter of 17 February 1941, Gladys gave Alberta a fairly detailed account of redecorating her home in Lawrenceville. In 1952, there are a few letters relating to Alberta's final illness and death.
Folder 1 |
1870-1896 |
Folder 2 |
1898-1903 |
Folder 3 |
1922-1931 |
Folder 4 |
1936-1952 |
Letter, 11 April 1938Acquisitions Information: Accession 102481) Letter from George T. Grigsby in Lawrenceville, Va., to his sister, Sunnie Grigsby Tribble, in Jacksonville, Fla., regarding his upcoming wedding and recent illness. |
Photographs (P-4703/1-34, SF-4703/1-3)
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