MS034
McDonald-Howe Family
Papers
1861-1966
The McDonald-Howe Family Papers contain documents, family reminiscences, essays and speeches. The family can trace its lineage back to an Ibo chieftain in southern Nigeria, Africa. A descendant of Anthony Walker, Nada R. McDonald Cotton, wrote a narrative history of the family. (See File 22 of this collection.)
This collection contains documents that relate to Anthony Walker (d.1937) and Tenah Howe’s (d. 1852) children and their descendants. Tenah, a Tuscarora, was the ward of Colonel Robert Howe of Wilmington, NC. The Colonel considered Tenah and her children his heirs, and to perpetuate the family name, he made provisions for Anthony, Tenah and their descendants to be forever free when he died. The family was always to carry the name of Howe.
Anthony Walker was a builder and carpenter. He passed his knowledge and skills on to his sons—Anthony, Pompey and Alfred. Anthony and his descendants became well known architects and builders. Being free people of color, they were able to purchase land and take an active role in community life. Many of Anthony and Tenah’s descendants went on to become outstanding educators. Arrangement of the collection is chronological.
The collection was donated to the William Madison Randall Library by Mr. Ernest A. Seain, Executor of the McDonald estate, on May 12, 1988.
The collection has been designated Accession Number 34 of the Manuscripts Collection, Special Collections Department, William Madison Randall Library, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, 601 South College Road, Wilmington, North Carolina 28403-3297.
There are no access restrictions on this collection.
Processed by Lana Donaldson
Taylor
Special Collections
Librarian
Manuscripts Collection
William Madison Randall Library
The University of North Carolina Wilmington
April 5,
1989
Inventory
Manuscript/Box/File
034/1/1
January 22, 1861, Character reference for Frederick
Howe, a free person of color
034/1/2
January 24, 1861, Character reference for Alfred
Howe
034/1/3
March 30, 1870, Proclamation appointing Alfred Howe
to list real and personal taxes for the year 1870
034/1/4
February 24, 1872, Appointment of Alfred Howe to the
Board of Directors of the Penitentiary of North Carolina
034/1/5
May 7, 1875, Deed signed by Alfred Howe and Mary
Howe
034/1/6
August 9, 1875, Notification of the election of
Alfred Howe to the School Committee of Wilmington Township
034/1/7
July 7, 1895, Baptism certificate for Nada Roberta
McDonald
034/1/8
December 13, 1896, Baptism certificate for Alfreda
Eloise McDonald
034/1/9
May 6, 1930, Original certificate of citizenship
for Helena Marie Oxley, wife of C.H. McDonald
034/1/10
November 8, 1933, Report of the trustee on the estate
of Alfred Howe
034/1/11
November 8, 1933, Superior Court document, report of
the trustee on the estate of Alfred Howe
034/1/12
November 8, 1933, Superior Court document, estate of
Alfred T. Howe receipts and disbursements, 9/1/31-11/1/33
034/1/13
November 13, 1933, Superior Court document, order for
the estate of Alfred Howe
034/1/14
November 20, 1933, Letter to Nada R. McDonald regarding
the estate of Alfred Howe
034/1/15
January 5, 1934, Letter to Nada R. McDonald regarding
the estate of Alfred Howe
034/1/16
1945, Photographs, WWII Pacific Theatre (4
of Japanese surrender) and the Old Post Office Building, Wilmington,
NC
034/1/17
November 20, 1966, Resume of Gregory Normal Institute
and Speech: “Gregory Normal Institution 1871 to 1921”
034/1/18
No date, Autobiography of Crummel Howe
McDonald, typescript
034/1/19
No date, Educational resumes of the children
of Alfred and Mary Howe, typescript and handwritten copies
034/1/20
No date, “A Historical Incident”, typescript
of an eyewitness account of the 1898 Wilmington Riot with handwritten
annotations and corrections by Mrs. N. McDonald
034/1/21
No date, “History of the Williston Industrial
School”
034/1/22
No date, “The Walker-Howe Family of
Wilmington, North Carolina in New Hanover County” by Nada R. McDonald Cotton,
typescript
COPYRIGHT: Retained by the authors of items
in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright
law.