Moses White Papers
This collection consists of houses deeds, contracts, wills, speeches, correspondence, speeches, and manuscripts from Moses White, documenting the history of East Tennessee and the University of Tennessee. Also in the collection, a letter from Moses White to Pryor Lea dated April 27, 1879. As East Tennessee College was nearing their name changing ceremony (changing to the University of Tennessee), White wrote to Lea asking him questions about Samuel Carrick’s account book from 1804-1809 and some unknown history in Carrick’s private book, as Pryor Lea was one of the only living people to remember anything from the late 1700s to early 1800s of East Tennessee College. Rev. Samuel Carrick was Blount College’s (University of Tennessee) first president in 1794.
Moses graduated from East Tennessee University with a degree in law in 1850 and was an elected member of the Board of Trustees at East Tennessee University in 1877.
Dates
- 1796-1895
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Conditions Governing Use
The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Extent
0.25 Linear Feet (3 folders)
Abstract
This collection consists of correspondence and speeches by Moses White documenting the history of East Tennessee and the University of Tennessee. Moses graduated from East Tennessee University with a degree in law in 1850 and was an elected member of the Board of Trustees at East Tennessee University in 1877.
Biographical/Historical Note
Moses White was born to George McNutt and Sophia Moody (Park) White in Knoxville, Tennessee on December 19, 1829. He graduated from East Tennessee University with a degree in law in 1850. White practiced law in Knoxville until moving to Memphis shortly before the start of the Civil War. He enlisted in the 37th Tennessee Infantry (CSA) as a colonel on October 26, 1861, and served both with his unit and on detached recruiting duty. White was wounded at the Battle of Murfreesboro and near Fort McAlister, Georgia, where he was captured on the march by federal forces on December 13, 1864. He was sent to Hilton Head, South Carolina and then to Old Capitol Prison in Washington, D.C. He escaped on February 3, 1865, while being transferred to Fort Delaware. After his escape, White apparently returned to his unit, as he was paroled in Meridian, Mississippi on May 10, 1865. He returned home to Tennessee where he resumed his legal practice in Knoxville, became editor and partial owner of the Knoxville Tribune, and was elected as a trustee of East Tennessee University in 1877. White retired to a farm in 1897 and died in Knoxville on November 1, 1907.
Previous Citation
Parts of this collection were previously listed as MS.0041, MS.0250, MS.0289, and MS.0362.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository