The John William Harrelson Papers contain correspondence, speeches and writings, reports, minutes, clippings, certificates, scrapbooks, financial records, and photographs. The collection provides information about Harrelson's military career, 1917-1919; his tenure as a faculty member and administrator at North Carolina State College (later North Carolina State University), 1919-1929 and 1933-1953; and his service as director of the North Carolina Department of Conservation and Development, 1929-1933. The materials also relate to Harrelson's membership in various civic and professional organizations. Materials range in date from 1908 to 1955.
John William Harrelson (1885-1955) was a member of the faculty and administrator at North Carolina State College (later North Carolina State University) and was director of the North Carolina Department of Conservation and Development.
John William Harrelson was born on June 28, 1885, in Double Shoals Community, Cleveland County, North Carolina. He graduated from North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (later North Carolina State University) in 1909 with a Bachelor's degree in engineering. In 1915 he received a master's degree in mechanical engineering from the same school.
After graduation, Harrelson joined the military. Harrelson was actively employed in the military from 1917 to 1919, and remained a reserve officer after his active service was completed. During this period, Harrelson was a lieutenant in the Coast Artillery, North Carolina National Guard, when the United States entered World War I in April 1917. He was in active service for two years, before being returned to reserve status. While in the reserves, he was promoted to the rank of colonel in 1923.
After completing his active military service, Harrelson chose to stay at his alma mater as an instructor in the Mathematics Department. By 1921, he had risen to the rank of full professor. He was granted a leave of absence from the college in 1929, when Governor O. Max Gardner appointed him director of the North Carolina Department of Conservation and Development. Harrelson remained there from 1929 to 1933, promoting wildlife awareness and sound hunting and fishing practices. Harrelson returned to the college in 1933, and resumed his post as head of the Mathematics department.
In 1934, he was appointed Dean of Administration at North Carolina State College. The name of the position was changed to Chancellor in 1945. Harrelson held this position until his retirement in 1953. Harrelson guided the university through many difficult changes, such as the consolidation of the University of North Carolina system and the student population boom after World War II due to the G.I. Bill.
In 1935 Harrelson married Elizabeth Connor, but the couple had no children. He served on many governmental and private boards, committees and councils, primarily focusing on education and health care. After his retirement, Harrelson was instrumental in working for and promoting the new library on State College Campus, and worked to help start the special collections. He died in Raleigh on March 13, 1955.
The John William Harrelson Papers contain correspondence, speeches and writings, reports, minutes, clippings, certificates, scrapbooks, financial records, and photographs. The collection provides information about Harrelson's military career, 1917-1919; his tenure as a faculty member and administrator at North Carolina State College (later North Carolina State University), 1919-1929 and 1933-1953; and his service as director of the North Carolina Department of Conservation and Development, 1929-1933.The materials also relate to Harrelson's membership in various civic organizations and participation on certain boards, commissions, and councils, which were often associated with colleges and private schools, including Saint Mary's School, the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, and the Kiwanis Club. materials also relate to Harrelson's membership in various civic and professional organizations. Materials range in date from 1908 to 1955.
This collection is organized into six series:
The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. 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 North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.
[Identification of item], John William Harrelson Papers, MC 00001, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Gift of Elizabeth Harrelson, 1968.
Processed by Lea Jordan; Encoded by Lea Jordan
The collection is organized into six principal series:
This series contains congratulatory letters upon Harrelson's nomination as Dean of North Carolina State College, as well as personal and family notes, including those to informal business relations.
This series contains minutes, reports, and correspondence dealing with Harrelson's service to North Carolina State College (later North Carolina State University). It includes Alumni Association correspondence, the committee on University of North Carolina system consolidation, correspondence involving the bequest program, and notes from the North Carolina General Assembly of 1955. It also includes speeches and publications created by Harrelson while he was involved with the university, his retirement papers, and recommendations and introductions written for individuals within the university. A scrapbook detailing the 50th Anniversary of North Carolina State College is also included. The bulk of the materials date from 1930-1950.
Pictures are of Chancellor Harrelson and President Frank Graham.
This is a large portion of the collection, spanning Harrelson's years as the director of the North Carolina Department of Conservation and Development. It includes correspondence, reports (both typed and published), speeches, scrapbooks, and papers written while he was in office. It also includes publications of the North Carolina Club, and the Atlantic Sportsman. Colonel Harrelson's original order has been preserved, save the organization by date.
This series contains correspondence, memos, and calls to service arranged by date, dealing with Colonel Harrelson's time in the United States Army. It also includes correspondence regarding the Reserve Officer's Association, and the Council of Defense. Where possible, these documents have been arranged by date. It also includes Harrelson's American flag materials, which include military instructions for flag respect and care for civilians.
This series contains reports, notes, publications, budgets, scrapbooks, and correspondence related to the various boards, committees and councils that Colonel Harrelson sat on during his lifetime. These groups include private schools, colleges, the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, and the Merit System Council. These organizations are arranged alphabetically, and by date when possible within groupings.
Harrelson marked these files "personal". They have been left as a grouping, but include citations and certificates, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, and personal financial records. This group also included a collection of personal photographs, many of which were labeled by Harrelson himself.
This collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to digital files may require additional advanced notice.
For more information contact us via mail, phone, or our web form.
Mailing address:
Special Collections Research Center
Box 7111
Raleigh, NC, 27695-7111
Phone: (919) 515-2273
[Identification of item], John William Harrelson Papers, MC 00001, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. 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 North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.