Charles Burgess Williams Papers 1895-1953

Summary
Contents
Names/subjects
Using these materials
Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.
Creator
Williams, Charles Burgess, 1871-1947
Size
0.25 linear feet (1 box)
Call number
MC 00016

The Charles Burgess Williams Papers, 1895 - 1953, contain items relating to Williams' time at North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. During his tenure as a student, researcher, and professor, the institution was renamed North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering (later North Carolina State University). The collection contains personal documents, professional materials documenting his contributions to the study of agriculture, published and unpublished biographical pieces, and materials relating to the history of North Carolina State University.

Charles Burgess Williams (1871 - 1947) was a scientist and an educator. He received a B.A. and M.A. in agriculture from the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. He spent his career at the College as a professor, chemist, department head, dean, and leader in the North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station.

Biographical/historical note

Charles Burgess Williams was born on 1871 December 23, in Shiloh, Camden County, North Carolina. He was the son of farmer Robert J. and Susan Burgess Williams. Williams' association with North Carolina State University began when he registered for classes on 1889 October 3, the day the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts first opened its doors. A member of the College's first class, Williams was captain of the first football team. He graduated in 1893 with highest honors and a Bachelor of Science in agriculture.

Upon graduation in 1893, Williams was hired as the College's first instructor of chemistry and the assistant chemist of the North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station. Williams served in the latter capacity until 1896, the same year he obtained a Master of Science in Agriculture from the College. For the academic year 1896-1897, Williams attended the Johns Hopkins University on a fellowship in chemistry. He returned to the College and resumed his position at the Experiment Station, remaining there until 1906. In 1906-1924 and 1926-1940, Williams served as the College's first head of the Department of Agronomy at the North Carolina Experiment Station. He was named Director of the Experiment Station in 1907 and served until 1912. He was Vice-Director from 1913 until 1940. He was the first Dean of the School of Agriculture between 1917 and 1924.

Williams' research focused on soybeans, soil surveys, and fertilizers. Between 1896 and 1934 he published more than 230 articles, bulletins, and books on these subjects. During his academic career, Williams studied at the National Graduate Summer School of Agriculture at Ohio State University (1902) and researched agriculture in California (1899), Ontario, Canada (1904), and Europe (1928). While at the College, Williams served as the Chairman of the North Carolina state soil survey (1915), Chairman of the Southeastern Tobacco Research Committee (1920-1941), and Chairman of the Southeastern Agronomy Research Committee (1927-1931 and 1936-1942). He was a member of Phi Kappa Phi, the National Grange, and a fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He was also a charter member of the American Society of Agronomy and its president in 1926. For his contributions to agricultural studies, Williams was listed in Who's Who in America and was honored in 1941 by the Association of Southern Agricultural Workers.

Williams retired from administrative duties in 1940, but remained an active College faculty member until his death on 1947 June 25. Williams had served the institution for more than fifty-three years, longer than almost any other man until that time. He was survived by his wife Margaret Williams Moring Williams, one son, and two daughters. Margaret, a native of Raleigh, North Carolina, was born on 1879 October 4, and was a graduate of Peace College in Raleigh and the Southern Conservatory of Music in Durham, North Carolina. The couple married on 1900 July 5.

Scope/content

This collection contains material relating to the personal and professional life of Charles Burgess Williams in addition to material that documents the history of North Carolina State University. Materials are in the format of photographs as well as written documents such as newspaper and magazine articles, correspondence and telegrams, published and unpublished writings, and certificates.

Arrangement

The collection is organized into three series. The Personal Materials series contains documents relating to Williams' family, community activities, and death. The Professional Materials series is divided into three subseries, namely Professional Organizations, Research and Writings, and Biographical Materials. The North Carolina State University series contains photographs as well as materials relating to agriculture, the university's fiftieth anniversary, university archives, and dedication of Williams Hall.

Use of these materials

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.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Charles Burgess Williams Papers, MC 00016, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Source of acquisition

Gift of Mrs. T. N. Park, 1970 September 9 (Accession 1970-0001).

Processing information

Processed by Caitlin Donnelly, 2005 October

Encoded by Caitlin Donnelly, 2005 November

Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.

The collection is organized into three principal series:

Personal Materials 1922-1947 (MC 00016 Series 1)

This series contains documents relating to Williams's family, community activities, and death. Family materials include newspaper articles about the May 1940 death of Williams's brother Claude. The folder also includes newspaper articles about the death of Patrick Henry Williams (1869 September 27 - 1935 May 10), a native of Pasquotank County, North Carolina; a state legislator during the 1920s; and the son of Robert Williams (1812 January 1 - 1896 August 11) and Marenda Torskey Williams (1837 October 17 - 1916 September 1). His relationship to Charles Burgess Williams remains unclear. Community activities documents Williams's participation in business organizations and social events in Raleigh. Materials about Williams's death include condolences to his wife as well as published articles about his death and funeral.

3 folders

Family 1935-1940
Half box 1, Folder 1
Community Activities 1922-1942
Half box 1, Folder 2
Death 1947
Half box 1, Folder 3
Professional Materials 1898-1953 (MC 00016 Series 2)

This series is divided into three subseries. The Professional Organizations subseries documents Williams's participation in numerous academic associations and receipt of professional honors. The Research and Writings subseries contains information about and the final report from Williams's committee in Europe as well as published booklets and articles, edited manuscripts, and lists of his publications. The Biographical Materials subseries documents Williams's personal life and professional accomplishments in a variety of print formats.

10 folders

Professional Organizations 1898-1947 (MC 00016 Subseries 2.1)
Pamphlets 1902-1906
Half box 1, Folder 4
Certificates 1898-1947
Half box 1, Folder 5
Congratulations 1941
Half box 1, Folder 6
Research and Writings 1901-1934 (MC 00016 Subseries 2.2)
European Trip 1928
Half box 1, Folder 7
Publications 1901-1934
Typed Manuscripts 1925-1934
Biographical Materials 1898-1953 (MC 00016 Subseries 2.3)
Letter of Recommendation 1898
Half box 1, Folder 10
Newspapers circa 1910-circa 1950
Half box 1, Folder 11
Publications 1933-1938
Half box 1, Folder 12
Television 1953
Half box 1, Folder 13
North Carolina State College 1895-1953 (MC 00016 Series 3)

This series contains photographs of North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechnanic Arts and a variety of textual materials. Two photographs are images of individuals near the campus in the late-nineteenth or early-twentieth centuries; a third is of the college football team in 1895. Agriculture materials contain course booklets, an article about a campus corn show, and a proposed consolidation plan for the Experimental Station. University Archives materials include Williams's correspondence regarding the College's desired acquisition of faculty and alumni papers. This series also contains published materials documenting special College events, namely the fiftieth anniversary of the College and the dedication of a campus building named after Williams.

5 folders

Photographs circa 1895-circa 1910
Half box 1, Folder 14
Agriculture 1907-1912
Half box 1, Folder 15
Fiftieth Anniversary 1939
Half box 1, Folder 16
University Archives 1940
Half box 1, Folder 17
Dedication of Williams Hall 1953
Half box 1, Folder 18
Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.

Access to the collection

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

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Charles Burgess Williams Papers, MC 00016, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Use of these materials

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.