Samuel Dibble papers, 1779-1910 and undated bulk 1855-1900

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Summary

Creator:
Dibble, Samuel, 1837-1913
Abstract:
Lawyer, politician, and U.S. Representative from Orangeburg, S.C. Correspondence, business and legal papers, and printed matter, mostly dating from 1855-1900, centered on South Carolina history. All pre-1850 papers are legal documents concerned with land surveys and transfers. A few letters written while Dibble was a Confederate soldier relate to the home front; postwar correspondence deals with such matters as phosphate mining, education, professional activities, African Americans in post-Reconstruction politics, and Dibble's opposition to Governor Tillman. Later papers display his expanding activities in banking and railroads. After 1900 the papers concern brother A. C. Dibble, and sons L. V., an insurance agent, and Samuel Jr., a surveyor and civil engineer.
Extent:
3 Linear Feet
Approx. 1,600 Items
Language:
Material in English
Collection ID:
RL.00309

Background

Scope and content:

Correspondence, business and legal papers, and printed matter, mostly dating from 1855-1900, centered on South Carolina history. All pre-1850 papers are legal documents concerned with land surveys and transfers. From 1869-1872 there are a number of documents relating to the state's pooicy of buying large estates for resale in small sections; included are descriptions of estates, prices, and approval by state cabinet members. Further light is thrown on this policy by the records of an investigating committee, 1877.

A few letters written while Dibble was a Confederate soldier relate entirely to the home front in S.C. rather than to his service; letters refer to assessments and requisitions. Postwar correspondence deals with such matters as phosphate mining, education, and professional activities. Later papers display Dibble's expanding activities in banking and railroads.

Dibble was state chairman in 1892 of the "Conservative Democracy of S.C." and was leading the opposition to hte renomination of Gov. Tillman. There are a number of undated voter censuses of both black and white voters in various precincts in the Orangeburg County area. In several letters from the 1880s there are comments about the role of African Americans in post-Reconstruction voting and politics.

Dibble was a lawyer for a phosphate mining company, thus there is abundant information on legal cases such as territoriality claims, but also on equipment used, amount mined, and methods of mining. Dibble was often called to legal cases concerning estates, therefore the collection houses the wills of William R. Treadwell (1863), George H. Pooser (1866), David W. Snell (1879), and Chrisian A. Gates. There is also information about the family of Langdon Cheves in letters of Nov. 18, 1879, and March 22, 1879. After 1900 the papers concern brother A. C. Dibble, and sons L. V., an insurance agent, and Samuel Jr., a surveyor and civil engineer.

The miscellaneous papers include surveyors' notebooks, printed legal cases in which Dibble was involved (particularly in the Supreme Court), speeches by members of Congress, Dibble's business notebooks, railroad timetables, and other print material.

Acquisition information:
The Samuel Dibble Papers were acquired by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library in 1953.
Processing information:

Processed by Rubenstein Library staff

Encoded by Willeke Sandler, April 2012

Physical location:
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.

All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. The library may require up to 48 hours to retrieve these materials for research use.

Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Samuel Dibble Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.