Josephine Napoleon Leary papers, 1875-1991

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Summary

Creator:
Leary, Josephine Napoleon, 1856?-1923.
Abstract:
The papers of Josephine Napoleon Leary contain financial and legal papers, correspondence, biographical materials, and photographs pertaining to the life and business ventures of African American businesswoman Josephine N. Leary and her daughter Clara Ryan. Records document her real estate and other business transactions the coastal town of Edenton, North Carolina, where they resided; the earliest deed dates back to 1875. There are also architectural and historical documents relating to Edenton. Photographs of Leary and Reeves family members date from 1895 to about 1935. Acquired as part of the Sallie Bingham Center for Women's History and Culture.
Extent:
0.5 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language:
Materials in English
Collection ID:
RL.11503

Background

Scope and content:

The Josephine Leary papers chiefly comprise business papers relating to the properties she owned in Edenton, N.C., and to a barber shop operated by Leary and her husband; these records include deeds, the earliest of which dates to the 1870s; mortgage and estate papers; bank records; and bills and receipts. Other papers include correspondence to Leary, her daughter Clara C. Ryan, Clara's husband Noah Ryan, and Clara's son, Percy Reeves, as well as correspondence pertaining to legal matters and to Leary's estate.

A group of biographical and historical papers contain maps, pamphlets, and other information related to late 19th and early 20th century Edenton and to the Leary legacy. These date mostly from Leary's lifetime, but also include later secondary sources about Edenton and Leary. Included in this group are the original plans for the J.N. Leary building (1894) that still stands on Broad Street in downtown Edenton.

The collection is completed by a few undated writings by Leary, one of which seems to be a eulogy, and by a group of albumen and gelatin silver photographs of Leary and her family, including her daughter, her brother, an uncle, her grandson Percy Reeves, and his family.

Biographical / historical:

Josephine Napoleon Leary was born into slavery in Williamston, North Carolina around 1856. At age nine, she was emancipated. In 1873 she married her husband "Sweety" Archer Leary and they moved to Edenton, North Carolina and operated a barbershop. Mrs. Leary, skillfully navigating the real estate market, acquired six properties in Edenton by 1881 in the "Cheapside" historic district. In 1893, Edenton and the "Cheapside" district, experienced a fire that destroyed all of Leary's investments. After the fire, Leary rebuilt 421-423-425 South Broad Street. This signature building in downtown Edenton still bears the mark "J.N. Leary 1894." Leary was overcome by cancer at the turn of the 20th century and the cost of medical care forced her to sell several of her properties. She died in 1923. Three of her properties were inherited by her daughter, Clara Ryan (born about 1875), but Leary's estaate was mired in debt and unpaid mortgages. Leary's daughter Clara, who is listed as "mulatto" in the 1920 U.S. Census and then Black in the 1930 census, married Noah Ryan.

Acquisition information:

The Josephine Napoleon Leary Papers were purchased by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library in 1991.

Accession 2002-0125 was received as a gift from the Historic Edenton State Historic Site in 2002.

Processing information:

Processed by Melissa Delbridge, May 1991. Encoded by Heather McGowan, September 2017. Updated by Paula Jeannet, February 2020.

Accessions described in this collection guide: 1991-0153, 2002-0125.

Arrangement:

The Josephine Napoleon Leary papers are arranged into seven small series: Legal Papers, Financial Papers, Coorespondence, Personal Papers, Biographical/Historical Material, Maps and Architetural Materials, and Photographs.

Physical facet:
approximately 352 items
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

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Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

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], Josephine Napoleon Leary papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.