William Preston Few (1867-1940) served as President of Trinity College from 1910-1924, and President of Duke University from 1924-1940. Few came to Trinity College in 1896 as Professor of English, was named Dean of the College in 1902, and President in 1910, succeeding John C. Kilgo. Few worked with James Buchanan Duke to establish the Duke Endowment. In 1924, Few directed Trinity College's transition to Duke University and remained as President of Duke University until his death in 1940. Few was an active layman in the Methodist Church and in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The William Preston Few Records and Papers contain correspondence from Few's office files as President of Trinity College and Duke University, reports, clippings, copies of speeches and manuscripts, memorandum books, bound volumes, index cards that catalog Few's office files, and other types of printed material. Major subjects include education; philanthropy; the development of Trinity College from its beginning in Randolph County, N.C., to Duke University; the development of the Duke Endowment; Trinity and Duke departmental operations; the school's relationship with the Methodist Church; and business of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. English.
The Few family papers includes correspondence, business and financial papers, clippings, printed material, and genealogical information. The collection was created by various members of the Thomas and Few families, with the majority being created by Mary Reamey Thomas Few and her husband, Dr. William P. Few, president of Trinity College (1910-1924) and Duke University (1924-1940). The collection ranges in date from 1861-1986 (bulk 1905-1967).