John Alexander Oates Papers
MS144
Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives
English
3.44
Linear Feet
2 record cartons, 2 document boxes
1771
1970
John Alexander Oates was a Wake Forest College alumnus (1895) who became a lawyer and state legislator. He also served as editor of the <part>North Carolina Baptist</part> and was a local historian of the city of Fayetteville and Cumberland County, North Carolina. This collection contains correspondence, family history materials, financial and legal documents, news clippings, notebooks, photographs, publications, writings, subject files, and Wake Forest College files.
Oates, John Alexander, 1870-1958
Biographical Note
John Alexander Oates was a Wake Forest College alumnus (1895) who became a lawyer and state legislator. He was born on June 2, 1870, to John Alexander Oates, Sr., and Mary Jewell Ashford Oates. He taught school while earning his own degree at Wake Forest College (1895).
Oates had a varied and active career. He served as editor of the
<part>North Carolina Baptist</part> from 1892 until 1907. In 1910, he earned his N.C. law license and practiced until 1950. Oates was devoted to the temperance and prohibition causes, organizing an Anti-Saloon League of North Carolina through his leadership on the Baptist State Committee of N.C.'s Temperance Committee. In 1908, Oates' organizing work was successful when North Carolinians voted for state-wide prohibition.Oates held a number of government positions as a Democrat: Fayetteville Board of Aldermen member, Cumberland County Board of Education chair (1903-1913); the first judge of the Cumberland County Recorder's Court (1913); Fayetteville School Board chair (1911-1928); state senator (1917-1919); and School for the Blind and Deaf director (1925-1933); and other county and state roles.
In addition to all these roles, Oates was a member of the Wake Forest College Board of Trustees from 1906-1948, including 9 years as Board president. He also was an active local historian, focusing on Fayetteville and Cumberland County, North Carolina. His most notable publication was the 1950 book
<part>The Story of Fayetteville and the Upper Cape Fear</part>. Oates was an active member of First Baptist Church, Fayetteville.Oates was married to Emma Estelle Dodd and, after her death, to Isabelle Charters Crowder, with whom he had two children: John Alexander Oates III and Mary Ashford Oates. He died on February 12, 1958.
Sources: Stroupe, Henry S. "Oates, John Alexander."
<part>Dictionary of North Carolina Biography</part>. 1991. Available at https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/oates-john-alexander
Collection Overview
This collection focuses on his volunteer work with the Anti-Saloon League of N.C. and Wake Forest College and historical research regarding his family, Fayetteville, and Cumberland County. It contains little of Oates' professional life as a lawyer and state politician. Material types include correspondence, family history materials, financial and legal documents, news clippings, notebooks, photographs, publications, writings, and subject files.
Many files listed in the collection inventory include a page count note; most of these should be correct but some may be inaccurate. Materials related to Wake Forest College are located in the correspondence and subject files series.
Arrangement
This collection has eight series: Series 1. Biographical, family, and personal materials, Series 2. Correspondence, Series 3. Correspondence: Anti-Saloon League of North Carolina, Series 4. Financial and legal materials, Series 5. Photographs, Series 6. Speeches, Series 7. Subject files, and Series 8. Writings.
Preferred Citation
John Alexander Oates Papers (MS144). Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for use.
Copyright Notice
The nature of the WFU Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Archives and Special Collections of ZSR Library claims only physical ownership of most materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to the 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.
Processing Information
Processed by John Woodard, July 1, 1982. Encoded by Apex, December 2004. Funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), with support provided through [North Carolina ECHO].
Oates, John Alexander, 1870-1958
Biographical, family, and personal materialsCertificates191219627262Group photograph of Scotch marker unveiling participants (oversize)19403114Event invitations191719655263Family and personal history materials19601969circa 1960-19699 items12Family memorials, correspondence, and related materials19381970circa 1938-197024 items11Family letter, unidentified father to son1911 September 10116Lindley, Isabelle Crowder Oates, materials19311967circa 1931-19671219McKethan, James K., letter to "cousin William" from Tarboro, N.C.1864 April 151110Oates, David T., obituary19101912circa 1910-19121111Oates, John A., Jr. (1870-1958), news clippings19201958circa 1920-195876113Oates, John A., Sr. (1833-1901), clippings and letter186019011860, 19014112Oates, John A., III, writings and biographical materials194919715114Oates, Mary Jewell Ashford, Female Institute, Clinton, N.C., diploma1863 June1108Personal mementos19071951circa 1907-19511109Scrapbook, Harris School, second grade19131107York, Pennsylvania, VFW Scottish band photographs (oversize)circa 19471113Correspondence: Anti-Saloon League of North CarolinaA1907190820266B1903190848267C1907190836268D1905190857269E-F1905190822270G1907190813371H-J1907190849272K-L1903190822273M1907190827274N-O1905190818275P-Q1907190821276R1907190813277S190719087278T-V1907190823279W1907190820280X-Z19072281Pamphlets1902194414282CorrespondenceBradford, James A., letter to Senator Henry Clay regarding U.S. arsenal, Fayetteville, N.C.1851 February 1113Correspondence1905196411717Correspondence190819574918Herring, Robert W., and Graham Kenan, Kenan and Herring law firm materials190619083515Correspondence regarding WFC193819651938-1945, 196543Correspondence regarding WFC1939194547Correspondence regarding WFC1941194345Correspondence regarding WFC1943194631Correspondence regarding WFC1945194846Correspondence regarding WFC194648Correspondence regarding war changes to WFC194244Legal and history correspondence191719579914Oates, Mary Ashford, correspondence186319251863-1864, 19253115<part>The Story of Fayetteville and the Upper Cape Fear</part> correspondence and related materials1948197016116Financial and legal materialsAccounts19501117Bills195113118Bills and related correspondence194919515119Certificate of cohabitation for George Oates and Jinnie Bizzell, two freed persons18661121Insurance policies188119401881, 19403123Land deeds and records, including photocopies177119494122Notebook containing accounts and notes194619503106Receipts and interest notes18781959120Will: Roger Snell copy (1758)19522124PhotographsHistory of Fayetteville37258John A. Oates and others43259Scottish Clan11260Tom Jeffries image from a publication on photograph papercirca 192542Unidentified42261SpeechesundatedBaptists133Chamber of Commerce134Civilization and progress135Fayetteville136Flag137General1905194924132Graduation138History139Life, love, laughter140Music141North Carolina142Politics143Power144Religion145Social Order146Teachers147Temperance148War149Words150Subject filesBaptist State Convention of N.C.1916194933100Civil War material: Lovejoy, Charles C. (3rd Lt., Co. 1, 4th Regiment, N.C. Cavalry), letter to "Miss Mary", Raleigh. He was recovering from a wound received near Nottaway, Virginia, mentions Captain [Joseph O.] Cherry and Cousin [Marcellus Ferdinand] Rand1864 June 28, September 83104Civil War material: Presidential amnesty proclamation signed by Andrew Johnson for James M. Wooten, Onslow County, N.C. (photocopy)1865 November 93105Fayetteville, N.C.: Clubs17290Fayetteville, N.C.: First Baptist Church1890195510291Fayetteville, N.C.: History1905194019292Fayetteville, N.C.: Pamphlets1905195716293Fayetteville, N.C.: <part>North Carolina Baptist</part> newspaper4294N.C. counties: Bladen1957, undated4283N.C. counties: Brunswick1951, undated3284N.C. counties: Cumberland191119541911-1954, undated19285N.C. counties: Duplin19501286N.C. counties: Moore19501287N.C. counties: New Hanoverundated1288N.C. counties: Robeson289N.C. state maps9264News clippings: Education5251News clippings: Family10252News clippings: Fayetteville21253News clippings: First Baptist Church9254News clippings: Highland Scots19271938circa 1927-193810255News clippings: History19256News clippings: Prohibition and Anti-Saloon League16257Programs193919678265Scottish Clan correspondence1939195998295Scottish Clan festivals1939195414396Scottish Clan members15397Scottish Clan pamphlets and notes1910194612398Segregation18981951399Victory Gardens19441945123101WFC materials19121952133102WFC Board of Trustees materials19441957193103WritingsArticles about Christianity and its practice, likely by John Alexander Oates, Jr.19301958circa 1930-1958126"Christian Citizenship" and "A Study of the Baptist People"circa 189741News clippings and transcriptions19021957125Poetry190619291906, 1929127Poetryundated128Reminiscences1952129Research and speech notes19101958circa 1910-1958130-31