Branscomb Family Papers

Collection

Identifier: MSS-4017

Scope and Contents

The Branscomb family papers includes a wide variety of papers, photographs, scrapbooks, and textiles. Most of the materials relate to James Alston Branscomb, his childhood, his education, and his career.

Dates

after 1865

Creator

Branscomb, James Alston (Author, Person)

Physical Description

most of the materials are in decent shape; a few of the items are extremely fragile and should not be handled much if possible (these items have been identified as such); some of the textiles are very fragile

Biographical / Historical

James Alston Branscomb, was born in Union Springs, Alabama, February, 4, 1917, son of John Sandford and Eugenia Norwood Alston Branscomb. Eugenia ("Genie Mae") was John's third wife and, after John's death from pneumonia four months later (seventeen months after his marriage to "Genie Mae"), was "mother" to the nine children from his first two marriages: Jessie, Mary Hunter, Marvin, Albert, Clayton, John W., Lucille, Ernest (Jack), and Lewis. At their father's death, Jessie (serving in France) and Mary Hunter (working in New York) were unable to come home. Marvin, almost 22, stepped into the role of head of the household. The younger children were sent to live with various relatives in Union Springs, but they all considered "Genie Mae" their 'second mama' and called her "Mama" or "Mother."

Alston graduated from Bullock County (Alabama) High School in 1935 and went on to attend the University of Alabama, where he met and later married Blanch Stinson Price. He and Blanche had two daughters: Eugenia and Peggy. Alston worked at Reynolds Metals Company as Chief Chemist in the Listerhill Reduction Plant. He retired in 1982, after 41 years with Reynolds.

Alston died on December 3, 2012, in Florence, Alabama.

Extent

12 Linear Feet (daguerreotypes; scrapbooks; letters; papers; diplomas and certificates; pictures; drawings, etc.)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Overview

Letters, land grants, diplomas, certificates, scrapbook, daguerreotype, and other miscellaneous documents, as well as quilts and other textiles (including a wedding dress from the early 20th century)

Physical Location

These materials are stored at our off-site Archival Facility (AF) and may require up to two business days for retrieval and delivery for use in our Hoole Library reading room. Please email archives@ua.edu or call 205-348-0500 for more information.

Provenance

gift of Eugenia Branscomb Hobday and Peggy Branscomb Leggett, 2013; additional gift, 2014

Related Materials

Related materials may be found in the Richard Branscomb and Lewis Branscomb papers, University Libraries Division of Special Collections, The University of Alabama (MSS.0205). Please see staff for assistance.

Other materials may be found in the Midway, Alabama, city records, A. S. Williams III Americana Collections, Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library, The University of Alabama. Please see the staff for assistance.

Physical Description

General

To provide faster access to our materials, this finding aid was published without formal and final review. Email us at archives@ua.edu if you find mistakes or have suggestions to make this finding aid more useful for your research.