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Moseley Family Papers, Ca GHM ARCHIVES MSS. COLL. #87 MSS. Collection #87 Moseley Family Papers, ca. 1890s-1972 (bulk 1940-1972). 5 boxes (294 folders), ca. 1223 items. NOTE: The numbers cited in parentheses, e.g. 1:5, refer the researcher to the Series#:Folder# in which that name/topic will be found. INTRODUCTION The Moseley Family Papers are divided into three groups: the Minnie Frank Hays Moseley, the Robert Moseley and the Moseley Family. The bulk is composed of items produced by or for members of these groups. Researchers interested in literary works will find numerous writings by Minnie Frank Hays Moseley. Mrs. Moseley’s song lyrics, many of which she wrote in collaboration with her brother, Lee Hays are included in this collection. Lee Hays was a musician and song-writer who played in a 50s band, The Weavers, with Pete Seeger, who was also a song-writer and social activist. Mrs. Moseley’s correspondence includes a signed letter from Pete Seeger. The papers of Robert Moseley include interesting correspondence pertaining to his work as an attorney for the Greensboro City Schools as well as his service of three terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives. There are numerous references to Mr. Moseley as the recipient of the Judge John J. Parker Award. The Parker Award—the highest award given by the North Carolina Bar Association—was awarded to Mr. Moseley in appreciation of his work on the General Statutes Commission. The Moseley Family Group contains family photos, genealogical material, and family documents which include receipts for slaves. Arrangement: This collection is arranged into three groups: the Minnie Frank Hays (I), the Robert Moseley (II) and the Moseley Family (III). The Minnie Frank Hays group is arranged into twelve series, and within each series folders are arranged alphabetically. The following are the twelve series: Artwork, n.d.; Awards and Certificates, 1955-57; Biographical -- Lee Hays, n.d.; Correspondence, ca. 1935-64; Genealogy -- Hays/Reinhardt Family, n.d.; Greensboro Writers (Organization), ca. 1956; Legal, 1972-74; Literary, n.d.; Miscellaneous, n.d.; Moseley, Robert F., Jr., n.d.; Musical Compositions, ca. 1957-75; Printed, ca. 1939-65. The Robert Moseley group is arranged into ten series, and within each series folders are arranged alphabetically. The following are the ten series: Biographical, ca. 1917-72; Correspondence, ca. 1942-72; Financial, ca. 1932-46; Funeral, 1972; Legal, 1929-72; Literary, 1917-44; Military Service Records, 1917-71; Parker Award, 1962; Photos, ca. 1900-70; Printed, 1919-72. The Moseley Family group is arranged into nine series, and within each series folders are arranged alphabetically. The following are the nine series: Family -- Bible, 1843; Family -- Birth/Death/Marriage Dates, n.d.; Family -- Clippings, ?-1972; Family -- Correspondence, ca. 1865-70; Family -- Documents, 1845-65; Family -- Genealogy, n.d.; Family -- Miscellaneous, n.d.; Family -- Moseley, William Dunn, n.d.; Family -- Photos, ca. 1895-1970. 1 GHM ARCHIVES MSS. COLL. #87 Provenance: This collection was donated by Isabel Morse Maresh from Morrill, Maine, in 1989. The accession number is 1989.108.001. Ms. Maresh acquired the papers at an estate sale. Processing: This collection was organized and the finding aid was prepared by Melissa Garrison, UNCG History Dept. Intern, in March 2000. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE Robert Franklin Moseley was born in Sampson County, near Clinton, North Carolina on February 10, 1891 to Franklin Faison and Rowena Royall Moseley. After attending the public schools in Clinton, he went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed an A. B. degree there in 1919, after an interruption for service in the United States Army in World War I. Mr. Moseley also attended the university law school and was later licensed to practice in 1922. Before Mr. Moseley began his career as an attorney, he taught in the public schools of the state, including Rocky Mount High School, where he later became principal (1919-20). He was later named city superintendent of schools in Tarboro (1921-22). Mr. Moseley relocated to Greensboro in 1922 where he later served as city attorney (1928- 29). He married Minnie Frank Hays on September 19, 1929. They had one child, Robert F, Moseley, Jr., who was born on August 4, 1936. In 1930, Mr. Moseley served as chairman of the Guilford county board of elections. He also served as a member of the Greensboro school board from 1929 through 1941. In addition, Mr. Moseley represented Guilford County in the state house of representatives for the 1943, 1945 and 1947 sessions. While in the State House, Mr. Moseley introduced legislation to create the General Statutes Commission in 1945. He served as chairman of the Commission from 1945 to 1961. His distinguished service was recognized when the North Carolina Bar Association awarded him the Judge John J. Parker Award in 1962. In the same year, the University of North Carolina awarded him an honorary LL.D degree. Mr. Moseley died on December 23, 1972. Mr. Moseley’s wife, Minnie Frank (Fran) Hays, the other principal subject of this collection, was born in Batesville, Arkansas to the Reverend William Benjamin and Ellen William Reinhardt Hays. She had three brothers, Reuben, William, and Lee. Lee Hays was a short story and song-writer who sang with the Weavers, a 1950s band, with singer and social activist Pete Seeger. Mrs. Moseley was a writer of short stories, poetry, and songs. She won local awards for her work. Mrs. Moseley died on December 3, 1973. Biographical Sources: There are two main biographical sources compiled by Robert Moseley himself that provide a rough sketch of his life—the personal reference sheet he supplied to the Greensboro Daily News in 1969 and the information sheet he prepared for his class reunion at UNC Chapel Hill in 1969 (II: 1:3). The memorial to Mr. Moseley, presented to the Greensboro Bar Association in 1973, also provides useful information (II: 1:2). Researchers will find, however, conflicting dates in some of the newspaper articles printed about Mr. Moseley (II: 1:1). For the purpose of compiling his biographical note, his personal biographical submissions were used. Much less is known about Minnie Frank Moseley. Her biographical note was primarily compiled using an undated typewritten letter she planned to submit to a newspaper (I: 5:1). 2 GHM ARCHIVES MSS. COLL. #87 SCOPE & CONTENT NOTE Types of material in this collection primarily include artwork, correspondence, literary documents, photographs, awards and certificates and printed material. The bulk of materials in the Minnie Frank Hays Moseley group (I) are her literary works. Much of her poetry and short story writing is fiction and covers a wide variety of topics (8). Mrs. Moseley did win local prizes for her work (2), but her writing was declined for publication in numerous magazines (8:19-22). Mrs. Moseley did, however, write the lyrics to the song “Seven Daffodils” with her brother, Lee Hays. The song was released by the 1950s band The Weavers—a group that included Lee Hays and song-writer and social activist Pete Seeger (11:2). Among Mrs. Moseley’s correspondence is a letter signed by Pete Seeger (4:21). The primary materials included in the Robert Moseley’s group (II) are correspondence. Letters in this series include many topics, from personal to professional. The great majority of correspondence consists of congratulatory letters (2:56, 83, 149, 143) sent to Mr. Moseley in 1962 after he was awarded an honorary doctorate from UNC-Chapel Hill and the Judge John J. Parker award for his service on the General Statutes Commission. A highlight of this correspondence is letters regarding Mr. Moseley’s work during his terms as a legislator in the General Assembly to assist African-Americans and to improve public education (2:53, 87, 92, 126, 129). Numerous references to Mr. Moseley’s public and political involvement are included in this collection (10). Certificates and awards, both educational and professional (10:2, 3), newspaper clippings (10:6-13), citations and resolutions (10:5), and political items (10:1, 22), all illustrate Mr. Moseley’s community involvement in a wide variety of areas. The Moseley Family group (III) primarily contains genealogical materials. Family photos (9), a family Bible (1:1), and other old family documents, which include the selling of slaves (5:2), are included in the Moseley Family Group. SERIES DESCRIPTIONS I. Minnie Frank Hays Moseley 1. Artwork. 2 folders (16 items). n.d. This series includes pencil, pen and ink drawings, and paintings by Fran Moseley (1:1). Her subjects include people, cats, the influenza club, sewing baskets, and flowers. Mrs. Moseley’s sketches of women’s fashion (1:2) feature long, flowing gowns and women’s hats. 2. Awards and Certificates. 1 folder (4 items). 1955-1957. Certificates in this series include first place for poetry and third place for a children’s story in the Greensboro Writers Annual Contest in 1955. Mrs. Moseley also received 1st Honorable Mention for poetry in the Greensboro Writers Annual Contest in 1957. A certificate of merit won in 1956 for participation in the Writer’s Digest short story contest is included in this series. 3 GHM ARCHIVES MSS. COLL. #87 I. Minnie Frank Hays Moseley 3. Biographical—Lee Hays. 1 folder (1 item). n.d. This series contains information regarding Fran Moseley’s brother, Lee Hays. Hays was a musician and song writer who played in a 1950s band, The Weavers, with Pete Seeger. The Weavers were blacklisted during the 1950s. The item in this series is an excerpt from the book, How Can I Keep Singing: Pete Seeger, by David King Dunaway. It includes a photo and a short biographical note on Lee Hays.
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