Collections

Items related to the families of David Edward Hyatt, Robert Glenn Hyatt, and Roberta Hyatt LaBoon. The center of the collection is a christening gown made by Elizabeth Benners Willis Hyatt in 1885 for the christening of her son, David Edward Hyatt, and used by several subsequent generations. JAMES & ELIZABETH HYATT Elizabeth Benners Willis (1857-1926) married James Robert Hyatt (1853-1931) in Waynesville, NC. James was a tax collector for the city, and later owned and operated a grist mill. They had five children: David, Josepha, James, Buel "Bud," and Elizabeth "Bellie" (who as an adult went by Betty). It is believed that the gown was worn by all five children. DAVID & AURORA HYATT The Christening gown passed down to their oldest son, David Edward Hyatt (1885-1959), who married Aurora Glenn in 1907. They moved to Greer in 1908 and had three children: Robert Glenn Hyatt, 1909; Albert E. Hyatt, 1910 (who likely died as a child); and Tyree Walter Hyatt, 1913. It is believed that the gown was worn by all three children. Soon after Tyree was born, David went to fight in World War 1, and served at Base Hospital No. 25 — an American Expeditionary Forces medical unit established at Allerey-sur-Saône, France, in the summer of 1918. In the 1930 census David is back home, living at 90 Arlington Street; he is listed as manager of a cafe, but by this time he was also running a grocery store. His son Robert is 20 and working as a grocery salesman; Tyree is 18. In the 1940 census they are living at 515 Hill Street (now East Poinsett). His son Tyree, along with Tyree's wife (“Bibly”?) Mae Masters Hyatt and Tyree Jr., also live with them; David owns the house, and Tyree pays $10/month for rent. Tyree is an engraver at a textile plant. ROBERT & THELMA HYATT David's oldest son, Robert, began working as a substitute post office carrier in May 1928. Robert married Thelma Holder (1909 - 2005), and the christening gown passed down to them. In May 1933 he was made substitute clerk at the post office. Their only child, daughter Roberta, was born July 11, 1936. In October 1938 he was made a full clerk at the post office; Thelma also worked full time as a clerk in a printshop. She later worked as a clerk in the City of Greer's "office for power and light," likely meaning Greer CPW. The Hyatts were members of Memorial UMC; in 1946 Robert was elected board member of Memorial, and re-elected September 1951. In addition to his work with the church, Robert was very active in numerous Greer organizations. In March 1950 he was one of five members of the Greer Board of Health to resign together in protest of lack of funding, authority, and City Council participation. He was a member of the Bailey Masonic Lodge; in December 1939 he was elected Worshipful Master. In March 1942 he was awarded his Past Master jewel; then in March of 1976 he was awarded a Grand Lodge Citation for Outstanding Service. He was a charter member of Greer Chapter of Order of the Eastern Star; there, he was installed as Associate Patron in April 1941, and raised to Worthy Patron in April 1942. He was a member of the Greenville Lodge of Perfection, the Hejaz Shrine Temple, the Greer Amateur CB Radio Club, the Greer Camp of Gideons, and he was the Roper Mountain Astronomer. In August, 1960, Robert succeeded JV Barnett as assistant postmaster of Greer, a position he would hold the rest of his career. BOONIE & ROBERTA HYATT LABOON Their daughter Roberta attended Greer High School as a freshman in 1951. She married Jimmy "Boonie" LaBoon (1934-2017), who graduated from Greer High in 1952 and Furman University in 1956. Boonie and Roberta were founding members of Faith UMC in Greer and then longtime members of Zoar UMC. Boonie was a tax accountant but was famous for his love of fireworks. Boonie and Roberta had five children, all of whom wore the christening gown: David Franklin LaBoon, Amanda C. LaBoon, Debra Anne LaBoon West, and Robert D. LaBoon.

Articles from The Greer Citizen newspaper and information related to it.

Items related to the family and descendants of William Clark Bailey and Victoria Elizabeth Cunningham Bailey.

Charles W. Drace glass plate negatives, paper print, and ephemera.

Items related to the Bailey and Cunningham families

Papers and items from fire chief Broughton Colvin.

Personal papers and items belonging to William "Billy" Zadock Middleton Wilson; his wife, Roxie Ann Wood Wilson; and some children, particularly daughters Bertha and Ernestine. Wide range of items include business records, personal records, clothing, and personal effects ranging from the 1880s through the 1930s.

Documents from scrapbooks collected by Shirlee Rollins, former mayor and city councilwoman of Greer. Most are newspaper clippings about her time in those roles; there are also some family records and a few other miscellaneous items.

Family records from various Plumleys and Lindseys, mostly centered around the family of Lillie Lindsey Plumley.

Primarily documentation of the first power plant, electric lines, electric lights, waterworks, and sewer in Greer. Other documents reference the police hunt for blind tigers, including hiring private investigators and requesting detectives from the Governor's office; correspondence with the Piedmont & Northern about the construction of a depot on the town square; documents referencing a serious business recession in 1915-16 resulting in the city of Greer unable to pay its bills; health and sanitation; and other miscellaneous city-related documents.

Most items in this collection appear to have been cut from a memory album, the rest of which has been lost to time. They relate to Daisy Jones, her mother, and her son James; but also include two significant photographs (Charles Drace and Olin Gaines), and a 1947 Greer Citizen "Baby Week Edition."

Records, information, and artifacts related to the Black community in Greer

A collection of documents from the Hawkins family.

A collection documents, photographs, and artifacts donated by Dean Campbell.

Panel text and photographs from the 1983 Dark Corner Limestone College project.

Historical artifacts, documents, and photographs on the Dark Corner.

Historical records kept by the Plumley family of upper Greenville County, S.C.

Records and documents related to the Peach Festival.

Letters from Private Robert M. Clarke to his family, written during World War 2.

This is a collection of letters gathered by Etta Bailey Burgiss. It includes: – letters from her mother, Victoria Cunningham Bailey, to Victoria's sister – letters between Victoria Bailey, W.C. Bailey, and Etta Bailey – letters from W.W. Burgiss to Etta Bailey – letters from friends to Etta Bailey