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Noble Family Papers
mssNBL  
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Description
This collection contains the personal and professional correspondence of the Noble family of South Carolina, mostly of attorney Edward Noble (1823-1889) and his son Patrick Noble (1849-1920). The Nobles were closely related through various marriages to the Calhoun, Green, Clemson, Bratton, Pickens, McCaws, Cuningham, and Gadsden families.
Background
The Nobles of Abbeville, South Carolina, closely related through various marriages to the Calhoun, Green, Clemson, Bratton, Pickens, McCaws, Cuningham, and Gadsden families, was one of the most prominent planter families of the "featherbed aristocracy" of South Carolina. The Noble family was of Scots-Irish ancestry; the first Nobles came to America in the early 1700s and settled in Augusta County, Va. Major Alexander Noble (1733-1801), married to his first cousin Catherine Calhoun, moved to South Carolina and made his home in Abbeville District, near Willington. During the Revolutionary War, he was Captain of the state militia and later became an aide-de-camp to General Andrew Pickens. Major Noble's eldest son John (1774-1819) went to Princeton, studied medicine in France, and the set up medical practice in Charleston. His brothers Ezekiel Noble (d. 1732), William (1777-1823), and Alexander (1794-1821) ran family plantations, including Vienna Plantation on the Savannah River and were engaged in cotton trade. Joseph Noble (1792-1822), a Yale educated lawyer left for Alabama. Patrick Noble (1787-1840), the 57th Governor of South Carolina was the most prominent among Alexander Noble's sons. He was born in Abbeville and graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1806. In 1809, he was admitted to the bar and set up a law practice in partnership with John C. Calhoun. In 1814, Noble was elected to the state legislature. In 1830, the General Assembly elected him as 34th Lieutenant Governor; in 1836, he became state senator, and in 1838, the General Assembly elected him Governor of South Carolina.
Extent
18.7 Linear Feet (16 boxes)
Restrictions
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Availability
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.