William Sidney Porter Papers
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Financial and legal documents - Porter Drug Store
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Twenty-six items are from the Porter Drug Store from 1853-1889. The majority are receipts for items purchased and several are signed by W.C. Porter. See the finding aid for the various names of this drugstore at different times. Also included is an agreement (1882) between Porter and Dalton and C. P. Mendenhall for fixtures, etc. (with explanatory notes included) as well as the receipt from W.C. Porter to R.F. Dalton (1882) for 1/2 interest in the drugstore. Very interesting are two pages of accounts from Porter and Gorrell to W.C. Porter (debits), 1863, with amounts in "Confederate" and "Gold." Several of the receipts are Civil War era and many have the drugstore letter/billhead.
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Letters from Al Jennings
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The 1913 item is a two page TLS (typed letter signed) to Mr. Archibald Henderson of North Carolina regarding a lecture and/or contribution for an O. Henry memorial (1913). It has been silk laminated. The 1922 letter is to Eli Oettinger regarding William Sydney Porter, a watch, and being in Illinois.
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Letters from Shirley Worth Porter
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These letters are addressed to Mrs. Harry Thornton in Greensboro. They speak of Shirley's nickname "Shell" and how it was acquired, mutual acquaintances in Greensboro, a description of the original Porter drug store, a sketch made by Shirley Porter of the Porter home on West Market St., and Dr. J. K. Hall. They also discuss Shell's birthplace, early childhood, and other items relating to the Porter family in general.
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Letters to Ethel Arnett from Porter family members
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This folder contains seventeen letters, seventeen covers, and two typed pages of notes dealing with O. Henry, possibly by Mrs. Arnett or possibly sent to her in a letter. These letters are to Mrs. Arnett from members of the Coleman and Porter families. They speak generally of William Sydney Porter anecdotes and mention the publication of "O. Henry from Polecat Creek" by Arnett. The information in these letters was probably used in an article written by Arnett on firsthand remembrances of William Sydney Porter (see literary production series).
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Letters to Lina Gray
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Included are an Easter card and an ALS (autograph letter signed) (1897) with cover to Lina Gray from her aunt, Lina Porter. The letter discusses general family matters.
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Letters to Lyndon Swaim
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Lyndon Swaim followed William Swaim as editor of the "Greensboro Patriot" (1839-1854). He had been apprenticed under William. In 1842, he married the widowed Mrs. William Swaim and became stepfather to Mary Jane Virginia Swaim Porter, William Sydney Porter's mother. The 1839 item is from Jesse Lindsay to Lyndon Swaim inviting him to return to Greensboro to edit the "Carolina (Greensboro) Patriot." The other item is from a John Swaim in New Jersey and deals with early Swaim genealogy.
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Letters to and from E.M. Oettinger
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This group includes three items addressed to Eli Oettinger, ten carbon letters written from Eli Oettinger, and six memorandum sheets written by Eli Oettinger. The 1937-1939 items relate to Mr. Oettinger's attempts to add to his collection of O. Henry materials. Among the three letters addressed to E.M. Oettinger is a TLS (typed letter signed) by Upton Sinclair. The memoranda deal with William Sydney Porter's publications and his pen name.
