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Hinton James

The first student to reach the new university at Chapel Hill, Hinton James arrived on 12 February 1795 and was the only student for two weeks. He belonged to the first literary club, the debating society and the Philanthropic Society, and on 4 July 1798 took his degree with the first graduating class of seven.

Source: NCpedia: James, Hinton (Dictionary of North Carolina Biography)

1 indexed record is connected with this person.

In the index

Related works found in catalogs and archives across North Carolina. Each links to the institution that holds or provides it.

"Superlatives" slide show

Morton, Hugh M. · 1970

Exterior view of Hinton James high-rise dormitory on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill. From a slide show assembled by Morton, titled "Superlatives." (Since there was no accompanying description, in most cases the "superlat…

In the chronology

Dated events connected with this person, earliest first. See the whole chronology →

  1. UNC opens to students The University formally opened at Chapel Hill on a cold, rainy January 15, 1795, with Governor Richard Dobbs Spaight and trustees present, but no students had … People: Hinton JamesUNC Libraries, NC Miscellany: January 1795: The University of North Carolina (Nicholas Graham, January 1, 2004)
  2. Hinton James arrives as UNC’s first student Hinton James became UNC’s first student on February 12, 1795. People: Hinton JamesNC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
  3. UNC’s Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies take shape UNC students held the first recorded meeting of a Debating Society on June 3, 1795, and voted on July 2 to split in two, the new body being the Concord Society… People: Hinton JamesUNC Libraries, University Archives: Dialectic Society of the University of North Carolina Records, 1795-1964 (historical note)
  4. UNC begins marking Hinton James Day each February 12 The university started Hinton James Day in 1945, during the sesquicentennial of its first student's arrival. It falls on February 12 and now also honors other …Search the index · UNC-Chapel Hill: 230 years ago, he became the first Tar Heel
  5. UNC names a new south campus residence hall for Hinton James The university built a ten-story residence hall on south campus in 1967 and named it for Hinton James, the first student to reach Chapel Hill in 1795. The hall…Search the index · UNC Carolina Housing: Hinton James Residence Hall
  6. Three alumni recreate the walk attributed to Hinton James and finish at the Old Well Nick Becketti, Bryan Jones and Whitney Reeds set out from the coast near Wilmington in the summer of 2008 to repeat the roughly 170-mile walk attributed to Hin…Search the index · UNC-Chapel Hill: 225 years of Tar Heels, Hinton James

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Background reading at OCPL

Held in OCPL’s Rebecca B. Wall Local History Collection. Selected because their titles or catalog subjects provide wider historical context for this person; they may not discuss the Orange County person directly.

  • Background reading · Rebecca Wall Collection North Carolina Schools and Academies, 1790-1840: A Documentary History Coon, Charles L. · 1915 Subjects in the Library of Congress catalog record: Education -- North Carolina -- History; Schools -- North Carolina; Universities and colleges -- North Carolina
  • Background reading · Rebecca Wall Collection Higher Education in North Carolina Powell, William Stevens · 1970 Subjects in the Library of Congress catalog record: Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Directories; Directories
  • Background reading · Rebecca Wall Collection A History of the Public Schools of North Carolina Noble, M. C. S. · 1930 Subjects in the Library of Congress catalog record: Education -- North Carolina -- History; Public schools -- North Carolina

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