Frank Johnstone Jervey Papers
Collection
Identifier: Mss-0072
The material in the Jervey Papers covers primarily the last thirty years of his life (1953-1983). The correspondence in the collection deals with such topics as fund raising, alumni relations, IPTAY and athletic affairs, and Jervey's personal activities. The collection contains correspondence with prominent South Carolina politicians such as James F. Byrnes, Ernest F. Hollings, L. Mendel Rivers, Strom Thurmond and Edgar Brown. Other notable correspondents in the Jervey Papers include Clemson Presidents Robert F. Poole and Robert C. Edwards and administrators Walter Cox and J. C. Littlejohn. The Alumni files contain letters from such well-known Clemson graduates as W. B. Camp, T. Wilbur Thornhill, Calhoun Lemon, S. C. McMeekin and Wright Bryan. The researcher should consult the various Clemson files as well as the alphabetical subject files for access to the above-mentioned letters.
Jervey's work as an ordnance consultant resulted in his receiving many technical reports on small arms ammunition. The Jervey papers include twenty folders relating to ordnance. There is also extensive correspondence between Jervey and Charles L. Horn of the Federal Cartridge Corporation and Olin Foundation. The friendship between Jervey and Horn was a significant factor in the expansion of Clemson's engineering program in the 1950's.
Jervey maintained active correspondence with many friends and acquaintances.
Frank Johnstone Jervey was born November 27, 1893 in Summerville, South Carolina. He attended Porter Military Academy and graduated from Clemson College in 1914 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. Following graduation Jervey worked as an engineer at the Charleston Navy Yard and also at the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, New Haven, Connecticut.
Jervey entered military service in August, 1917 and served as captain, 4th U. S. Infantry Regiment, in the 3rd Infantry Division. He was severely wounded near Chateau Thierry in France in January, 1918. His combat record earned him the Distinguished Service Cross and the Italian Marito de Guerro for heroism. In 1922 Jervey was employed as an ordnance engineer by the Ordnance Corps of the Department of the Army. During his distinguished thirty-one year career at Army Ordnance Jervey became known as an authority on small arms and incendiary ammunition.
After his retirement from government service, Jervey returned to Clemson and devoted his efforts to various alumni activities. He was responsible for securing grants from the Olin Foundation which resulted in the construction of two engineering buildings, Olin Hall and Earle Hall. He also served Clemson as President of the Alumni Corporation (1955), Vice-President for Development (1959-1963) and life trustee (1965-1976). Clemson recognized Jervey's service and contributions by awarding him both the honorary Doctor of Science degree and the Clemson Medallion, which is the highest public honor granted by the university to a living person.
In addition to his Clemson-related interests, Jervey was an active Episcopalian and a vestryman of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. His church commitments were also evidenced by his service on the Boards of Trustees of Voorhees College and Porter Gaud School, both of which are supported by the Episcopal Church.
In 1925 Jervey married Anne Dornin White of Leesburg, Virginia. The Jerveys had one daughter, Mary Jervey Kilby, several grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Frank Jervey died May 6, 1983.
2.25 Cubic Feet
English
These letters are arranged in folders alphabetically and each folder is organized chronologically.
Donated by Mrs. Anne Jervey, the collection was transferred to Clemson University Libraries from the Jervey Athletic Center in June 1983, following Jervey's death.
This register was prepared by Bryan F. McKown in 1985.
The conversion of this finding aid to Encoded Archival Description format was made possible with a grant from the South Carolina State Historical Records Advisory Board in 2009-2010. The finding aid was prepared for encoding by Carl Redd.
Part of the Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Repository