Dan River Institute

The Dan River Institute

The Dan River Institute in Yanceyville was incorporated in 1847 under the leadership of James Mebane, George Williamson, Thomas D. Johnston, Littleton A. Gwynn, Nicholas M. Lewis, N. H. Harding, Mitchell Curie, Nathaniel M. Roan, Robert B. Watt, and John H. Richard. The Institute was in operation to the spring of 1850, as the Milton Chronicle on June 6 announced that the "next session" would begin on July 8. The advertisement of this fact was signed by A. C. Lindsey and B. Gould, the latter undoubtedly the Benjamin Gould, graduate of the University of Vermont, who had joined the faculty of the Milton Male Academy in 1837. An 1867 directory lists 30-year-old Joseph Venable as principal of the Institute. Venable, a native of Oxford, was graduated from the University in 1857.

In 1872 Archibald E. Henderson was principal; he had attended the University in 1859-1861, but left to serve in the Confederate Army. He was superintendent of Caswell County schools during the period 1897-1905. In 1909 or soon afterwards, by act of the General Assembly, proceeds from the sale of the Yanceyville Female Academy were turned over to F. W. Brown, N. C. Brandon, and T. J. Florance to be used in repairing and improving the Dan River Institute which had been used as a public school since 1897. The original Dan River Institute was located on the grounds of the later Bartlett Yancey School.

Source: Powell, William S. When the Past Refused to Die: A History of Caswell County North Carolina 1777-1977. Durham (North Carolina): Moore Publishing Company, 1977. pp.369-370. Print. [Paragraphs added.]

People Mentioned (in order of appearance):

James Mebane
George Williamson
Thomas D. Johnston
Littleton A. Gwynn
Nicholas M. Lewis
N. H. Harding
Mitchell Curie
Nathaniel M. Roan
Robert B. Watt
John H. Richard
A. C. Lindsey
Benjamin Gould
Joseph Venable
Archibald E. Henderson
F. W. Brown
N. C. Brandon
T. J. Florance