George M. Ivey papers

George Melvin Ivey was born in Henrietta, N.C., on August 14, 1896 to Emma Gantt and Joseph Benjamin (J. B.) Ivey. He served as a second lieutenant in the Field Artillery, U.S. Army, in World War I and was graduated from Duke University in 1920. He married Lula Groves Campbell in 1922. They had two children, George M. Jr. and Mary Clare (Matthews). Ivey followed in the footsteps of his father and became president and treasurer of the J. B. Ivey and Company department stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. His interests included the YMCA, Jungle Aviation and Radio Service (JAARS), the Methodist Home in Charlotte, and the Newcomen Society. His deep interest in photography is reflected in the voluminous collection of prints, slides, and negatives that constitute the major portion of his papers. Ivey kept meticulous records of these photographs, and identified each by number, date, and location. These photographs of the many stops in his numerous trips enhance his written accounts in this collection. His wife, Groves Ivey, often accompanied Ivey. On his world tour in 1967, however, he went without her because she was recuperating from heart problems. Their exchange of letters during this trip reflects their deep affection for each other as well as an avid interest in the world around them. George Ivey died in 1968; Groves Ivey in 1986.