Nancy Carrier

Nancy Carrier and Peggy on The Rockbrook House lawn
• Counselors • Charlotte Page

Nancy Carrier and Peggy the Great Dane

Nancy Carrier's dog Peggy was a beloved addition to camp life
Mrs. Carrier and Peggy on The Rockbrook House lawn

Many campers and staff from the early days of Rockbrook often mention Mrs. Carrier’s dog and sidekick, Peggy.  We were thrilled to find a photograph of Mrs. Carrier and Peggy together so we could “meet” the girls favorite mascot during those early years.  Here is a great excerpt about Peggy, written by a former camper:

“All the campers knew and loved the Great Dane, “Peggy”, who followed Mrs. Carrier wherever she went.  She seemed in her canine way to be part director, for she watched the girls as though responsible for their safety.  She was a harlequin, the bright patches of white over-lapping the black spots, and though her bark was frightening, she had the gentlest of natures.  Seeing her bounce up the hill at the side of Senior Lodge, one knew that Mrs. Carrier could not be far behind and that as long as her mistress stayed in the camp area Peggy would be nearby.”

If you have any Peggy stories you would like to share we would love to hear from you!

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Bryn Mawr calendar
• History • Charlotte Page

Nancy Carrier at Bryn Mawr College

We recently uncovered another piece of Nancy Carrier’s history while searching through some old documents.  One of these documents was the Bryn Mawr College Calendar and Register of Former Students.  Guess who was listed?  Nancy Barnum Clarke!   Nancy was listed as a Graduate Student in Psychology, Geology and Biology in 1909-1910.  It also indicates that she received her Bachelors of Science in 1909 from The College for Women in Columbia, SC.

Bryn Mawr was the first college in the United States to offer Graduate Studies for women.  We can imagine Nancy leaving Brevard and venturing to Pennsylvania for further schooling.  She was quite an amazing woman and very ahead of her time!

See the image below for Nancy’s record.  She is listed third from the top.

Nancy Clarke Carrier, Graduate Student at Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr Register of Former Students and Alumnae.
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julia caroline hurd with pt barnum
• History • Jeff Carter

Julia Caroline Hurd

We’ve often pointed out that Nancy Carrier, the woman who founded Rockbrook Camp, is the great-granddaughter of P.T. Barnum, the great American showman and circus founder.  It’s true, and here is a cool old photograph that helps explain the lineage.  Taken in 1875, this is a portion of a larger family portrait showing P.T. Barnum, his second wife, Nancy Fish, several of his children, son-in-laws, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Julia Caroline Hurd and PT Barnum

P.T. Barnum is seated third from the right and the woman seated third from the left is Nancy Fish Barnum, his second wife. Standing between them is Samuel Henry Hurd, the man who married P.T. Barnum’s second daughter Helen Maria. Samuel and Helen Hurd had three daughters, the second of which, Julia Caroline, you see standing here to the far right. Julia Caroline Hurd, who was born in 1860, was P.T. Barnum’s granddaughter. In this picture she is fifteen years old.

Later, in 1886 when she was 24 years old, Julia Hurd married Henry Peck Clarke. She moved with her new husband from Connecticut in 1888 to South Carolina after purchasing the Goodwill plantation. It was there, in 1889, that Nancy Barnum Clarke was born, the woman who later marries Henry Nash Carrier in 1913, and in 1921 establishes Rockbrook Camp. Put differently, the young woman standing to the far right in this photograph is Nancy Carrier’s mother.

There are many more details and stories to tell about each of these people. Stay tuned…! Meanwhile, here is a short video discussing the history of Nancy’s founding of Rockbrook.

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summer camp history group
• History • Charlotte Page

Help us Solve a Rockbrook History Mystery…

Rockbrooks Founder Nancy Carrier with her dog Peggy
Nancy Carrier and Peggy on The Rockbrook House lawn

As part of our continuing efforts to document the history of Rockbrook and its founders,  we have been doing some genealogical research on camp founder Nancy Carrier and her famous Great- Grandfather P.T. Barnum.   We have explored some fascinating genealogy books and websites and have also visited the Transylvania County Courthouse and Library.  We will soon be blogging a more detailed story of their  lives, but we need your help in unraveling some of the story.

Those of you who were campers and counselors during Mrs. Carrier’s time at camp can add a lot of detail to the story.  We are particularly interested in any information that you remember about her children, Henry and Helen.  We would also love to hear any recollections you have on her daughter in law Helen, who directed the camp. Your stories, photos and memories will assist us in painting a more accurate picture of Mrs. Carrier and Rockbrook.  Please let us know if you have anything to add!

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Nancy Carrier Story
• History • Charlotte Page

Nancy Carrier’s Impact on Brevard

Nancy Carrier, Founder of Rockbrook Camp, featured in The Transylvania Times
From The Transylvania Times

While going through our archives recently we came across this fascinating article about Nancy Carrier, published in The Transylvania Times in 1989.  It was printed in honor of what would have been her 100th birthday. It is a wonderful addition to our archives, and is a testament to the legacy of Nancy Carrier. Besides being the founder of Rockbrook Camp, she also was one of the founders of Brevard Music Camp, now Brevard Music Center.  She also was a chairman of the first hospital auxiliary in Brevard and helped found Lyday Memorial Hospital, the first public Hospital in Transylvania County.

We also loved learning more about the early days of Rockbrook.  Did you know that through Mrs. Carrier,  the local Red Cross met at Rockbrook and made bandages for the war effort.   Or that sewing circles were held at Rockbrook to make useful items for soldiers during World War II?

Nancy Carrier passed away in 1977 and is buried right down the street from Rockbrook in St.Paul’s-in-the-Valley Cemetery.    We hope to locate more information on Mrs. Carrier and will share it with you as we uncover more about our remarkable founder.

Don’t miss this short video about Nancy and the founding of Rockbrook.

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P.T. Barnum's gift to Nancy Clarke, Goodwill
• History • Charlotte Page

Nancy Carrier, P.T. Barnum and The New York Times 1888

While doing some research for the Rockbrook archives we came across this fascinating article printed in The New York Times in 1888.  It is another written source that connects Rockbrook, Goodwill Cabin, Goodwill Plantation, Nancy Carrier and P.T. Barnum.  What an interesting history!

P.T. Barnum's gift to his grandaughter, Nancy Clarke, Goodwill Plantation
The New York Times, October 24, 1888

Barnum’s Gift To A Granddaughter.

From the Columbia (S.C.) Register. October 18

It is evident that the renowned P.T. Barnum has a good opinion of South Carolina real estate, for he has recently given to his granddaughter, the wife of Henry P. Clarke, $100,000 for the purpose of buying and equipping the noted “Goodwill” plantation, which was formerly owned by the late Judge Edward Elliot Huger.  The transfer of the property took place yesterday.  Mr. Clarke owns another plantation near Eastover, where they have resided for several years.  “Goodwill” is one of the finest estates in the South, containing upward of 7000 acres, including a magnificent water power.  Several hundred acres of the richest river bottoms are protected from overflow by a levee extending for five miles along the banks of the Wateree River.  The other improvements on the property are  upon the same scale.

Right around the time that Nancy Barnum Clarke and Henry Clarke received their gift from P.T. Barnum they also purchased 300 acres in Brevard that would later become Rockbrook Camp. Their daughter Nancy Clarke Carrier grew up spending time between Brevard and Goodwill Plantation.  She founded Rockbrook in 1921.  Goodwill and Curosty are two cabins central to the heart of camp and are still in use today.  What an amazing gift from P.T. Barnum!

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Old dinner inside clarke carrier rockbrook house
• History • Charlotte Page

Dinner at The Rockbrook House, 1921

Old dinner inside clarke carrier rockbrook house
Campers and staff enjoying dinner at The Rockbrook House, circa 1921

We were thrilled to visit with former camper Shea Hussey Lackie and her parents and daughters last week.  Shea wanted to give her future Rockbrook campers a tour so they would know all about camp when it is their time to attend.  Sarah enjoyed walking around with them and sharing camp stories.

Shea’s parents were kind enough to bring copies of two Rockbrook photos that were taken in 1921, the year that Rockbrook began.  Shea’s grandmother Kathleen Conant Hussey attended camp that year and is in both of the pictures.  We were particularly excited about one of the photos as it features the campers eating dinner in The Rockbrook House.  Before the dining hall was built, all meals were served inside The Rockbrook House (or Carrier House as it is sometimes called) but we have never found a photograph of mealtime.  We were so happy that they were kind enough to share this picture with us as it is a great addition to our archives.

If you have any photographs that you would like to share please let us know.  How lucky we are to have so much history in one place, here in the heart of a wooded mountain.

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Goodwill Vintage Camp Cabin
• History • Charlotte Page

The History of Goodwill

Goodwill Cabin at Rockbrook
The Rockbrook Camp Goodwill Cabin

In 1895, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Peck Clarke, formerly of Connecticut, purchased over 800 acres in Transylvania County on which they built their mountain estate.  On this site, their daughter Nancy Clarke Carrier and her husband Henry established Rockbrook Camp for Girls in 1921.   One of the more interesting facts about Mrs. Carrier is that she was the great granddaughter of PT Barnum, of circus fame.  Many circus artifacts were on display in the Carrier House, and thrilled many a camper, such as the chair of Tom Thumb and many lovely home furnishings.

This circus history also has a direct link to the building known as Goodwill.   The circus winter residence was at the Goodwill Plantation, located near Columbia, SC.  When Nancy Carrier decided to establish a summer camp on her property in Brevard, she moved two 200-year-old hand-hewn chestnut log cabins to the property.  She restored the cabins to their original beauty and made them part of the center of camp life.  The buildings were named “Goodwill” after the SC plantaion and Curosty (the mountain word for crafts). Both are still in use by the campers and remain a part of Rockbrook’s proud history.

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Carrier ice skating lake
• History • Charlotte Page

A cold day at the Rockbrook lake

Ice skating on Rockbrook Camp lake
Nancy Carrier and her children,  Henry and Helen, enjoyed a cold day at the frozen Rockbrook lake. We think this photo was taken in the 1930’s.

We sure have had a cold winter this year in Brevard, but take a look at this photo from our archives. Can you imagine ice skating on the frozen Rockbrook lake? It looks like the Carriers were having a great time sliding around- they didn’t even need ice skates!  These days we drain the lake in the winter, but if we didn’t it would probably look just like this picture.

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