University of North Carolina at Asheville
D. Hiden Ramsey Library
Special Collections/University Archives

Oral History Register
for

John S. Boyce, 1921-1999

OH-VOA B69 Jo

No Picture Available
Voices of Asheville Oral History Collection
D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNCA

Title

 John S. (Jack) Boyce Oral History

Creator

Bob Potter for Unitarian Church Oral History Project and  Voices of Asheville Oral History Collection

Subject

LCSH:
Boyce, John S., 1921-1999
Race relations -- North Carolina
Social integration -- North Carolina -- Asheville
Unitarian churches in the United States -- North Carolina -- Asheville
United Nations -- History

Subject

Keyword: Unitarian Universalist Church ; United Nations Association ; Desegregation ; Ramsey murder trial

Description

Abstract: Boyce discusses the Unitarian Church's involvement with desegregation in the 1950's and 1960's, which gave the church visibility and focus; a visit to Asheville by Eleanor Roosevelt; and the United Nations group in Asheville.  He describes a house fire and serving on a jury for a murder trial.  He discusses his children, the divorce from his first wife, her later death, and his second wife, Janice.

Publisher

D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville, NC, 28804

Contributor

 Boyce, John S. (Jack)

Date

Electronic Record Issued: 2002-03-27

Type

Sound ; Text ; Image

Format

Physical Description: 1-page abstract ; 1 90-minute audiocassette and 1 copy,  1 page genealogical background, 1 Unitarian Universalist Church of Asheville bulletin, 1 obituary

Identifier

 http://toto.lib.unca.edu/findingaids/oralhistory/VOA/A_C/Boyce_J.html

Source

OH-VOA B69 Jo

Language

English

Relation

 VOA Lawrence Holt Oral History ; VOA Helen Reed Oral History ; VOA Roger McGuire Oral History ; VOA Marjorie Lockwood Oral History

Coverage

 1920's-1995 ; Buncombe County, NC
Rights No restrictions: Copyright retained by the authors of certain items in the collection or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Acquisition

Donor number: 146 ;  Date of acquisition: 1998

Processed By

Bob Potter, Ruth Beard and staff

Interview Date

 1993-01-04

Interview Location

 text

Biography

 John (Jack) Boyce and his wife, Anne, were charter members of the Asheville Unitarian Universalist Church.  He discusses his religious origins.  In 1956 he was confirmed as an Episcopalian through the influence of his friend who was a priest, the Rev. John W. Tuton; during this period of time he did not attend the Unitarian Church at its Vermont Street location.  He left Asheville to become a professor at the University of Georgia in plant pathology, after working for the Forest Service in Asheville.  He then taught at Florence College in Marion, SC.  He retired and moved back to Black Mountain, NC.

List of names

 [2/003] Cornell, George C.
[1/255] Eichelberger, Clark M.
[1/008] Fabrick, Arthur L.
[1/228] Guthrie, Roger
[1/125] Melcher, Ruth B. (Mrs. Woodbury R.)
[1/020] Ratzell, Rev. Frank E.
[1/228] Reed, Helen T.
[1/380] Tuton, Rev. John W.
[1/390] Welch, Rev. Daniel M. (Dan)
[1/203] Westwood, Rev. Horace
[1/134] Wooden, Russell B.

Side 1:

[008]     Arthur Fabrick, early Unitarian leader
[020]     Rev. Ratzell, First Congregational Church
[028]     Desegregation issues and churches in Asheville
[030]     Eleanor Roosevelt mentioned
[050]     Charter members of Unitarian Universalist Church
[057]     Ruth Melcher visited Boyce home July 1950
[073]     Charter members listed
[097]     Jack Boyce's religious origins
[125]     Ruth Melcher important leader of fellowship
[134]     Russell Wooden devoted member and organist
[165]     Move to YMCA to help children and adults meet together
[190]     Mayor Ray Shute of Monroe talked to group, authored book The Mayor is a Heretic
[203]     Rev. Horace Westwood gave much time to group in summers; Baptized Boyce children in living room
[228]     Desegregation in Asheville:  wife, Anne, Roger Guthrie, Helen Reed leaders.  This gave focus and visibility to Unitarian fellowship.  Large churches hesitate to integrate
[255]     Eleanor Roosevelt's visit with Clark Eichelberger on condition that UN Association sponsor and audience be integrated.  Lunch at Manor, Lecture to 800 at YWCA
[351]     Programs of fellowship often weak; large burden
[380]     Jack confirmed at Trinity Episcopal Church by friend, Rector Jack Tuton in 1956
[390]     Jack never attended 120 Vermont with Rev. Dan Welch
[451]     Daughter, Jacqueline, told him of UU Church in 1984-5
[466]     Had left Asheville for a full professorship at University of Georgia in plant pathology.  Followed 11 years in
[490]     Forest Service of Asheville
[496]     Moved to Marion, SC.  Taught at Florence College in biology
[530]     Retired at age 61.  Moved to Black Mountain
[573]     Divorced Anne after 40 years of marriage
[584]     Anne died in 1988
[612]     Married Janice in 1988 

Side 2:

[2/003]     George Cornell house burned down while cleaning furnace.  Only canary saved.
[2/055]     Jury duty with George Cornell and Jack Simmons in Ramsey murder trial.  Jack Boyce on jury, well-dressed friends dismissed.  Foreman ran a wrestling barn in which Thomas Wolfe had worked out
[2/098]     Affirms that fellowship always wanted to start a church
[2/120]     END

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