Mary Lindsay Thornton

[1] Mary Louise Thornton was born on June 12, 1891 in Louisa County, Virginia, in a home called Cuckoo House that had been in the family for many generations.

[4] At the time, the collection was located in an upstairs room in the university's Carnegie Library and contained 1,000 books and 500 pamphlets.

[5] Though she would have periodic offers for higher paying jobs, she chose to remain at the North Carolina Collection for decades.

She also earned two additional degrees from the University of North Carolina during her time as an employee.

[7] During her time as the curator, the North Carolina Collection added donations from John Sprunt Hill and Thomas Wolfe's family.