York Institute - Brantley York

York Collegiate Institute

The York Collegiate Institute in Alexander County was founded in Rocky Springs in 1856 by Richard Brantley York. York arranged the opening of the school and left it under the direction of Professor Edwards and R W York. He returned to York Collegiate Institute in 1865 and taught there until 1872.

Brantley York also organized Union Institute in 1838 in Randolph County. Union Institute was later renamed Trinity College and later moved to Durham where it is known today as Duke University.

His eyesight began to fail in 1842 and he was totally blind before he organized York Collegiate Institute in 1856. Brantley York was buried at Rocky Springs United Methodist Church Cemetery in Alexander County on October 10, 1891.

Brantley York Gravesite
Rocky Springs United Methodist Church Cemetery
July 2006

Richard Brantley York

He was born 3 January 1805 in Randolph County NC on a small stream called Bush Creek, some six miles north of Franklinsville. At that time one of the deepest snows ever known in that section of the state had fallen some two weeks previous to his birth, its average depth being about thirty-six inches. He was the son of Eli and Susanna York the seventh of nine children; of these five were males, viz, Harden, Hiram, William, Brantley and John Wesley and four females, Polly (Mary), Hannah, Sallie and Jemima. He was named for a Baptist preacher, the Rev. William Brantley, of Chatham County.

Brantley York
	A self-taught educator, Methodist minister, and author of a series of English grammars, Brantley York (1805-1891) was asked by Methodist and Quaker farmers in rural Randolph County to help provide education for their sons and daughters. He organized Union Institute Academy in 1838 and met with instant success, having to build two new buildings within a year-and-a-half. Though gratified at his accomplishment, he worked extremely hard raising money, and he began to go blind working late at night preparing recitations in subjects he had not adequately studied. In fact, he recorded in his diary a statement saying he considered his years at Union Institute to be "truly onerous." York, however, had found his life's work at Union Institute and though completely blind by age forty-eight, he lived until eighty-six & founded half-a-dozen schools, Trinity College & Duke University; education in North Carolina in the 19th century; and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

He organized Union Institute Academy at Brown's Schoolhouse in Randolph Co., N.C. in 1839, which would evolve into Normal College, Trinity College, and later Duke University. York also wrote an English grammar, as well as several other instructional textbooks. The Brantley York Records and Papers contain correspondence, a grade book, certificates, manuscripts, and published works. Modern materials were added to the collection; these include York family genealogical information, as well as clippings about York and his activities. Major subjects include the early history of Union Institute, Normal College, Trinity College and Duke University; education in North Carolina in the 19th century; and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

Source: Duke Univesity, Durham, North Carolina

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