Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Frederick B. Walton diaries

Abstract

The Frederick B. Walton diaries (dated 1866-1894; 0.17 cubic feet; 2 folders) comprises two diaries that document the daily life of Frederick B. Walton while living in Missouri in the late nineteenth century.

Descriptive Summary

Title: Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Frederick B. Walton diaries

Date: 1866-1894 (inclusive)

Creator: Walton, Frederick B.

Extent: 0.17 Cubic Feet

Subjects: Farm life; Merchants.; Domestic Life -- United States; Parent and child.; Child rearing; Death; Travel.

Arrangement: Collection is arranged chronologically. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.

Finding Aid Author: Sarah Coblentz

Preferred Citation: 2009ms132.0962: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Frederick B. Walton diaries, 1866-1894, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.

Repository: University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History: Frederick B. Walton (1839-1907) was born in St. Louis, Missouri to Robert A. Walton (1804-1867) and Emily C. Bates (1820-1891). In 1861, he married Louisa Conway (1840-1895) and together they had eight children: Elmer (1862-1864), Allan (1864-1919), Maude (1866-1893), Guy (1867-1945), Howard (1869-1926), Grace (b. 1872), Roger (1875-1876), and Roy (b. 1877). Walton held many positions, including merchant, farmer, bookkeeper, fruit peddler, and insurance agent.; American Letters collector Wade Hall (1934-2015) was a native of Union Springs, Alabama. Starting in 1962, he lived in Louisville, where he taught English and chaired the English and Humanities/Arts programs at Kentucky Southern College and Bellarmine University. He also taught at the University of Illinois and the University of Florida. He held degrees from Troy State University (B.S.), the University of Alabama (M.A.), and the University of Illinois (Ph.D.). He served for two years in the U.S. Army in the mid-fifties. Dr. Hall was the author of books, monographs, articles, plays, and reviews relating to Kentucky, Alabama, and Southern history and literature. His most recent books include A Visit with Harlan Hubbard; High Upon a Hill: A History of Bellarmine College; A Song in Native Pastures: Randy Atcher's Life in Country Music; and Waters of Life from Conecuh Ridge.

Scope and Content: The Frederick B. Walton diaries (dated 1866-1894; 0.17 cubic feet; 2 folders) comprises two diaries that document the daily life of Frederick B. Walton while living in Missouri in the late nineteenth century. The diaries detail the struggles and successes Frederick Walton experiences while living and working in St. Louis, Missouri. The entries are intermittent over the almost-three decades that Walton is writing in the diaries, however he attempts to fill in the gaps as he can best remember events. In the entries, he details his difficulty with money, poor business ventures, career changes, inheriting money from relatives, finding employment, supporting his wife and children, the births and deaths of some of his children, visiting with family and friends, travel, personal health, the daily weather, thoughts on global events, working on his farm, harvesting crops, raising livestock, marriages of friends and children, and the daily weather. Along with the entries, he details his cash accounts throughout the diaries and attempts to figure out how to pay off debts and save money for him and his family's future.; The Frederick B. Walton diaries collection is part of the Wade Hall Collection of American Letters, which includes correspondence and diaries from all over North America covering the time period of the Civil to Korean Wars. The materials were collected by Wade Hall and document everyday men and women.

Restrictions on Access and Use

Conditions Governing Access: Collection is open to researchers by appointment.

Use Restrictions: The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.

Contents of the Collection

Frederick B. Walton diary, 1866-1872

Box WH-123, folder 4

To top

Frederick B. Walton diary, 1873-1894

Box WH-123, folder 5

To top

UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.

Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.

Abstract
Descriptive Summary
Collection Overview
Preferred Citation
Restrictions on Access and Use
Contents of the Collection

You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.