Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Stanley Lawson letters

Abstract

The Stanley Lawson letters (dated 1905-1912, undated; 0.18 cubic feet; 5 folders) comprise letters that document the courtship activities of young men and women in Wisconsin during the early twentieth century.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Stanley Lawson letters
Date
1905-1912, undated (inclusive)
Creator
Lawson, Stanley
Extent
0.18 Cubic Feet
Subjects
Farmers.
Letters.
Social history -- 19th century.
Women -- Social conditions -- 19th Century.
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
2009ms132.0158: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Stanley Lawson letters, 1905-1912, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Stanley Lawson (1888-1967) was born in Kingston, Wisconsin to John G. Lawson (1847-1925) and Elizabeth M. Dalton (1851-1924). Stanley worked as a laborer on the family farm during the early twentieth century. Between 1910 and 1920, Lawson married a woman named Eunice (b. 1889) and continued to work as a farmer near Kingston.
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 Stanley Lawson letters (dated 1905-1912, undated; 0.18 cubic feet; 5 folders) comprise letters that document the courtship activities of young men and women in Wisconsin during the early twentieth century. The letters are between Stanley and several love interests; women who worked as teachers or in business offices wrote many of the letters. The letters detail the social lives of the women, from attending dances, fishing, hunting, or visiting friends in nearby towns. A few letters mention a railroad strike in 1908 and a farmers' convention in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin in 1911.
The Stanley Lawson letters are 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
The 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

Letters to Stanley Lawson, 1905-1907

  • Box 239, folder 4
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Letters to Stanley Lawson, 1908-1909

  • Box 239, folder 5
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Letters to Stanley Lawson, 1910-1911

  • Box 239, folder 6
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Letters to Stanley Lawson, 1912

  • Box 239, folder 7
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Letters to Stanley Lawson, undated

  • Box 239, folder 8
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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.

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.

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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.