Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Catherine Gray letters
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Catherine Gray letters
- Date
- 1940-1944, undated (inclusive)
- Creator
- Gray, Catherine
- Extent
- 0.35 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Letters.
- Families.
- Man-woman relationships -- United States -- 20th century
- World War, 1939-1945.
- Military life.
- Education
- Travel.
- North Carolina
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged alphabetically by sender. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.1111: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Catherine Gray letters, 1940-1944, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Catherine Gray (1923-2016) was born in Gastonia, North Carolina to Charles D. Gray (1890-1988) and Clarice M. Poff (1894-1976). In 1950, she married Henry C. Jackson (1901-1978) and together they had two children. By 1963, the couple had divorced and Catherine was living in Connecticut. She later moved to Maui, Hawaii where she spent the remainder of her life.
- 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 Catherine Gray letters (dated 1940-1944, undated; 0.35 cubic feet; 7 folders) comprise letters sent to Catherine from family and boyfriends that document life in North Carolina and the military during World War II. The letters from her family discuss daily life, employment, fixing up the family home, declining trip invitations, sending Catherine money, and their excitement at her graduation. Letters from boyfriends discuss life in the military, being transferred to different camps and units, making dates with Catherine, receiving time off, personal health, learning new skills, traveling, updates on when they might leave, and their feelings for her. Also included in the collection are two letters to Catherine's siblings and a news clipping.
- The Catherine Gray letters 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
Daddy to Catherine Gray, 1942-1944
Harvey P. Jolly to Catherine Gray, 1943-1944
Armistead B. Smith, Jr. to Catherine Gray, 1940
Armistead B. Smith, Jr. to Catherine Gray, 1942
Armistead B. Smith, Jr. to Catherine Gray, 1943, undated
Letters to Catherine Gray, 1940-1944, undated
Catherine Gray letters, 1942, 1944, undated
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.
Table of Contents
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.
Requests
No items have been requested.
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.
