Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Mariann Swanson letters
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Mariann Swanson letters
- Date
- 1931-1943, 1960, undated (inclusive)
- Creator
- Swanson, Mariann
- Extent
- 0.45 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Letters.
- Love-letters
- Man-woman relationships -- United States -- 20th century
- Long-distance relationships.
- Illinois
- Travel.
- Gossip.
- Families.
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged chronologically. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.1069: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Mariann Swanson letters, 1931-1943, 1960, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Mariann Swanson (1916-2008) was born in Dekalb, Illinois to Clarence Swanson (1889-1978) and Hazel Hjerstadt (b. 1890). In 1941, she married Burl Storey (1916-1944) and together they had one child, Marcia Joann (1944-2010). Burl was a lieutenant in the US Army, serving with the 32nd Field Artillery Brigade as a liaison pilot and was killed in action in France on September 12, 1944. Mariann never remarried.
- 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 Mariann Swanson letters (dated 1931-1943, 1960, undated; 0.45 cubic feet; 1 box) comprise letters sent to Mariann Swanson from her boyfriend and friends that document life in Illinois in the early twentieth century. The letters predominantly come from Mariann's boyfriend, Burl Storey, and he writes about his jobs, daily duties, driving across the Midwest, cars, spending time with friends, local gossip, personal health, watching movies, saving money, participating in a bowling team, how his family is faring, hopes to visit her, and the weather. Other letters are sent from friends discussing daily life, employment, baby showers, birthdays, holidays, spending time with friends and family, running into her boyfriend, and dating.
- The Mariann Swanson 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
Burl Storey to Mariann Swanson, 1931-1936
Burl Storey to Mariann Swanson, 1937
Burl Storey to Mariann Swanson, 1938
Burl Storey to Mariann Swanson, 1939-1942
Burl Storey to Mariann Swanson, undated
Letters to Mariann Swanson, 1931-1937
Letters to Mariann Swanson, 1938-1943, 1960, 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.
