Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Bird Solbrig letters
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Bird Solbrig letters
- Date
- 1918-1920 (inclusive)
- Creator
- Solbrig, Olivia Mary Rhodes
- Extent
- 0.025 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Letters.
- Correspondence.
- Military life.
- Family.
- Friendship.
- World War, 1914-1918.
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged chronologically. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0680: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Bird Solbrig letters, 1918-1920, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Olivia Mary "Nannie Bird" Rhodes Solbrig (1865-1943) was born in Milltown, Indiana to Jacob B. Rhodes (1829-1904) and Mary Jane Cole (1832-1919). In 1903, she married William Solbrig (b. 1855). The couple had no children. Earl Rhodes (b. 1899) was born in Milltown, Indiana to Walter M. Rhodes (1861-1936) and Emma B. Rhodes (1873-1907). He was a lodger in Olivia's home in the 1930s, and is also her nephew as her brother is Walter Rhodes, Earl's father.
- 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 Bird Solbrig letters (dated 1918-1920; 0.025 cubic feet; 1 folder) comprises four letters sent to Bird Solbrig that document daily life and the experiences of a soldier serving on the Mexican-American border during World War I. Three of the letters are from Bird's nephew, Earl Rhodes, and he writes about his opinions of the Texas heat, moving to different camps, his feelings on being part of the cavalry, and daily life in the Army. The other letter comes from a friend, discussing personal health, how their Christmas was, and trips taken.
- The Bird Solbrig 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
Letters to Bird Solbrig, 1918-1920
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.
