Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Charles Weller travel diary

Abstract

The Charles Weller travel diary (dated 1911-1912; 0.05 cubic feet; 1 folder) comprises approximately twenty letters sent to his son, Henry, that document Weller's 28,000 mile trip across the globe on the Cleveland Ocean Liner.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Charles Weller travel diary
Date
1911-1912 (inclusive)
Creator
Weller, Charles Frederick, 1844-1924
Extent
0.05 Cubic Feet
Subjects
India
Letters.
Ocean travel
Travel -- Personal narratives.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged by format. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
Finding Aid Author
Sarah Coblentz
Preferred Citation
2009ms132.0045: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Charles Weller travel diary, 1911-1912, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Charles Frederick Weller was born May 16, 1844 in New Alexandria, Ohio to Zacheus and Mary Waller. At eighteen years old, he enlisted with the Union army, serving in the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry Company from 1862 to 1865. Through his service, he fought at the Battle of Antietam, Perryville, and Mossy Creek. After his discharge from the army, he married Katherine McElwain (1844-1911) on September 28, 1865 and they moved to Nebraska where they had eight children together, three sons and five daughters. In Nebraska, Weller was the owner and president of the Richardson Drug Company. Katherine passed away in 1911 due to a stroke and the following year Weller re-married to Jane Whittlesey (1878-1944) who he remained married to until his death on May 6, 1924.
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 Charles Weller travel diary (dated 1911-1912; 0.05 cubic feet; 1 folder) comprises approximately twenty letters sent to his son, Henry, that document Weller's 28,000 mile trip across the globe on the Cleveland Ocean Liner. The letters detail his stops in India, the Philippines, Japan, China, and Hawaii where Weller provides commentary on the customs and peoples he encountered in each place. The diary offers a unique look at an upper class, Methodist man's impressions of different cultures and the efforts to colonize these regions by England and America. It also offers insight into impressions of Americans abroad and American attitudes toward China and Japan before World War I.
The Charles Weller travel diary 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
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

Charles Weller travel diary, 1911-1912

  • Box 140, folder 9
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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.