Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Lewis H. Fassett letters
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Lewis H. Fassett letters
- Date
- 1858-1866, undated (inclusive)
- Creator
- Fassett, Lewis H., 1832-1911
- Extent
- 0.014 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Correspondence.
- Family.
- Letters.
- Love-letters
- Military service, Voluntary -- United States
- Pennsylvania
- Teachers.
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged by format. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0350: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Lewis H. Fassett letters, 1858-1866, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Lewis Henry Fassett (1832-1911) was born in Bradford, Pennsylvania to Philo Fassett (1787-1868) and Miriam Rugg Wheeler (1791-1854). He was educated in Elmira, New York, and by age twenty-one he had purchased his own farm where he sold crops and lumber. In September 1861, Fassett enlisted in Company G of the 64th New York Volunteers; ten days later he was elected 1st Lieutenant of his company, and by December 1862, he was promoted to Captain at the battle of Fredericksburg. After the advance on Petersburg in 1864, he was promoted to Major, followed very quickly by a commission as Brevet Lieutenant Colonel for gallantry and meritorious conduct. Fassett served as colonel of his regiment until the end of his service and mustered out with his command in September 1864. His regiment was attached to the Second army corps, Army of the Potomac, and he participated in forty-two regular engagements, starting at Yorktown, May 5, 1862, and ending with the battle of Ream's Station, August 25, 1864. Major battles that he served in include: Yorktown, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, the Battle of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, first and second battles of Deep Bottom, and Ream's Station. After the war he spent some time as a wholesale grocer in New York, but in 1870, he moved to Franklin, Pennsylvania. While in Pennsylvania he started to produce oil, by 1873 he established the Crescent Oil Works where he produced and manufactures "Franklin Lubricating Oil". About 1880, Fassett married Leah Jane Dale (1845-1930), and together the couple had one child, Eliza (1881-1955).
- 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 Lewis H. Fassett letters (dated 1858-1866, undated; 0.014 cubic feet; 1 folder) comprise letters to and from Lewis Fassett that document his life and military service just prior to and during the Civil War in New York and Pennsylvania. The majority of the letters are sent to Fassett, they come from prospective employees, family, and fellow soldiers. The prospective employees inquire about an opening at a school that Fassett is in charge of or runs, and the letters from fellow soldiers discuss the possibility of a regiment reunion in Elmira, New York. The letters from family are sent while Fassett is serving in the Union Army, and discuss daily life, requests to have him visit, inquiries on his health, local gossip, and well wishes for his service. There is one letter from Lewis sent to his sister after he musters out of the army, writing about his happiness at being home again, his promotions, and when he plans to visit her and tell her in full detail about his military service. Also included in the collection are two letters to George Smith, from two different love-interests, that discuss when he will be leaving the military and their love for him.
- The Lewis H. Fassett 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
- 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
Lewis H. Fassett letters, 1858-1866, 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.
