Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Jesse James Price papers
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Jesse James Price papers
- Date
- 1949-1963, undated (inclusive)
- Creator
- Price, Jesse James, 1933-1972
- Extent
- 0.14 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Letters.
- Love-letters
- Parole
- Prisons
- Unites States Marine Corps -- Air Stations
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged chronologically. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0197: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Jesse James Price papers, 1949-1963, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Jesse James Price (1933-1972) was born in Louisville, Kentucky to James O. Price (1893-1966) and Daisy N. Brent (1910-1995). In 1949, Jesse applied to become a member of the Louisville squadron of the Civil Air Patrol and shortly thereafter, he joined the Marine Corps. In 1960, Jesse was arrested for armed robbery, convicted of robbery, and sentenced to serve seven years in the Kentucky State Reformatory in La Grange, Kentucky. He was paroled in November of 1962 for good behavior and returned home to Louisville. In May 1972, he married Evelyn Louise Buhn (b. 1937), but passed away a few months later in September.
- 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 Jesse James Price papers (dated 1950-1963; 0.14 cubic feet; 8 folders) comprise letters, applications, and certificates that document the military service and prison sentence of Jesse Price in Kentucky in the 1950s and early 1960s. The letters between 1950 and 1953 are written to Jesse from various girlfriends and his mother while Jesse was stationed at different bases across the country. These letters discuss social visits, employment, wishing he was stationed closer, updates on family and friend's health, and the birth of a baby. The letters between 1960 and 1963 are to Jesse mainly from Mary Pike and his mother while he was serving his sentence for robbery at the Kentucky State Reformatory. These letters discuss excitement over Jesse getting parole, finding employment for Jesse, the health of family members, and daily life. Additionally, there are a variety of documents in the collection, including Jesse's Civil Air Patrol Cadet application, parole papers, articles about the robbery, a packing list from the military, pamphlets, and an unidentified trip itinerary.
- The Jesse James Price papers 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
- 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
Letters from Gerry, 1950, undated
Letter from Ruth, 1951
Letter from [Martin ?], 1960
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.
