Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Mayer family papers

Abstract

The Mayer family papers (dated 1892-1960, 1981, undated; 5.91 cubic feet; 18 boxes) comprise letters, papers, and photographs that document the lives of the members of the Mayer family in Louisville, Kentucky across the first half of the twentieth century.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Mayer family papers
Date
1892-1960, 1981, undated (inclusive)
Extent
5.91 Cubic Feet
Subjects
General stores -- Kentucky -- Louisville.
Letters.
Quilts
Military life.
World War, 1914-1918.
Families.
Travel.
Health
Insurance policies.
Business enterprises
Religion
Arrangement
Collection is arranged by format and into three series: Letters, Papers, and Photographs. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
Finding Aid Author
Sarah Coblentz
Preferred Citation
2009ms132.0034: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Mayer family papers, 1892-1960, 1981, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
The Mayer family of Louisville, Kentucky includes William F. Mayer (1854-1899), his wife Maria Eva Scharfenberger (1856-1918), and their children William F. Mayer (1879-1948), Eleanora H. Mayer (1889-1960), and Scott N. Mayer (1890-1940). William, the younger, married Mary Haming (1881-1951) in 1914, and together they had two children: Mary E. (1915-1999) and William F. (1916-1995). Neither Scott or Eleanora married. The Mayer family was a prominent family in Louisville, with William owning the Wm. F. Mayer Furniture Company on Market Street. Mayer operated the business with his brother, Scott, until Scott was drafted for World War I in 1918.
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 Mayer family papers (dated 1892-1960, 1981, undated; 5.91 cubic feet; 18 boxes) comprise letters, papers, and photographs that document the lives of the members of the Mayer family in Louisville, Kentucky across the first half of the twentieth century. Letters dated pre-World War I predominantly document the courting correspondence between William F. Mayer and Mary Haming. There is a large portion of the collection that documents the training and subsequent deployment to France of Lawrence Haming (Mary's brother) and Scott Mayer while serving in the Army in 1918. Other letters discuss missionary work in India, travel, and personal health. Additionally, there are numerous greeting and sympathy cards sent to the Mayer family. The papers include pamphlets from the American Expeditionary Forces, religious pamphlets and booklets, insurance documents, and newspaper clippings. The photographs show the family's business in selling furniture, family parties, members who served in the military, education, and the growth of the Mayer family.
The Mayer family papers 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
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, 1892-1952, undated

Letters to Eleanora H. Mayer, 1940-1950, undated

  • Box 1, folder 1
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Letters to Mary E. Mayer, 1920-1954, undated

  • Box 1, folder 2
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Letters to Mary Haming Mayer, 1918-1919, 1947-1950

  • Box 1, folder 3
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Letters to Scott N. Mayer, 1919, 1939-1940

  • Box 1, folder 4
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Letters to William F. Mayer, 1911-1918, 1940-1943

  • Box 1, folder 5
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Letters to William F. Mayer, 1944-1946, undated

  • Box 1, folder 6
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Letters to William and Mary Mayer, 1925, 1940-1949, undated

  • Box 1, folder 7
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Letters to William F. Mayer, Jr., 1949, undated

  • Box 1, folder 8
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Mayer family letters, 1938, 1951, undated

  • Box 2, folder 1
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Mayer family letters, 1892-1899

  • Box 127, folder 7
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Mayer family letters, 1906-1907

  • Box 127, folder 8
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Mayer family letters, 1908-1909

  • Box 127, folder 9
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Mayer family letters, 1910

  • Box 127, folder 10
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Mayer family letters, 1911

  • Box 127, folder 11
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Mayer family letters, 1912

  • Box 128, folder 1-2
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Mayer family letters, 1913

  • Box 128, folder 3-4
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Mayer family letters, 1914

  • Box 128, folder 5-6
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Mayer family letters, 1917

  • Box 128, folder 7
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Mayer family letters, 1918

  • Box 128, folder 8-13
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Mayer family letters, 1919

  • Box 128, folder 14
  • Box 129, folder 1-6
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Mayer family letters, 1920

  • Box 129, folder 7
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Mayer family letters, 1922

  • Box 129, folder 8
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Mayer family letters, 1923

  • Box 129, folder 9-10
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Mayer family letters, 1924-1925

  • Box 129, folder 11
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Mayer family letters, 1926

  • Box 129, folder 12
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Mayer family letters, 1927

  • Box 129, folder 13
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Mayer family letters, 1928-1929

  • Box 129, folder 14
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Mayer family letters, 1930

  • Box 129, folder 15
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Mayer family letters, 1931

  • Box 129, folder 16
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Mayer family letters, 1932

  • Box 129, folder 17
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Mayer family letters, 1933-1934

  • Box 130, folder 1
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Mayer family letters, 1935-1936

  • Box 130, folder 2
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Mayer family letters, 1937

  • Box 130, folder 3
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Mayer family letters, 1939

  • Box 130, folder 4
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Mayer family letters, 1952

  • Box 130, folder 5
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Papers, 1898-1948, 1960, 1981, undated

"A.E.F. Fun in France" booklet, 1919

  • Box 2, folder 2
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Business transactions, 1900-1930

  • Box 130, folder 6-7
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Clippings and notes, 1909-1935

  • Box 130, folder 8
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Mayer family papers, 1898-1948, 1960, 1981, undated

  • Box 2, folder 3
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Newspaper clippings, 1915-1919, 1932-1942, undated

  • Box 2, folder 4
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Pastel portrait of a woman, 1948

  • Box 13, folder 1
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Religious papers, undated

  • Box 2, folder 5
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School diplomas and awards, 1902-1903, 1929-1934

  • Box 13, folder 2
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Photographs, 1911-1919, undated

Photographs, undated

  • Box 130, folder 9-10
  • Box 131, folder 1-6
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Photographs, 1911-1919, undated

  • Box 3, item 1-73
  • Box 4, item 74-168
  • Box 5, item 169-238
  • Box 6, item 239-342
  • Box 7, item 343-374
  • Box 8, item 375-403
  • Box 9, item 404-514
  • Box WH-97, item 515-516
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William F. Mayer photograph album, undated

  • Box 10
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Quilt, undated

  • Box 11
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Military realia, circa 1918-1919

  • Box 12
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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.

Requests

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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.