Thomas H. Chilton correspondence

Abstract

The Thomas H. Chilton correspondence (dated 1860-1898; 0.01 cubic feet; 8 items) comprises correspondence between Chilton and his wife, Blanche M. Chilton, and his two college friends, James Bellamy and Joseph Thompson. The letters document college and domestic life, Chilton's experiences as a traveling salesman, and local news during the 19th century.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Thomas H. Chilton correspondence
Date
1860-1898 (inclusive)
Creator
Chilton, Thomas H., 1842-1911
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet
Subjects
Lynching.
Domestic Life -- United States
Marriage
Arrangement
Arranged is arranged by subject.
Finding Aid Author
Belinda Cavazos, Christopher Fenner, Margaret Roulett, Kaira Simmons
Preferred Citation
2013ms0628: [identification of item] Thomas H. Chilton correspondence, 1860-1898, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Thomas H. Chilton (1842-1911), the son of Dr. Rezin Rawlings Chilton (1815-1887), a druggist, and Mary Harding (1825-1915), was born in or near Benton County (later Calhoun county), Alabama. His family moved to Marshall County, Mississippi around 1845, then to Oxford, Lafayette County, Mississippi before 1860. In 1860, the Chilton household included five slaves. Thomas' siblings included Julia (ca. 1844-), Catherine (1846-1910), Elizabeth (ca. 1848-), Lavena (1851-1931), James Albert (1854-1903), William (1858-), Charles (1860-1872), Robert (1863-1934), Lula (1867-), and Corrie (ca. 1868-1909).
Chilton served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War, 11th Infantry, Company G, and on April 2, 1865, he was captured by the Union Army at Petersburg, Virginia. He was transferred to Fort Delaware where he stayed as a prisoner of war for 11 weeks, even after the Civil War ended on April 9, 1865.
In 1866, Thomas settled in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, under the employment of W.N. Wilkerson and Co. The company was run by Dr. William North Wilkerson and David B. Blair.
Thomas married Blanche in 1871 in Memphis. Thomas and Blanche had their first child, M.B., or "Little Blanche," in 1872. She died of dysentery in 1874, at 18 months old. Their two other children were David Blair Chilton (1875-1901) and Allie Chilton Hamilton (1879-1921).
In 1889 and 1890, Thomas was both an employee of Wilkerson and vice-president of the Vanderbilt Insurance Co. From 1892 to 1909, he was also president of The American Building, Loan, and Tontine Savings Association.
Blanche Chilton died of enterocolitis in 1899, at age 46. Chilton died in 1911, at age 69.
"Mr. T.H. Chilton Dead." The Mount Sterling Advocate, 20 December 1911. Accessed 13 October 2015. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86069675/1911-12-20/ed-1/seq-8.
National Parks Service, U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865.
The Pharmaceutical Era. Vol. 27. (New York City, New York: D. O. Hanes and Co., 1902). Accessed 11 October 2015. https://books.google.com/books?id=TLPmAAAAMAAJ.
United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1850. Northern Division, Marshall County, Mississippi. Rizin R. Chilton. U.S. National Archives and Records Admin. Microfilm M432. G.S. FHL microfilm 443599.
United States Census, 1860. R.K. Chilton. Lafayette County, Mississippi. National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653. FHL microfilm 803585.
U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989.
Scope and Content
The Thomas H. Chilton correspondence (dated 1860-1898; 0.01 cubic feet; 8 items) comprises correspondence between Chilton and his wife, Blanche M. Chilton, and his two college friends, James Bellamy and Joseph Thompson. The letters document college and domestic life, Chilton's experiences as a traveling salesman, and local news during the 19th century. Of note, one of the letters sent to Chilton references a murder of a free African-American and the potential lynching of the alleged murderer; a letter sent by Chilton references Choctaw Native Americans he comes into contact with while traveling for work. Other letters discuss individuals' personal health and Chilton's relationship with his wife.

Restrictions on Access and Use

Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Use Restrictions
Property rights reside with the University of Kentucky. The University of Kentucky holds the copyright for materials created in the course of business by University of Kentucky employees. Copyright for all other materials has not been assigned to the University of Kentucky. For information about permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Special Collections Research Center.

Contents of the Collection

To Thomas Chilton, 1860-1898

  • Box MS-29, folder 1

12 March 1860

  • Box MS-29, folder 1
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28 August 1860

  • Box MS-29, folder 1
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16 August 1898

  • Box MS-29, folder 1
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From Thomas Chilton, 1873-1882

  • Box MS-29, folder 2

31 January 1873

  • Box MS-29, folder 2
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22 June 1880

  • Box MS-29, folder 2
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28 May 1881

  • Box MS-29, folder 2
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5 June 1881

  • Box MS-29, folder 2
To top

31 August 1882

  • Box MS-29, folder 2
To top

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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.