Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Allen family papers
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Allen family papers
- Date
- 1902-1945, undated (inclusive)
- Extent
- 0.32 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Travel.
- Postcards.
- Letters.
- Missionaries
- Families.
- Postal service -- China.
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged by subject. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0846: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Allen family papers, 1902-1945, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- The Allen family of Atlanta, Georgia included Young John Allen (1836-1907), his wife Mary Houston Allen (1838-1907), and their seven children: Malvina Louise (1859-1940), Young John (1861-1862), Herbert Mowry (1863-1864), Edgar Pierce (1866-1921), Arthur Houston (1869-1948), Mary Louise (1872-1920), and Ethel Margaret (1874-1944). Young John Allen and Mary Houston married in 1860 while they were living in Shanghai, China. Young John Allen was a Methodist Episcopal missionary to China and a journalist. Young and Mary fought for the human rights of women in China, which sought to get them education, eliminate foot binding and concubinage. Arthur Houston followed in his parent's footsteps and lived and worked in China. Arthur worked with the Chinese Postal Service for multiple years, and traveled to other countries in Asia. Arthur married Jessie Cornelia Prior (1874-1969) in 1899 while visiting Nagasaki, Japan. Arthur and Jessie had no children together and eventually divorced.
- 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 Allen family papers (dated 1902-1945, undated; 0.32 cubic feet; 7 folders, 17 photographs) comprises letters, postcards, and photographs documenting the lives of the Allen family members of Atlanta, Georgia. The letters in this collection are primarily addressed to Jessie Prior Allen, and are from various members of the Prior family, and her husband, Arthur Houston Allen. The letters from her family provide updates on distant aunts, cousins and friends in Atlanta while Jessie is in Shanghai with Arthur. She also receives letters of condolences for the deaths of both of her parents. Arthur sends Jessie letters about sending checks to her while he is traveling to different areas in China with the Chinese Postal Service. The postcards in this collection are separated by who they are addressed to, Jessie and Arthur, and then non-addressed postcards. The postcards are from Europe, the United States and Asia. The photographs mainly document life in China. Group photos of the Chinese Post Service staff and missionary groups are matted and feature notes written by Arthur written on the back. The rest of the photos feature unnamed men and women.
- The Allen family papers 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
- 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
Postcards to Jessie Prior Allen, 1909-1915, undated
Postcards to Arthur Houston Allen, 1902-1917, undated
Allen family postcards, 1906-1911, undated
Arthur Allen to Jessie Prior, 1910, 1943-1944, undated
Letters to Jessie Prior Allen, 1923-1945
Jessie Prior Allen to parents, 1934
Allen family letters, undated
Allen family photographs, 1903-1911, undated
Unidentified group photo of young men and women, undated
Three unidentified persons in a horse-drawn wagon, 1911
Portrait of an unidentified woman, undated
Two unidentified men and two women in Shanghai, undated
Imperial patrol staff, 1911
Unidentified group photo taken at the opening of a Chinese hospital, 1920
Unidentified group of men, in China, undated
Group photograph of unidentified white and Chinese men, note on back reads "This is a picture of the Shanghai Staff. Arthur [Allen] - next to him one of the juniors - next to him the Senior Postal Officer - next to him the new Acting Postmaster Mr. Gilchrist from Boston - next to him Mr. Taylor the Postmaster transferred to the interior etc, next to him the Accountant, and next one of the Postal Officers - the others are juniors and the Chinese clerks and letters carriers", undated
Group of unidentified armed men standing at attention outside, undated
Army or patrol group heading down a street, men on foot and on horseback, undated
Photo of a patrol group, 1903
Portrait of two unidentified women, undated
Unidentified man walking down a street, undated
View of a dining room, undated
Unidentified elderly man, undated
Negative of an unidentified woman standing next to a car, undated
Negative of an unidentified woman sitting outside, undated
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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.
