Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Meyer family letters
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Meyer family letters
- Date
- 1943-1947, undated (inclusive)
- Extent
- 0.81 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Letters.
- Correspondence.
- Military correspondence.
- Families.
- Military life.
- World War, 1939-1945.
- Gossip.
- Friendship.
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged by format. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0587: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Meyer family letters, 1943-1947, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Norma Meyer (1894-1988) was married to Stanley Edward Meyer (1894-1950), they married about 1920 and had two sons together – Stanley Jr. (b. 1924) and Robert (1926-1972). Stanley Sr. worked as a real estate broker and in the US government as part of their alcohol tax unit. During World War II both of their sons served in the military, with both seeing combat in the Pacific Theatre. No other biographical information available.
- 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 Meyer family letters (dated 1943-1947, undated; 0.81 cubic feet; 14 folders) comprise letters, newspaper clippings, and photographs that document the efforts of the Meyer family children and friends while serving in the military during World War II in Europe and the Pacific. The letters are sent to Stanley and Norma Meyer from their two sons Bob and Stanley, Jr, along with close family friend Val Stewart. Bob writes to his parents about daily life in the military, the various tasks he is assigned to do, his personal health, his opinions about the military, traveling across the United States, running into friends, going overseas, being stationed in Japan, the weather, being transferred to different units, being annoyed at not having enough points to go home, and being sent to join Task Force Frost to help the military test winter gear. Stanley writes about daily life in the military as well, his experiences in boot camp and various classes, being sent to the Philippines, running into friends, asking for his parents to send him clothing and goods, issues with sending money back home, receiving promotions in rank, and his desires to come home soon. Val Stewart writes about running into friends, moving from location to location, the hardship of being in the military, his desires to come home, and his attempts to run across her sons when they are stationed in the same area.
- The Meyer family letters 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
- 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
Val Stewart to Norma Meyer, 1944-1945
Letters to Norma Meyer, 1943-1947
Norma Meyer papers, undated
Bob Meyer to parents, 1944
Bob Meyer to parents, 1945
Bob Meyer to parents, 1946
Bob Meyer to parents, 1947
Stanley Meyer, Jr. to parents, 1943-1944
Stanley Meyer, Jr. to parents, 1945
Stanley Meyer, Jr. to parents, 1946, 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.
