Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Howe family papers
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Howe family papers
- Date
- 1835-1837, 1861-1916, 1937-1938, undated (inclusive)
- Extent
- 0.45 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Letters.
- Families.
- Travel.
- Health
- Legal documents.
- Business enterprises
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged by subject. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0986: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Howe family papers, 1835-1837, 1861-1916, 1937-1938, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- The Howe family of Carrollton, Kentucky included John Howe (1823-1890), his wife Sarah "Sallie" Brown (1823-1877), and their seven children: William Ficklin (1846-1916), Elizabeth Margaret (1848-1869), John Irvin (1853-1891), Robert James (1855-1910), Joseph B. (1857-1929), George T. (1860-1881), and Sarah Varena (1862-1950). After the passing of their mother, Sarah, John remarried in 1879 to Jane Hopkins (1826-1901).
- John Sr. was born in Ireland, where he married Sarah; in 1848, the Howe family immigrated to the United States. Once settled in Carrollton, Kentucky John opened "John Howe & Son", which he operated with his son William. They helped in developing the wool industry in the area and mainly focused on the manufacture of woolen suits. After John Sr. passed, William continued operating the family business under the name "Howe Bros".
- William married Louisiana Winslow (1852-1944), and together they had five children: Winslow B. (1875-1882), John J. (1879-1939), Jenn W. (1883-1957), Beverly Winslow (1885-1941), and Ruth Louise (1890-1930). He worked in the family business helping to manage the money and sales of their woolen goods. Once the business was reorganized after their father's death, William worked as the secretary and treasurer until his passing.
- John Irvin married N. Lucy Froman (1860-1879) in 1878. He was a clerk in the family's store.
- Robert James married Alice Ada Cost (1859-1939) in 1882, they had three children, Sarah E. (1883-1955), Chandler H. (1888-1889), and Leonora A. (b. 1896). He worked as a dry goods merchant.
- Joseph B. married Sallie Goslee (1858-1934) in 1889, and together they had two children: James G. (1893-1957) and George T. (1899-1935). Joseph worked as a merchant in a department store.
- George T. moved from Kentucky to Colorado in the 1870s, in hopes that it would aid his lungs in dealing with tuberculosis. He returned to Kentucky by the 1880s and passed away in 1881.
- Sarah Varena married Hiram McMakin Froman (1858-1934), the president of an insurance company, in 1884, and together they had three children: Robert Hiram (1885-1949), Caby (1891-1974), and Elizabeth Howe (1894-1976).
- 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 Howe family papers (dated 1835-1837, 1861-1916, 1937-1938, undated; 0.45 cubic feet; 1 box) comprise letters, a cash book, papers, deeds, indentures, and wills that document the lives of the Howe family of Kentucky and Colorado in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The letters are sent between the family members, discussing life in Colorado and Kentucky, personal health, visiting distant relatives, travel to Europe, business plans, local weather, and gossip. The cash book details the expenses and income of John Howe while he is operating the family business. The papers include clippings, receipts, report cards, advertisements, and personal writings. The deeds, indentures, and wills detail the legal agreements held by the Howe family and local relatives for their business and personal lives.
- The Howe 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
- 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
George T. Howe to Lou W. Howe, 1878-1879
George T. Howe to William F. Howe, 1878-1879
William F. Howe to Lou W. Howe, 1880, 1907
William F. Howe to family, 1868, 1902, 1916
Letters to William F. Howe, 1868, 1883, 1905-1907
Howe family letters, 1868-1883, 1905, 1937-1938, undated
Howe family papers, 1875, 1894-1913, undated
John Howe cash book, 1861-1864
Deeds, indentures, and wills, 1835-1837, 1868
Deeds, indentures, and wills, 1870-1879
Deeds, indentures, and wills, 1880-1890
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.
