Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Reverend Albert N. Wolff papers
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Reverend Albert N. Wolff papers
- Date
- 1929-1973, undated (inclusive)
- Creator
- Wolff, Albert N., 1879-1971
- Extent
- 1.16 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Church work
- Clergy -- Correspondence.
- Correspondence.
- Essays.
- Journals (notebooks)
- Letters.
- Speeches, addresses, etc.
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged by subject into 6 series, Writings, Research, Journals, Correspondence, Personal, and Photographs. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0368: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Reverend Albert N. Wolff papers, 1929-1973, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Albert Negley Wolff (1879-1971) was born in Hagerstown, Maryland to David E. Wolff (1842-1928) and A. Catherine Martin (1846-1885). He attended Princeton Theological Seminary, graduating about 1909, and became a Presbyterian minister. Between 1910 and 1920, Wolff married Margaret Grigsby (1878-1956). While working as a minister for the Presbyterian Church, the couple lived in Yuma, Colorado; Waco, Texas; and Louisville, Kentucky. The couple never had any children, and Margaret passed away after being involved in a car accident. Wolff later remarried to Helen Tomlinson.
- 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 Reverend Albert N. Wolff papers (dated 1929-1973, undated; 1.16 cubic feet; 5 boxes) comprise writings, research, correspondence, personal papers, and photographs that document the life and work of Presbyterian minister Albert Wolff in Colorado, Texas, and Kentucky in the twentieth century. The collection is arranged into six series: Writings, Research, Journals, Correspondence, Personal, and Photographs. The Writings series includes private publications by Wolff, speeches written for church celebrations, a draft of a book on Native Americans, and various poems and short stories he wrote. The majority of his writings were parables, exploring parts of the Bible and its text. The Research series focuses mainly on his interest in Native Americans, with lengthy notes of historical texts that he read including The Course of Empire and The Soul of the Indian. The other piece of research Wolff saved was of his family ancestry. The Journals series includes two journals, one of responses to two of his smaller publications and the other full of clippings and written jokes. The Correspondence series includes letters mainly from Wolff's time as a minister in Waco, Texas, and many from members of his congregation. These letters discuss church events, fundraising, and personal issues. The majority of the letters are ones of appreciation sent to him when he decided to move away from both those in and outside of the church. The letters of general interest discuss other churches asking Wolff to be an interim-minister for them, prior congregation members updating Wolff on their lives and the current state of their church, fundraising support requests, and church politics. The Personal series includes booklets and directories of churches Wolff preached at, a booklet of information about Kentucky marriage, divorce, and adoption; a condolence letter to Mrs. Wolff on his passing, and a newspaper clipping announcing the death of Albert Wolff. The Photographs series includes a scrapbook and loose photographs that show Wolff, family, friends, and unidentified persons at various stages of life.
- The Reverend Albert N. Wolff papers are 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
Writings, 1929-1963, undated
Assorted poems and short stories, 1934-1963, undated
Beacon-Light by Albert N. Wolff, undated
"A brief summary of history of the early churches in Cumberland County, Kentucky" by A.N. Wolff, 1955
Hilda's Heart by Albert N. Wolff, undated
"Historic Pageant of the Marrowbone Presbyterian Church, U.S.A., Marrowbone, Kentucky" by A.N. Wolff, 1955
North American Indian book draft, undated
Speech on fiftieth anniversary of a church, undated
Stories written by Albert N. Wolff, 1929-1957, undated
Who Discovered America? by A.N. Wolff, undated
Research, 1953-1965, undated
Beecher Island battle research, 1953, undated
The Course of Empire book notes, undated
Genealogy research and correspondence, 1965, undated
The Last trek of the Indians notes, undated
The Soul of the Indian notes, undated
Journals, 1965, undated
Correspondence, 1930-1963, undated
Letters from members of Central Church, Waco, Texas, 1934-1935, 1952, undated
Letters of appreciation from Central Church members, 1930-1953, undated
Letters of appreciation from "others outside our church", 1940-1952, undated
Letters of "general interest", 1944-1963, undated
Personal, 1956-1959, 1971-1973, undated
Bardstown Road Presbyterian Church "golden anniversary", 1956
Central Presbyterian Church Waco, Texas directory, undated
Clergymen's Manual on Kentucky Marriage, Marriage Dissolution and Adoption Law, 1973
Condolence letter on death of Albert Wolff, 1971 August 23
Newspaper clippings, 1959, 1971
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.
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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.
