Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Rose Keller family letters

Abstract

The Rose Keller family letters (dated 1862-1961, 1981-1990, undated; 2.32 cubic feet; 10 boxes) comprise letters, papers, and photographs that document the life of Rose Keller and her family in Indiana, Michigan, and Kentucky in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Rose Keller family letters
Date
1862-1961, 1981-1990, undated (inclusive)
Creator
Keller, Rose
Extent
2.32 Cubic Feet
Subjects
Letters.
Families.
Marriage
Death
Domestic Life -- United States
Young women -- United States -- Social life and customs -- 20th century
Friendship.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged by subject. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
Finding Aid Author
Sarah Coblentz
Preferred Citation
2009ms132.1133: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Rose Keller family letters, 1862-1961, 1981-1990, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Rose M. Keller (1888-1990) was born in Louisville, Kentucky to John R. Keller (1840-1900) and Rosinie Schmitt (1857-1935). She had four siblings: Oskar (b. 1884), Albert (b. 1885), Otto (1887-1968), and Clara (1894-1973). The family moved to Indiana by 1900, living in both Jeffersonville and Indianapolis. In 1925, she married Robert James Hunter (1894-1931). He passed away after being caught in an explosion at a lumber and steel mill. Rose did not re-marry, and eventually moved back to Louisville, Kentucky where she spent the remainder of her life.
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 Rose Keller family letters (dated 1862-1961, 1981-1990, undated; 2.32 cubic feet; 10 boxes) comprise letters, papers, and photographs that document the life of Rose Keller and her family in Indiana, Michigan, and Kentucky in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The majority of the letters are sent to Rose from her future husband, Robert J. Hunter. In the letters, he discusses traveling for his job, visiting friends and family, his hopes to see her when he is in her town, local gossip, personal health, his excitement for their wedding, and finding employment. There are numerous letters sent to Rose in the wake of her husband's accident and subsequent death, expressing their sympathies for her loss. Other letters are sent to Rose from her siblings, mother-in-law, and friends. They discuss finances, marriage, the births of children, daily life, moving, travel, invitations for Rose to visit, employment, and local gossip. There are also letters written to Rose's parents from relatives and friends, most in German, discussing daily life and plans to visit. The papers include newspaper clippings about Rose's husband's accident, a travel diary from Rose's sister detailing her trip to Europe, and papers from Rose's father mainly written in German. The photographs include two albums and many loose pictures of the Keller family and their trips taken and time spent together.
The Rose Keller 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

Elizabeth Hunter to Rose Keller Hunter, 1932-1948

  • Box 1, folder 1
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Robert J. Hunter to Rose Keller, 1921

  • Box 1, folder 2-4
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Robert J. Hunter to Rose Keller, 1922

  • Box 1, folder 5-7
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Robert J. Hunter to Rose Keller, 1923

  • Box 1, folder 8
  • Box 2, folder 1-2
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Robert J. Hunter to Rose Keller, 1924

  • Box 2, folder 3-7
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Robert J. Hunter to Rose Keller, 1925

  • Box 3, folder 1-2
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Letters to Rose Hunter re: husband's accident and death, 1931

  • Box 3, folder 3-4
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Letters to Rose Hunter re: husband's accident and death, 1932

  • Box 3, folder 5
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Clara Keller-Reyher to Rose Keller Hunter, 1931-1936

  • Box 3, folder 6
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Clara Keller-Reyher to Rose Keller Hunter, 1941-1949

  • Box 3, folder 7
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Clara Keller-Reyher to Rose Keller Hunter, 1950-1958

  • Box 3, folder 8
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Clara Keller-Reyher to Rose Keller Hunter, undated

  • Box 4, folder 1
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Oscar Keller to Rose Keller Hunter, 1931-1938

  • Box 4, folder 2
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Letters to Rose Keller Hunter, 1918-1925

  • Box 4, folder 3
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Letters to Rose Keller Hunter, 1930-1933

  • Box 4, folder 4
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Letters to Rose Keller Hunter, 1934-1938

  • Box 4, folder 5
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Letters to Rose Keller Hunter, 1941-1949

  • Box 4, folder 6
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Letters to Rose Keller Hunter, 1950-1968

  • Box 4, folder 7
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Letters to Clara Keller, 1926-1935, undated

  • Box 4, folder 8
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Letters to John Rudolph Keller, 1882-1895, undated

  • Box 4, folder 9
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Letters to Rosinine Keller, 1930-1931

  • Box 4, folder 10
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Barbara Schmitt letters, 1867-1885, 1928, undated

  • Box 4, folder 11
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Keller family letters, 1876-1899

  • Box 5, folder 1
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Keller family letters, 1914-1949, undated

  • Box 5, folder 2
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Clara Keller travel diary, 1930

  • Box 5, folder 3
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Keller family papers, 1862, 1880-1891, 1912, 1925, 1953, 1981-1990, undated

  • Box 5, folder 4
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Photographs, 1908-1928, 1943, 1961, undated

  • Box 6, item 1-132
  • Box 7, item 133-186
  • Box 8, item 187-203
  • Box WH-138, item 204-206
  • Box 9, item 207-290
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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.