Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Myrtle Linn family letters

Abstract

The Myrtle Linn family letters (dated 1910-1966, undated; 2.7 cubic feet; 6 boxes) comprise letters, cards, and notices that document the Linn family in and around Bucyrus, Ohio throughout the twentieth century.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Myrtle Linn family letters
Date
1910-1966, undated (inclusive)
Creator
Linn, Myrtle Fern, 1890-1977
Extent
2.7 Cubic Feet
Subjects
Correspondence.
Depressions -- 1929 -- Ohio
Diseases.
Great Depression
Influenza.
Medical care
World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, American.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged alphabetically by name. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
Finding Aid Author
Andrew Biggs
Preferred Citation
2009ms132.0266: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Myrtle Linn family letters, 1910-1966, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Myrtle Fern Linn (1890-1977) was born in Bucyrus, Ohio to Charles Theodore Linn (1859-1940) and Elizabeth Ann Linn (1858-1937). She was the oldest of six children; Rollie Charles Linn (1892-1984), Bertha Ann Deerwester (1894-1979), Dewey E Linn (1898-1988), Nellie Mabel McLaughlin (1896-1999), and Mary May Beller (1900-1994). Myrtle's family were farmers in Ohio and her brother Dewey and her nephew Stanley McLaughlin both served in the military during the Second World War. Myrtle never married and lived in Ohio her entire 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 Myrtle Linn family letters (dated 1910-1966, undated; 2.7 cubic feet; 6 boxes) comprise letters, cards, and notices that document the Linn family in and around Bucyrus, Ohio throughout the twentieth century. The letters are primarily from Myrtle's sisters Bertha, Nellie, and Mary. Bertha Deerwester and Nellie McLaughlin wrote about sewing, decorating, housework, education, sunday school, gardening, the health of family members, and their travels to see friends and the other sisters. Mary May Beller, who worked as a typist for the Hadfield Penfield Steel Company, wrote about her work transcribing and also talked extensively about the effects of the Great Depression on her job including layoffs and cutting wages. Myrtle's friend Juanita Waitley writes about her father's antique shop and the effects of influenza around Ohio. Myrtle's brother Dewey Earl Linn and nephew Stanley McLaughlin both wrote about their time serving in World War II. Additionally, there are a few political advertisements and delivery notices and two one dollar silver certificates from 1939 and 1940.
The Myrtle Linn 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

Letters from Harriet Bahl to Myrtle Linn, 1921, 1928

  • Box 1, folder 1
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Letters from "Aunt Cella" to Myrtle Linn, 1914-1916

  • Box 1, folder 3
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Letters from "Aunt Cella" to Myrtle Linn, 1920-1921

  • Box 1, folder 2
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Letters from "Aunt Cella" to Myrtle Linn, 1925-1934

  • Box 1, folder 4
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Letters from Correspondence Institute of America to Grover Deerwester, 1910

  • Box 1, folder 5
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Letter from Obed Ester to Grover Deerwester, 1919

  • Box 1, folder 6
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Letters from Captain F. Elliot to Grover Deerwester, 1931

  • Box 1, folder 7
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Letter from Elizabeth Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1926

  • Box 1, folder 8
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Letters from Ross Downing to Myrtle Linn, 1938

  • Box 1, folder 9
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Letters from Etta Failor to Myrtle Linn, 1914-1915

  • Box 1, folder 10
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Letters from Etta Failor to Myrtle Linn, 1927

  • Box 1, folder 11
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Letters from Etta Failor to Myrtle Linn, 1930-1939

  • Box 1, folder 12
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Letters from Etta Failor to Myrte Linn, 1940-1946

  • Box 1, folder 13
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Letters from Etta Failor to Myrtle Linn, 1947-1949

  • Box 1, folder 14
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Letters from Etta to Myrtle Linn, 1950-1951

  • Box 1, folder 15
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Letters from Clara Failor to Myrtle Linn, 1947

  • Box 1, folder 16
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Letters to Catharine Gray from her parents, 1921-1928

  • Box 1, folder 17
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Letter from L. Haigh to William J. Linn, 1931

  • Box 1, folder 18
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Letters from Bertha Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1914-1918

  • Box 1, folder 19-20
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Letters from Bertha Linn to Grover Deerwester, 1919

  • Box 2, box 1
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Letters from Bertha (Linn) Deerwester to Myrtle Linn, 1913, 1919-1929

  • Box 2, box 2
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Letter to Bertha (Linn) Deerwester from a friend, 1932

  • Box 2, box 3
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Letters to Bertha (Linn) Deerwester from Captain G. Miller, 1932-1933

  • Box 2, box 4
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Letter from Bertha (Linn) Deerwester to Nellie Linn, 1924

  • Box 2, box 5
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Letters from Bertha (Linn) Deerwester to Myrtle Linn, 1930-1939

  • Box 2, box 6-7
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Letter from Bertha (Linn) Deerwester to Charles T. Linn, 1939

  • Box 2, box 8
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Letters from Bertha (Linn) Deerwester to Myrtle Linn, 1940-1945

  • Box 2, box 9
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Letter from Bertha (Linn) Deerwester to Nellie (Linn) McLaughlin, 1953

  • Box 2, box 10
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Letters to Bertha (Linn) Deerwester from friends, 1953, 1960

  • Box 2, box 11
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Letters from Cora LeCrone to Bertha (Linn) Deerwester, 1960

  • Box 2, box 12
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Letter from Mrs. R. W. Atkinson to Bertha (Linn) Deerwester, 1934

  • Box 2, box 13
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Card from Charles T. Linn to Bertha (Linn) Deerwester, 1966

  • Box 2, box 14
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Letters to Myrtle Linn from Mrs. Charles T. Linn, 1921, 1929

  • Box 2, box 15
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Letters from Mrs. Charles T. Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1927-1932

  • Box 2, box 16
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Political Card to Charles T. Linn, 1936

  • Box 2, box 17
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Letters from Mrs. Charles T. Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1915-1917

  • Box 2, box 18
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Letter from Ida Miller to Charles T. Linn, 1937

  • Box 2, box 19
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Wedding announcement from Mrs. John P. Heiby to Charles T. Linn, 1939

  • Box 2, box 20
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Letter from North Central Electric Cooperative, Inc to Charles T. Linn, 1944

  • Box 2, box 21
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Letters from Evelyn Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1949-1951

  • Box 2, box 22
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Letters from Evelyn Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1947-1949

  • Box 2, box 23
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Letters from Goldie Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1950-1951

  • Box 2, box 24
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Letters from Marie Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1920, 1929

  • Box 3, folder 1
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Letters from Marie Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1939, 1944

  • Box 3, folder 2
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Letters from Mary May Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1913-1919

  • Box 3, folder 3
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Letters from Mary May Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1920

  • Box 3, folder 4
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Letter from Mary May Linn to Mrs. Charles T. Linn, 1921

  • Box 3, folder 5
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Letters from Mary May Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1920-1929

  • Box 3, folder 6
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Letters from Mary May Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1930-1939

  • Box 3, folder 7-10
  • Box 4, folder 1-2
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Letters from Mary May Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1939-1945

  • Box 4, folder 3
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Letter from Anna Mae to Mary May Linn, 1941

  • Box 4, folder 4
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Letters from Mary May Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1948

  • Box 4, folder 5
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Letters from Mary May Linn to Bertha (Linn) Deerwester, 1953-1954, 1965

  • Box 4, folder 6
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Letters from Pvt. Minor Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1943-1944

  • Box 4, folder 7
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Letter from Myrtle Linn to Charles T. Linn, 1918

  • Box 4, folder 8
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Letters from Myrtle Linn to Martha Orwiler, 1920

  • Box 4, folder 9
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Letters from Myrtle Linn to Mrs. Charles T. Linn, 1936

  • Box 4, folder 10
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Letters from Myrtle Linn to Bertha (Linn) Deerwester, 1953-1954

  • Box 4, folder 11
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Letter from Myrtle Linn to Mrs. Charles T. Linn, undated

  • Box 4, folder 12
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Letter from Myrtle Linn to her parents, undated

  • Box 4, folder 13
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Letters to Myrtle Linn from friends, 1913-1919

  • Box 4, folder 14
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Letters to Myrtle Linn from her family, 1913-1919

  • Box 4, folder 15
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Letters to Myrtle Linn from her family, 1914-1919

  • Box 5, folder 1-2
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Letters from the Orwiler family to Myrtle Linn, 1922-1925

  • Box 5, folder 3
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Letters to Myrtle Linn from friends, 1920-1929

  • Box 5, folder 4
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Letters to Myrtle Linn, 1921-1933

  • Box 5, folder 5
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Letters to Myrtle Linn from friends, 1932-1936

  • Box 5, folder 6
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Letters to Myrtle Linn from friends, 1942-1948

  • Box 5, folder 7
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Letters to Myrtle Linn from friends, 1948-1951

  • Box 5, folder 8
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Letters from Mary Helen to Myrtle Linn, 1952

  • Box 5, folder 9
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Unopened letters to Myrtle Linn, 1922, 1926

  • Box 5, folder 10
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Unopened letters to Myrtle Linn, 1930-1935

  • Box 5, folder 12
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Christmas cards to Myrtle Linn, 1928-1929

  • Box 5, folder 11
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Holiday cards to Myrtle Linn from friends, 1930-1937

  • Box 5, folder 13
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Christmas cards to Myrtle Linn, 1943

  • Box 5, folder 14
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Holiday cards to Myrtle Linn, 1948-1949

  • Box 5, folder 15
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Letters from Nellie Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1914-1919

  • Box 6, folder 1
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Letters from Nellie Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1920-1927

  • Box 6, folder 2
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Letters from Nellie Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1920-1921, 1929

  • Box 6, folder 3
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Letters from Nellie Linn to Myrtle Linn, 1930-1939

  • Box 6, folder 4
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Letters from Nellie (Linn) McLaughlin, 1940-1946

  • Box 6, folder 5
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Letters from Nellie (Linn) McLaughlin to Myrtle Linn, 1947-1948

  • Box 6, folder 6
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Letters from Nellie (Linn) McLaughlin to Myrtle Linn, 1951

  • Box 6, folder 7
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Letter from Nellie (Linn) McLaughlin to Bertha (Linn) Deerwester, 1953, 1961

  • Box 6, folder 8
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Letters from Edith Lust to Myrtle Linn, 1940-1949

  • Box 6, folder 9
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Letters from "Aunt Lydia" to Myrtle Linn, 1914-1919

  • Box 6, folder 10
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Letters from "Aunt Lydia" to Myrtle Linn, 1938

  • Box 6, folder 11
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Letters from Stanley McLaughlin to Myrtle Linn, 1931-1937

  • Box 6, folder 12
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Letters from Stanley McLaughlin to Myrtle Linn, 1944-1946

  • Box 6, folder 13
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Letters from Juanita Waitley to Myrtle Linn, 1920-1925

  • Box 6, folder 14
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Letters from Juanita Waitley to Myrtle Linn, 1938

  • Box 6, folder 15
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Delivery notice, 1916

  • Box 6, folder 16
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General letters, 1931-1936

  • Box 6, folder 17
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Letters to Myrtle Linn - 1 dollar silver certificate, 1939-1940

  • Drawer 1
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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.