Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Couch family letters

Abstract

The Couch family letters (dated 1927-1948, undated; 0.03 cubic feet; 1 folder) comprise letters between Couch family members – Bessie, James, Margaret, and Agnes – an African-American family living in Kentucky in the early-to-mid twentieth century.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Couch family letters
Date
1927-1948, undated (inclusive)
Extent
0.03 Cubic Feet
Subjects
African American farmers
African Americans -- Kentucky
Agriculture -- Farming
Correspondence.
Family.
Farm life
Friendship.
Health
Letters.
Marriage
Marriage licenses.
Rural African Americans.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged chronologically. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
Finding Aid Author
Sarah Coblentz
Preferred Citation
2009ms132.0432: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Couch family letters, 1927-1948, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
The Couch family of Sebree, Kentucky included parents William Couch (1859-1931), Bessie Finch (1882-1967), and their children: James (1911-2002), Margaret (1913-1996), William (1915-1925), Houston (1917-1939), and Agnes (1922-2000). Both William and Bessie came from farming families, and so they owned and operated their own farm just outside Sebree, Kentucky. Margaret married Louis Woolfolk (1893-1964) and worked as a school teacher. Agnes married William McFarland (1915-2010), whom she later divorced, and worked in the nursing industry. James was married for a time, but divorced in 1986, and worked in farming.
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 Couch family letters (dated 1927-1948, undated; 0.03 cubic feet; 1 folder) comprise letters between Couch family members – Bessie, James, Margaret, and Agnes – an African-American family living in Kentucky in the early-to-mid twentieth century. The letters primarily discuss the family farm, personal health, finding employment, and marriage. Margaret and Agnes write to their mother most often about finding spouses and the possibility of being married, along with later descriptions of their lives once married. In letters sent to James by Margaret and Agnes, they ask him about his plans to find farming land and his health. The collection contains a few letters to the family from friends discussing daily life, running into friends and members of the Couch family, and personal health.
The Couch family letters 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

Letters to Couch family, 1927-1948, undated

  • Box WH-23, folder 7
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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.

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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.