Pepper family papers

Abstract

The Pepper family papers (dated 1834-1948, undated; 3.9 cubic feet; 10 boxes) consists of correspondence, financial documents, photographs, record books, and a scrapbook relating to the Pepper family and their horse farm, South Elkhorn Stock Farm.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Pepper family papers
Date
1834-1948, undated
Extent
3.9 Cubic feet
Subjects
Business records--Kentucky.
Correspondence.
Horse industry--Kentucky
Horses--Breeding--Kentucky.
Horses--Kentucky.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged by subject into twelve series: Robert P. Pepper, Sr. papers; Elizabeth P. Pepper papers; Robert P. Pepper, Jr. papers; Laura S. Pepper papers; Mahala May Pepper Goedecke papers; Frederick Goedecke papers; Thomas L. Smith papers; Laura P. Starling papers; Frank Chin papers; South Elkhorn Farm records; Assorted family papers; Photographs and postcards.
Finding Aid Author
Finding aid prepared by Greg Seltzer
Preferred Citation
64m40: [identification of item], Pepper family papers, 1834-1948, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Robert Perry Pepper (1832-1985) was a distiller and horseman who, with his son Robert Perry Pepper, Jr. (1867-1896), operated South Elkhorn Stock Farm, located near Frankfort, Ky. Robert P. Pepper, Sr.'s distillery, R.P. Pepper Distilleries, burned to the ground, causing him to focus completely on horse farming. Pepper and his first wife, Ann Kinkead (1838-1863), had one daughter Pauline Culbertson Pepper (1858-1938). Pauline, known as "Lena" married lawyer, Clay Hatchitt. Following the death of Ann Kinkead, Pepper married Elizabeth Prudence Starling (1841-1924), the daughter of Colonel Lyne and Maria Hensley Starling. In addition to Robert Jr., their children included Laura Starling Pepper (1868-1958); Mariah Hensley Pepper Clay (1870-1939); Elizabeth "Lizzie" Starling Pepper (b.1871); Mahala Edwards "May" Pepper Goedecke (1873-1910); Louise Pepper (b. 1875); and Lyne Starling Pepper Smith (1877-1947). May Pepper Goedecke married Frederick Goedecke; they had a son named Lyne S. Goedecke. May Pepper Goedecke died shortly after his birth. Robert P. Pepper, Jr. died young and unmarried. After his death, the horse farm was sold. Additionally, Laura and Elizabeth Pepper never married, though author Robert Burns Wilson courted Elizabeth and reportedly based his novel Until the Day Break on the Pepper family. Colonel Thomas L. Smith married Lyne Starling Pepper. Frank Chin, a lawyer in Frankfurt, Ky., worked for the Pepper family.
Scope and Content
The Pepper family papers (dated 1834-1948, undated; 3.9 cubic feet; 10 boxes) consists of correspondence, financial documents, photographs, record books, and a scrapbook relating to the Pepper family and their horse farm, South Elkhorn Stock Farm. The records relating South Elkhorn Stock Farm include horse sales, foaling records, registration records, and breeding records. Other materials include personal and business correspondence of Robert Perry Pepper, his wife Elizabeth Prudence Starling Pepper, their children, and the Starling family. There are about 300 letters written to Laura Pugh Starling; around 200 pieces of business papers, correspondence concerning custody of Lyne Starling Goedecke, and personal correspondence, all belonging to Laura Starling Pepper; and about 100 pieces each relating to Mahala "May" Edwards Pepper Goedecke and her husband, Frederick Goedecke. 370 pices relate to Thomas L. Smith, the husband of Lyne Starling Pepper. One group of 10 letters was written while Smith served as an Army map maker in the Philippine Islands in 1903 and 1904 (Box 5, Folder 4-5). An amateur photographer, he printed cyanotypes and brown prints of island scenes directly onto his stationery.

Restrictions on Access and Use

Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Use Restrictions
Property rights reside with the University of Kentucky. The University of Kentucky holds the copyright for materials created in the course of business by University of Kentucky employees. Copyright for all other materials has not been assigned to the University of Kentucky. For information about permission to reproduce or publish, please contact Special Collections.

Contents of the Collection

Robert P. Pepper, Sr. papers, 1866-1902

, 1866-1890

  • Box 1, Folder 1
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, 1891-1902

  • Box 1, Folder 2
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The Deposit Bank account book, 1891-1892

  • Box 1, Folder 3
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The Deposit Bank account book, 1892

  • Box 1, Folder 4
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The Deposit Bank account book, 1893

  • Box 1, Folder 5
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The Deposit Bank account book, 1894

  • Box 1, Folder 6
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The Deposit Bank account book, 1895

  • Box 1, Folder 7
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Elizabeth P. Pepper papers, 1891-1935

, 1891-1909

  • Box 1, Folder 8
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, 1910-1911

  • Box 1, Folder 9
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, 1912-1935

  • Box 1, Folder 10
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The Deposit Bank account book, 1895

  • Box 2, Folder 1
To top

The Deposit Bank account book, 1896-1897

  • Box 2, Folder 2
To top

The Deposit Bank account book, 1899-1900

  • Box 2, Folder 3
To top

The Deposit Bank account book, 1900-1901

  • Box 2, Folder 4
To top

The Deposit Bank account book, 1901-1902

  • Box 2, Folder 5
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The Deposit Bank account book, 1902-1903

  • Box 2, Folder 6
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The Deposit Bank account book, 1903-1904

  • Box 2, Folder 7
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The Deposit Bank account book, 1913

  • Box 2, Folder 8
To top

Farmer's Bank of Kentucky account book, 1895

  • Box 2, Folder 9
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Bank of Frankfort deposit book, 1904

  • Box 2, Folder 10
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Cash book, 1904-1908

  • Box 2, Folder 11
To top

Cash book, 1909-1912

  • Box 3, Folder 1
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Robert P. Pepper, Jr. papers, 1895-1896

, 1895-1896

  • Box 3, Folder 2
To top

Address book, 1895 December 12

  • Box 3, Folder 3
To top

Farmers Bank of Kentucky account book, 1895

  • Box 3, Folder 4
To top

The Deposit Bank account book, 1896

  • Box 3, Folder 5
To top

Laura S. Pepper papers, 1904-1948, undated

, 1904-1910

  • Box 3, Folder 6
To top

, 1911-1927

  • Box 3, Folder 7
To top

, 1928-1933

  • Box 3, Folder 8
To top

, 1936-1937

  • Box 3, Folder 9
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, 1938-1948

  • Box 4, Folder 1
To top

, undated

  • Box 4, Folder 2
To top

Mahala "May" Pepper Goedecke papers, 1890-1909

, 1890-1894

  • Box 4, Folder 3
To top

, 1895-1909

  • Box 4, Folder 4
To top

Frederick Goedecke papers, 1893-1922

, 1893-1918

  • Box 4, Folder 5
To top

, 1919-1920

  • Box 4, Folder 6
To top

, 1921

  • Box 4, Folder 7
To top

, 1922

  • Box 4, Folder 8
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Thomas L. Smith papers, 1889-1905

, 1889 April-August

  • Box 4, Folder 9
To top

, 1889 September-December

  • Box 4, Folder 10
To top

, 1890-1891

  • Box 5, Folder 1
To top

, 1893

  • Box 5, Folder 2
To top

, 1894-1895

  • Box 5, Folder 3
To top

, 1897-1903

  • Box 5, Folder 4
To top

, 1904-1905

  • Box 5, Folder 5
To top

Laura P. Starling papers, 1911-1941, undated

, 1911-1915

  • Box 5, Folder 6
To top

, 1916-1917

  • Box 5, Folder 7
To top

, 1918-1919

  • Box 5, Folder 8
To top

, 1919 February-1920 July

  • Box 5, Folder 9
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, 1920 August-1927

  • Box 5, Folder 10
To top

, 1933-1935

  • Box 5, Folder 11
To top

, 1936-1941

  • Box 6, Folder 1
To top

, undated

  • Box 6, Folder 2
To top

Frank Chin papers, 1889-1911

, 1896-1897

  • Box 6, Folder 3
To top

, 1897-1898

  • Box 6, Folder 4
To top

, 1899-1911

  • Box 6, Folder 5
To top

Going file, 1889-1903

  • Box 6, Folder 6
To top

South Elkhorn Stock Farm records, 1856-1897, undated

Registration books, 1856-1895, undated

Brood mares registration book, 1895

  • Box 6, Folder 7
To top

Colt registration book, 1856-1893

  • Box 6, Folder 8
To top

Horse record book, 1882

  • Box 7, Folder 1
To top

Horse registry, undated

  • Box 7, Folder 2
To top

Non-standard animals registration, 1875-1885

  • Box 7, Folder 3
To top

Registered fillies, 1890-1892

  • Box 7, Folder 4
To top

Sales books, 1882-1891

, 1882-1883

  • Box 7, Folder 5
To top

, 1890-1891

  • Box 7, Folder 6
To top

Breeding books, 1894-1897, undated

Foaling book, 1895

  • Box 7, Folder 7
To top

Mare foaling book, 1894

  • Box 7, Folder 8
To top

Outside mares bred to Norral record book, 1897

  • Box 7, Folder 9
To top

South Elkhorn Stock Farm foaling book, 1896

  • Box 8, Folder 1
To top

South Elkhorn Stock Farm weening book, undated

  • Box 8, Folder 2
To top

Assorted family papers, 1834-1944, undated

Assorted family, 1834-1944

Mariah Hensley Pepper Clay correspondence, 1910-1920

  • Box 8, Folder 3
To top

Lyne S. Goedecke, 1911-1937

  • Box 8, Folder 4
To top

Clay Hatchitt correspondence, 1882-1892

  • Box 8, Folder 5
To top

Elizabeth S. "Lizzie" Pepper, 1890-1935

  • Box 8, Folder 6
To top

Smith family papers, 1910-1944

  • Box 8, Folder 7
To top

Lyne Starling papers, 1834-1856

  • Box 8, Folder 8
To top

Will Starling correspondence, 1889-1893

  • Box 8, Folder 9
To top

Assorted materials, 1872-1939, undated

Mrs. James R. Ely correspondence, 1929

  • Box 8, Folder 10
To top

A.W. Macklin correspondence, 1900-1901

  • Box 8, Folder 11
To top

Account book, 1883-1888

  • Box 8, Folder 12
To top

General correspondence, 1885-1939

  • Box 8, Folder 13
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General correspondence, undated

  • Box 8, Folder 14
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Holiday greeting cards, lists, invitations, 1872-1934

  • Box 8, Folder 15
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Unbound scrapbook, undated

  • Box 9, Folder 1-2
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Photographs and postcards, 1918-1936, undated

Dorothy age 12, undated

  • Box 10, Item 1
To top

Lyne Harling Geodecke age 25, 1936

  • Box 10, Item 2
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Two unidentified individuals, undated

  • Box 10, Item 3
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Unidentified man in military man, undated

  • Box 10, Item 4
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Unidentified woman with infant, undated

  • Box 10, Item 5-6
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Jimmy and Dan Dorother?, 1921 September 21

  • Box 10, Item 7
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Two unidentified individuals, undated

  • Box 10, Item 8
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Unidentified woman, undated

  • Box 10, Item 9
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Lt. Col. Geodecke with his nephew John Gardner?, 1920

  • Box 10, Item 10
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Unidentified child, undated

  • Box 10, Item 11
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Unidentified man, undated

  • Box 10, Item 12
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Papa leaving the armory in Akron, OH, 1920 March 5

  • Box 10, Item 13
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Three unidentified children, 1918 September

  • Box 10, Item 14
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Mrs. Imma Klein Gardner? and baby Dorathea, undated

  • Box 10, Item 15
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House at 1604 North Broad St.?, undated

  • Box 10, Item 16
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Antoinette, 1918 September

  • Box 10, Item 17
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John Hensley, 1918 September

  • Box 10, Item 18
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Lt. Col. Ceodecke with nephew, 1920 December

  • Box 10, Item 19
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Imma and Jenny, undated

  • Box 10, Item 20
To top

James H. Gardner Jr. 5 years old, undated

  • Box 10, Item 21
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Aunt Lizzie to Mrs. Pepper, undated

  • Box 10, Item 22
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Two unidentified men in military uniform, undated

  • Box 10, Item 23
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The Two Jimmys, undated

  • Box 10, Item 24
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Three unidentified children, undated

  • Box 10, Item 25
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James H. Gardner Jr., 1920 December

  • Box 10, Item 26
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Four unidentified people, undated

  • Box 10, Item 27
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Two unidentified women, undated

  • Box 10, Item 28
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Unidentified man in harbour, undated

  • Box 10, Item 29
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Unidentified house, undated

  • Box 10, Item 30
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Men in military uniform "Cussing the delinquents out", undated

  • Box 10, Item 31
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"Marching in manuvers", undated

  • Box 10, Item 32
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Two unidentified children, undated

  • Box 10, Item 33
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Unidentified house, undated

  • Box 10, Item 34
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, undated

  • Box 10, Item 35
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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.