Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Hester Hollingshead letters

Abstract

The Hester Hollingshead letters (dated 1918-1919; 0.15 cubic feet; 4 folders) comprise correspondence from her mother and father in Boise, Idaho, while attending Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Hester Hollingshead letters
Date
1918-1919 (inclusive)
Creator
Hollingshead, Hester, 1898-1983
Extent
0.15 Cubic Feet
Subjects
Female friendship -- United States.
Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919
Letters.
Lesbians -- Correspondence
World War, 1914-1918.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged chronologically.
Finding Aid Author
Sarah Coblentz
Preferred Citation
2009ms132.0032: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Hester Hollingshead letters, 1918-1919, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Hester Hollingshead (1898-1983) was born in Wheeler, Oregon to John Hollingshead (1865-1934) and Lillie Hollingshead (1875-1958). She was one of five children, Mary (1897-1976), John (1901-2001), Richard (19017-1980), and Laurence (1909-1966). Between 1907 and 1909, the family moved to Boise, Idaho. Hester attended Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts along with her sister, Mary, towards the end of World War I.
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 Hester Hollingshead letters (dated 1918-1919; 0.15 cubic feet; 4 folders) comprise correspondence from her mother and father in Boise, Idaho while attending Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. The letters primarily discuss the Spanish influenza outbreak and the end of World War I, including quarantines, restrictions on activities, inoculations, and the possibility of Americans' with German sympathies aiding in the spread of the Spanish flu. Also included are a few letters revealing romantic friendships between Hester and former college roommates.
The Hester Hollingshead 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
The 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

Hester Hollingshead letters, 1918 September-October

  • Box 125, folder 10
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Hester Hollingshead letters, 1918 November

  • Box 125, folder 11
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Hester Hollingshead letters, 1918 December

  • Box 125, folder 12
To top

Hester Hollingshead letters, 1919 January

  • Box 125, folder 13
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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.