Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Ikirt family letters

Abstract

The Ikirt family letters (dated 1862-1934, undated; 5 cubic feet; 11 boxes, 2 folders) consist of letters between family and friends of the Ikirt family during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Ikirt family letters
Date
1862-1934, undated (inclusive)
Extent
5 Cubic Feet
Subjects
Letters.
Correspondence.
Long-distance relationships.
Man-woman relationships -- United States -- 20th century
Love-letters
Education
Ohio
Gossip.
Friendship.
Politics
Religion
Health
Travel.
Domestic Life -- United States
Pennsylvania
Arrangement
Collection is arranged alphabetically by recipient and thereunder chronologically. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
Finding Aid Author
Sarah Coblentz, Brynne Stevens
Preferred Citation
2009ms132.0955: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Ikirt family letters, 1862-1934, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
The Ikirt fmaily of East Liverpool, Ohio included George P. Ikirt (1852-1927), his wife Mary E. Holmes (1852-1925), and their five children: Georgella (1883-1966), Mary Rubiena (Ruby) (1884-1959), Olive Elizabeth (1886-1952), Virgil Crocker (1891-1974), and Geraldine Boyce (1896-1974). George Ikirt was a doctor and US Congressman, elected to represent Ohio's 18th district in the House of Representatives from 1893 to 1895. George and Mary were married in 1880. In 1914, Georgella married Jesse Paul Thompson (1880-1976), a lawyer. Virgil married Edith Huffer in 1917. No other biographical information available.
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 Ikirt family letters (dated 1862-1934, undated; 5 cubic feet; 11 boxes, 2 folders) consist of letters between family and friends of the Ikirt family during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Topics discussed within the letters include family, friends, illness, letters, chores, clothes, politics, school, religion, poetry, social events, holidays, travel, marriages, deaths, funerals, gossip, romance, and business. Several letters are sent to Georgella Ikirt from her future husband J. Paul Thompson that document their relationship while separated by school and work in Ohio in the early twentieth century. In the letters, Thompson discusses his feelings for Georgella, attending school, spending time with friends, going to work, local gossip, his personal health, and her family. One letter in the collection is from Georgella to her parents, discussing needing money for sorority photographs and living expenses. Some letters in the collection have pamphlets, personal cards, drawings, newspaper clippings, hair clippings, leaves, or a piece of wood stored with them.
Many of the letters are to or from Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, Ella B. Holmes, Reverend Albert Gallaher, George P. Ikirt, Georgella Ikirt, Mary Rubiena Ikirt, Olive E. Ikirt, Virgil C. Ikirt, and Geraldine Boyce Ikirt. Correspondents are located throughout the United States in Ohio, Indiana, Virginia, Tennessee, New York, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Nebraska.
The Ikirt 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 to the Ikirt family, 1867-1934, undated

Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1867-1925, undated

Letters to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1868

  • Box 1, folder 1
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Letters to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1869

  • Box 1, folder 2
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Letters to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1870-1880

  • Box 1, folder 3-8
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Letters to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1887-1899

  • Box 1, folder 9-11
  • Box 2, folder 1-4
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Letters to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1899-1918

  • Box 2, folder 5-6
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Letters to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1921-1924

  • Box 2, folder 7
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Letters to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, undated

  • Box 2, folder 8-9
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Letters to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1870, undated

  • Box 5, folder 10
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Albert to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1874

  • Box 2, folder 10
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Aunt Mary to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1869, 1896, undated

  • Box 2, folder 11
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Bella S. [illegible] to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1867-1875, undated

  • Box 2, folder 12-13
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Will G. Banks to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1890-1904, 1923

  • Box 2, folder 14
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David Boyce to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1879

  • Box 2, folder 15
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David Boyce to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1894-1899

  • Box 3, folder 1
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George W. Boyce to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1875-1892

  • Box 3, folder 2
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Clara to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1874-1876

  • Box 3, folder 3
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B.S. Copprock to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1873

  • Box 3, folder 4
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E.D.O. Crocker to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1896, undated

  • Box 3, folder 5
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Mrs. T. D. Crocker to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1894-1899, undated

  • Box 3, folder 6
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W.A. Dickey to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1874-1876, undated

  • Box 3, folder 7
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Ella to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1874

  • Box 3, folder 8
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Reverend Albert Gallaher to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1870-1872

  • Box 3, folder 9-12
  • Box 4, folder 1-3
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Mattie Gallaher to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1872-1881, undated

  • Box 4, folder 4
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Ella to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1876-1889

  • Box 4, folder 5
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Ella B. Holmes to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1891-1894

  • Box 4, folder 6
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Ella B. Holmes and husband to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1878, undated

  • Box 4, folder 7
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Elizabeth Ikirt to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1895

  • Box 4, folder 8
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Euphema B. Holmes to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1869-1882, undated

  • Box 4, folder 9-10
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Euphema B. Holmes to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1887

  • Box 4, folder 11
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George P. Ikirt to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1880-1904

  • Box 4, folder 12
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George P. Ikirt to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1916

  • Box 4, folder 13
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Georgella Ikirt Thompson to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1894-1897

  • Box 4, folder 14
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Georgella Ikirt Thompson to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1915-1924

  • Box 5, folder 1
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Geraldine Ikirt to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1921

  • Box 5, folder 2
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Mary Rubiena (Ruby) Ikirt to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1897-1907

  • Box 5, folder 3
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Olive Ikirt to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1907

  • Box 5, folder 4
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Virgil C. and Edith Ikirt to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1915-1925, undated

  • Box 5, folder 5-6
  • Box 11, folder 1-2
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Aunt Kate G. Long to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1889-1898

  • Box 5, folder 7
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Mary to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, undated

  • Box 5, folder 8
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[James] A. Powell to Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, undated

  • Box 5, folder 9
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George P. Ikirt, 1887-1924, undated

Letters to George P. Ikirt, 1892-1895

  • Box 5, folder 11-13
  • Box 6, folder 1-5
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Letters to George P. Ikirt, 1896-1910

  • Box 6, folder 6
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Letters to George P. Ikirt, 1923

  • Box 6, folder 7
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Child to George P. Ikirt, 1894

  • Box 6, folder 8
To top

Robert W. Green to George P. Ikirt, 1912

  • Box 6, folder 9
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Mary. E. (Holmes) Ikirt to George P. Ikirt, 1887-1894

  • Box 6, folder 10
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Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt to George P. Ikirt, 1898-1913, undated

  • Box 6, folder 11
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Olive Ikirt to George P. Ikirt, 1907-1910

  • Box 6, folder 12
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Virgil C. Ikirt to George P. Ikirt, 1924, undated

  • Box 6, folder 13
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Ikirt family, 1881-1934, undated

Georgella Ikirt letters, 1904

  • Box WH-122, folder 11-12
To top

To Georgella (Ikirt) Thompson, 1902, 1913

  • Box 6, folder 14
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To Georgella and Olive Ikirt from Virgil C. Ikirt, 1910

  • Box 6, folder 15
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To Georgella and Mary Rubeina (Ruby) Ikirt from Mary Ikirt, 1893

  • Box 6, folder 16
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To "Georgie" Ikirt from Mary (Holmes) Ikirt, 1898

  • Box 6, folder 17
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To "Georgie", Mary Rubiena (Ruby), and Olive Ikirt and Kelley from Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1899

  • Box 6, folder 18
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To Mary Rubiena Ikirt from Ruth B. Bryan, 1894

  • Box 6, folder 19
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To Mary Rubiena Ikirt from Aunt Ella B. Holmes, 1926

  • Box 6, folder 20
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To Mary Rubiena Ikirt from Olive Ikirt, 1924

  • Box 6, folder 21
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To Mary Rubiena and Olive Ikirt from Georgella (Ikirt) Thompson, 1928

  • Box 6, folder 22
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To Mary Rubiena and Olive E. Ikirt from Geraldine B. Ikirt, 1925-1933

  • Box 7, folder 1
  • Box 11, folder 7
To top

To Mary Rubiena and Olive E. Ikirt from Mary (Holmes) Ikirt, 1904

  • Box 7, folder 2
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To Mary Rubiena and Olive E. Ikirt from Mary, 1934

  • Box 7, folder 3
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To Mary Rubiena and Olive E. Ikirt from Mary, Virgil C. Ikirt, and Ruby, 1934

  • Box 7, folder 4
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To Mary Rubiena and Olive E. Ikirt from Virgil C. and Edith Ikirt, 1924-1934, undated

  • Box 7, folder 5
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To Olive E., Ikirt from Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1904

  • Box 7, folder 6
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Olive E. Ikirt from Virgil C. Ikirt, 1923

  • Box 7, folder 7
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To Virgil C. Ikirt from Mary (Holmes) Ikirt, 1900

  • Box 7, folder 8
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To Winnie Ikirt from George P. Ikirt, 1897

  • Box 7, folder 9
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To Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt and Children from George P. Ikirt, 1893-1897

  • Box 7, folder 10
To top

To Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt and George P. Ikirt, 1881-1895

  • Box 7, folder 11
To top

To Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt and George P. Ikirt from T. D. Crocker, 1895

  • Box 5, folder 12
To top

To Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt and George P. Ikirt from Geraldine B. Ikirt, 1924

  • Box 7, folder 13
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To Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt and George P. Ikirt from Virgil C. and Edith Ikirt, 1917

  • Box 7, folder 14
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To Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt and George P. Ikirt from Virgil C. kirt, 1924

  • Box 11, folder 5
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To Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt and George P. Ikirt from Ma, 1887

  • Box 7, folder 15
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To Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt and George P. Ikirt from Olive E. ikirt, 1923

  • Box 7, folder 16
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To Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, George P. Ikirt, and Geny from Olive E. Ikirt, 1924

  • Box 7, folder 17
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To Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, George P. Ikirt, and siblings from Georgella (Ikirt) Thompson, 1924

  • Box 7, folder 18
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To Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, George P. Ikirt, and siblings from Geraldine B. Ikirt, 1921-1923

  • Box 7, folder 19
  • Box 8, folder 1
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To Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt and Family from Geraldine Ikirt, 1924-1925

  • Box 8, folder 2-4
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To Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, George P. Ikirt and siblings from Virgil C. and Edith Ikirt, 1921-1925, undated

  • Box 8, folder 5-10
  • Box 9, folder 1-2
  • Box 11, folder 3-4
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To Mary Rubiena Ikirt, Georgella (Ikirt) Thompson, and family from Virgil C. and Edith Ikirt and Geraldine Ikirt, 1924

  • Box 11, folder 6
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To George P. Ikirt and family from the Russells, 1922

  • Box 9, folder 3
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To George P. Ikirt and sisters from Virgil C. Ikirt, 1910

  • Box 9, folder 4
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To George P. Ikirt, Mary Rubiena Ikirt, Olive E. Ikirt, and Winnie Ikirt from Virgil C. Ikirt, 1921

  • Box 9, folder 5
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To Olive E. Ikirt and family from "Geo", 1924

  • Box 9, folder 6
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To Olive, Mary Rubiena, Geo, and Winnie from Virgil C. Ikirt, 1923

  • Box 11, folder 8
To top

Letters to extended family and friends and empty envelopes, 1862-1906, undated

To J. M. [Bommer], 1906

  • Box 9, folder 7
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To Honorable David Boyce from Mary (Holmes) Ikirt, 1897

  • Box 9, folder 8
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To Honorable David Boyce from Virgil C. Ikirt, 1900

  • Box 9, folder 9
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To B. S. Coppock from Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1872

  • Box 9, folder 10
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To W. A. Dickey from Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1874

  • Box 9, folder 11
To top

To Reverend Albert Gallaher from Mary E. (Holmes) Ikirt, 1869-1872, undated

  • Box 9, folder 12-17
  • Box 10, folder 1-5
To top

To Ella B. Holmes, 1870-1879, undated

  • Box 10, folder 3
To top

To Ella B. Holmes, 1880-1887

  • Box 10, folder 4
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To Ella B. Holmes from Leonard Eskey, 1878-1881

  • Box 10, folder 5
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To Ella B. Holmes and Mary E. Holmes from Helen, 1863

  • Box 10, folder 6
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To E. B. Holmes from Mary, undated

  • Box 10, folder 7
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To Ella B. Holmes from Mary E. Holmes, undated

  • Box 10, folder 8
To top

To Ella B. Holmes from Will, 1880-1881

  • Box 10, folder 9-10
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To Emma Holmes from W. B. Dewitt, 1869, undated

  • Box 10, folder 11
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To Euphema B. Holmes from cousin Maria, 1868

  • Box 10, folder 12
To top

To Euphema Holmes from Matilda [Grant], 1871

  • Box 10, folder 13
To top

To Euphema B. Holmes and sister from Mary and Ella Holmes, undated

  • Box 10, folder 14
To top

To Mollie Holmes from Mollie E. Gable, 1867

  • Box 10, folder 15
To top

To Kate Ikirt from A. Ikirt, 1862

  • Box 10, folder 16
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To Mr. D. R. Jones from Mary, 1878

  • Box 10, folder 17
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To Kate J. Long from Mary (Holmes) Ikirt, 1898

  • Box 10, folder 18
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To Reverend W. G. K. Long from Daniel Ikirt, 1871

  • Box 10, folder 19
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To Annie Paul from Mollie C. [Chirt], 1887

  • Box 10, folder 20
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To Mrs. Barnard Rand from Mary (Holmes) Ikirt, 1895

  • Box 10, folder 21
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To Annie M. Rand from George P. Ikirt, 1895

  • Box 10, folder 22
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Letter to unidentified recipient from unidentified sender, 1878

  • Box 10, folder 23
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Empty envelopes, 1893-1894, undated

  • Box 10, folder 24
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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.