Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: William G. Woodruff letters
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: William G. Woodruff letters
- Date
- 1842-1846, 1861-1865, 1899-1901 (inclusive)
- Creator
- Woodruff, William G.
- Extent
- 0.17 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Letters.
- Families.
- Ohio
- Military life.
- Domestic Life -- United States
- Poetry.
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged by subject. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.1132: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: William G. Woodruff letters, 1842-1846, 1861-1865, 1899-1901, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- William G. Woodruff lived in Shelby County, Ohio in the mid-nineteenth century. He was married to Louisa E. Woodruff and served with the Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. 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 William G. Woodruff letters (dated 1842-1846, 1861-1865, 1899-1901; 0.17 cubic feet; 7 folders) comprise letters, poetry, and a diary that document life in Ohio and the military during the mid-nineteenth century. The letters are primarily between William and his wife, he writes about serving in the military, where his unit moves to, his personal health, how much he misses his family, his desire to be home soon, his hopes for his family's well-being, and when he might be able to return home. His wife writes about daily life at home, spending time with his family, the health of their children, her personal health, chores completed around the house, and her faith that he will return home safe. William also receives letters from his parents, siblings, and friends, discussing daily life at home, personal health, visits from friends and relatives, and their prayers for his safekeeping. Also in the collection are two poems written by William about justice and natural disasters and a diary that details William's time in the army.
- The William G. Woodruff 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
William G. Woodruff to Louisa E. Woodruff, 1861-1862
William G. Woodruff to parents, 1861 September 17
Family to William G. Woodruff, 1861-1865
Letters to William G. Woodruff, 1846, 1862-1865
Letters to Ella Umstead, 1899-1901
William G. Woodruff diary, 1861-1865
Poetry, 1842
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Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Table of Contents
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.
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.
Requests
No items have been requested.
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.
