Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Graumann family papers
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Graumann family papers
- Date
- 1867, 1881-1936, undated (inclusive)
- Creator
- Graumann, Philip
- Extent
- 0.275 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Letters.
- Correspondence.
- Immigrants
- German Americans.
- Legal documents.
- Family.
- Real property
- Travel.
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged by format. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0798: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Graumann family papers, 1867, 1881-1936, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Philip J. Graumann (1854-1922) was born in Prussia to Jacob Graumann (b. 1830) and Jeanette Marcus (1824-1880). In 1871, Philip immigrated to the United States, settling in Louisville, Kentucky by 1880. In 1881, he married Dora Hirsch (1861-1921) and together the couple had six children, Mattie (b. 1881), Sadie (1884-1976), Frances (b. 1885), Edna (b. 1892), Jacob (b. 1894), and Lawrence (1897-1969). Philip worked as a clothing merchant when he first arrived in America and eventually moved into real estate.
- 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 Graumann family papers (dated 1867, 1881-1936, undated; 0.275 cubic feet; 7 folders) comprises letters and papers that document the life of German-immigrant Philip Graumann and his family in Louisville, Kentucky in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The letters are written in both English and German, they discuss a daughter getting engaged, anniversary celebrations, requests for letters of recommendation for employment, updates on the rental properties he owns, and a plea to the German Minister to the United States to halt any court proceedings against him in German military courts due to him no longer being a German citizen. The papers show receipts for goods, a lease agreement (both in English), and legal documents in German.
- The letters addressed to Sadie Graumann comprise of condolence letters for the death of Philip and Jeanette, reccomendations from a divorce lawyer, and multiple letters from rental tenants. Sadie receives multiple letters from a tenant discussing rent, checks, and taxes.
- Lawrence Graumann receives letters from friends, both male and female. His friends write to him about their time away at school, their social lives, and requests from Lawrence to visit them. Lawrence also receives condolence letters for the death of his father.
- The Graumann family papers 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
Philip Graumann letters, 1881-1901, undated
Philip Graumann papers, 1901, 1913, undated
Graumann family letters, 1881-1929
German letters to Philip Graumann, 1881-1915, undated
Sadie Graumann letters, 1867, 1916-1935
Leon Yolles to Sadie Graumann, 1932-1936
Lawrence Graumann letters, 1915-1929, undated
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.
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.
