Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Head family papers
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Head family papers
- Date
- 1891-1978, undated (inclusive)
- Extent
- 0.90 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Childhood
- Correspondence.
- Death
- Families.
- Farm life
- Health
- Kentucky.
- Legal documents.
- Letters.
- Livestock
- Livestock -- Breeding.
- Marriage
- New Hampshire.
- World War, 1939-1945.
- Head family
- Head, Annie Laura, 1893-1985
- Head, George Barbour, 1866-1946
- Head, Isabelle Williams, 1866-1953
- Head, John Paul, 1897-1977
- Head, William O., 1859-1931
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged by subject. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0373: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Head family papers, 1891-1978, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- George Barbour Head (1866-1946) was born in Providence, Kentucky to John W. Head (1827-1886) and Mary A. Headly (1820-1884). In 1891, he married Isabelle Williams (1866-1953), and together the couple had six children: John Paul (1897-1977), Annie Laura (1893-1985), Alleen (b. 1894), Willie B. (b. 1895), George Jr. (1905-1968), and Yewell Williams (1906-1980). George Sr. worked in the tobacco industry. His brother, William O. Head (1859-1931), was mayor of Louisville from 1909-1913. George Jr. worked as a clerk, and John Paul and Yewell were involved in farming and the breeding and sale of livestock. Annie married Franklin P. Barnett (1893-1975) and had three daughters, Laura, Betty Sue, and Sarah Alice. Alleen married J. Dewey Hill (1898-1959) and had one daughter, Isabelle. Willie married Edward P. Sullivan (1892-1933) and had one son, Percy.
- 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 Head family papers (dated 1891-1978, undated; 0.90 cubic feet; 2 boxes, 3 items) comprise letters and papers that document the lives of the members of the Head family in Kentucky and New Hampshire in the first half of the twentieth century. The letters are sent primarily to three members of the family, George Sr., Belle, and John Paul. George receives most of his letters from his brother, William O. Head, and they discuss the sale of livestock, plans for selling crops, financial advice, and market trends. Other letters sent to George discuss his farming endeavors, family ancestry, and advertisements for agricultural technology. Belle receives numerous letters from her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and her sisters. In the letters from her children, they write about their daily lives, the birth of children, gossip about friends and family, employment updates on her sons and son-in-laws, social events attended, money concerns, and missing each other on holidays and special occasions. The grandchildren, nieces and nephews write about their daily lives, their hopes for her to visit, and one grandchild details their military duties during World War II. Her sisters write mainly about their daily lives and personal health. John Paul receives letters from friends, family, and business partners. These letters discuss daily life, trips taken, the death of friends, and bills of sale of breeding livestock. The papers in the collection include a newspaper clipping of a wedding announcement, graduation program, photographs, the will of William O. Head, and an estate payment statement from the bequeaths made in William Head's will.
- The Head family papers 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
- 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
Annie L. Head to Belle Head, 1924-1950
Annie L. Head to Belle Head, undated
Children to Belle Head, 1921, 1943-1947
Edward "Percy" Sullivan to "Nana" Belle Head, 1944-1946, undated
Grandchildren to Belle Head, 1943-1947, undated
Jessie Howard to aunt Belle Head, 1941-1949, undated
John Paul Head to Belle Head, 1919-1926, 1947, undated
Letters from nieces and nephews to Belle Head, 1945-1948
Letters to Belle Head, 1916-1946, undated
Sisters to Belle Head, 1924-1946
Letters to George B. Head, 1920-1926, 1941, undated
Paul L. Boggess to John Paul Head, 1917-1924
W.O. Head to John Paul Head, 1916-1930
J. Dewey Hill to John Paul Head, 1920-1926
Herbert Hill to John Paul Head, 1926-1928
Emily Matthews to John Paul Head, 1921-1924, undated
Mother to John Paul Head, 1920-1925
Family to John Paul Head, 1920-1946, undated
Letters to John Paul Head, 1915-1919
Letters to John Paul Head, 1921-1928
Letters to John Paul Head, 1932-1954, undated
Letters to John Paul Head re: agriculture and livestock, 1916-1933
Letters to Head family siblings, 1919-1950, 1972, undated
Head family letters, 1917-1924, 1943, undated
Head family papers, 1891, 1912-1926, 1942-1950, 1972-1978, undated
Head estate statements, 1932-1933
Will of William O. Head, 1929
Clippings, 1909, 1923-1928, 1952-1968, undated
Photographs, 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.
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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.
