Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Harold and Virginia Boyer letters
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Harold and Virginia Boyer letters
- Date
- 1938-1946 (inclusive)
- Creator
- Boyer, Harold, 1916-1979
- Extent
- 0.1 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Correspondence.
- Family.
- Long-distance relationships.
- Marriage
- Military life.
- Military correspondence.
- Man-woman relationships -- United States -- 20th century
- World War, 1939-1945.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, American.
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged by subject. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0478: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Harold and Virginia Boyer letters, 1938-1946, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Harold Boyer (1916-1979) was born in Seville, Ohio to Elbert Boyer (1874-1970) and Catherine Lee (1880-1958). About 1940, Harold married Virginia (1915-1976). From 1941-1946, Harold served in the US Army as an engineer eventually retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. After leaving the military, he worked in the purchasing field for 31 years.
- 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 Harold and Virginia Boyer letters (dated 1938-1946; 0.1 cubic feet; 3 folders) comprise letters and photographs that document the relationship between Harold and Virginia and their families while Harold served in the military in Washington and Virginia lived in Ohio during World War II. Virginia received the majority of her letters from Harold, in them he wrote about missing her, suggestions for home goods to purchase, receiving a car through the military, thanks for gifts sent to him, and updates about when he is to go overseas. Virginia wrote to Harold about her various jobs, visiting with family and friends, and opinions on household matters. There are a few letters from family members to Harold and Virginia included in the collection, these mainly discuss everyday life at home and update on personal health. Photographs in the collection document the Boyer family spending time together in Columbus and Seville, Ohio following the end of the war.
- The Harold and Virginia Boyer 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
- 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.
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.
