Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Commodore Nolan papers
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Commodore Nolan papers
- Date
- 1919-1939 (inclusive)
- 1923 (bulk)
- Creator
- Nolan, Commodore, 1898-1992
- Extent
- 0.17 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- African American families
- African Americans -- Social conditions.
- Courtship
- Funeral rites and ceremonies.
- Letters.
- Marriage
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged chronologically and by format.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0030: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Commodore Nolan papers, 1919-1939, bulk 1923), University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Commodore Nolan, an African-American day laborer, was born January 1, 1898 to John Nolan and Nellie Cross (d. 1930) in Terre Haute, Indiana. On September 27, 1920, Nolan married his first wife, Frances (Dix) Nolan (1899-1923). She passed at 24 years old due to tuberculosis, and by 1930, Commodore had remarried to Martha Washington (b. 1904). Nolan passed away on March 15, 1992, in his hometown of Terre Haute, IN.
- 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 Commodore Nolan papers (dated 1919-1939, bulk 1923; 0.17 cubic feet; 6 folders) comprise letters received from various women in Nolan's life throughout the 1920s and 1930s, documenting marital and family life. A majority of the letters are from his second wife, Martha Washington, of Centerville, Tennessee, while they were dating. The letters highlight issues in Nolan's marriage and his infidelity. Additionally, there are financial records relating to the burial of his first wife.
- The Commodore Nolan 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
- The 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
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.
