Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Charles T. Lyon letters

Abstract

The Charles T. Lyon letters (dated 1891, 1906-1921, undated; 0.90 cubic feet; 2 boxes) comprises letters sent between Charles T. Lyon and family, friends, and girlfriends that primarily document life and relationships during World War I.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Charles T. Lyon letters
Date
1891, 1906-1921, undated (inclusive)
Creator
Lyon, Charles T.
Extent
0.90 Cubic Feet
Subjects
Letters.
Love-letters
Military life.
Family.
Mississippi
Health
Man-woman relationships -- United States -- 20th century
Long-distance relationships.
Friendship.
Travel.
World War, 1914-1918.
Parent and child.
Brothers and sisters.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged by subject. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
Finding Aid Author
Sarah Coblentz
Preferred Citation
2009ms132.0824: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Charles T. Lyon letters, 1891, 1906-1921, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Charles Thomas Lyon (1896-1974) was born in Kentucky to Withers B. Lyon (1852-1921) and Sadie A. Brown (1862-1951). He married Gladys Sinclair (1897-1997) about 1921. He served in the military between 1917 and 1918. 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 Charles T. Lyon letters (dated 1891, 1906-1921, undated; 0.90 cubic feet; 2 boxes) comprises letters sent between Charles T. Lyon and family, friends, and girlfriends that primarily document life and relationships during World War I. The majority of the letters are sent to Lyon, coming from his family and girlfriends he was seeing. The letters from his family discuss daily life at home, raising children, the local weather, money, personal health, and visits from friends and relatives. Letters from girlfriends discuss daily life, attending school, employment, spending time with Lyon, arguments the couples had, trips taken, personal health, and gossip. Letters from Lyon to his family discuss his military experience, life in training camps in Mississippi, spending time with friends, running into friends from home, receiving invitations from local families to have dinner with them, his movement within the ranks, attending officer training courses, his efforts to get furloughs to go home, and how he plans to save his pay. There are also letters in the collection sent to Lyon's parents, Withers B. and Sadie, from relatives discussing business efforts, family health, daily life, and local gossip.
The Charles T. Lyon 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

Mary E. to Charles T. Lyon, 1918

  • Box 1, folder 1
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Parents to Charles T. Lyon, 1917-1920

  • Box 1, folder 2
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Bertha Lyon Cheney to Charles T. Lyon, 1917-1918

  • Box 1, folder 3
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Ivy Lyon Meadows to Charles T. Lyon, 1917-1918

  • Box 1, folder 4
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Gladys Sinclair to Charles T. Lyon, 1919

  • Box 1, folder 5-6
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Gladys Sinclair to Charles T. Lyon, 1920

  • Box 1, folder 7-8
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Gladys Sinclair to Charles T. Lyon, 1921

  • Box 1, folder 9
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Johnnie J. Ward to Charles T. Lyon, 1918, undated

  • Box 2, folder 1
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Letters to Charles T. Lyon from friends, 1917-1919, undated

  • Box 2, folder 2
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Letters to Charles T. Lyon from relatives, 1918-1919

  • Box 2, folder 3
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Charles T. Lyon to family, 1917

  • Box 2, folder 4
To top

Charles T. Lyon to family, 1918

  • Box 2, folder 5-6
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Charles T. Lyon to family, undated

  • Box 2, folder 7
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Letters to Sadie Lyon, 1918-1919, undated

  • Box 2, folder 8
To top

Letters to W.B. Lyon, 1891, 1906-1920

  • Box 2, folder 9
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Lyon family letters, 1909-1920, undated

  • Box 2, folder 10
To top

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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.

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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.