Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Cole family letters
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Cole family letters
- Date
- 1881-1908 (inclusive)
- 1903-1906 (bulk)
- Extent
- 1.4 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Courtship
- Children
- Family.
- Love-letters
- Marriage -- United States
- Pennsylvania
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged chronologically. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0124: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Cole family letters, 1881-1908, bulk 1903-1906, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Howard S. Cole (1859- ca.1920) was born in Sugarloaf Township, Pennsylvania to Alinas Cole (1819-1889) and Rhoda Ann Kile (1822-1904); he was one of eight children. Howard, a farmer, had promised to marry a woman named Sallie in 1883; however, he broke off the engagement to marry Ida A. Campbell (1863-1925) in 1885. Together, Howard and Ida had four children – Winnifred (b. 1885), Flossa (1887-1965), Harry (1888-1969), and Harvey (1891-1932).
- 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 Cole family letters (dated 1881-1908, bulk 1903-1906; 1.4 cubic feet; 4 boxes) comprise letters that document the relationships of the multiple generations of the Cole family in Pennsylvania. The letters from 1881 to 1885 are between Howard Cole, his fiancée and later wife Ida Campbell, and other girlfriends during those years and discuss everyday life in Pennsylvania and plans for marriage. Following those years, the letters in the collection are primarily between Winnifred Cole and her would-be husband, William R. Belles that discuss their everyday lives, work, family, and longing to see each other as well as a few letters between Winnifred and her family. Additionally, there are some letters between Howard and Ida after their marriage that discuss their children and work.
- The Howard S. Cole 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
- 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
Cole family letters, 1908
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.
