Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Rowland Green Railey letters
Abstract
The Rowland G. Railey letters (dated 1887-1938, undated; 2.12 cubic feet; 4 boxes, 5 folders, 102 items) comprise letters and photographs that document farming, responses to personal advertisements, travel, and family at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries.
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Rowland Green Railey letters
- Date
- 1887-1938, undated (inclusive)
- Creator
- Railey, Rowland Green, 1868-1932
- Extent
- 2.12 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Education, Rural -- Kentucky.
- Law -- Kentucky.
- Letters.
- Photographs
- Families.
- Travel.
- Dating services.
- Railey, Rowland Green, 1868-1932
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged chronologically. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0097: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Rowland G. Railey letters, 1887-1938, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Rowland Green Railey (1868-1932) was born in Monroe County, Kentucky to Anthony Jett Railey (1843-1929) and Adalade Gum (1849-1933). After completing his primary education, in 1889 he attended the State College of Kentucky. He completed his degree at Southern Normal School in Bowling Green, Kentucky in 1892, and in 1893 graduated from Northern Indiana Normal University in Valparaiso with honors in Columbian Classical Class. Among his professional pursuits, he taught school in Kentucky, was principal of Summer Shade Normal School (1891) and Horse Cave Normal School (1895), elected Circuit Clerk of Monroe County, Kentucky in 1897, and elected in 1900 as a member of Monroe County Republican Executive Committee. He was also a lawyer who practiced general law, and a farmer who grew ginseng and other herbs.
- 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 Rowland G. Railey letters (dated 1887-1938, undated; 2.12 cubic feet; 4 boxes, 5 folders, 102 items) comprise letters and photographs that document farming, responses to personal advertisements, travel, and family at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries. The majority of the letters are responses to personal advertisements that Railey put in newspapers seeking either romantic interests or pen pals; the letters often contain physical descriptions of the women respondents as well as local news. There are other letters discussing the purchase of orange groves and tracts of land, sale of crops, and legal matters. Additionally, there are some letters in the collection which are addressed to Railey's brother, Ollie Luther Railey. The photographs depict family events, travel, baptisms, death, and daily life.
- The Rowland G. Railey 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
- 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
Rowland Green Railey letters, 1887
Rowland Green Railey letters, 1902-1907
Rowland Green Railey letters, 1910-1919
Rowland Green Railey letters, 1920-1929
Rowland Green Railey letters, 1931-1938
Rowland Green Railey letters, undated
Photographs, 1920-1927, undated
Negative of unknown building with multiple stores, undated
Negative of side of unknown building, undated
View of a drilling rig, undated
Unidentified workers standing near a drilling rig, undated
View of a drilling rig, undated
Unidentified persons working around a large above-ground vat, undated
"Bandstand in Alamo Plaza Miss Adelle Lawrence, Thrall, Texas. R.G. Railey, Forkton, Ky. O.H. Lawrence, Thrall, Texas.", 1920 March 30
Unidentified man in slat covered building, undated
Unidentified man in slat covered building surrounded by plants, undated
Unidentified persons standing around open casket with corpse of Jesse Eubank, note on back reads "Jesse Eubank - died in summer 1927 buried at Bethlehem Church in Monroe County, Ky", 1927
Unidentified man and woman standing on either side of the barrel of a cannon, undated
"R.G. Railey, Forkton, Ky. O.L. Railey, Forkton, Ky. Alonzo Emmert, Tompkinsville, Ky." next to a cannon, 1920 February 8
Unidentified man and woman standing next to a cannon, undated
"O.L. Railey, Forkton, Ky. Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo Emmert, Hot Springs, Ark." standing next to a cannon, 1920 February 8
Rowland G. Railey sitting on steps with arm wrapped around railing, 1920 February
Rowland G. Railey sitting on steps, 1920 February
Unidentified crowd, undated
Unidentified man performing a baptism on an unidentified woman in a stream while a crowd watches from shore, undated
Unidentified man baptizes an unidentified man in a stream while a crowd watches from shore, undated
Unidentified man baptizes an unidentified man in a stream while a crowd watches from shore, undated
Unidentified crowd standing on shore of a stream, undated
Unidentified man baptizing an unidentified woman in a stream, undated
Unidentified man and two women in a field, undated
Three unidentified women in a field, undated
Unidentified man and two women, undated
"Tomb of Dr. Jay Gumm; McMillan, Okla. Persons are: Mrs. Sallie Gumm, Mr. Wilson Gumm, Mr. A.M. Gumm - all of McMillan, Okla." double exposed image, far left is second image of above tomb with unidentified woman and children, 1920 March
Five unidentified girls sitting in yard, undated
Three unidentified children crouching next to a dead dog, undated
Unidentified man and woman, undated
Two unidentified men standing on a gazebo, undated
Four unidentified men sitting on a lumber pile, undated
Three unidentified girls and two dogs in front of a corn field, undated
Two unidentified women standing in the yard in front of a house, undated
Unidentified woman, undated
Three unidentified young women and a child in a field, undated
View of unknown house, undated
Two unidentified women in a garden, undated
Two unidentified men and two children in front of structure spanning across a crop field, undated
"Store-House of Mr. Wilson Gumm, McMillan, Okla.", 1920 March
Three unidentified children crouching beside a dead dog, undated
Unidentified young man and woman sitting on a porch, undated
"Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo Emmert, O.L. Railey and R.G. Railey - made in Hot Springs", 1920 February 8
Unidentified young woman holding a small dog, undated
Two unidentified couples in yard of a house, one couple is a man and a woman, holding each other; the other couple is two women, holding each other, undated
Unidentified man sitting on a chair in a field with a dog on his lap, undated
"R.G. Railey, Forkton, Ky. O.L. Railey, Forkton, Ky. Hot Springs, Ark.", 1920 February 8
Unidentified man and woman, undated
"Merger Hotel grounds near the Alamo. R.G. Railey, Forkton, Ky.", 1920 March 30
"Left to right: R.G. Railey, Alonzon Emmert, O.L. Railey. Made in Hot Springs, Ark.", 1920 February 8
View of unknown building, undated
Three unidentified young women, undated
"Left to right: Mr. Reid, Mr. [Jaggart?], Mrs. Jennie Barrett, O.L. Railey, Mrs. Murry, and Miss Velma Scott", 1920 February
Unidentified young woman standing in garden, undated
Two unidentified young women, one holding a ladle and other holding a bucket, undated
Unidentified young child and dog, undated
Two unidentified women standing in front of an unknown building, undated
View of gravestones in a cemetery, undated
"The Alamo. R.G. Railey, Forkton, Ky. O.H. Lawrence, Thrall, Texas.", 1920 March 30
"From left to right: Miss Jennie Barrett, O.L. Railey, Mrs. Murry, R.G. Railey, Miss Velma Scott", 1920 February
Unidentified man and woman, undated
Three unidentified children and two mules, two children are on the backs of the mules, the third child is standing between the mules holding their bridles, undated
Five unidentified young girls partially obscured by a large bush, undated
Unidentified young woman in a ruffled dress, undated
Portrait of an unidentified young woman, undated
Unidentified young woman in yard, undated
Unidentified woman, undated
"R.G. Railey and Miss Cora Simmonds made 3/11/22 - in Hot Springs National Park", 1922 March 11
"Bandstand in plaza near the Alamo. R.G. Railey, Forkton, Ky. O.H. Lawrence, Thrall, Texas.", 1920 March 30
View of unknown building, undated
Three unidentified children crouching near a dead dog, undated
Six unidentified men and women in front of a house, undated
Unidentified young girl, undated
"Mrs. Carrie A. Raine and her little nephew - master Harry CHambers. 437 South Border St., Hot Springs, Ark.", 1920 February 1
Unidentified family portrait, undated
Two unidentified young children standing on either side of a dog sitting on a stool, undated
Unidentified family portrait in front of a house, undated
Unidentified man and woman, undated
Unidentified man standing near a drilling rig, undated
Unidentified persons sitting in a horse-drawn cart, undated
"Miss Bernice Gumm Oakland, Okla. and R.G. Railey (with the flu) Forkton, Monroe County, Kentucky", 1920 March
Unidentified persons (from leg-down) standing in front of flowers on top of freshly covered gravesite, undated
Unidentified crowd on shore of stream with unidentified man and woman walking out of the stream, undated
Rowland G. Railey sitting on steps, 1920 February
View of open casket with body of Jesse Eubank inside, 1927
"Bandstand in Alamo plaza. O.H. Lawrence, Thrall, Texas. Miss Adelle Lawrence, Thrall, Texas. R.G. Railey, Forkton, Ky.", 1920 March 30
Unidentified family portrait, undated
"The Alamo round. R.G. Railey, Forkton, Ky. Miss Adelle Lawrence, Thrall, Texas. O.H. Lawrence, Thrall, Texas. ", 1920 March 30
Unidentified young child on porch with a dog on either side of the child, undated
Unidentified man and woman, undated
"Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo Emmert, R.G. Railey and O.L. Railey. Hot Springs, Ark.", 1920 February 8
Two cows in a field, undated
Unidentified infant sitting on blanket on the ground with three unidentified persons in background, cutoff by image, undated
Male cow, undated
Unidentified man next to a large bush, undated
Unidentified woman next to a large bush, undated
Unknown building with tree trunks resting against it, undated
Unidentified man and woman, undated
Three unidentified men standing on a pile of lumber, undated
"Grounds about the Alamo. R.G. Railey, Forkton, Ky. O.H. Lawrence, Thrall, Texas", 1920 March 30
Unidentified man and young woman, undated
View of unknown business buildings, undated
Unidentified family portrait, 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.
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.
