Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Todd family diaries

Abstract

The Todd family diaries (dated 1869-1897; 0.14 cubic feet; 4 folders) comprise four diaries that document the lives of Woodward Todd and his son, Otto Todd in Ohio at the end of the nineteenth century.

Descriptive Summary

Title: Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Todd family diaries

Date: 1869-1897 (inclusive)

Extent: 0.14 Cubic Feet

Subjects: Agriculture -- Economic conditions -- 19th Century.; Agricultural innovations; Family farms; Farm life; Farm produce; Mills and mill-work.; Rural children; Rural schools.

Arrangement: Collection is arranged chronologically. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.

Finding Aid Author: Sarah Coblentz

Preferred Citation: 2009ms132.0222: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Todd family diaries, 1869-1897, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.

Repository: University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History: Woodward H. Todd (1837-1900) was born in Wakeman, Ohio to Kneeland Todd (1808-1883) and Julia Booth (1808-1895). Woodward worked as a poultry and stock breeder. In 1877, he married Sophia Kline (1855-1905) and together they had two children: Otto Kneeland (1879-1921) and Albert Bennett (1879-1921). By the birth of their first child, Otto, the Todd family had moved to Vermillion, Ohio where they settled. In 1913, Otto Todd married Minnie L. Kraft (1886-1959) and they had two children together: Julia (1913-1982) and Alice (1915-1991). Otto owned and worked on his own farm.; 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 Todd family diaries (dated 1869-1897; 0.14 cubic feet; 4 folders) comprise four diaries that document the lives of Woodward Todd and his son, Otto Todd in Ohio at the end of the nineteenth century. The first three diaries are authored by Woodward Todd in 1869, 1896, and 1897. His entries note his experimentation with fruit growing in Ohio, presentations given on turning a profit from poultry, voting in local elections, the weather, trips taken for business and pleasure, and work completed at his farm and sawmill. He notes in the back of his 1869 diary a list of money spent on goods, correspondence received, and recipes. The diary authored by Otto Todd covers the year 1896, and discusses life on his family's farm, occasionally going to school, the activities of his father (Woodward) as a sawmill operator and participation in farm organizations, such as the Farmer's Institute and Fruit Society Union; and descriptions of death and illness in Ohio and how it affected rural families.; The Todd family diaries 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.

Contents of the Collection

Woodward H. Todd diaries, 1869-1897

Box 265, folder 6-8

To top

Otto Todd diary, 1896

Box 265, folder 9

To top

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.

Abstract
Descriptive Summary
Collection Overview
Preferred Citation
Restrictions on Access and Use
Contents of the Collection

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.