Collins family papers

Descriptive Summary

Title
Collins family papers
Date
1808-1895 (inclusive)
Bulk, 1839-1879 (bulk)
Extent
1.8 Cubic feet
Subjects
Authors, American--Kentucky.
Publishers and publishing--Kentucky.
Real estate investment--Wisconsin.
Women--Education--Kentucky.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged by subject.
Finding Aid Author
Finding aid prepared by Katie L.B. Henningsen
Preferred Citation
51M13 : [identification of item], Collins family papers, 1808-1895, Bulk 1839-1879, University of Kentucky Special Collections.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Richard H. Collins (1824-1889) was the son of Lewis Collins, author of Historical Sketches of Kentucky (1848). An 1845 graduate of Centre College, Danville, Ky, and later of the Transylvania University School of Law, Richard Collins edited The Maysville Eagle from 1845 to 1850, and again from 1853 to 1857. He practiced law in Maysville from 1851 to 1853, and in Cincinnati from 1862 to 1871. Collins traveled extensively in Kentucky and Tennessee and further south during the Civil War. In 1874 he published Collins' History of Kentucky, based on his father's earlier work.
Scope and Content
This collection consists primarily of letters received by Mary Collins née Cox from her family and friends. Writers include her husband, Richard H. Collins, brother, Edward Cox, sisters, Fanny Broderick and Elizabeth "Lizzie" Cox, children, Lewis, Mary Ellen, Sue, and Annie Craig, son-in-law, S.L. Craig, neices, Lottie Blatterman and Phebe Broderick, sisters-in-law, Ellen Blatterman née Collins, Maria Owens née Collins, and Kate Ross née Collins, cousins Lucy Wiglesworth and James Wormald, as well as her English uncle Alfred Cox.
The bulk of the family letters include news of births and deaths, visits, clothes, church, and social affairs. Many letters were written during the Civil War and contain comments on the war. Letters from Richard Collins detail the handling of his business affairs while he traveled during the war and letters from Alfred Cox, a hosiery manufacturer, contain comments on politics in England and America, Napoleon III, and Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin.

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.

Contents of the Collection

General, 1836; 1840-1841; 1843-1849; undated

  • Box 1, Folder 2
Scope and Contents note

Contains letters written to Mary Collins from friends and relatives. A few of the undated letters are addressed to "Mary Cox," Mary Collins' maiden name.

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General, 1850-1864

  • Box 1, Folder 2
Scope and Contents note

Contains letters written to Mary Collins from friends and relatives.

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General, 1868-1878; undated

  • Box 1, Folder 3
Scope and Contents note

Contains letters written to Mary Collins from friends and relatives. A few letter fragments are included.

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Ellen Blatterman letters to Mary Collins, 1846-1849

  • Box 1, Folder 4
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Ellen Blatterman letters to Mary Collins, 1858-1864

  • Box 1, Folder 5
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Ellen Blatterman letters to Mary Collins, 1868-1876; undated

  • Box 1, Folder 6
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Lottie Blatterman letters to Mary Collins, 1860-1863; 1870; undated

  • Box 1, Folder 7
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Fanny Broderick letters to Mary Collins, 1839; 1845

  • Box 1, Box 8
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Fanny Broderick letters to Mary Collins, 1851; 1857-1864

  • Box 1, Folder 9
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Fanny Broderick letters to Mary Collins, 1868; 1870-1879; undated

  • Box 1, Folder 10
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Phebe Broderick letters to Mary Collins, 1858-1864; 1870-1871; undated

  • Box 1, Folder 11
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Collins family, 1859-1861; 1864; 1870-1871; 1874-1875; 1878; undated

  • Box 1, Folder 12
Scope and Contents note

Letters exchanged by members of the Collins family, including Mary Collins' children, sisters, and sisters-in-law.

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Lewis Collins letters to Mary Collins, 1868; 1870-1871; 1873-1876; undated

  • Box 2, Folder 1
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Mary Collins letters to Richard H. Collins, 1850; 1853

  • Box 2, Folder 2
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Mary Ellen Collins letters to Mary Collins, 1858; 1860-1861; 1863-1864

  • Box 2, Folder 3
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Mary Ellen Collins letters to Mary Collins, 1868; 1870-1871; 1873-1879; undated

  • Box 2, Folder 4
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Sue Collins letters to Mary Collins, 1868; 1870-1871; 1873-1879; undated

  • Box 2, Folder 5
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Letters received by Richard H. Collins, 1848; 1850-1851; 1854-1855; 1859-1864; 1868; 1870-1871; 1873-1874; undated

  • Box 2, Folder 6
Scope and Contents note

Letters addressed to Richard H. Collins from his children, sisters, and sisters-in-law, as well as a small number from business associates.

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Richard H. Collins letters to Mary Collins, 1847; 1849

  • Box 2, Folder 7
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Richard H. Collins letters to Mary Collins, 1850-1851; 1853-1858

  • Box 2, Folder 8
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Richard H. Collins letters to Mary Collins, 1859-1860; 1862-1864

  • Box 2, Folder 9
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Richard H. Collins letters to Mary Collins, 1868; 1871-1878; undated

  • Box 2, Folder 10
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Alfred Cox letters, 1808; 1832; 1842; 1844; 1846-1848; 1850; 1852-1856; 1858; undated

  • Box 2, Folder 11
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Edward Cox letters to Mary Collins, 1874-1878

  • Box 3, Folder 1
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Elizabeth "Lizzie" Cox letters to Mary Collins, 1847-1848

  • Box 3, Folder 2
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Elizabeth "Lizzie" Cox letters to Mary Collins, 1851-1853; 1857-1864

  • Box 3, Folder 3
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Elizabeth "Lizzie" Cox letters to Mary Collins, 1868; 1870-1878

  • Box 3, Folder 4
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Elizabeth "Lizzie" Cox letters to Mary Collins, undated

  • Box 3, Folder 5
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Annie Craig letters to Mary Collins, 1856; 1858; 1860-1863

  • Box 3, Folder 6
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Annie Craig letters to Mary Collins, 1868; 1870-1874

  • Box 3, Folder 7