Boynton Merrill, Jr. papers

Abstract

The Boynton Merrill, Jr. papers (dated 1645-2008, bulk 1960-1980; 4.41 cubic feet; 21 boxes) consists of research sources, book illustrations, manuscript materials, correspondence, cassette tapes, and one reel-to-reel tape, which relate to Merrill's research, writing and eventual publication of the book, Jefferson's Nephews: A Frontier Tragedy.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Boynton Merrill, Jr. papers
Date
1645-2008 (inclusive)
1960-1980 (bulk)
Extent
4.41 Cubic Feet
Subjects
Murder.
Publishers and publishing -- United States.
Authors, American.
Genealogists.
Slavery -- Kentucky -- History.
Frontier and pioneer life -- Kentucky.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged by format into six series: Research sources, Photographic materials, Book materials, Correspondence, Audiovisual, and Mapcase materials.
Finding Aid Author
Desiree' H. Perry
Preferred Citation
2010ms042: [identification of item], Boynton Merrill, Jr. papers, 1645-2008, bulk 1960-1980, University of Kentucky Special Collections.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Boynton Merrill, Jr. was born in Boston in 1925. After serving in the navy during World War II, he received his degree from Dartmouth College and eventually moved to Henderson, Kentucky in the 1950's. A few years later, in 1976, he published a book of poems, titled A Bestiary, and Jefferson's Nephews: A Frontier Tragedy, which is a historical look at the murder committed by Lilburn and Isham Lewis, nephews to Thomas Jefferson.
Hall, Wade H. The Kentucky Anthology: two hundred years of writing in the Bluegrass State. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 2005. Web. 1 September 2011.
Scope and Content
The Boynton Merrill, Jr. papers (dated 1645-2008, bulk 1960-1980; 4.41 cubic feet; 21 boxes) consists of research sources, book illustrations, manuscript materials, correspondence, cassette tapes, and one reel-to-reel tape, which relate to Merrill's research, writing and eventual publication of the book, Jefferson's Nephews: A Frontier Tragedy. Merrill's research materials include: the general history of Virginia and Kentucky, the political climate of that area, material concerning their slave Matilda, Kentucky government papers, and legal documents pertaining to Lilburn and Isham's crime. Also included are photographs of Lilburn Lewis' will and maps of Kentucky. The research materials only contain photocopied facsimiles of historic documents and no originals.
The bulk of Merrill's correspondence took place from 1975 to 1979, but ranges from 1967 to 2008. There are letters pertaining to requests for copies of books or articles, letters from the publishing company concerning editing and promotion matters, thank you letters from readers, queries about his genealogical research for the book, and copyright permission letters. Additionally, there are royalty statements from the publishing company, chapters that were edited out of the final book, as well as chapter inserts. There are also many lists and notes which Merrill wrote for his own reference as well as index cards with his bibliographic sources and book characters listed on them.

Restrictions on Access and Use

Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to researchers by appointment
Use Restrictions
Property rights reside with the University of Kentucky. The University of Kentucky holds the copyright for materials created in the course of business by University of Kentucky employees. Copyright for all other materials has not been assigned to the University of Kentucky. For information about permission to reproduce or publish, please contact Special Collections.

Contents of the Collection

Research sources, 1741-2008, 1800-1811

Scope and Contents

The Research Sources series contain all of Boynton Merrill's research material as well as his handwritten lists and notes, including reminders to himself to find a certain piece of information, call someone, etc. There are annotated copies of the books and articles he used, as well as copies of the constitutions and laws of Kentucky. Merrill wrote a brief timeline of the Lewis family on index cards and made copies of legal documents having to do with Lilburne and Isham's crime. Also included is information on Virginian history and prominent families from the area.

General notes, undated

  • Box 1, folder 1-2
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Albemarle County order books, 1791-1802

  • Box 17, folder 1
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Albemarle County tax rolls, 1782-1812

  • Box 17, folder 2
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Annus Mirabilis, 1835-1981

  • Box 17, folder 3
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Appendix - Conclusions - Effects of the Crime, undated

  • Box 17, folder 4
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Appendix - Murder of John Gooch, 1807

  • Box 17, folder 5
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Background - General, 1808-1971

  • Box 17, folder 6
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Bibliographical essay sources, undated

  • Box 1, folder 3
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Book sources, 1815, 1891, 1964

  • Box 1, folder 4
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Campbell, Dr. Arthur - Medical Bill Suit with Lilburne Lewis, 1809-1814

  • Box 17, folder 7
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Census, 1810

  • Box 1, folder 5
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Characters - Lilburne Lewis, 1812-1966

  • Box 17, folder 8
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Children of Randolph and Lilburne Lewis, 1811-1830

  • Box 17, folder 9
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Chronicles of a Kentucky Settlement, by William Courtney Watts, photocopies facsimile with Boynton Merrill's handwritten notations, undated

  • Box 21, folder 1
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Chronicles of a Kentucky Settlement, by William Courtney Watts, interleaved documents, undated

  • Box 21, folder 2
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Chronicles of a Kentucky Settlement, by William Courtney Watts, interleaved newspaper clippings, undated

  • Box 21, folder 3
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The Circuit Court - Broadnax-Wallace, 1807-1931

  • Box 17, folder 10
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Constitutions of Kentucky, 1789, 1792, 1800, 1850

  • Box 1, folder 6
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Craven, Peyton and Jane J. Lewis, 1801-1817, 1956

  • Box 17, folder 11-12
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C.W. Watts, Colonial Albermarle, 1984

  • Box 1, folder 7
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Delany, Henry F., 1805-1972

  • Box 17, folder 13
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Dickey, Rev. William, 1808-1969

  • Box 17, folder 14
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Frontier finance, 1807-1897

  • Box 17, folder 15
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Goochland County deed books, 1741-1798

  • Box 17, folder 16
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Graphological analysis, 1967-1972

  • Box 17, folder 17
  • Box 18, folder 1
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Kentucky Senate and House Journals, 1808-1813

  • Box 1, folder 8
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Kentucky Statutes, Vol. 1, 1822

  • Box 1, folder 9
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Kentucky Statutes, Vol. 2, 1822

  • Box 1, folder 10
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The Land - The Setting, 1807-1968

  • Box 18, folder 2
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Legal Affairs - Court records, 1798-1971

  • Box 18, folder 3
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Lewis, Charles L. Daughters, 1808-1974

  • Box 18, folder 4
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Lewis family timeline, 1779-1809

  • Box 1, folder 11
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Lewis family timeline, 1810-1826

  • Box 2, folder 1
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Lewis, Isham, circa 1800, 1987

  • Box 2, folder 6
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Lewis, Isham and Charles, 1801-1970

  • Box 18, folder 5-6
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Lewis letters, 1810

  • Box 18, folder 7
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Lewis, Lilburne - Estate, sale, and will, 1812-1819

  • Box 18, folder 8
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Lewis, Lucy Jefferson and Charles L., 1775-1809

  • Box 18, folder 9
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Lewis, Meriweather - Insanity, 1809-1969

  • Box 18, folder 10
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Lewis, Randolph, 1792-1812

  • Box 18, folder 11
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Lewis, Randolph - Estate, sale, and will, 1811-1813

  • Box 18, folder 12
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The Lewis Story, 1839, 1857, 1894, 1936

  • Box 2, folder 2
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Livingston County Circuit Court, 1810-1814

  • Box 2, folder 3
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Livingston County Court papers, 1807-1810, circa 1816

  • Box 2, folder 4
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Livingston County government officials, 1808-1814

  • Box 2, folder 5
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Martin correspondence, 1783-1975

  • Box 18, folder 13
  • Box 19, folder 1
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Militia - Lilburne Lewis - Governor's journals, 1792-1812

  • Box 19, folder 2
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Milton, Virginia, 1795-1955

  • Box 19, folder 3
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Minor characters, 1748-1851

  • Box 19, folder 4-5
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Monteagle - Buck Island - Land and houses, 1971

  • Box 19, folder 6
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The Murder, 1760-1968

  • Box 19, folder 7
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The Patrol - The Roads - Slaves, 1804-1951

  • Box 19, folder 8
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People and Places Associated with the Lewis Family, circa 1811

  • Box 2, folder 7
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Political elections and issues, 1803, 1807-1810

  • Box 2, folder 8
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Princeton - Papers of Thomas Jefferson, 1967-1972

  • Box 19, folder 9
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The Revival - Religion - The Church, 1792-1969

  • Box 19, folder 10
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Rice Family, 1809-1977

  • Box 20, folder 1
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Rutter Family, 1814-1967

  • Box 20, folder 2
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Slave Matilda, 1999, 2006

  • Box 2, folder 9
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Summary of Virginia Land - Getting and losing - Maps, 1744-1899

  • Box 20, folder 3
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Thomas Jefferson vs. Henderson suit - Milton land, 1802-1818

  • Box 5, folder 12
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Thomas Jefferson and the Lewises - Letters, 1795-1933

  • Box 20, folder 4-5
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Virginia families, 1942, 1964-1965

  • Box 3, folder 1
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Virginia history, 1816-1961

  • Box 3, folder 2
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Virginia land acquiring, 1766-1790

  • Box 20, folder 6
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Virginia land dispersal, 1793-1825

  • Box 20, folder 7
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Virginia lands and background - David Thomas, 1968-1971

  • Box 20, folder 8
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Virginia - Misc. sources, 1807-1975

  • Box 20, folder 9-10
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The Wedgewood Pitcher, 1944, 1967

  • Box 3, folder 3
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Whitt, Clara L. correspondence, 1967-1977

  • Box 20, folder 11
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Will and murder documents, 1812

  • Box 3, folder 4
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Photographic materials, 1808-1994

Scope and Contents

The Illustrations series include pictures and maps that Merrill used in his book, Jefferson's Nephews. On being returned to Merrill, they were accompanied by a letter from one of his editors, Margaret Case, which is also included. There are map negatives of Kentucky and the counties, as well as pictures (and the corresponding negatives) of some buildings and the legal documents of Lilburne Lewis. Also included are the letters Mr. Merrill received from the photographer(s) and the receipts for the pictures.

Maps and photographs, circa 1808, circa 1975

  • Box 3, folder 5
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Maps and photographs, circa 1808, 1937, 1994

  • Box 3, folder 6
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Book materials, 1974-1977, undated

Scope and Contents

The Book Materials series contains four folders dealing with matters just before the book was published: Merrill's list of acknowledgements, a rough first paragraph for a preface or introduction and the final editing session of Jefferson's Nephews as well as footnotes. The next three folders contain information concerning events that occurred after the book was published, including book reviews and advertisements, Merrill's speaking engagement for The Wednesday Club, and his nomination for the Pulitzer Prize. The last three folders are all written on index cards and contain character information, bibliographic sources, and indexing information.

Acknowledgements, undated

  • Box 3, folder 7
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Final cutting of Jefferson's Nephews, undated

  • Box 3, folder 8
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Footnotes - Final editing, undated

  • Box 3, folder 9
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Front matter, undated

  • Box 3, folder 10
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Book reviews and promotions, 1974, 1976-1977

  • Box 4, folder 1
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The Wednesday Club, 1977

  • Box 4, folder 2
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Pulitzer Prize nomination, 1976-1977

  • Box 4, folder 3
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Characters in Jefferson's Nephews, undated

  • Box 7
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Bibliography cards, undated

  • Box 8-9
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Index, undated

  • Box 10-16
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Correspondence, 1967-2008, undated

Scope and Contents

The Correspondence series is comprised of Boynton Merrill's correspondence from when he began researching his book in 1967 to about 2008, with most of the letters sent and received in the years 1975-1976. The letters include: notes written by Merrill requesting copies of books or articles for research, thank you letters from his readers, queries about his genealogical research, letters to and from the Princeton University Press about the publishing and editing process, and obituaries of some of the people involved in the editing of the book.

General letter and obituaries, circa 1975-1976, 1980

  • Box 4, folder 4
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Research letters, 1967-1968, 1971

  • Box 4, folder 5
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Family letter, 1976

  • Box 4, folder 6
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Reader response letters, 1972-2008

  • Box 4, folder 7-8
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University Press letters - Editing, 1975-1977

  • Box 4, folder 9-10
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Editor and proof reader letters, circa 1974-1980

  • Box 2, folder 10
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Jonathan Daniel letters, 1967-1976

  • Box 2, folder 11
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Reader's report - Dr. Thomas D. Clark, 1975

  • Box 2, folder 12
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Robert Penn Warren letters, 1968-1980

  • Box 2, folder 13
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Permission letters - not needed, 1967-1968, 1975

  • Box 3, folder 11
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American Philosophical Society permission, 1975

  • Box 3, folder 12
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Della Universita Di Pisa permission, 1975

  • Box 3, folder 13
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E.P. Dutton and Company, inc. permission, 1975-1976

  • Box 3, folder 14
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The Evansville Courier permission, 1975

  • Box 3, folder 15
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Filson Club permission, 1975

  • Box 3, folder 16
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Historical Society of Wisconsin permission, 1975

  • Box 3, folder 17
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Kentucky Historical Society and Dr. Hambleton Tapp permission, 1975

  • Box 3, folder 18
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L.E. Biggs permission, 1975

  • Box 3, folder 19
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Library of Congress permission, 1975

  • Box 3, folder 20
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Massachusetts Historical Society permission, 1975-1976

  • Box 3, folder 21
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Missouri Historical Society permission, 1975

  • Box 5, folder 1
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Needed copyright permission, undated

  • Box 5, folder 2
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Presbyterian Historical Society permission, 1975

  • Box 5, folder 3
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Princeton University Press permission, 1975

  • Box 5, folder 4
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Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation permission, 1975

  • Box 5, folder 5
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University of Missouri permission, 1975

  • Box 5, folder 6
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University Press of Kentucky permission, 1975

  • Box 5, folder 7
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University of Virginia permission, 1975-1976

  • Box 5, folder 8
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Virginia State Library permission, 1975

  • Box 5, folder 9
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Wendell H. Rone permission, 1975

  • Box 5, folder 10
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Western Kentucky University permission, 1975-1976

  • Box 5, folder 11
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Audiovisual, undated

Scope and Contents

The Audiovisual Material series encompasses eight cassette tapes and one reel-to-reel concerning Col. Arthur Campbell and Col. Joseph Crochett.

Circuit Court tapes, undated

  • Box 6
  • Audio Item digitized
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Col. Arthur Campbell and Col. Joseph Crochett - reel-to-reel, undated

  • Audio Item digitized
  • Box 7
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Mapcase materials, 1645-1872

Scope and Contents

The Mapcase Materials series contains three research items which Boynton Merrill used for his book. These include: a hand drawn family tree of the Randolph and Isham line, a hand drawn timeline of major domestic, national, foreign, economic, and political events from 1790 to 1800, as well as a copy of a Caldwell County act, dated May 1, 1809, which was the year the county was formed.

Randolph and Isham family chart, 1645-1872

  • Case 6, drawer 2
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Historical timeline, 1790-1800

  • Case 6, drawer 2
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Caldwell County act, 1809 May 1

  • Case 6, drawer 2
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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.

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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.