Mf. 1800 -- Joseph D. Thompson Papers, 1861-1965. TSLA. .3 linear feet. 1 reel. 16mm.
The Joseph D. Thompson Papers is composed of letters written by Joseph D. Thompson to his wife, Mary, during the Civil War. The correspondence is centered on Mr. Thompson’s experiences in the Civil War and includes the topics of the Battle of Shiloh, desertion, cost of food, starvation, atrocities, and a Masonic event.
Mf. 1801 -- Henry United Methodist Church Records, Henry (Henry County), Tennessee, 1862-2002. TSLA. 1 reel. 35mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
This collection of records includes a history of the Henry United Methodist Church in Henry, Tennessee, and 3 volumes of membership records, including baptisms.
Mf. 1802 -- William G. Brownlow Family Papers, 1836-1900. THS. .25 linear feet. 1 reel. 16mm.
The William G. Brownlow Family Papers is centered on items collected by the William G. Brownlow family and primarily focuses on Annie Brownlow Patrick and the Patrick family. Annie Brownlow Patrick was the daughter of William G. Brownlow, former governor of Tennessee (1865-1869), and the wife of William F. Patrick, Jr.
The W.G. Brownlow correspondence is centered on various letters written by or addressed to William G. Brownlow. It should be noted that this correspondence contains a letter dated July 4, 1868, from Stella Morton, Great-Grand Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan, in which Mr. Morton basically threatens Governor Brownlow’s life and also states that the Ku Klux Klan is responsible for the shooting of Simon Peters.
The Patrick correspondence is an assorted mix of letters, notes, and telegrams. Also included are photographs that primarily relate to Annie Brownlow and a scrapbook kept by her dated 1875.
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Mf. 1804 -- Lenamay Green Parkes Papers, 1886-1958. TSLA. .40 linear feet. 1 reel. 35mm.
The Lenamay Green Parkes Papers are composed of one scrapbook, three diaries, and a few miscellaneous items covering the period from 1886-1954. The bulk of the material is in the late 1880s and early 1900s. The scrapbook contains many detailed accounts of unusual parties, both for children and adults, given by Mrs. James Hanner Parks (the former Lenamay Green), who was a noted Nashville, Tennessee hostess. Of interest to the student of passing customs and folk ways are the old nursery rhymes, “play party” games, contests and songs. Also included in the scrapbook is a history of the Boom Camp Club organized in Nashville in 1895. This club was an informal social group composed of friends who enjoyed “camping out” in an area on the Caney Fork River near Walling, Tennessee. Photographs date from ca. 1918 and include pictures of the Boom Camp Club.
The three diaries are accounts of an extended European trip taken by Miss Green with her uncle and aunt, Dr. and Mrs. Robert Young, from August 1886 to June 1887.
Two account books for “household and personal expenses” have been added to the papers. They are for the dates 1886-1892 and 1892-1893.
Mf. 1805 -- Frank Holloman Collection, 1937-1992. Memphis/Shelby County Public Library and Information Center. 10 reels. 16mm, 1 reel 35mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
Frank C. Holloman (1914-1997) joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a Special Agent in 1937 and served in this organization for the next twenty-five years. During his service with the FBI, Holloman acted as Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta, Cincinnati, Jackson, Mississippi and Memphis offices and conducted security inspections of South American war production plants. He was the Inspector in charge of Director J. Edgar Hoover’s Washington office from 1949 to 1959.
Retiring from the FBI in 1964, Holloman was named Director of Development for Memphis State University and then Executive Director of the Mid-South Medical Center Council. In 1968, Holloman was appointed the first Fire and Police Director of Memphis. It was during this time period when important events such as the Sanitation Strike and Martin Luther King’s assassination took place.
Leaving the Memphis Police Department in October of 1970, Holloman became Coordinator of Security for the University of Missouri. He remained there in a full time capacity until 1972 and served as part time coordinator until 1978. Holloman returned to Memphis in 1972 to become the Executive Director of Future Memphis, Inc. until retirement in 1980.
The Frank Holloman Collection includes personal letters, photographs and official documents spanning the different phases of Holloman’s professional life.
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Mf. 1807 -- Tims Ford Dam and State Park Scrapbooks and J.W. Weaver Interview Transcript, 1962-1994. TSLA. 2 reels. 35mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
Five scrapbooks and the transcript of an interview of J.W. Weaver conducted by Tims Ford State Park Manager Bob Rees, Regional Interpreter John Froeschauer, and Seasonal Naturalist Shane Farnor are included on this microfilm.
Compiled by Clayton and Louise Ervin, the scrapbooks are a history of Tims Ford Dam located in Franklin and Moore counties, Tennessee. They include newspaper and periodical clippings, copies of legal records and correspondence.
Mf. 1808 -- Britton Duke Papers, 1828-1925. Memphis/Shelby County Public Library and Information Center. 1 reel. 16mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
The Britton Duke Papers are a chronicle of an early Germantown, Tennessee family. For the most part, the papers contain the correspondence and business accounts of Britton Duke (1790-1856), prominent cotton planter and civic leader, who owned property in Shelby County adjacent to Nashoba.
Mf. 1809 -- Roberta Church Collection, 1849-1989. Memphis/Shelby County Public Library and Information Center. 2 reels. 16mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
Sara Roberta Church (1914-1995) was a member of a very prominent Black pioneer family of Memphis. Her grandfather, Robert Reed Church, Sr., was acknowledged as the South’s first African American millionaire. Roberta Church’s privileged world provided travel and educational opportunities enjoyed by few, whether black or white. In 1952 she became the first African-American woman elected to public office in Memphis and was the first black woman to be elected to the Tennessee Republican State Executive Committee. She was an official in the Eisenhower and Nixon Administrations -- a minority-groups consultant to the U.S. government and administrator with the Department of Health and Human Services.
Materials in the collection include correspondence, photographs, awards, newspaper clippings, greeting cards, and memorabilia. Much of the collection details Miss Church’s career in the National Republican Party. Portions of the collection pertain to family members, including her beloved aunt, Annette Church, sister of Robert R. Church, Jr., and Mary Church Terrell, older half-sister of Robert Church, Jr.
Also included in the collection is extensive information on efforts to restore Church Park in recognition of Robert R. Church, Sr.’s outstanding contributions to Memphis. When built at the turn of the 19th century, Church’s Auditorium was one of the largest in the South and was set in a beautiful park. The auditorium was renamed Beale Avenue Auditorium was demolished after the end of World War II and the park neglected for many years. It’s successful rebirth and dedication in 1987 is detailed in Box VIII correspondence.
Mf. 1810 -- George W. Lee Collection, 1894-1976. Memphis/Shelby County Public Library and Information Center. 4 reels. 16mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
George Washington Lee was one of the most successful black business and political leaders in the South. He was a member of the Lincoln League of America and as a local GOP leader in Memphis, exerted considerable influence though his alignment with East Tennessee Republicans.
A gifted writer, Lee acquired the sobriquet “the Boswell of Beale Street” through his books and stories. He received national acclaim for Beale Street : Where the Blues Began, River George and Beale Street Sundown portraying southern black life.
The collection includes extensive correspondence, most of Lee’s speeches, hundreds of newspaper and magazine clippings, and many awards and certificates presented to Lee over the years. An important part of this collection is the more than 400 photographs as well as five large scrapbooks. In additional, there is one box of magazines and one box of personal Christmas cards.
Mf. 1811 -- Burritt College Board of Directors Minute Book, 1848-1915. 1 reel. 35mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
The minute book on this microfilm was loaned to Tennessee State Library and Archives by the Burritt College Archives. After filming, the book was returned to the Burritt College Archives.
The book, dated 1848-1915, contains minutes from the meetings of the Board of Directors for Burritt College in Spencer, Van Buren County, Tennessee.
Burritt College was founded in 1848. It was named for Elihu Burritt, a blacksmith and prominent member of the peace movement. Burritt believed that all youth should have a chance to pursue the education that was denied him. During the Civil War, Burritt College was burned and later rebuilt. It closed in 1939 as a result of the economic hardships of the Great Depression and the development of public education. It was the first coeducational college in the South.
Mf. 1812 -- Pleasant Hill Academy Records, 1908-1961. Amistad Research Center. 4 reels. 35mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
The Pleasant Hill Academy in Cumberland County, Tennessee, was begun by a teacher from the American Missionary Association to educate “mountain boys and girls in Christian education.” The records on this microfilm consist primarily of records related to the Pleasant Hill Academy (1884-1947) for the years ca. 1908-1961, however, some records related to the Pleasant Hill Community Center have also been included. The collection consists of correspondence, financial reports, employee applications and appointment contracts, Pleasant Hill Academy publications, as well as Pleasant Hill Community Center minutes.
Mf. 1813 -- Beersheba Springs Museum Family Name Files, 1881-1996. 1 reel. 16mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
The Beersheba Springs Museum in Grundy County, Tennessee, loaned the Tennessee State Library and Archives their family name files to be filmed. The collection consists of 42 various family histories as well as other genealogical items such as lineage charts, newspaper clippings, articles on various families, photocopied photographs, cemetery transcriptions, correspondence and newsletters.
Mf. 1814 -- Swafford / Swofford Genealogical Collection, 1797-1999. TSLA. 6 reels. 16mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
The collection contains correspondence and genealogical materials pertaining to the Swafford family and related families. The items were collected by Mr. Raymond Calvin Swofford while doing research for his books on the Swafford family of Sequatchie Valley, Tennessee.
Mf. 1815 -- Yellow Creek Iron Furnace Ledger (Montgomery County, Tenn.), 1846-1851. TSLA. 1 reel. 35mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
The Yellow Creek Iron Furnace ledger contains accounts. This forge and furnace was operational between ca. 1805 to 1862. After it was washed out by a flood in 1836, it was purchased by the firm of Steele and Sox who re-established a furnace on the site. The furnace and forge were destroyed in 1862 by Union troops and Robert Steele was killed.
This ledger was loaned by the Houston County Historical Society for microfilming.
Mf. 1816 -- Lucy Virginia French Diaries, 1860, 1862-1865. TSLA. 5 volumes. 1 reel. 16 mm.
Lucy Virginia French (1825-1881) was a published writer and an editor for several magazines and newspapers. In her Civil War diaries, French gives a detailed account of her family’s wartime experiences, both at the plantation in McMinnville, Tennessee, Warren County, and at nearby Beersheba Springs, Grundy County, where they resided during 1863 and 1864.
Mf. 1817 -- Ernest McDaniel Papers, 1896-1904. 172 items. TSLA. 1 reel. 16mm.
Ernest McDaniel was a private in the 1st Tennessee, Company F, U.S. Volunteers during the Spanish-American War. He served in Manila, Philippine Islands from 1898 to 1900, as a war correspondent for the Commercial Appeal of Memphis, Tennessee. While serving in the war, McDaniel received a medal for bravery in action at Ilo.
This collection contains correspondence to his future wife, Leontine Whiteside, during the years 1896-1904; newspaper clippings; Ernest McDaniel’s diary that he kept from October 30, 1898, to June 1, 1903; a book, Campaigning in the Philippines; legal documents; and photographs.
Mf. 1818 -- Virginia Campbell Johns Papers, 1858-1863. TSLA. .5 linear feet. 1 reel. 16mm.
This collection of materials consists of an autograph album given to “Jennie” in 1858, with autographs of various friends and relatives; a photo album of 26 photographs of various landscapes and people; the “Regimental History of the Eleventh Tennessee Infantry, Confederate,” edited by John Berrien Lindsley, M. D., D. D.; prison reform notes concerning the Probation Law and penal reforms, along with State Prison Sunday School Council notes and a Sunday School Workers Council roster; the last will and testament of John Johns, May 5, 1859; a letter from H. L. McGavock in Lebanon, Tennessee, to a friend dated 1852, concerning a certain “Lady-Love”; an 1862 journal, possibly kept by Jennie Branch, as well as a photocopy of the journal concerning Civil War activities and personal thoughts; a handbill of General Robert E. Lee’s farewell address, April 10, 1865; and 2 volumes of telegrams sent by the Military and financial Board of the State of Tennessee during the year 1861.
Mf. 1819 -- Dorothy Leigh Sibley Hopkins Papers, 1831-1949. THS. 2 cubic feet. 1 reel. 16mm.
The Dorothy Leigh Sibley Hopkins Papers consist of correspondence, mostly to Mrs. Arthur Moseley Hopkins, Jr. (daughter) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from Mrs. Bolling Sibley (mother) in Memphis, Tennessee, concerning family and friends, as well as daily life and other various topics. There are also 42 telegrams to Mrs. Arthur Moseley Hopkins, Jr. congratulating her on her wedding from various friends and family.
The collection also includes several newspaper clippings and miscellaneous items consisting of wedding and death announcements, elections and campaign occurrences, health news, and society happenings.
Mf. 1820 -- English Family Papers, 1842-1893. 61 items. TSLA. 1 reel. 16mm.
The English family papers consist mostly of incoming correspondence to John Goodson English concerning business matters. However, there are several letters between family and friends relating news of family and friends. The papers also contain a biographical sketch of Col. John Goodson English and his family entitled, “The Book of Kings”, By V.N. (Bud) Phillips.
Mf. 1821 -- Robert L. Taylor Family Papers, 1877-[1878-1965]-1992. TSLA. 1 reel, 35mm; 1 reel, 16mm.
Robert Love Taylor was the 28th governor of Tennessee. This collection contains mostly newspaper clippings, correspondence and scrapbooks. Primarily this collection focuses on materials related to Robert L. Taylor and his wife, Sally, their daughter, Katherine, who married Hillsman Taylor, and Hillsman Taylor’s father, Col. R.Z. Taylor of Gibson County, Tennessee.
Mf. 1822 -- George L. Geary Papers, 1862-1927. TSLA. 1 reel. 16mm.
George L. Geary served as a corporal in the Union Army, mostly in Chattanooga, Tennessee, 1864, with the 46th Ohio Regiment. Featured parts of this collection are two diaries by George L. Geary. The first is from April 14, 1864, through November 1, 1864, detailing his Civil War experiences and daily activities as a soldier. The second diary is dated from January 1, 1880, through August 24, 1880, and describes his daily life, most of which concerns farming. Also included in the collection are legal documents, correspondence and newspaper clippings.
Mf. 1823 -- Combs L. Fort Papers, 1862-1983. THS. 1.25 linear feet. 1 reel. 16mm.
The Combs L. Fort (1911-2006) Papers are centered around Mr. Fort during his time in the military in the course of World War II and on the Mt. Olivet Confederate Memorial.
Air Raid Warden Information materials are centered on Mr. Fort’s time as an Air Raid Warden in Nashville, Tennessee. Included is a handbook for wardens, blackout instructions, a manual for civil defense, pocket guides to common war gases, and a list of all the Air Raid Wardens in the 21 st Ward – Zone # 11 of Nashville, Tennessee.
The Combs L. Fort correspondence is centered on various letters written by or addressed to Mr. Fort. The correspondence is primarily composed of letters written to Combs Fort from other servicemen.
The Mt. Olivet Confederate Memorial correspondence contains letters written in response to an invitation to attend the unveiling of the memorial at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee.
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Mf. 1825 -- Memphis Civil Clubs – Jackson Boulevard Improvement Club and Rozelle Civic Club, 1927-1939. MPL/TSLA. 1 roll. 16mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
During the period between the world wars, civil or improvement clubs flourished as a way to provide service and entertainment to neighborhood residents. There were few matters of local public interest which were not affected by the efforts of civic clubs. During the depression the clubs provided neighborhood relief, and their meetings frequently included entertainment programs which served as a forum for local talent.
This collection contains minutes, correspondence and other papers from two of these clubs – the Rozelle Civic Club and the Jackson Boulevard Improvement (later Civic) Club. These materials provide insight into community relationships and the concerns of the clubs and present an important vignette of Memphis history.
Mf. 1826 -- Susanne Conlan Scruggs Collection. MPL/TSLA. 1 roll. 16mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
Suzanne Conlan Scruggs was born in Boston in 1863. She came to Memphis in 1889 following her marriage to Thomas Murphy Scruggs, a prominent Memphis attorney who became a judge. Susanne Scruggs was active in the Progressive Movement in Memphis, and she worked tirelessly on behalf of disadvantaged people, especially children. She focused on providing safe places for children to play, access to quality education and legal representation through a juvenile court system.
This collection contains photograph albums, newspaper clippings, correspondence, photographs and other documents that describe Scruggs’ efforts on behalf of children. The correspondence includes letters Scruggs’ exchanged with educators, doctors, politicians and others involved in the health and welfare of children.
Mf. 1827 -- The Yellow Fever Collection, 1878-1879. MPL/TSLA. 1 reel. 16mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
In the 1850s, 1860s and 1870s Memphis was devastated by a series of deadly yellow fever epidemics. The disease, which was spread by mosquitoes, caused nausea, vomiting and delirium and destroyed cells in the liver, which caused the victim’s skin and eyes to yellow. At the time of the epidemics, it was not know what caused yellow fever and cannons were set off, piles of debris were burned and the wooden streets were covered in lime in the hopes of stopping the spread of the disease. Many religious groups and fraternal organizations, including the Howard Association, a group made up of young businessmen, dedicated their time and energy to providing relief to the sick and the dying. Numerous clergy members and nuns worked tirelessly to help the sick and many died while providing aid to others. The 1878 outbreak, during which between 30,000 and 50,000 people fled the city and over 5,000 died, was the deadliest of the epidemics. The economy and population of Memphis was so devastated by the yellow fever epidemics, the city lost its charter and was declared a taxing district until 1893.
This collection is comprised of a diary, correspondence, telegrams, newspaper clippings, death notices, a scrapbook and texts from memorials to those who died during the epidemics, particularly the medical professionals, nuns and clergy members.
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Mf. 1829 -- Ligon Family Papers, 1866-1973. TSLA. 3 linear feet. 1 reel. 16mm.
James Duncan and Gladys Ligon lived in Hermitage, Davidson County, Tennessee. They owned Ligon’s Flower Shop in Donelson as well as Cloydland Farm in Wilson County, Tennessee. Cloydland Farm dates back to 1789 and is well known for its experimentation in breeding new variations of cattle, pigs and sheep.
The collection is composed of assorted correspondence, business licenses, genealogical information regarding the John Hunter Cartwright family of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, newspaper clippings, promissory notes, programs, receipts, and school cards.
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Mf. 1833 -- Tennessee School for the Deaf Minute Book and Student Ledger, 1844-1861. TSD/TSLA. 1 reel. 35mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
The Tennessee School for the Deaf was established by an act of the Tennessee State Legislature, January 29, 1844. The first board met on July 27, 1844. The school opened its doors to students on April 14, 1845 with Rev. Thomas MacIntire as the first principal.
The minute book, dated 1844-1861, is titled Minutes of the Proceedings of the Trustees of the Knoxville Deaf and Dumb Asylum. The minute book includes a topical index in the back. Minutes of note include the act of incorporation minutes, the listing of the original board of trustees, and a description of the organization of the board of trustees.
The student ledger, dated 1845-1860, is a listing of students at the Tennessee School for the Deaf during the specified time span. Parent’s names, parent’s addresses, students’ birthdates and causes of deafness are provided for most students.
Mf. 1834 -- H.R.A. McCorkle Journals, 1848-1907. Dyer County. TSLA. 2 reels. 35mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
Hiram Robert Andrew McCorkle was the son of Edwin Alexander McCorkle and Jane Maxwell Thomas. He was born on November 6, 1827 and married Margaret A. Cowan in 1849. They had several children. After Margaret’s death, he married Jennett C. Menzies. He is buried in the McCorkle Cemetery in Dyer County, Tennessee.
Twelve journals, dated 1848-1907, contain the entries of H.R.A. McCorkle of Newburn, Dyer County, Tennessee. The journal entries begin in 1848, when Mr. McCorkle is 21 years old and continue until the day after his death in 1907. The last journal entry is made by someone else who writes, “H.R.A. McCorkle died last night at 12 o’clock – aged 79 years, 6 months and 25 days.”
Apparently needing volumes to continue his journals, Mr. McCorkle reused some ledgers that had first been used to record general mercantile sales by W.F. Cowan. The ledgers list merchandise sold, the cost of the items and who purchased them. McCorkle writes of the weather, who has visited, the illnesses and deaths of neighbors and family, and circumstances of his crops and live stock.
Mr. McCorkle apparently was a member of the local Dyer County Militia during the Civil War. In the journals dated 1849-1865, he comments on the Battle of Shiloh and notes the deaths of men killed or wounded in the war.
Mf. 1835 -- Gordon Family Day Book, ca. 1851-1900; Brick Church Store Journal, No. 2, 1882-1883. Giles County. TSLA. 1 reel. 35mm. Microfilm Only Collection
The Gordon Family Day Book, dated 1851-1900, contains newspaper clippings of recipes, home remedies, useful sayings and obituaries from the family of John Gordon (1798-1890) and Mary Ann Kennedy Gordon (1801-1871) of Giles County, Tennessee. The most historically significant inclusion in the Gordon Family Day Book is a list of slave birth and death dates, titled “Deaths of the Black Family.” Also included is a promissory note between two of Major John Gordon’s sons, Dewitt Clinton and Andrew Ruthven Gordon.
The Brick Church Store Journal, No. 2, dated 1882-1883, contains account records for the various individuals and businesses who purchased items from the Brick Church Store in Giles County, Tennessee, during the given time period. An alphabetical index is included in the front of the journal.
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Mf. 1837 -- Smoot Collection, 1854-1939. TSLA. 1.6 linear feet. 1 reel. 16 mm.
[View Manuscript Finding Aid]
The Smoot Collection consists of account books, Bibles, Testaments, diaries, genealogical data, correspondence, photographs, clippings, sketches, and memorabilia collected by Thomas Randolph Smoot and Mrs. William Ausban (Clara Virginia King), his granddaughter.
The bulk of the material is genealogical in nature, and includes extensive research and correspondence of Mrs. Ausban on the Campbell, Given, Kenney, Sherer, and Smoot families. Charts are included showing the relationship of the lines.
The earliest items (1854-1855) pertain to lands in Obion County, Tennessee, the property of Joseph P. Evans, who married Narcissa P. Smoot, elder sister of Thomas R. Smoot. Also among the early records is a list of the members of the Huntingdon Presbyterian Church, Huntingdon, Carroll County, Tennessee, 1857.
There are several items of Civil War interest. These include diaries of Confederate soldier Thomas R. Smoot, a member of the 22nd Regiment, Tennessee Infantry, in which he describes the “Battle of the 7th,” Belmont, Missouri, November 7, 1861 and his participation under the command of Col. Tom J. Freeman, in the Battle of Shiloh, April 1862. One of the diaries contains a list of the “Carroll Invincibles Co. C” and a certificate of parole of Thomas R. Smoot, May 2, 1865.
Also of interest are seventeen items of correspondence from Dolf Smoot, son of Thomas and Appoline Smoot, written while he was on duty in the Philippines (1899-1902).
Mf. 1838 -- Carey Edward Waldrip Papers, Addition, 1813-1996. 1.25 linear feet. 1 reel. 16mm.
The collection is composed of correspondence, newspaper clippings, magazines, newsletters, receipts, biographical sketches, various pageant scripts, photographs, negatives and a water survey. The items relate to the ERA 1102 computer; Rock of Ages, a Bicentennial pageant written by Carey Waldrip; The Silvery Lining, a heritage drama written by Beatrice Collins; the Centennial of the Methodist Episcopal Church South in Winchester, Tennessee; On Jordan’s Stormy Banks, a play written by Carey Waldrip; and Citizens for Drinkable Water, a consumer advocate group which was designed as a forum for all customers of the Duck River Utility Commission water system.
Mf. 1839 -- Thorpe Genealogical Collection, 1780-1995. TSLA. 1.75 linear feet. 1 reel. 16mm.
The Thorpe Genealogical Collection is centered around items related to the Allison, Cook, Davis, Harris, Horne, Lockridge, Lowe, May, Overton, Simpson, Slaton, Swift, Tarpley, Theus, Thomas, Thorpe, Westmoreland and York families.
Mf. 1840 -- Samuel B. Jones – Memphis and Ohio Railroad Papers, 1852-1887. TSLA.25 linear feet. 1 reel. 16mm.
Samuel B. Jones was the General Superintendent for the Memphis and Ohio Railroad. The Memphis and Ohio Railroad was a railroad chartered by the State of Tennessee in 1852. The railroad was completed in 1861 and was a key factor in many battles during the Civil War.
This collection contains approximately 152 items and is composed of correspondence, receipts, newspaper clippings, stock certificates, notes, accounts, articles of agreement, building project information for a Catholic Church and a bank, legal documents and notes of promise.
Mf. 1841 -- James Perry Foster Diaries, 1938-2005. 53 volumes. TSLA. 1 reel. 16mm.
The diaries of J.P. Foster (1919-2006) cover his family life and travels, his work at Touche Ross & Company (now known as Deloitte & Touche), and his involvement in the social life of Nashville. The entries – which include hundreds of names of people, restaurants, and organizations – span a wide range of subjects, from snowstorms and auto repairs to family trips and national news items. During the nearly 70-year span covered by these accounts, the Nashville community has undergone dramatic changes, many of them recorded here.
Also included are 32 small railroad time books kept by J.P. Foster’s father, Laurel Emmit Foster, during his career as a brake-man and conductor for the L&N Railroad. They span the years from May 1912 through the Depression years to April 10, 1954, L.E. Foster’s last day on the job. Although they are primarily a work log, Foster has also written – in the margins and on end pages – a few brief notes about family, friends, and events, from J.P.’s measles to Stalin’s death.
Mf. 1842 -- Patricia B. Kirkeminde Collection, 1877-1977. TSLA. 3.5 linear feet. 2 reels. 16mm.
This collection is centered around items collected by Mrs. Kirkeminde and primarily focuses on research for her book, History of Veterinary Medicine in Tennessee, about the history of the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association.
Mf. 1843 -- Joseph H. Fussell Papers, 1809-1921. Maury County, Tennessee. .40 linear feet. TSLA. 1 reel. 35mm.
Included are two scrapbooks compiled by Fussell's wife, Margaret Roberts Porter Fussell, containing clippings related to Judge Fussell's career as well as his letters, writings, and documents. Most materials in the collection relate to the issues with which Fussell was primarily concerned during his career: Tennessee's state debt and prohibition. Also included are early land and financial records for Maury County, Tennessee, many of which involve Joseph Brown and/or the Cumberland Presbyterian Church; plat maps of various sections of Columbia and Santa Fe, Tennessee, most showing lot ownership; and pamphlets relating to political issues in which Fussell was interested.
Joseph Fussell, a resident of Columbia, Tenn., was an attorney, Civil War soldier, politician, reformer, and leader of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He was elected District Attorney General in 1870 and conducted unsuccessful campaigns for governor, 11th Circuit judge, U.S. House of Representatives, and state senator between 1882 and 1901. He was an early Tennessee proponent of prohibition.
The Fussell Papers is significant for the light it sheds upon the political repercussions brought about by the State debts accumulated through the sale of bonds for the construction of railroads and turnpikes before the Civil War. The collection also depicts the divided condition of the Democratic party during the 1880s. Finally, it gives a picture of the fortunes and difficulties of the early prohibition movement in Tennessee.
Mf. 1844 -- McGill-Thatcher Family Papers, 1818-1979. Hamilton County, Tennessee. TSLA. .75 cubic feet. 1 reel. 16mm.
This collection of family papers document the lives of William Napoleon Bonaparte McGill and his family, particularly his daughters, Ida Irene McGill and Pearl McGill Thatcher of Hamilton County, Tennessee.
Included are genealogies of families related to the McGill family through marriage or families they descended from. There are family trees for the Hunter, McGill and the Patterson families.
Most of the correspondence is between family members. There are also letters between William N.B. McGill’s father, William M. McGill (1821-1895) and his wife, Sarah (1827-1904) while William M. was in convalescent camps in Cleveland and Chattanooga, Tennessee during the Civil War.
This collection also contains photographs in a wide range of formats, including daguerreotypes, tintypes, cabinet cards and gelatin silver images.
Mf. 1845 -- Felicia Grundy Porter Papers, 1890-1958. TSLA. 1 linear foot. 1 reel. 16mm.
Felicia Grundy Porter was born in Tennessee about 1873. She was the daughter of R.M. and Jessie Marshall Porter. She was the great-granddaughter of Felix and Ann Grundy, granddaughter of Dr. Robert Massengill and Felicia Grundy Porter. She studied Library Science at Columbia and served as librarian at the Watkins Institute and Nashville Public Library for forty years.
The collection is composed of an address book, various correspondence, a diary, genealogical data regarding the Grundy family, lease contracts, newspaper clippings, photographs, recipes, a scrapbook, voter registrations and a watercolor.
Mf. 1846 -- Kempville Funeral Home (Smith County, Tennessee) Records, 1933-1971. 1 reel. 35mm. Microfilm Only Collection
There are six volumes containing minutes, financial, death and ambulance records from the Kempville Funeral Home dating from 1933 to 1971. Les and Willie B. McCall Hackett opened the Kempville Funeral Home in Difficult (Smith County), Tennessee, in 1928. In 1937, Willie B. took over the business at a time when not many women were operating businesses. In September of 1971, Mrs. Hackett sold the Kempville Funeral Home to Sanderson Funeral Home in Carthage. She continued to work at the funeral home for several years until ill health forced her to retire. She passed away in 1992.
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Mf. 1849 -- United Daughters of the Confederacy, Tennessee Division. (Volume 92, Parts 1 & 2) 1 reel. 16mm
This volume contains applications for membership transfers and supplements, Sept. 2005-August 2006.
Mf. 1850 -- Nancy Lawhorn Genealogical Research papers, ca. 1840-1987. 1 reel. 16mm. Microfilm Only Collection
This is a collection of genealogical research notes compiled by Mrs. Nancy Kirkpatrick Lawhorn that includes Bible records, handwritten notes, linage charts, census data, newspaper clippings and articles, concerning the family names of Kirkpatrick, Wynnes, Firestone, Runyan, Higdon, and Williams.
Mf. 1851 -- Descriptions of Census Enumeration Districts - Tennessee. National Archives. 5 reels. 35mm.
This microfilm reproduces original volumes of the descriptions of geographic subdivisions (enumeration districts) that were used in the decennial United States censuses from 1830 to 1930 for Tennessee. These records are part of Record Group 29 (US), Records of the Bureau of Census. Census Years: 1830-1840, Reel 1; Census Years: 1850-1860, Reel 2; Census Year: 1870, Reel 3; Census Year: 1880, Reel 4; Census Year: 1930, Reel 5. See Mf. 1410 for the Census Year 1920 (all U.S.).
Mf. 1852 -- Register of Confederate Soldiers, Sailors, and Citizens Who Died in Federal Prisons & Military Hospitals in the North, 1861-1865, National Archives. 1 reel. 35mm.
This is the 665 page register of Confederate soldiers, sailors, and citizens who died in Federal prisons and military hospitals in the North, 1861-1865. The register was compiled in 1912 in the Office of the Commissioner for Marking the Graves of Confederate Dead and now a part of the Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, Record Group 92. See also Mf. 1044 - Selected Records of the War Department Relating to Confederate Prisoners of War, 1861-1865.
Mf. 1853 -- Letter & Telegrams Sent by the Confederate Quartermaster General, 1861-1865. National Archives. 8 Reels. 35mm.
This microfilm reproduces 17 bound volumes of letters and telegrams sent by the Office of the Quartermaster General of the Confederate War Department during the period March 1861-January 1865, together with whatever indexes are included in the volumes. These volumes are part of the War Department Collection of Confederate Records, Record Group 109 (US).
According to the record keeping practice of the time, letters and telegrams sent were copied in books. In the Office of the Quartermaster General, telegrams sent were entered in the same series as letters sent, and are distinguished by the notation “telegraph” or “telegram.” The books reproduced in this microfilm publication contain both fair copies and press copies. Fair copies were intended as neat and legible copies, usually on regular paper, whereas press copies (these bound volumes are also known as “letter press books”) are on tissue paper, to which they are transferred from the original through direct contact and moisture under pressure in a copy press.
Mf. 1854 -- Records of the Office of the Secretary of the Interior Relating to the Suppression of the African Slave Trade & Negro Colonization, 1854-1872. National Archives. 10 Reels. 35mm.
Reproduced here are three bound volumes and a quantity of unbound records of the Office of the Secretary of the Interior relating to the suppression of the African slave trade and the colonization of recaptured and free slaves. These records, dated between August 10, 1854 and February 3, 1872, are a body of records in the National Archives designated as Record Group records of the Office of the Secretary of the Interior.
Mf. 1855 -- State Department Territorial Papers, Territory Southwest of the River Ohio, 1790-1795. National Archives. 1 Reel. 35mm.
This microfilm records the bound volumes of papers of the Department of State relating to the Territory Southwest of the River Ohio. This volume is from the series “papers and Records of the Territories” and is described by Van Tyne and Leland in Guide to the Archives at Washington, p. 45 (Washington, 2nd ed., 1907). The series forms a part of the General Records of the Department of State, Record Group 59, in the National Archives.
Mf. 1856 -- Correspondence of the Secretary of the Treasury Relating to the Administration of Trust Funds for the Chickasaw and Other Tribes (“S” Series), 1834-1872 National Archives. 1 Reel. 35mm.
This film reproduces two volumes of fair copies of letters sent and received by the Secretary of the Treasury relating to the administration of trust funds for the Chickasaw and other Indian tribes between January 15, 1834 and December 19, 1872.
Under the terms of the treaties of October 20, 1832 and May 24, 1834, the Chickasaw ceded their lands in the States of Mississippi, and to sell the lands for the benefit of the Chickasaws, to assist them in their removal to new homes somewhere west of the Mississippi, and to establish a perpetual fund for the use of the Chickasaw Nation from proceeds of the sales. Although the greater part of the correspondence relates to the trust fund of the Chickasaws, the trust funds of other Indian tribes are mentioned.
Mf. 1857 -- Compilation of Tennessee Census Reports, 1820. National Archives. 1 Reel. 35mm.
Mf. 1858 -- Records of the Senate Select Committee that Investigated John Brown’s Raid at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, 1859. National Archives. 3 Reels. 35mm.
The records of the U.S. Senate Select Committee appointed to investigate the invasion and seizure of the U.S. arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, by John Brown and his band of armed men are reproduced on these three rolls of microfilm. The select committee was created on December 14, 1859, to inquire into the facts surrounding John Brown’s seizure of the arsenal on October 16-18, 1859, including the character of Brown’s organization and the sources of his support. The committee was disbanded on June 15, 1860, with the filing of its majority and minority reports. The committee’s records include the Senate Resolution, majority and minority reports, a journal, transcripts of hearings, and correspondence. These records are part of Records of the U. S. Senate, Record Group 46 (US).
Mf. 1859 -- Correspondence of the Military Intelligence Division Relating to “Negro Subversion,” 1917-1941. National Archives. 6 Reels. 35mm.
These six rolls of microfilm reproduce record cards and correspondence of the Military Intelligence Division (MID) that relate to activities of blacks in both civilian and military life, 1917-1941. The documents reproduced are primarily from World War I and the immediate postwar years and consist of War Department memorandums, investigative reports, and correspondence with other agencies, particularly the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Investigation, predecessor of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The MID file label for these records was 10218, “Negro Subversion,” although most of the records are considerably broader in coverage than that title would suggest. This file is part of Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs, Record Group 165 (US).
Mf. 1860 -- Letters Received by the Department of Justice from the State of Tennessee, 1871-1884. National Archives. 4 reels. 35mm.
In 1870, Congress enacted legislation establishing the Department of Justice. This act consolidated legal administration within the newly created department and elevated the Attorney General to a position of chief administrator. In 1871, Tennessee was divided into the eastern, middle and western districts.
The letters and enclosures contained in the source-chronologic order file for Tennessee were received from federal officers, state and local officials, and private citizens. The letters cover a variety of subjects connected with legal matters: Reconstruction conflicts; civil rights; internal revenue and customs; regulation of trade, commerce, and transportation; the defense and supervision of public officers; and other subjects.
Mf. 1861 -- Index to Pension Application files of Remarried Widows Based on Service in the War of 1812, Indian Wars, Mexican War and Regular Army Before 1861. National Archives. 1 Reel. 35mm.
This index to the pension application files of remarried widows is in the widow’s new married name, not the surname of her deceased husband.
Mf. 1862 -- Index to Pension Application files of Remarried Widows Based On Service in the Civil War and Later Wars and in the Regular Army After the Civil War. National Archives. 7 Reels. 35mm.
This index lists the name of claimant (the widow’s new married name, not the surname of her deceased husband), the name of the soldier, his unit, and date of filing.
Mf. 1863 -- Returns of Killed & Wounded in Battles or Engagements with Indians and British and Mexican Troops, 1790-1848. National Archives. 1 reel. 35mm.
This is the original compilation of returns prepared by Lt. Col. J. H. Eaton, 3rd U. S. Infantry, 1850-1851, for the period 1790-1848, and a partial copy, covering the years 1790-1842, prepared in 1896 by the Record and Pension Office of the War Department. Both volumes give place of battle, date, name of commander of troops, troops engaged, number of killed and wounded, and remarks. The remarks usually include references to sources, the names of officers killed, and a summary of the engagement. The records are arranged chronologically. The records are part of the Records of the adjutant General’s Office, 1780’s-1917, Record Group 94 (US).
Mf. 1864 -- Burial Registers for Military Posts, Camps, and Stations, 1768-1921. National Archives. 1 reel. 35mm.
This reel of microfilm reproduces a two-volume register of burials at military posts, camps, and stations from 1768-1921; however, the bulk of the burials occurred between 1860 and 1890. These registers are part of the Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, Record Group 92 (US).
The registers included on this microfilm were created by the Cemetery Branch, established shortly after the Civil War in the Office of the Quartermaster General, Washington, DC. Entries in the two volumes were based on each post’s burial records or grave markers. The first volume was created in 1873, updated periodically until 1883, and updated sporadically until 1932. The second volume was created in 1883 and updated periodically until 1932. Some burials (generally those that occurred before 1883 in cemeteries that were still active in 1883) are listed in both volumes. There are no listings for Tennessee in these volumes.
Mf. 1865 -- Lists of Confederate Captured at Vicksburg, Mississippi, July 4, 1863. National Archives. 1 reel. 35mm.
This microfilm reproduces lists of Confederate soldiers captured at Vicksburg, Mississippi, July 4, 1863. These records are part of the War Department Collection of Confederate Records, Record Group 109, and are part of the series identified as Entry 212, Parole rolls of Confederates, 1862-1865, in Elizabeth Bethel, Preliminary Inventory of the War Department Collection of Confederate Records (Record Group 109). (National Archives, 1957; reprint Iberian Publishing Co., 1994).
Mf. 1866 -- [blank]
Mf. 1867 -- Quillen General Store Ledger, (Bull’s Gap, Tennessee) 1913-1914. 1 reel. 35mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
This ledger was kept by the Quillen General Store in Bull’s Gap, Hawkins Count, Tennessee.
Mf. 1868 -- Campus Chatter, An Alumni Newsletter of The University of Tennessee Junior College, 1943-1946. UTM, GSU & TSLA. 1 reel. 16mm.
Virtually the entire body of male students from the University of Tennessee Junior College in Martin, Tennessee – together with most of his male alumni – as well, served in the armed forces during the Second World War.
Perhaps hoping that news from home would encourage the soldiers, the campus Alumni Committee, under the direction of Myrtle H. Phillips, compiled, edited, and distributed internationally a UTJC newsletter.
Campus Clatter collected and disseminated news of former students and their families across the theatres of war from August 1943 through July of 1946. Its pages are filled with notices of marriages, births, and the inevitable record of deaths in wartime.
Mf. 1869 -- Lives Lost, Found, Honored! Compiled by Donald R. Heiss, 2007. 2 reels. 16mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
This collection of material consists of newspaper clippings, print-outs from websites, family group sheets, hand written notes and articles from published books. Primarily the collection centers around Jefferson County, Tennessee and surrounding counties.
Mf. 1870 -- Lone Oak Baptist Church of Christ Records. Bledsoe County, Tennessee, 1917-1993. 1 reel. 16mm. Microfilm Only Collection.
The records consist of numerous hand written notes concerning church meetings, sermons, activities, account information on offerings, church members, and church business.
Mf. 1871 -- [blank]
Mf. 1872 -- Whitaker-Prosser Family Papers, 1848-1976. TSLA. 3 rolls. 35mm.
This collection consists of account ledgers, a pocket Bible, genealogical information pertaining to the Whitaker and Prosser families, a biographical sketch of Ross Landess Whitaker and correspondence, primarily between family members and friends.
The collection also contains eight ledger volumes that were kept from 1938 to 1943 by Dr. R.L. Whitaker and his partner, Dr. Horace Anderson. The ledgers kept account information from their veterinary practice in Fayetteville, Tennessee.
In addition there are also forty-five photographs in the collection, most of which are portraits of family members. There are also several pictures of Dr. Ross Landess Whitaker while he served in the military Veterinary Corps and later of him working with horses as a veterinarian in Fayetteville, Tennessee. There are also photographs of the tornado damage caused in Fayetteville on February 29, 1952.
Mf. 1873 -- Judd Brooks Papers, 1910-1962. THS. 154 items. 1 reel. 16mm.
Judd Brooks was the District Agent of the Agricultural Extension Service in West Tennessee from 1916 to 195(?). The collection contains correspondences that are mostly business related. Several of the letters are congratulations to Brooks on being presented with the U.S. Department of Agriculture “Superior Service Award.” Also included are newspaper clippings, pamphlets, hymnals, photographs and two copies of the “Constitution of the Madison County Farm Bureau.
Mf. 1874 -- Lyle B. McLevain Papers, 1942-1985. THS. 228 items. 1 reel. 16mm.
Lyle Bourland McLevain was born in 1911 to Thomas and Minnie Downey McLevain in Kentucky. He was a guard at a German POW camp near Bolbec, France during World War II. After returning from the war, he resided in Clarksville, Tennessee. He died in 1985.
This collection consists mostly of photographs taken during McLevain’s time in Europe during the war. It also contains correspondence, pamphlets, and postcards. Three letters are from Mama Juliette, a French civilian whom McLevain befriended during the war. In Helmuth B. Veucht’s letter of Hohwald, Germany and dated May 31, 1946, Feucht thanks McLevain for his help during captivity and describes the conditions in Germany after the war. Also included is a pamphlet regarding Camp Philip Morris and postcards from Europe.
Mf. 1875 -- [blank]
Mf. 1876 -- [blank]
Mf. 1877 -- Christ United Methodist Church (Memphis, Tennessee) Records, 1994-2007. 4 reels. 16mm. Microfilm Collection Only
This collection contains church minutes and reports, the church’s construction plan, membership directory, women’s yearbooks, church newsletters, Sunday bulletins, master membership, and information on Dr. William R. Bouknight III’s tenure at the church.
Mf. 1878 -- [blank]
Mf. 1879 -- Kimbro Family Papers, 1819-1984. TSLA. 1.5 linear feet. 1 reel. 16mm.
The Kimbro Family Papers are centered around items related to the Kimbro, Hibbett, Pearson, Gooch, Sharp, Eskridge, Cannon, Davis and Kinnard families.
Mf. 1880 -- [blank]
Mf. 1881 -- [blank]
Mf. 1882 -- [blank]
Mf. 1883 -- McMurtry Clan Family Papers, 1752-2006. TSLA. 1 reel. 16mm.
This collection of papers consists entirely of genealogical data concerning the McMurtry Clan. It begins with a Guide to the Tennessee Families in the MacMurtrie Clan Family Records, 2006, which is basically an index to the items contained in the collection. The collection also contains a number of hand-drawn family trees.
Mf. 1884 -- Thomas Howell Caldwell Letters, 1737-1996. .5 cubic feet. TSLA.1 reel. 16mm.
This collection contains affidavits, correspondence, a land survey, indentures, deeds, a receipt for army supplies for Andrew Calwell during the Creek War of 1836, wills and genealogical research relating to the McQuistin, Shumate, Weaver, and Caldwell families of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas.
Mf. 1885 -- [blank]
Mf. 1886 -- Balch Family Papers, 1780-1996. TSLA. 5 linear feet. 2 reels: 1 16mm, 1 35mm.
This collection of family papers is centered around items collected by the Eugene Jerome Balch Family and primarily focus on the Balch, Windrow, Espey, Hembree, Covington, and Hawkins families.
Mf. 1887 -- [blank]
Mf. 1888 -- [blank]
Mf. 1889 -- [blank]
Mf. 1890 -- [blank]
Mf. 1891 -- [blank]
Mf. 1892 -- [blank]
Mf. 1893 -- [blank]
Mf. 1894 -- [blank]
Mf. 1895 -- [blank]
Mf. 1896 -- [blank]
Mf. 1897 -- [blank]
Mf. 1898 -- [blank]
Mf. 1899 -- [blank]
Updated June 3, 2008
