Search

Correspondence, photos, postcards and memorabilia of a school teacher of White Days Creek and of his wife, Mary Corrothers Zinn. Most of the collection consists of correspondence and photos of Zinn's career in the U. S. Army during World War I. Zinn worked as a math school teacher and as a census taker in the Fetterman District of Taylor County. He spent the war in training at Camp Knox, West Point, KY in Battery E., 70th. Field Artillery Brigade, and he discusses in the letters the daily activities of his unit. There are also photos in uniform and copies of the military records of Earl Zinn and of his grandfather, Sailor Michael Zinn. Sailor Zinn was a member of the 14th. WV Inf. during the Civil War. He was captured and died in the infamous Confederate prison camp in Georgia of Andersonville. There is also a 19th century photo album and loose pictures of the Steele, Arnett & Sanders families of Monongalia County who are related to Mrs. Earl R. Zinn.

The papers of Edward J. Cabbell, an author, poet, editor, and historian documents subjects regarding African-American history in Appalachia, encompassing the colonial period through 1988. The materials include research papers, articles, photographs, clippings, books, and publications such as "Then & Now" and "Black Diamonds". There is also information pertaining to the John Henry legend and includes articles, music references and literature. There are photographs of paintings and sculptures of John Henry, candid images of the John Henry Folk Festivals, Edward J. Cabbell as the director of the John Henry Memorial Foundation and Louis W. Chappell, a West Virginia University professor who compiled a massive collection of Appalachia folklore and music, including John Henry material.

Paper ephemera, including: illustrated letterhead titled "Offices of J.W. Wiles" featuring portrait of J.W. Wiles and photo of the "Wiles Block" building in Morgantown, WV; there is also letterhead for the "Star Glass Company" and "Union Realty and Development Co.," both of Morgantown; illustrated envelopes for the "Hotel Morgan" of Morgantown, "The Waldo" of Clarksburg, and "The Ruffner" of Charleston. Signed calling card of J.W. Wiles. There is an extensive collection of greeting cards, including Valentines. There is also a printed invitation card for a luncheon with President and Mrs. Taft (1912). Addendum of 2019/06/17 includes four greeting cards from the Young family of Morgantown, including two large Valentine cards (including windmill and seesaw graphics; undated), one small Valentine card (undated), and one Christmas card (booklet, "One Christmas Back in Grandfather's Time"; 1952).

Drafts, research notes and photos for a book by the donor about West Virginians who were prominent in the leadership of the state's coal industry. Great Coal Leaders of West Virginia made no claim to being an exhaustive work, it nonetheless included coal company owners, senior management, and labor leaders renowned for their foresight, boldness, and innovations in the industry. Some names included are: J. L. Beury, S. A. Caperton, F. E. Christopher, H. G. Davis, S. B. Elkins, C. E. Lawall, I. T. Mann, A. R. Miller, E. W. Olgebay, R. E. Salvati, and W. D. Thurmond.

Autograph book (1872-1887) of Jennie Robinson of Clarksburg with inscriptions from her friends. A letter from Martha Perry of Staunton, VA (1 March 1888) to Jennie Robinson of Clarksburg, WV congratulating her on her upcoming wedding. Letters from the Neale family, relatives of Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson. A letter from Thomas Neale of Parkersburg (6 June 1833) to Lewis Maxwell of Lewis County inquiring about Thomas Jackson and his brother. A letter from W. R. Neale at Mossy Creek, TN (23 February 1864) to his uncle mentioning Stonewall Jackson and the Civil War. There is a photo album of 1874 WVU graduate Charles Wesley Lynch of Wheeling, WV including photos of family, classmates and teachers. There is also a 1927-28 WVU schedule of courses, a 1927 WVU music convocation program, a 1928 WVU football scorecard, a facsimile of the (20 August 1773) Maryland Journal and the Baltimore Advertiser, and a 1938 history of Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church of Grafton, WV. See also A&M 3729.

Photographic prints and negatives from Wheeling, West Virginia, photographer George J. Kossuth. Collection contains approximately fifty prints and negatives, including color prints and oversize photographs taken by Kossuth between 1904 and 1959, though most of the items are undated. Subjects are chiefly of artists and musicians, including Pablo Casals, Carl Sandburg, John Phillip Sousa, Eleanor Steber, Richard Struass. Also included are photographs of Richard Nixon and George Kossuth himself. A complete list of subjects is available in the library.

This print is of a black and white photograph of Gottlieb Daimler. Written below the photpgraph is the number 8266, his name, and the Berlin photography company.

Negatives and other material from the Gravely and Moore Studio of Charleston, West Virginia. The majority of items within the collection are cellulose acetate negatives; the collection also includes glass plate negatives, prints, two photograph albums, and other material, as well as a card catalog documenting business transactions with customers. The collection is organized into customer project files as established by the Studio; the contents of these files are stored in envelopes usually containing one or two negatives, but they can contain up to a dozen or more. There are approximately 3,500 customer project files containing an estimated 11,000 items, most of which are negatives. The majority of photographs within the collection are portraits of individual adults. Other subjects include portraits of children; group photographs; businesses and advertising; members of the military; civil servants; civic organizations; missionaries; and aerial photographs, among others.