<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><ead xmlns="urn:isbn:1-931666-22-9" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="urn:isbn:1-931666-22-9 https://www.loc.gov/ead/ead.xsd"><eadheader countryencoding="iso3166-1" dateencoding="iso8601" langencoding="iso639-2b" repositoryencoding="iso15511"><eadid countrycode="US" mainagencycode="US-WvMtURHC" url="https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/195621">A&amp;M 3076</eadid><filedesc><titlestmt><titleproper>Delf Norona, Historian, Correspondence, 1945-1957 <num>A&amp;M 3076</num></titleproper><author>Staff of the West Virginia &amp; Regional History Center</author></titlestmt><publicationstmt><publisher>West Virginia and Regional History Center</publisher><p id="logostmt"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://host.lib.wvu.edu/images/logos/wvrhc.jpg" xlink:show="embed" xlink:type="simple"/></p><address><addressline>1549 University Ave. </addressline><addressline> P.O. Box 6069 </addressline><addressline>Morgantown, WV 26506-6069</addressline><addressline>Business Number: 304-293-3536</addressline><addressline>wvrhcref@westvirginia.libanswers.com</addressline><addressline>URL: <extptr xlink:href="https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu" xlink:show="new" xlink:title="https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu" xlink:type="simple"/></addressline></address></publicationstmt></filedesc><profiledesc><creation>This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on <date>2026-06-18 13:15:46 -0400</date>.</creation><langusage><language encodinganalog="language" langcode="eng">English</language></langusage><descrules>Describing Archives: A Content Standard</descrules></profiledesc></eadheader><archdesc level="collection">
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      <corpname>West Virginia and Regional History Center</corpname>
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    <unittitle>Delf Norona, Historian, Correspondence</unittitle>
    <origination label="Creator">
      <persname authfilenumber="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/nr97039553" source="Library of Congress Name Authority File">Norona, Delf, 1895-1974</persname>
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    <unitid>A&amp;M 3076</unitid>
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    <unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/2/resources/1261</unitid>
    <physdesc altrender="whole">
      <extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">0.25 Linear Feet</extent>
      <extent altrender="carrier">Summary: 2 1/2 in. (1 document case)</extent>
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    <unitdate datechar="creation" normal="1945/1957" type="inclusive">1945-1957</unitdate>
    <abstract id="aspace_1f193f48f0ec26c620b5c998ab158e51">Correspondence to and from Delf Norona, a local historian, archeologist, and philatelist of Moundsville. Most of the correspondence concerns the "Horn Papers", their publication and eventual discrediting as a historical hoax perpetrated by W. F. Horn. Supposedly based upon authentic eighteenth-century diaries, court records and maps, the Horn Papers was a collection of transcripts about the early settlement of the Ohio Valley. Norona, as an authority on the frontier era, was initially impressed and worked with the Greene County (Pa.) Historical Society to get the transcripts published. He then later served on the investigating committee sponsored by the Institute of Early American History and Culture in Williamsburg, Virginia, which proved the transcripts to be fraudulent. There are also letters concerning the West Virginia Historical Society, of which Norona served several terms as president. Among the prominent correspondents are Carl Bridenbaugh, Lawrence Henry Gipson, and Arthur Pierce Middleton.</abstract>
    <physloc id="aspace_912dd8f79e4bc69339ae3e2782b8c19e">West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: <a href="https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/">West Virginia &amp; Regional History Center</a></physloc>
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<p>No special access restriction applies.</p>  </accessrestrict>
  <prefercite id="aspace_5fba7b166840a02477228c4885e5369a">
    <head>Preferred Citation</head>
<p>[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Delf Norona, Historian, Correspondence, A&amp;M 3076, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.</p>  </prefercite>
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<p>Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the <a href="https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/visit/permissions-and-copyright" target="_blank">Permissions and Copyright page</a> on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.</p>  </userestrict>
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    <corpname source="local_LC">West Virginia Historical Society</corpname>
    <persname authfilenumber="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50040863" source="Library of Congress Name Authority File">Bridenbaugh, Carl</persname>
    <persname authfilenumber="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n85031378" source="Library of Congress Name Authority File">Gipson, Lawrence Henry, 1880-1971</persname>
    <persname authfilenumber="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2014001625" source="Library of Congress Name Authority File">Horn, W. F.</persname>
    <persname authfilenumber="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n84041559" source="Library of Congress Name Authority File">Middleton, Arthur Pierce</persname>
    <persname authfilenumber="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/nr97039553" source="Library of Congress Name Authority File">Norona, Delf, 1895-1974</persname>
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