Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Ora Makemson diary
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Ora Makemson diary
- Date
- 1904-1912 (inclusive)
- Creator
- Makemson, Ora, 1879-1919
- Extent
- 0.04 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Farm life -- Ohio
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged by format. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0053: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Ora Makemson diary, 1904-1912, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Ora (Shade) Makemson (1879-1919), born in Ohio, is the eldest daughter of Lollie K. Shade. On November 15, 1903, Ora married John S. Makemson (1880-1934), a farmer, and they had four sons together – Simon (1907-1961), Wallace (1909-1970), Donald (1912-1981), and Robert (1915-1963). She passed away in 1919.
- American Letters collector Wade Hall (1934-2015) was a native of Union Springs, Alabama. Starting in 1962, he lived in Louisville, where he taught English and chaired the English and Humanities/Arts programs at Kentucky Southern College and Bellarmine University. He also taught at the University of Illinois and the University of Florida. He held degrees from Troy State University (B.S.), the University of Alabama (M.A.), and the University of Illinois (Ph.D.). He served for two years in the U.S. Army in the mid-fifties. Dr. Hall was the author of books, monographs, articles, plays, and reviews relating to Kentucky, Alabama, and Southern history and literature. His most recent books include A Visit with Harlan Hubbard; High Upon a Hill: A History of Bellarmine College; A Song in Native Pastures: Randy Atcher's Life in Country Music; and Waters of Life from Conecuh Ridge.
- Scope and Content
- The Ora Makemson diary (dated 1904-1912; 0.04 cubic feet; 1 folder) comprises a diary kept by Ora that documents life as a farmer's wife in Ohio. The diary details life on the farm, interactions with neighboring families, and her opinions on some of her in-laws.
- The Ora Makemson diary collection is part of the Wade Hall Collection of American letters, which includes correspondence and diaries from all over North America covering the time period of the Civil to Korean Wars. The materials were collected by Wade Hall and document everyday men and women.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- The 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 Research Center.
Contents of the Collection
Diary, 1904-1912
Special Collections Research Center - Closed
The Breckinridge Research Room will be closed starting May 11, 2026, and anticipates re-opening Fall semester 2026 in an alternate location for the duration of the King Library renovation.
Reproduction requests will still be available during the closure.
Contact SCRC with questions.
Table of Contents
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.
Special Collections Research Center - Closed
The Breckinridge Research Room will be closed starting May 11, 2026, and anticipates re-opening Fall semester 2026 in an alternate location for the duration of the King Library renovation.
Reproduction requests will still be available during the closure.
Contact SCRC with questions.
Requests
No items have been requested.
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.
