.
By Sharon Brown McConnell, Amanda Hoover
Collection Overview
Scope and Contents of the Materials
The Green - Fife - White Family Papers consist of correspondence and other documents from the family of Daniel Green and Margaret Ross Green and their descendants. The letters from Ireland to Alexander Fife are especially interesting as they discuss the economic and political situation in Ireland as well as information about family members and neighbors. The last letter in that series briefly mentions the Potato Famine. There are also numerous documents relating to slaves and slavery including a ledger which records slave birth dates and children from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The correspondence in the collection also includes letters written during the Civil War in which currency and conditions during the war are mentioned.
The diary of Martha White was begun on December 30, 1905 when she left Richmond, Kentucky to become a trained nurse in Dr. Price's Hospital in Philadelphia. For the next three years subsequent entries describe her fellow nurses, the patients, their ailments, and her activities during her free time as well as other topics giving the researcher a good overview of the life of a young woman training to become a nurse in the early 20th century.
Collection Historical Note
In 1793, Margaret Ross of Ireland was married to Daniel Green of Maryland. They had six children. Of these a daughter, Mary, married Alexander Fife of Ireland on August 2, 1832. It was their daughter Mary Elizabeth Green Fife who married Brutus White on October 30, 1866. Mr. White died in 1916, but Mrs. White lived well into the twentieth century. She died in 1947 at the age of 101. Six of ten children survived her. The correspondence involving those in these three families, Green - Fife - White, comprises much of the collection revealing a great deal of information about the life and times of these families for over a century. For more information consult the genealogical chart is included in these papers. Much is learned of the families by reading the deeds, surveys, and wills. Land exchanged hands among family members easily and often. This was indeed a very loosely 'woven but close knit family.' This is evident in the given names of the children. Each family seemed to have an Alexander, William, Mary, Daniel, or John. In reading through the papers it is necessary to go back to the genealogical chart from time-to-time to further check on who-was-who.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository:
Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives
Accruals:
The Dorris Museum receipts were processed as Box 2.
Acquisition Source:
Morris, Jerree A.
Finding Aid Revision History:
Originally processed in 1989 by Sharon Brown McConnell. Correspondence reprocessed and separated into families by Jackie Couture in 2003. Dorris Museum receipts were processed by Amanda Hoover and added to the collection in 2009.
Box and Folder Listing
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- Box 1
- Barcode: 31234013796691
- Folder 1: Fife, Alexander, Correspondence to, 1824-1847
- This folder consists of correspondence to Alexander from his family in Ireland. The letters are full of family information and community gossip, as well as economic and political commentary and provide insight into Ireland in the first half of the 19th century.
- Item 1: Ann Fife to Alexander Fife, 16 May 1824
- Item 2: Ann Fife (Mother) to Alexander Fyffe, 10 May 1829
- Item 3: Ann Fife to Alexander Fife, 26 Mar 1832
- Item 4: Ann Fife (Mother) to Alexander Fife (Son), 16 Apr 1834
- Item 5: David Fyffe (Brother) to Alexander Fyffe, 18 May 1835
- Item 6: William Fyffe (Brother) to Alexander Fife, 1 May 1836
- Item 7: William Fyffe (Brother) to Alexander Fife, 6 Apr 1839
- Item 8: William Fife (Brother) to Alexander Fyffe, 6 May 1839
- Item 9: William Fyffe to Alexander Fyffe, 6 Apr 1840
- Item 10: William Fyffe to Alexander Fife, 21 Oct 1840
- Item 11: Archibald & Latoria Moor (Uncle & Aunt) to Alexander Fife, 5 Jun 1841
- Item 12: William Fife to Alexander Fife, 2 Aug 1841
- Item 13: William Fyffe to Alexander Fife, 2 Sep 1841
- Item 14: William Fife & Charles Forbes to Alexander Fife, 12 Dec 1841
- Item 15: William Fife to Alexander Fife, 10 May 1842
- Item 16: William Fife to Alexander, 9 Jun 1843
- Item 17: Charles & Elizabeth Forbes to Alexander Fife, 23 Dec 1843
- Item 18: William Fife to Alexander Fife, 28 Dec 1843
- Item 19: Ann Fife to Alexander Fife, 12 Nov 1844
- Item 20: Charles Forbes to Alexander Fife, 13 Apr 1845
- Item 21: William Fife to Alexander Fife, 24 May 1845
- Item 22: William & Eliza Fife (Br. & Sister) to Alexander Fife, 28 Jan 1847
- Item 23: William & Elizabeth Fife to Alexander Fife, 27 Jun 1847
- Folder 2: Fife, James G., Correspondence, 1853-1863
- These letters from friends include news from Centre College, as his friend Alexander Henry is a student there in the 1850s. Letters from family members talk about health and family news and several letters talk about the purchase of a pianoforte for Mary E.G. Fife. The latter talk about currency that can be used in Boston during the Civil War.
- Item 1: [William Fife] to James [G. Fife], 3 May 1854
- Item 2: Alexander Henry to James [G. Fife], 19 May 1854
- Item 3: William Fife to James [G. Fife], 16 Jul 1854
- Item 4: May T.S. Green James G. Fife, 25 Mar 1855
- Item 5: A. Henry to James [Fife], 7 Apr 1855
- Item 6: A. Henry to Jas. Fife, 30 May 1855
- Item 7: John Hutchison to James Fife, 4 Jun 1855
- Item 8: Alexander Forbes to [James Fife], 23 Jan 1859
- Item 9: Alexander Forbes to James Fife, 22 May 1859
- Item 10: Alexander Forbes to [James Fife], 4 Sep 1859
- Item 11: E. Whittelsey to Mr. Fife, 29 May 1862
- Item 12: E. Whittelsey to Mr. Fife, 16 Jun 1862
- Item 13: E. Whittelsey to Mr. Fife, 14 Feb 1863
- Item 14: E. Whittelsey to Mr. Fife, 26 Mar 1863
- Item 15: E. Whittelsey to Mr. Fife, 18 Apr 1863
- Folder 3: Fife, Mary E.G., Correspondence, 1861-1882
- Item 1: E. Whittelsey to Mary [Fife], 10 Jun 1861
- Whittlsey is Mary's piano teacher.
- Item 2: E. Whittelsey to Mary [Fife], 23 Aug 1861
- Item 3: E. Whittelsey to Mary [Fife], 23 Oct 1861
- Item 4: E. Whittelsey to Mary [Fife], 26 Feb 1862
- Item 5: Gustavus Dieckman to Miss Marie [Fife], 24 Mar 1862
- Item 6: Gustavus Dieckman to Mollie [Fife], 15 Apr 1863
- Item 7: E. Whittelsey to Mary [Fife], 15 Sep 1863
- Item 8: William N. Nonnell to Mary E.G. Fife, 5 May 1864
- Item 9: William [Nonnell] to Mary [Fife], 12 Jul 1864
- Item 10: [William Nonnell] to Sis [Mary Fife], 15 Jul 1864
- Item 11: William [Nonnell] to Mary [Fife], 30 Jul 1864
- Item 12: William [Nonnell] to Mary [Fife], 5 Aug 1864
- Item 13: William [Nonnell] to Mary [Fife], 3 Sep 1864
- Item 14: Annie White to Blanton
- Undated letter written on the back of the previous letter.
- Item 15: W. Nonnell to Mary E.G. Fife, 11 Jan 1865
- Item 16: W.N. Nonnell to Mary E.G. Fife, 10 May 1865
- Item 17: Geo. W. French to Miss Mollie [Fife], 3 Jul 1865
- Item 18: William [Nonnell] to Mary [Fife], 24 Oct 1865
- Item 19: B. Lyons to Mary E.G. Fife, 16 Jan 1866
- Item 20: Gustavus Dieckman to Mary [Fife], 11 Feb 1866
- Item 21: Gustavan Dieckman to Mary, 23 Feb 1866
- Item 22: B[eatty] L[yons] to Mary Fife, 6 Apr 1866
- Item 23: Bettie to [Mary Fife], 15 May 1866
- Item 24: B[eatty] L[yons] to [Mary Fife], 8 Jun 1866
- Item 25: Betty Miller to Mary [Fife], 19 Jun 1866
- Item 26: Beatty Lyons to Mary Fife, 29 Oct 1866
- Item 27: Bettie to [Mary Fife], 10 Sep 1868
- Item 28: Morris T. Long to Mrs. Brutus White, 2 Nov 1881
- On Kentucky Institute for the Deaf and Dumb letterhead.
- Item 29: Betty Peck to [Mary White], 24 Aug 1882
- Folder 4: Fife, Mary R., Correspondence, 1833-1880
- Item 1: Moses Russell to Mary R. Fife, 27 Nov 1833
- Item 2: Alexander Green Fife to Mother [Mary R. Fife], 8 Apr 1863
- Item 3: Mary C. Armstrong to Mrs. [Mary R.] Fife, 18 Jan 1867
- Item 4: James R. Green to Mrs. Mary Fife, 31 Oct 1880
- Folder 5: Fife Correspondence-Miscellaneous
- Item 1: Alexander Henry to Mr. [Alexander] Fife, 19 Sep 1853
- Item 2: A. Henry to Mr. [Alexander] Fife, 27 Jan 1855
- Item 3: Mary E. G. Fife to Laura, 7 Jan 1863
- Item 4: B. Lyons to Alex [Fife], 28 Aug 1866
- Item 5: Buster to Sister, 16 Apr 1868
- Item 6: Fannie F. Green to Cousin, 5 Feb 1872
- Item 7: Mary to Mollie De L. Fife, 3 Jul 1892
- Item 8: David Fife to Cousin, 15 Mar 1897
- Item 9: Lizie Gilmour to Brother & Cusin, Oct 1901
- Item 10: Samuel & Eliza Gilmour to Friend & Cusin, 3 May 1902
- Folder 6: Green, Daniel Correspondence
- Item 1: [James R. Green] to Daniel Green, 10 Feb 1826
- Writing about his classes and President Holly of Transylvania.
- Item 2: James R. Green to Daniel Green, 6 Sep 1827
- Folder 7: Green, James R., Correspondence
- Item 1: William R. Green to James R. Green, 7 Nov 1825
- Item 2: Mary R. Green to James R. Green, 26 Feb 1826
- Item 3: J. Green to James R. Green, 16 Apr 1826
- Item 4: Mary R. Green to James R. Green, 23 Nov 1826
- Item 5: Solon Miller to James R. Green, 4 Dec 1826
- Item 6: G.W.B. to James R. Green, 15 Jul 1827
- Item 7: Unsigned letter to James R. Green, 9 Aug 1827
- Item 8: D[aniel] Green to James R. Green, 12 Sep 1827
- Item 9: William D. Smith to James R. Green, 24 Dec 1827
- Item 10: William Ross to James R. Green, 15 Nov 1833
- Item 11: Jane Russell to James R. Green, 8 Oct
- Item 12: C.A. Hawkins to James R. Green, 18 Nov
- Folder 8: Green Correspondence-Miscellaneous
- Item 1: Sophia T. Hawkins to Misses Green, 19 Feb 1825
- Item 2: C. Hawkins to Miss Greenes, 7 Sep 1829
- Item 3: William Ross to William Green, 23 Aug 1846
- Folder 9: White, Emma L., Correspondence
- Item 1: Annie to Emma (sister), 15 Apr 1880
- Item 2: W[illiam] H. W[atts] to Emma Lucile White, 24 Jan 1898
- This letter is written from Klondyke, Northwest Territory and describes life in Alaska including a night when his cabin slid down the side of the mountain.
- Item 3: Will [Watts] to Emma [White], 4 Apr 1898
- He writes about small pox in Richmond.
- Folder 12: Deeds and Surveys
- Over thirty deeds and surveys are included in this series, the earliest being dated in 1797. The latest deed is dated 1881 and is filed preceding three undated years of surveys. Some of the surveys were signed by John Crooke and Kiah Crooke, early surveyors in Kentucky. Information contained in the deeds indicated that much land was handed back and forth among family.
- Item 1: Green to ?, 04-21-1797
- Item 2: To Green, 09-13-1799
- Item 3: Green To Caldwell, 10-06-1802
- Item 4: Survey by J. Anderson for Daniel Green, 05-14-1814
- Item 5: A. Smith to D. Green, 12-09-1819
- Item 6: Asa Smith to Green, 02-16-1820
- Item 7: Asa Smith to Green, 02-25-1820
- Item 8: Page to Green, 09-12-1821
- Item 9: Tandy Page to D. Green, 10-07-1822
- Item 10: Clark to D. Green, 09-08-1826
- Item 11: Survey for William Ross, 06-20-1828
- Item 12: Green to Guyer, 09-13-1829
- Item 13: Guyer to Green, 12-08-1829
- Item 14: Alverston to Green, 01-05-1830
- Item 15: Survey for Mary Potter from John Stone, 10-31-1831
- Item 16: Fife to J. Green, 05-03-1837
- Item 17: Taxable Property (Mary Fife), 1839-1840
- Item 18: Survey for J. Green from Crooke, 05-15-1855
- Item 19: Anderson March to Wm. Fife, 03-05-1860
- Item 20: Survey for Andy March by Kiah Crooke, 04-13-1860
- Item 21: Andy March to Wm. S. G. Fife, 05-01-1860
- Item 22: Wm. Fife to Alex Fife, 12-18-1860
- Item 23: Wm. Fife's Purchase, 05-20-1867
- Item 24: Mary Fife to J. R. G. Fife, 05-29-1867
- Item 25: S. Turner to William Fife, 01-18-1868
- Item 26: S. Turner to William Fife, 03-04-1868
- Item 27: A. M. White to Brutus White, 11-05-1868
- Item 28: Wm. S. G. Fife to Jas. R. G. & Alex G. Fife, 05-10-1869
- Item 29: Fife to Fife, 12-18-1877
- Item 30: Brutus White to W. S. G. Fife, 03-19-1878
- Item 31: James R. G. Fife, 05-21-1881
- Item 32: W. S. G. to Jas. R. G. Fife, 06-09-1881
- Item 33: Elihu Green to David Green, undated
- Item 34: Miller to Smith, undated
- Item 35: Survey by John Parish, undated
- Folder 13: Martha White Diary, 1905-1908
- The first entry in the diary of Martha White is December 30, 1905 when she left Richmond, Kentucky to become a trained nurse in Dr. Price's Hospital in Philadelphia. For the next three years subsequent entries describe her fellow nurses, the patients, their ailments, her activities during her free time, the names of churches she attended, clothing she purchased, and trips she enjoyed on her holidays. The diary is in remarkably good condition although the paper is yellowing and becoming brittle. The diary is a careful chronicle of Miss White's life during her first three years in Philadelphia.
- Folder 14: Financial Records
- This folder includes a small ledger kept by Daniel Green in which he lists all his slaves and their birth dates and their children. Also included is information about trips to take livestock to market and information about prices and buyers.
- Item 1: Note Held by Ann White, 8-25-1865
- Item 2: List of Slaves and Livestock, undated
- includes purchase prices
- Item 3: Daniel Green Account Book, undated
- List of slaves with birth dates and children as well as livestock information.
- Folder 15: Genealogy, undated
- This folder contains several clippings on Mary White and Irvine White, the family record section from the Bible of Daniel Green, a list of those buried in the Green Cemetery on Barnes Mill Road, and a family tree giving the names of the descendants of Daniel Green and Margaret Ross. Most of the material has been photocopied and like items are filed together. The dates of the clippings are ca. 1940s while the Bible records begin in 1794 and end about 1869.
- Folder 16: Miscellaneous, 1827-1955
- This series consists of twenty items ranging from a poem entitled 'To My Bobwhite" by Katheryn Parke to a copy of the oath in 1850 admitting Alexander Fife as a citizen of the United States.
- Item 1: James R. Green speech for the 22nd of February (George Washington's Birthday), 02-01-1830
- Item 2: Bill of sales - slave- Wm. Morrison to Daniel Green, 09-17-1832
- Item 3: Gift of slaves deeded to Alexander Fife and wife Mary R. from Daniel Green, 06-15-1837
- Subject/Index Terms:
-
Slavery - Kentucky
- Item 4: Oath admitting Alexander Fife as citizen of U.S., 09-00-1850
- Item 5: Law Suit, 10-18-1852
- Plaintiffs: Richard Freeman, William Ross, Elizabeth Ross, Defendants: William R. Green, Alexander and Mary Fife, Allen Anderson (2 copies)
- Item 6: Report card for Alexander Fife (son of Mary and Alexander Fife), 04-01-1861
- Item 7: Oath of Allegiance - Jas. R.G. Fife, 7 Aug 1862
- Item 8: Military Oath - James Fife, 18 Sep 1863
- Item 9: Draft notice - slave - George Fife, 21 Sep 1864
- Item 10: Military Oath - Durrett White, 03-23-1865
- From Dorris Museum Collection, accession # 118.175
- Item 11: Funeral Notice - Jane R. Green, 11-07-1898
- Item 12: Ticket from San Diego Exposition, 9 Jan 1915
- Item 13: News Clipping - Betty Forbes - Heat stroke, 5 Jul 1921
- Item 14: Thank you note from Mary Fife White for her 101st birthday, 28 Feb 1947
- Item 15: News Clipping - Razing of John Bradford home, 9 Mar 1955
- Item 16: Reward of Merit (2) - Sarah White, undated
- Item 17: Sympathy card from Eugene Barnes, undated
- Item 18: Mrs. Brutus White "news clipping", undated
- Item 19: Poem "To My Bobwhite" by Katheryn Parke, undated
- Item 20: Delivery notice from Farmers' Wholesale Grocery Company, 17 Oct 1891
- Item 21: Poem by George Thanking Someone for a Birthday Gift, 11 Nov 1939
- Folder 17: Receipts, 1808-1901
- This folder consists of bills of sale for slaves to Daniel Green from 1808-1822, business receipts for school tuition and merchandise, a few cancelled checks, receipts of payments to Mary Fife, and a receipt for funeral services for family members. Some items are laminated or photocopied.
- Item 1: Sales of Slaves - To Daniel Green, 09-09-1808
- Item 2: Sales of Slaves - To Daniel Green, 07-01-1811
- Item 3: Sales of Slaves - To Daniel Green, 10-12-1822
- Item 4: Sale of Merchandise - to Alex Fife, 01-02-1822
- Item 5: Payment to Sidney Green (Legacy), 02-22-1844
- Item 6: Note indicating money owed to Sidney Green, 01-05-1846
- Item 7: Books and tuition for Daniel ans William Fife, 11-09-1846
- Item 8: Payment to Sidney Green (Legacy), 05-24-1847
- Item 9: Receipt for tuition (Alex Fife), 08-16-1851
- Item 10: Receipt for interest in school home (A. Fife), 08-19-1851
- Item 11: Received of Brutus White - Ann and Mark White, 10-03-1865
- Item 12: Payment in full - Funeral Services - James Fife, 05-27-1867
- Item 13: Received of Brutus White - Mary R. Fife, 01-01-1868
- Item 14: Received of J.R.G. Fife - Mary R. Fife, 01-01-1869
- Item 15: Received of Brutus White - Mary R. Fife, 01-01-1869
- Item 16: Received of Brutus White - Mary R. Fife, 01-01-1870
- Item 17: O.U. to Brutus White from M. Turner, 01-01-1872
- Item 18: O.U. to Brutus White from C.H. Howenton, 06-03-1872
- Item 19: Receipt from tuition installment, 01-01-1874
- Item 20: Funeral Services - W.S.G. Fife and Brutus White, 03-02-1888
- Item 21: Cancelled check to Leon Fife from Brutus White, 7 Jul 1900
- Item 22: Cancelled check to Annie Fife from Brutus White, 1 May 1901
- Folder 18: Teaching Certificates, 1850-1862
- Item 1: Certification for Margaret R. Green, 05-27-1850
- Item 2: Certification for Daniel G. Fife, 01-12-1860
- Item 3: Permission for Daniel G. Fife to build a school and teach, 01-22-1862
- Folder 19: Wills, 1838-1841
- Wills and settlements between various members of the family.
- Item 1: William Ross Will, 11-03-1838
- Item 2: Daniel Green Will, 05-18-1840
- Item 3: Settlement, 09-12-1841
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