Lilly Family Papers, 1780-1991 | Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

Collection Overview

Title: Lilly Family Papers, 1780-1991

Extent: 12.12 Cubic Feet

Date Acquired: 09/22/1978. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Boonesboro (Ky.), Honor Societies., Kentucky--History--Civil War, 1861-1865., Kentucky--Politics and government--1865-1950., Kentucky--Politics and government., Kentucky--Social life and customs--19th century., Kentucky--Social life and customs--20th century., Madison County (Ky.), Madison County (Ky.)--History--19th century., Madison County (Ky.)--History., Madison County (Ky.)--Social life and customs--19th century., Madison County (Ky.)--Social life and customs--20th century., Madison County (Ky.)--Surveys., Madison Female Institute, Politics, Practical, Railroad companies--United States., Richmond (Ky.)--History--Pictorial works., World's Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.), World War, 1914-1918., World War, 1939-1945.

Languages: English, Spanish;Castilian

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Lilly Family Papers contain correspondence, photographs, legal material, publications, scrapbooks, memorabilia, and genealogical information. Much of the material in this collection deals with the many organizations with which the Lillys were involved, such as Democratic clubs, Daughters of the American Revolution, or the Gas Consumers' League. In addition to materials involving organizations, there is also an abundance of legal documents which attest to Grant Lilly's service as a lawyer and judge. There are many publications which highlight the interests and involvements of the family, including Austin Lilly. Since the original collection was submitted by Austin Lilly herself, there are aspects of the papers which highlight Austin's life and career, especially her involvement with the University of Kentucky and the Lexington Opera House.

Collection Historical Note

Grant E. Lilly was born in Estill County on February 27, 1865. He was the son of Colonel Henry Clay Lilly, a circuit judge of the Irvine district and a colonel in the 14th Kentucky Calvary, United States Army, during the Civil War, and Catherine Tracy, a member of a pioneer Pennsylvania family whose descendents moved to Kentucky.

Mr. Lilly received his early education in the private school in Madison County at College Hill and Dr. Elliot's School for Boys at Kirksville. He attended Central University in Richmond and was a honor graduate of the University of Michigan Law School in 1889. Upon completion of his studies at Ann Arbor, he returned to Irvine where he served as county attorney of Estill County. He had also taught school before receiving his law training. Like his father, Lilly became active in the Republican Party, but around 1900 switched his allegiance to the Democratic Party.

Anna Dudley McGinn Lilly was born February 27, 1872, in Maysville, Kentucky, the daughter of the Reverend John Bolivar McGinn and Mary Elizabeth Sheppard McGinn. She spent her early life in Versailles, where her father was minister of the Christian church.

On October 19, 1883, Grant E. Lilly and Anna D. McGinn were married in Versailles. They had one daughter, Austin Page Lilly; a son, John Marion Lilly; and a younger son, Grant Lilly, Jr., who died at the age of 12 in 1916. After marrying, the Lillys lived in Richmond where they were involved in numerous civic projects and organizations. Lilly was one of the leaders, along with Dr. Hugh McClellan, Col. C. E. Woods, and Col. N. B. Deatherage, in a local option fight prior to prohibition. Lilly as a member of the Prandennial Club, a charter member of the first Chamber of Commerce organized in Richmond, as well as one of the sponsors of the Richmond Chautauqua. He also was a member of the American Bar Association, the Kentucky Bar Association, and one of the organizers of the Madison Bar Association.

He was owner and editor of three newspapers, the Madisonian, which he founded, the Richmond Climax, and the Kentucky Register which later were merged into the Richmond Daily Register. The Kentucky Register was purchased by Lilly for his wife who was its editor.

In 1918 the Lillys moved to Lexington. Lilly was elected president of the Gas Consumers League which worked for the taxpayers in an effort to reduce the price of natural gas. Lilly ran for mayor of Lexington in 1927 and lost.

Anna Lilly was very interested in Central Kentucky politics and civic affairs. She became affiliated with the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1912 as a member of the Boonesborough Chapter, later transferring her membership to the Lexington Chapter, of which she subsequently became regent. Mrs. Lilly was regent of the Kentucky DAR from 1923 to 1926. In 1928, she spearheaded a drive to have the state legislature approve a bill designating "My Old Kentucky Home" as the official state song. The first rendition of Stepen Foster's composition was sung on Sunday, April 15, 1928, at the Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The occasion was the dedication of the Kentucky bell in the memorial chapel there. The bell in the carillion at Valley Forge was purcased with $1000 raised by Mrs. Lilly and a committee of the DAR. She was an honorary life regent of both the state and Lexington DAR.

With the advent of women's suffrage in 1920, Mrs. Lilly organized the first Woodrow Wilson Club and in 1932 she founded the Roosevelt Democratic Club of Richmond. Twice she was county associate chairman for the Fayette Club of Kentucky. She actively supportive Alben Barkley's several successful senatorial campaigns.

Mrs. Lilly was four times president of the Richmond Women's Club; a member of the Women's Club of Central Kentucky; a charter member of the Madison County Historical Society, the Lexington McDowell Music Club and the Bradford Club of Lexington; and held membership in the Huguenot Society of South Carolina, the Colonial Dames of Kentucky and the state and state and national officers' club of the DAR. She was organizing president of the Kentucky branch of the Huguenot Society of the Founders of the Manakin Towne and of the Paul Revere chapter of the Children of the American Revolution.

During Lexington's sesqui-centennial celebration, Mrs. Lilly was chairman of the Hall of Fame, which featured an outstanding collection of historical items. She was instrumental in the naming of Henry Clay High School and served on the board of the Henry Clay Memorial Foundation when it began work on making Ashland a state shrine.

She was a member of the board of direcotrs of the Pioneer National Monument Association which acquired the Blue Lick battlefield and other historic spots in Kentucky. She eaded the Madison County Liberty Loan and War Savings stamp drive in World War I and served as co-chaiman of many Madison Red Cross campaigns. She worked with the NRA in the 1930s and was a honorary member of the VFW during World War II.

Grant Lilly died January 5, 1940, and Anna D. Lilly died July 30, 1948. Both are buried at the Richmond cemetery. Austin Lilly died September 18, 1991, in Georgetown, Kentucky.

Subject/Index Terms

Boonesboro (Ky.)
Honor Societies.
Kentucky--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.
Kentucky--Politics and government--1865-1950.
Kentucky--Politics and government.
Kentucky--Social life and customs--19th century.
Kentucky--Social life and customs--20th century.
Madison County (Ky.)
Madison County (Ky.)--History--19th century.
Madison County (Ky.)--History.
Madison County (Ky.)--Social life and customs--19th century.
Madison County (Ky.)--Social life and customs--20th century.
Madison County (Ky.)--Surveys.
Madison Female Institute
Politics, Practical
Railroad companies--United States.
Richmond (Ky.)--History--Pictorial works.
World's Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.)
World War, 1914-1918.
World War, 1939-1945.

Administrative Information

Repository: Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

Accruals: 1978 - 049, 1979 - 027, 1979 - 035, 1981 - 018, 1982 - 035, 1982 - 021, 1986 - 024, 1986 - 030, 1987 - 024, 1987 - 017, 1988 - 018, 1988 - 032, 1987 - 004

Acquisition Source: Lilly, Austin P.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Correspondence Series],
[Series 2: Financial Series],
[Series 3: Genealogy Series],
[Series 4: Legal Series],
[Series 5: Memorabilia Series],
[Series 6: Newspaper Clipping Series],
[Series 7: Photograph Series],
[Series 8: Publication Series],
[Series 9: Scrapbook Series],
[Series 10: Speech Series],
[Series 11: Subject Series],
[Series 12: Oversized],
[All]

Series 11: Subject Series

Sub-Series 1: Class Notes

Box 23

Barcode: 31234013924590

Folder 1: "Notes on Horace", 1887: Class Notes, Central University. Mixed loose pages containing notes on Horace.
Folder 2: "Education Notes", 1915: Notes on loose leaf paper, for "Miss Dilling." Notes regarding schoolroom management, reading, writing, science, and oral work for Grades 3 & 4.
Folder 3: Directory, 1959: Directory Notes, Guadalajara Summer School, Student Notes from Austin Lilly
Folder 4: Physics Notes, Undated: Physics lab notebook with notes on completed labs, as well as hand-drawn illustrations for each lab project

Sub-Series 2: Events and Invitations

Box 23

Folder 5: Events and Invitations, 1889 - 1919: Events of interest: Commencements, Sherwood Music Club Meetings, Redpath Chautauquas, and concerts
Folder 6: Events and Invitations, 1920 - 1929: Events of interest: Commencements, Women's Club of Richmond events, D.A.R. Meetings and conferences, Thomas Jefferson Centennial, 150th Anniversary event for the birthday of Henry Clay, Commemoration of the 145th Anniversary of the Battle of the Blue Licks, and the First Annual Meeting of the Democratic Women's Club of Kentucky.
Folder 7: Events and Invitations, 1930 - 1939: Events of interest: Commencements, D.A.R. Conferences and Meetings, Weddings, Washington Bicentennial Banquet, Stephen Collins Foster Memorial at University of Pittsburgh, and concerts/music events.
Folder 8: Events and Invitations, 1940 - 1969: Events of interest: Huguenot Society Meetings, Commencements, Weddings, Madison County Sesquicentennial Celebration, D.A.R. Conferences and Meetings, Church Dedications, Re-dedication of the Madison County Courthouse, and community concerts/events.
Folder 9: Events and Invitations, 1970 - Undated: Events of interest: Old Morristown Transylvania University Dedication, Commencements, Weddings, Birth Announcements, "War of the Sexes" lecture, community plays and concerts, "Minnie Maud Gibson at Eastern" Celebration, and holiday events
Folder 10: Austin Lilly: University of Kentucky, 1919 - 1969: Events involving Austin Lilly's time at the University of Kentucky, as a student as well as an instructor for her art class.
Folder 11: Madison Female Institute, 1886 - 1914: Contains many commencement documents, photos, and a page from Anna Lilly's scrapbook
Folder 12: Madison County Historical Society, 1934 - 1935: Contains programs for the bicentennial event as well as the dedication of the Glyndon Hotel
Folder 13: McCreary Dedication, 1957: Program for the Governor McCreary dedication in Richmond, Kentucky.

Box 24

Barcode: 31234013924608

Folder 1: Daniel Boone Bicentennial, 1934 - 1936: Contains programs, flyers, and reports for the Daniel Boone Bicentennial Celebrations
Folder 2: Lexington College of Music, 1920 - 1927: Contains programs for community concerts performed by or hosted at the Lexington College of Music
Folder 3: Romany Theatre, 1925 - 1927: Contains programs for shows and events held at the Romany Theatre in Lexington, KY.
Folder 4: Shubert Theater, 1934 - 1957: Contains programs for plays and musicals held at the Shubert Theater in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Folder 5: Opera House, 1912 - 1976: Contains programs for plays and other events held at the Lexington Opera House.
Folder 6: Woodland Auditorium, 1920 - 1936: Contains programs and plays and other events held at the Woodland Auditorium in Lexington, KY.
Folder 7: National Troubadours, 1911: Contains program and chorus cheat sheet for the National Troubadours
Folder 8: Madison and State Theatre, 1930: Contains programs for shows held at the Madison and State Theatre
Folder 9: Theatre Programs: Miscellaneous, Undated: Various programs for theatre productions, such as plays, musicals, or concerts.

Sub-Series 3: Poetry

Box 24

Folder 10: Rhymes, 1915 - 1944: Rhymes by Anna D. Lilly. Contains poetry written by Anna Lilly.
Folder 11: Poems, 1917: Contains some poetry written by Anna Lilly, as well as a small poem book written by Maurice Maeterlinck, and other poems by various individuals
Folder 12: Copyright and Correspondence, 1942 - 1947: Contains correspondence regarding the possibility of copyrighting the poetry written by Anna Lilly
Folder 13: Poems, 1903: Poems written by Bessie McGinn
Folder 14: Poems, 1917 - 1947: Additional poetry written by Anna Lilly

Sub-Series 4: Organizations

Box 24

Folder 15: Club Credits, Undated: Club Credits for the Richmond Women's Club
Folder 16: Reports and Minutes, 1933: Reports and Minutes for the Richmond Women's Club
Folder 17: Washington Bicentennial Banquet, 1932: Banquet held by the Richmond Women's Club
Folder 18: Henry Helm Floyd Chapter, 1927: Event Program for Henry Helm Floyd Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution
Folder 19: Bryan Station Chapter, 1940: Card for the unveiling of a tablet in Lexington, courtesy of the Daughters of the American Revolution Bryan Station Chapter
Folder 20: Boonesborough Chapter, 1914 -1946: Contains programs and invitations for events held at Fort Boonesborough by the Boonesborough chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution

Sub-Series 5: Subject Series: Miscellaneous

Box 24

Folder 21: Paper Dolls, Undated: Paper Dolls belonging to Austin Lilly. Contains two women and a little boy paper doll along with various clothing items

Box 25

Barcode: 31234013924616

Folder 1: Slate, Undated: Contains a notebook of slate. Notebook is filled with math problems.
Folder 2: Recipes, Undated: Contains various recipes and small recipe books
Folder 3: Membership Cards, Undated: Membership cards for the many organizations that the members of the Lilly family engaged with
Folder 4: Art Prints, Undated: Contains various prints of art, many of religious topic, previously owned by the Lilly family
Folder 5: Patents, 1888 - 1889: Contains patent information and correspondence regarding that patent for Dr. Pleasant A. Lilly. Pleasant Lilly had desired a patent for a new kind of medical tool case which would contain all of the most useful tools for surgeons and doctors. Included are drawings of his idea, as well as a written description of the case. Includes correspondence as he tries to secure the patent for his invention.
Folder 6: Miscellaneous, Undated: Contains architectural diagrams, fragments of writing, phone lists, small scrap paper notebook, a sermon, a plastic golden horseshoe, and dixie highway map.

Box 26

Barcode: 31234013924731

Folder 1: Scrapbook, Undated: Scrapbook removed from binding, with newsclippings and depictions of historical figures.
Folder 2: Miscellaneous, Undated: Of interest: 1864 Platforms broadside (presidential race), Lilly for Mayor, First Christ Church Dedication, Jefferson Centennial Certificate, State Organization Chart, large sample ballot, and a couple of large newspapers
Folder 3: Certificates and Diplomas, Undated: Certificates and diplomas belonging to Anna, Grant, and Austin Lilly for their academic achievements as well as their accomplishments and involvements with various organizations and clubs
Folder 4: Land Records, Undated: Various land records, surveys, and maps belonging to Grant Lilly. Land records are centered primarily in Richmond and Irvine, Kentucky, but also contains some information on Lexington, Kentucky. Some of the land records have to do with Grant Lilly's work as judge.
Folder 5: Oversize Photographs, Undated: Includes photos of Madison Female Institute Students, Model Laboratory School photo, family home photo, and photo of American teachers in Cuba.

Box 27

Barcode: 31234013924624

Folder 1: Ribbons and Flags, Undated: Top tray contains lodge ribbons from Irvine and Estill, as well as a banner flag for the Kentucky Federation of Women's Clubs
Folder 2: The Palladium, 1889: Yearbook for the fraternities of the University of Michigan
Folder 3: Miscellaneous, Undated: Colonial spoons, three dolls from Latin America, a key, a small box of pins and buttons, a Madison Female Institute ring, a ribbon for a women's suffrage event, ornate quill holders, ornate spool for thread, and a doll blouse.
Folder 4: Miscellaneous Fabrics, Undated: A belt bag from Blanton Lumber Co. in Richmond, KY. Fragments of fabric from Anna Lilly's Newspaper Dress. Pieces of quilt fabric.