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Finding-Aid for the Ligon Collection (MUM00269)

MUM00269

PURL

http://purl.oclc.org/umarchives/MUM000269/

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Summary Information

Repository
University of Mississippi Libraries
Title
Ligon Collection
ID
MUM00269
Date
1942-1945 1941-1945
Extent
0.5 Linear feet 1 box
Abstract
The Ligon Collection contains approximately 82 letters written to Herschel Ligon, a soldier during the Second World War. The letters are largely from Herschel's wife, Susan Wydell (Lott) Ligon, her mother "Mama" Lott and her sister, Dorothy Lott. The Lott family owned a café in Columbia, Mississippi, in Marion County. The collection also contains a photograph album of WWI era shots of Camp Shelby, Mississippi, and San Juan, Puerto Rico .

Preferred Citation

Ligon Collection (MUM00269). The Department of Archives and Special Collections, J.D. Williams Library, The University of Mississippi.

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Historical Note

In April 1941, Wydell and Herschel Ligon were newlyweds, married approximately one month before he entered the service. Wydell was one year out of Mississippi State College for Women in Columbus, where she appears to have attended for two years. Wydell's letters cover roughly a 14 month span between September 1941 and June 1942. There is a gap in the collection between June 1942 and September 1943. In September 1943, Wydell apparently gave birth to twin girls, named Suzy Lanova and Herschel Elaine. Suzy Lanova was named after Susan Wydell and Herschel's [sister] Lanova Ligon. Herschel Elaine was named for Herschel and Wydell's sister, Dorothy Elaine Lott. Wydell died shortly after the twins' birth. She possibly died during childbirth, although she also appears to have suffered from some sort of breast condition that required treatment at Oschner's Clinic in New Orleans. She mentions taking the drug "Thelin" as part of a treatment for a lump in her breast. Wydell's parents cared for the twins from 1943 at least until 1945 when the letters end.

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Scope and Contents Note

The Ligon Collection contains approximately 82 letters written to Herschel Ligon, a soldier during the Second World War. The letters are largely from Herschel's wife, Susan Wydell (Lott) Ligon, her mother "Mama" Lott and her sister, Dorothy Lott. The Lott family owned a café in Columbia, Mississippi, in Marion County.

The collection also contains a photograph album of WWI era shots of Camp Shelby, Mississippi, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is apparently unrelated to the correspondence.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

University of Mississippi Libraries 2005

Access Restrictions

Open.

Use Restriction

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use", that user may be liable for copyright infringement.

Immediate Source of Acquisition note

The collection was purchased from a paper dealer, Charles Apfelbaum and no extant background on the families or the letters was provided.

Processing Information

Processed by University of Mississippi Department Special Collections Staff . EAD encoded finding-aid begun September 2005.

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Controlled Access Headings

Personal Name(s)

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Collection Inventory

Correspondence 

Box 1 

[14 April 1941]. Cullie, Columbia, Mississippi, to Herschel [Ligon]. 1 p./ "Well how is the . ." with attached ALS. Wydell [Ligon] to Herschel [Ligon]. 2 pp./ "Don't understand why you . ." 

[5 March 1942]. WL to "My Own Darling" [HL]. 2 pp./ "I haven't had a . ." 

[5 March 1942]. WL to "My Sweetheart" [HL]. 5 pp./ "I was so relieved . ." 

[8 March 1942]. Fragment. WL to "My Sweetheart" [HL]. 2 pp./ "Have just gone back . ." with attached ALS. WL to "My Darling" {HL]. 3 pp./"Mother, Papa and I . ." 

[12 March 1942]. WL to "My Very own Darling" [HL]. 5 pp./ "I am so glad . ." 

[15 March 1942]. WL to "My Own Sweetheart" [HL]. 1 p./ "I didn't write you . 

[16 March 1942]. WL to "My Sweetheart" [HL]. 3 pp./ "I have just had . ." 

[19 March 1942]. WL to "My Sweetheart" [HL]. 1 p./ "Had two sweet letters . ." 

[20 May 1942]. WL to "My Darling" [HL]. 2 pp./ "I'm at the school . ." 

21 May 1942]. WL to "My Darling" [HL]. 2 pp./ "Didn't have a letter . ." 

[22 May 1942]. WL to "My Sweetheart" [HL]. 1 p./ "Had a very sweet . ." 

[23 May 1942]. WL to "My Sweetheart" [HL]. 1 p./ "Had you just as . ." 

[25 May 1942]. WL to "My Darling" [HL]. 1 p./ "Please excuse the pencil . ." 

[25 May 1942]. WL to "My Darling" [HL]. 1 p./ "I went over to . ." 

[26 May 1942]. WL to "My Darling" [HL]. 2 pp./ "Am staying at the . ." 

[27 May 1942]. WL to "My Darling" [HL]. 1 p./ "Did I get fooled . ." 

[28 May 1942]. WL to "My Darling" [HL]. 2 pp./ "Had a lovely letter . ." 

[29 May 1942]. WL to "My Darling" [HL]. 1 p./ "I just woke up . ." with attached TN. "Do You Remember" poem. 

[30 May 1942]. WL to "My Darling" [HL]. 1 p./ "Had a very sweet letter . ." 

[31 May 1942]. WL to "My Darling" [HL]. 1 p./ "Had two sweet letters . ." 

[1 June 1942]. WL to "My Darling" [HL]. 1 p./ "Carried this stationary . ." 

16 September 1943. Mama Lott to "My Dearest Son" [HL]. 4 pp./ "I didn't have time . ." 

20 September 1943. [Mama Lott], to "My Dearest Son" [HL]. 3 pp./ "Have just come from . ." 

[20 September 1943]. Lucia to HL. 1 p./ "Haven't much news know . ." 

[21 September 1943]. Mrs. J. S. Vaughn, Red Bank, New Jersey, to HL. 1 p./ "Received your letter on . ." 

24 September 1943. Dorothy Lott, Jackson, Mississippi, to HL. 1 p./ "I was so glad . ." 

[25 September 1943]. Dorothy Lott, Jackson, Mississippi, to HL. 2 pp./ "Another day has come . ." 

1 October 1943. Mama Lott to HL. 2 pp./ "Don't know whether you . ." 

25 October 1943. Mama Lott to HL. 3 pp./ "We received your letters . ." 

1 November 1943. Mama Lott to HL. 2 pp./ "Rec'd two letters from . ." 

22 November 1943. Mama Lott to "My Dearest Son" [HL]. 1 p./ "I wish I could hear . ." 

24 November 1943. Mama Lott to "My Dearest Son" [HL]. 1 p./ "I had 4 v-mail . ." 

19 December 1943. Mama Lott to "My Dearest Son" [HL]. 2 pp./ "How are you tonight . ." 

20 December 1943. [Mama Lott] to Lanova Ligon, Hermitage, Tennessee. 1 p./ "Suzy & Herschel received . ." 

28 December 1943. Mama Lott to "My Dearest Son" [HL]. 2 pp./ "Just received a vmail . ." 

2 January 1944. Mama Lott to "My Dearest Son" [HL]. 2 pp./ "Received two letters from . ." 

12 January 1944. Mama Lott to "My Dearest Son" [HL]. 2 pp./ "Received a letter from . ." 

15 February 1944. Mama Lott to "My Dearest Son" [HL]. 2 pp./ "I hope you are . ." with attached ALS. 29 February 1944. Mama Lott to "My Dearest Son" [HL]. 2 pp./ "How are you today . ." 

29 [February] 1944. Dorothy Lott to HL. 1 p./ "I haven't heard from . ." with two attached b/w photographs of infants Suzy and Herschel Ligon and Dorothy and Mama Lott holding the twins. 

11 April 1944. Mama Lott to "My Dearest Son" [HL]. 2 pp./ "I received your cable . ." 

14 January 1945. Mama Lott to "My Dearest Son" [HL]. 14 January 1945. 3 pp./ "How are you tonight . ." 

Photocopies of photograph album of WWI shots around Camp Shelby, Mississippi, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

Photograph album described in 98-55-1-18. Album located in Cold Room, as part of Collections Photographs.