Lampton-Lynch Family Papers, 1842-1930
Held by The Filson Historical Society
Creator: Lampton-Lynch family
Title: Papers, 1842-1930
Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Curator of Special Collections.
Size of Collection: 0.66 Cubic Feet
Location Number: Mss./A/L237
Scope and Content Note
The Lampton – Lynch family papers consist of personal correspondence largely from the late 1870s and early 1880s, land records from the late nineteenth century, and a few news clippings. These records document property transactions and family life in the Louisville, Kentucky area.
The bulk of the personal correspondence consists of letters written to Olivia Lampton, in various Kentucky locations, from her mother Mary Dinwiddie, near Millwood, Kentucky. The letters generally describe farm and family life in the area, and focus on the weather, life events of people in the area, the illnesses and activity of various family members, sewing, gardening, the schooling of younger members of the family, and local news. There are also letters written to Olivia Dinwiddie, maiden name of Olivia Lampton, of Leitchfield, Kentucky. Nearly all of these come from M. J. Ferguson of Lexington, Kentucky, and later Bethany, West Virginia. Ferguson attended the Kentucky University at Lexington, where he studied theology with the intention of becoming a preacher. The letters largely concern Ferguson’s unsuccessful courtship of Dinwiddie and its aftermath, but also reference his life at the school, the weather, local news, and his views on family.
The correspondence also includes letters from Agnes Jane [—–], of Scotland, to her family near Millwood, Kentucky. Agnes Jane often addresses these letters to “Dear cousin,” so their intended recipient is not always entirely clear; however, Mary Dinwiddie and Olivia’s father, William Dinwiddie, were both from Scotland. It seems likely that they were either sent to Olivia Lampton (above) or Olivia’s mother, Mary Dinwiddie, who then forwarded them to Olivia. The letters largely concern various family members, the weather, and sewing.
Finally, there is a small amount of correspondence written to Mary Lampton, daughter of Olivia Lampton, of Cincinnati, Ohio and various locations in Kentucky. The correspondence concerns news of family members, and letters of condolence for the death of a family member, possibly her father who died in November, 1918. There is also a party invitation in the shape of a small skull.
The land records primarily consist of deeds, mortgages, and survey notes created by or on behalf of M. M. Lynch, including multiple surveys of the area around Salt Lick Creek, Kentucky. There are also miscellaneous land papers which include deeds and mortgages for property owned by the Franklin, Dawson, Phelps, and Young families. A small number of records, including plats and maps, relate to property concerning the Kirkwood family, especially an area near Charleston, Kentucky, which was leased to the Colonial Coal Mining Co. in the 1950s. There are two original land grants for property in Hopkins County, Kentucky. These were issued to Stephen Franklin and M. M. Lynch.
Finally, there are a small number of news clippings consisting of obituaries of various Kentucky residents.
The finding aid folder for this collection includes a Kirkwood family genealogy dating from Hugh Kirkwood, born in Ireland circa 1770. This genealogy appears to focus almost exclusively on American male descendants of this person.
Biographical Note
Lamptons
The correspondence is chiefly related to the women of the Dinwiddie and Lampton families. The bulk of this correspondence is letters sent to Olivia Lampton by her mother, Mary Dinwiddie. Mary Dinwiddie (nee Robinson or Robson) wrote to Olivia from the family farm near Millwood, Kentucky, and often discussed Olivia’s father William Dinwiddie (born in Scotland), and Olivia’s siblings Robert, William, and Joseph.
Olivia also retained letters from M. J. Ferguson, who pursued an unsuccessful courtship before her marriage to James H. Lampton (spelled “Lampson” in some records) in Grayson, Kentucky. Ferguson studied theology at Lexington (later Transylvania) University and eventually moved to Bethany, West Virginia.
A small number of letters from a cousin in Scotland (Agnes Jane, surname unknown) are included, as is a small amount of correspondence to Olivia’s daughter, Mary Lampton. Mary attended the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Hazard College in Hazard, Kentucky, and later resided in Louisville, Kentucky. Mary Lampton married V. B. Christopher in Clark, Indiana on 19 October 1944.
Lynch
The land records primarily reflect real property concerned with M. M. Lynch, although there is also material concerning the Kirkwood, Franklin, Dawson, Phelps, and Young families. These records appear to largely concern land in Eastern Kentucky, particularly the areas around Salt Lick Creek.
Folder List
Folder 1: Olivia Dinwiddie Incoming Correspondence, 1870-1873
Folder 2: Agnes Jane [—–] Outgoing Correspondence, 1872-1877, undated
Folder 3: Olivia Lampton Incoming Correspondence, 1873-1877
Folder 4: Olivia Lampton Incoming Correspondence, 1878
Folder 5: Olivia Lampton Incoming Correspondence, 1879
Folder 6: Olivia Lampton Incoming Correspondence, 1880-1881
Folder 7: Olivia Lampton Incoming Correspondence, 1902, undated
Folder 8: Mary Lampton Incoming Correspondence, 1907-1919
Folder 9: Hopkins County Land Grants to Lynch and Franklin, 1842, 1891
Folder 10: Salt Lick Creek Surveys of M. M. Lynch Property, 1870s-1890s
Folder 11: M. M. Lynch Deeds and Mortgages, 1870s-1880s
Folder 12: M. M. Lynch Deeds and Mortgages, 1870s-1880s
Folder 13: M. M. Lynch Deeds and Mortgages, 1880s-1890s
Folder 14: Miscellaneous Land Papers, 1870s-1880s, 1930
Folder 15: Kirkwood Family Land Papers, 1917, 1923, 1927, 1949, 1952, 1956
Folder 16: News clippings, undated
Subject Headings
Barbecuing – Kentucky
Courtship – Kentucky
Deeds – Kentucky
Dentistry – Kentucky
Dinwiddie, Mary, 1829-1900
Dinwiddie family
Divorce – Kentucky
Education – Kentucky
Elections – Kentucky
Escaped prisoners – Kentucky
Farm life – Kentucky
Feral dogs – Kentucky
Ferguson, M. J.
Fugitives from justice – Kentucky – Leitchfield
Fugitives from justice – Texas
Halloween – Kentucky – Hazard
Hunting – Kentucky
Hunting accidents – Kentucky
Invitation cards – Kentucky – Hazard
Kentucky – Maps
Kentucky – Social life and customs
Kentucky – Climate
Kentucky University
Kirkwood family
Lampton, Olivia Dinwiddie, 1854-1934
Lampton family
Land titles – Kentucky
Lynch, M. M.
Mortgages – Kentucky
Obituaries – Kentucky
Preaching – Kentucky
Race relations
Real property – Kentucky
Scotland
Sewing
Toothache – Kentucky
Transylvania University
Weather
