Van Stockum, Ronald Reginald (1916-) Additional Papers, 1770-1827, 1885-2013
Held by The Filson Historical Society
Creator: Ronald Reginald Van Stockum, 1916-
Title: Additional Papers, 1770-1827, 1885-2013
Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Curator of Special Collections.
Size of Collection: 5 cu. ft.
Location Number: Mss. A V217b
Scope and Content Note
Papers dealing with Van Stockum’s writing career after his retirement from the United States Marine Corps in 1969. The collection includes photocopies of research materials, drafts of his books, and some original material Van Stockum consulted while writing Squire Boone and Nicholas Meriwether: Kentucky Pioneers and Kentucky and the Bourbons: The True Story of Allen Dale Farm. Original material in the collection chiefly consists of correspondence related to Allen Dale Farm in Shelby County, Kentucky, Susanne Henning, and Van Stockum’s efforts to publish his books. Research materials primarily concern Squire Boone (brother of Daniel Boone), Nicholas Meriwether (cousin of Meriwether Lewis and early Kentucky settler), and Allen Dale Farm in Shelby County, Kentucky. Material related to Van Stockum’s publication of these books is also included. For General Van Stockum’s inventory and notes on the collection, please click here.
A photo album was separated to The Filson’s Photograph Collection (accession number 013PC36).
Biographical Note
Ronald Reginald Van Stockum was born seven days after his father, Sergeant Reginald Barcham, was killed in the battle of the Somme in 1916. His mother, Florence Barcham, born in England and then living in France, moved to the United States and married again to A. William Van Stockum, who adopted the young man. Van Stockum grew up on the west coast and graduated from the ROTC program at the University of Washington in 1937. From there he attended the Officers School at the Marine Barracks at the Naval Yards in Philadelphia.
He began his career in the Marines as a Lieutenant on the USS Tennessee. He made his first trip through the Panama Canal with that ship and was part of the crew that showed the flag at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York. He was later transferred to the USS Wasp and was part of the North Atlantic fleet protecting convoys in U.S. waters before the U.S engagement in World War II. When the U.S. entered the war, Van Stockum had been promoted to Captain and was still aboard the Wasp. He served on the ship as it made two runs into the Mediterranean Sea to deliver Spitfire fighters to Malta in 1942.
Van Stockum left the Wasp before it was sunk by a Japanese torpedo. He trained in New Zealand and then was part of the invasions of Bougainville, Guam and Iwo Jima. By the end of the war he was promoted to Colonel and had received several medals including a Bronze Star. After the war he was involved with training and recruiting for the Marines before being sent to Japan in the early 1950s.
After his time in Japan, he was involved in an exercise in Thule, Greenland and was later part of the Army’s Arctic Training School. He then was sent to the Canadian Defense College and after assigned to Camp Lejeune, N.C. While at Camp Lejeune he found himself serving as the aggressor “Colonel-General” in a war game, and then as Chief of Staff at the base. His promotion to Brigadier General ended his stay at Camp Lejeune.
His promotion placed Van Stockum with the Marine Reserves in the Pennsylvania/Ohio area traveling on inspection tours of the various units. This lasted until his transfer to Okinawa, Japan in 1966-1967. While on Okinawa, he made several trips through the region, visiting Japan, South Korea and the Republic of Vietnam. He was involved in logistics and transport of people to and from Vietnam. After leaving Okinawa he served as the Marine Representative on the Navy Department Board of Decorations and Medals. He served on the board until his retirement in 1969.
After retirement from the United States Marine Corps, Van Stockum moved to his wife’s family farm in Shelby County, Kentucky. He worked at the University of Louisville as an administrative officer, including time as the Assistant Dean of Administration of the School of Medicine, until he retired from the civilian workforce. He also served on Louisville’s Armed Forces Commission. After his civilian retirement, he served as President of the Filson Club and later as its temporary director. Van Stockum also authored two books on Shelby County and Kentucky history.
Van Stockum married Susanne Meriwether Henning de Charette (12 April 1915-20 May 2000); they had three children, Michele Herzog, Ronald Reginald Jr., and Charles Anthony.
Folder List
Personal Correspondence
Folder 1: Inventory of Gift Materials, 2013
Folder 2: Correspondence with Anne Caudill, 2011-2013
Folder 3: Complete Charette Inventory, 2005
Folder 4: Complete Charette Inventory, 2005
Folder 5: Correspondence with Thomas Clark, 1986-2004
Folder 6: Thomas Clark Material, 1993-2006
Folder 7: Lee Meriwether Correspondence, 1952-1965
Folder 8: Lee Meriwether Correspondence, 1929-1935
Folder 9: France Trip Reports, 1984-1996
Folder 10: Joy Bale Boone and George Boone Correspondence, 1987-1992
Kentucky and the Bourbons: The True Story of Allen Dale Farm Materials
Folder 11: Inventory of Kentucky and the Bourbons Box 1 Materials, 21 September 2013
Folder 12: Barns and Other Structures of Allen Dale Farm, 1915, 1926
Folder 13: Robert Polk Allen vs. Heirs (photocopies), 1800-1818
Folder 14: Robert Polk Allen Injunction (photocopies), 1817
Folder 15: Robert Polk Allen vs. Heirs (notes and photocopies), 1817-1821
Folder 16: Shannon Lands Inc. (Robert Polk Allen’s Original Plantation) (notes and photocopies), 1801
Folder 17: Robert Polk Allen vs. Heirs Consent Decree (notes and photocopies), 1824-1827
Folder 18: Robert Polk Allen Legal Cases (photocopies), 1817
Folder 19: Haff vs. Roberts Court Case (photocopies), 1805
Folder 20: Sue Henning Legal Cases (photocopies and notes), 1912-1933
Folder 21: Meriwether vs. Allen Testimony (photocopies and notes), 1886
Folder 22: Betti Meriwether vs. George Baylor Allen Court Cases (photocopies and notes), 1885-1886
Folder 23: Kentucky and the Bourbons Additional Material (photocopies and notes), 1826, undated
Folder 24: Kentucky and the Bourbons Introduction, Documentation, and Notes (photocopies and notes), 1887, undated
Folder 25: Kentucky and the Bourbons Draft Synopses, 1989
Folder 26: Kentucky and the Bourbons Preface and Introduction, 1988
Folder 27: Kentucky and the Bourbons Cast of Characters, 1986-1990
Folder 28: Kentucky and the Bourbons Original Chapter 1A (Early Kentucky History), undated
Folder 29: Kentucky and the Bourbons Original Chapter 1B (Early Shelby County History) (notes and photocopies), 1809, 1916, 1965, 1986
Folder 30: Kentucky and the Bourbons Critiques of Nicholas Meriwether Article, 1985
Folder 31: Kentucky and the Bourbons Original Chapter 3 (Allan, Allen Family), 1790s, 1899, 1987-1990
Folder 32: Kentucky and the Bourbons Original Chapter 4 (Allen Family), 1989
Folder 33: Kentucky and the Bourbons Original Chapter 5 (Robert Polk Allen) (notes and photocopies), 1810, 1890, 1984-1888
Folder 34: Kentucky and the Bourbons Robert Polk Allen Working File, undated
Folder 35: Kentucky and the Bourbons Robert Polk Allen Ejectment (notes and photocopies), 1815, 1989
Folder 36: Kentucky and the Bourbons Robert Polk Allen Final Draft, 1988
Folder 37: Kentucky and the Bourbons Original Chapter 6 (Peachy Purdie’s Patent), 1989
Folder 38: Kentucky and the Bourbons Original Chapter 7 (J. Will Hennings) (notes and photocopies), 1907-1912, 1990
Folder 39: Kentucky and the Bourbons Original Chapter 8 (International Romance), 1985-2004
Folder 40: Kentucky and the Bourbons Original Chapter 9 (General Baron De Charette), 1986
Folder 41: Kentucky and the Bourbons Original Chapter 10 (Antoinette Polk, Baronne de Charette) (notes and photocopies), 1896, 1990
Folder 42: Kentucky and the Bourbons Original Chapter 11 (Marquise Susan de Charette, “American in Paris”) (notes, photocopies, original correspondence), 1911-1914, 1990-1997
Folder 43: Kentucky and the Bourbons Original Chapter 12 (Sue T. Henning, “A Woman Ahead of Her Time”) (notes, photocopies, original correspondence), 1907-1931
Folder 44: Inventory of Kentucky and the Bourbons Box 2 Materials, 2013
Folder 45-46: Kentucky and the Bourbons Original Chapter 13 (“Storm Clouds Over Allen Dale”), Farm Correspondence (notes and photocopies), 1904-1928
Folder 47: Sue Henning Scrapbook and Summary of Important Diary Entries (photocopies), 1925-1926
Folder 48: Sue Henning, Marquise Susanne de Charette, Antoine de Charette, Antoinette Polk Correspondence (photocopies), 1910-1920
Folder 49: Entries in Sue Henning’s Allen Dale Guest Book (photocopies), 1905-1915
Folder 50: University of Kentucky Agricultural Library Materials Concerning Cattle Breeding at Allen Dale (photocopies), 1908-1926
Folder 51: Jersey Cattle (photocopies), 1924
Folder 52: Allen Dale Farm Miscellaneous Mementos and Correspondence, 1925-1926
Folder 53: Sue Henning Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1900, 1926
Folder 54: Sue Henning Patent and Stock Papers, 1923-1925
Folder 55: Allen Dale Jersey Cattle Sales, 1923-1925
Folder 56: Sue Henning Correspondence (photocopies), 1921-1923
Folder 57: Sue Henning’s Correspondence (originals), 1930-1933
Folder 58: The Jersey Bulletin and Dairy World, June 1933
Folder 59: Sue Henning Death, Probate Materials, and Correspondence, 1933
Folder 60: Sue Henning Obituary (photocopies), 1933
Folder 61: Kentucky and the Bourbons Original Chapter 14 (More Days in Court), 1912, 1922-1926
Folder 62: Kentucky and the Bourbons Original Chapter 14 (More Days in Court) Materials, 1927-1936
Folder 63: Allen Dale Farm Foot and Mouth Disease Quarantine Materials, 1914-1915
Folder 64: Marquise de Charette Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1919-1930s
Folder 65: Marquise de Charette Farm Correspondence, 1933-1943
Folder 66: Kentucky and the Bourbons Appendix Materials, undated
Folder 67: Kentucky and the Bourbons Appendix 1 William Shannon Materials (photocopies and notes), circa 1770-circa 1800
Folder 68: Henning Farm Correspondence, 1917-1927
Folder 69: Kentucky and the Bourbons Bibliography and Secondary Sources (Photocopies), 1891-1915, 1938-1952, 1960-1977, 1990s
Folder 70: Inventory of Kentucky and the Bourbons Original Box 3, 2013
Folders 71-108: Kentucky and the Bourbons Publishing Information, 1980s-1990s
Squire Boone and Nicholas Meriwether: Kentucky Pioneers Materials
Folder 109: Inventory of Squire Boone Box, 2013
Folder 110: Squire Boone Manuscript, 1997
Folder 111 Squire Boone Entries for Encyclopedia of Kentucky and Louisville Encyclopedia, 1992, 1997
Folder 112: Squire Boone Lectures, 1995, 1997, 2010
Folder 113: Squire Boone Introduction Materials, 1987-1994
Folder 114: The Boone Family, by Hazel Atterbury Spraker (photocopies), undated
Folder 115: Squire Boone Materials, 1994-1996
Folder 116: Squire Boone Materials, 1994-1996
Folder 117: Daniel Boone’s Routes into Kentucky Materials, 1994-1995
Folder 118: Squire Boone Legal Documents (photocopies), undated
Folder 119: Squire Boone Biographical Material (photocopies), undated
Folders 120-123: Draper Collection Materials on Squire Boone’s Sons (photocopies), 1995
Folder 124: McDowell Collection Squire Boone Depositions (photocopies), undated
Folder 125: Vince Akers Correspondence, 1981-1996
Folder 126: Vince Akers Publications, 1979-1982
Folder 127: Willard Rouse Jillson Publications (photocopies), undated
Folder 128: Shelby County, Kentucky Courthouse Documents (photocopies), undated
Folder 129: Lyman Draper Interview with Samuel Murphy Transcript (photocopies), undated
Folder 130: The American Revolution in Kentucky, 1781: The Long Run Massacre (Boone’s Defeat) and Floyd’s Defeat by Vince Akers (photocopies), 1980-1982
Folder 131: Route of Painted Stone Settlers and Long Run Massacre Settlers, 1981
Folder 132: Dutch Cousins Gathering, Shelbyville, Kentucky, 2007
Folder 133: Tales of the Dark and Bloody Ground, by Willard Rouse Jillson (notes and photocopies), 1942
Folder 134: Shelby County Archives Documents (photocopies), undated
Folder 135: Neal Hammon Research Material, 1990s
Folder 136: Daniel Boone Research Material, 1980s-1990s
Folder 137: Filson Historical Society Research Material, 1990s
Folder 138: Squire Boone Research Material, 1990s
Folder 139: Summaries of Books and Documents, 1990s
Folder 140: Bluegrass Region History Tour, undated
Folder 141: Boonesborough Materials, 1996-1997
Folder 142: Madison County, Kentucky Research Material, 1995-1996
Folder 143: Mocksville, North Caroline Research Material, 1995
Folder 144: Painted Stone, Kentucky Surveys and Land Patents (photocopies), undated
Folder 145: Painted Stone, Kentucky Surveys and Land Patents of Nearby Tracts (photocopies), undated
Folder 146: Painted Stone Property Survey, 1990s
Folder 147: Nancy O’Malley Survey of Painted Stone Station Material, 1994-1998
Folder 148: General Reference Material, 1990s
Folder 149: Shelby County Quarter Sessions (photocopies) and notes, 1990s
Folder 150: Painted Stone Research Material, 1990s
Folder 151: Miscellaneous Clippings, 2000s
Folder 152: Painted Stone Festival, 1997
Folder 153: Sketches of Squire Boone from Filson Historical Society (photocopies), 1998
Folder 154: Heritage of Painted Stone, Play About Squire Boone, undated
Folder 155: Painted Stone Massacre Reenactment, 2009
Folder 156: Shelby County, Kentucky Court of Quarter Sessions Records (photocopies), 1795
Folder 157: Shelby County, Kentucky Court of Quarter Sessions Records (photocopies), 1794-1795
Folder 158: Early Land Patents in Kentucky, 2005
Folder 159: Holeman Land Records (photocopies), undated
Folder 160: Shelby County 1796 Tax Lists (photocopies), 1796
Folder 161: Miscellaneous Research Notes, 1990s
Folder 162: Squire Boone Research Bin Inventory, 2007
Folder 163: Miscellaneous Research Material, 1995
Folder 164: Duplicate Boone Materials, 1979, 1996
Folder 165: Kentucky Book Fair Material, 2010
Folder 166: Graphics for Squire Boone and Nicholas Meriwether, undated
Folder 167: Notes on Chapter Two of Squire Boone and Nicholas Meriwether, undated
Folder 168: Publication Information for Squire Boone and Nicholas Meriwether, 2009-2010
Folder 169: Publishing Information, 2000s
Folder 170: Squire Boone Working Material, undated
Folder 171: Floyd’s Defeat Material, undated
Folder 172: Filson Talk on the Long Run Massacre and Floyd’s Defeat, 2011
Folder 173: Painted Stone Talk, 2011
Folder 174: Copy of Squire Boone and Nicholas Meriwether (printout), undated
Folder 175: Inventory of Meriwether box, undated
Folder 176: Meriwether Connections Newsletter, January1982-October 1988
Folder 177: Correspondence with Meriwether Society Members, 1985-1988
Folder 178: Meriwether Society Meeting, 1985
Folder 179: Nicholas Meriwether Legal Matters (photocopies), 1811
Folder 180: Meriwether Family Genealogy (photocopies), 1770-1820
Folder 181: Meriwether Family Genealogy in Kentucky, 1980s
Folder 182: Correspondence with Heath Meriwether, John Browning, and John Gilmer, 1959-1980s
Folder 183: Research on Meriwethers in Kentucky (notes and photocopies), 1793-1803, 1980s
Folder 184: Additional Research Material on Nicholas Meriwether (notes and photocopies), 1773-1785, 1980s-1990s
Folder 185: Nicholas Meriwether Legal Matters (photocopies and notes), 1800s, 1980s-1990s
Folder 186: George Meriwether Research Material (photocopies and notes), 1800s, 1996
Folder 187: Lewis Meriwether Exhumation Correspondence, 1996
Folder 188: Nicholas Meriwether Letters and Correspondence, 1780s
Folder 189: Van Stockum Talk on Nicholas Meriwether for Meriwether Society, undated
Subject Headings
Allen Dale Farm (Ky.) – History – Sources.
Allen, Robert Polk, 1767-1834.
Authorship.
Boone, Daniel, 1734-1820.
Boone, Joy Bale.
Boone, Squire, 1744-1815.
Boone family.
Cattle – Kentucky – Shelby County.
Caudill, Anne Frye.
Clark, Thomas Dionysius, 1903-2005.
Dairy farms – Kentucky – Shelby County.
Foot-and-mouth disease – Kentucky – Shelby County.
Henning, Susan Thornton, 1865-1933.
Henning family.
Jersey cattle – Kentucky – Shelby County.
Land grants – Kentucky – History – Sources.
Meriwether, Lee, 1862-1966.
Meriwether, Nicholas, 1749-1828.
Meriwether family.
Meriwether Society.
Pioneers – Kentucky – History – Sources.
Poets, American – Kentucky.
Shannon, William.
Shelby County (Ky.)
Van Stockum, Susanne Meriwether de Charette, 1915-2000.
