Philip Smith Hale Collection

The collection contains photographs, tintypes, a carte de visite album, a hand-stitched, woven alphabetical organizer, and various financial records including receipts, promissory notes, court judgements, and ledger scraps. Some of the photographs are identified, including a photograph of Rogersville Female Academy’s faculty and student body, and one of students and their instructor holding musical instruments. Another photograph depicts the Shenandoah Normal College baseball team. Most of the tintypes are unidentified portraits, while one shows three men sitting in a horse-drawn wagon. Col. J. S. Hale purchased a self-portrait souvenir tintype at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Two portraits in the album are identified as John Shelton “Uncle Shel” Hale, while one is denoted as Mrs. P. S. Hale (Margaret Smith Hale).

Financial records make up a large portion of the collection. One promissory note documents money owed to Hale from the Odd Fellows Female Institute in Hawkins County for an unidentified purpose. While promissory notes comprise the majority of the financial records, many receipts account for goods and services bought and sold by the Hale family. Two receipts record monies paid to attorney William Valentine Sevier from estates. A number of others document county taxes paid by Philip S. Hale. One receipt, issued by Cowan, McClung and Co., conveys the price of a barrel of sugar, purchased by Alexander Hale in 1870. A receipt reveals the price of dental work performed by Dr. Shotwell in Rogersville.

Circuit court records include primarily travel and witness reimbursements, however there is one warrant of judgement issued for $32.36 against John Templeton.