Weller Collection Introduction

Oldham County Historical Society
Weller Collection Background

The David Weller Collection was donated to the Oldham County Historical Society by the J. C. Barnett Estate. Mr. Barnett was a well-known antiques collector and dealer and an avid supporter of the History Center.

The collection includes several boxes of letters, pictures, clothing, and souvenir items accumulated by members of the David F. C. Weller family, who lived in Louisville, Kentucky. The items date from 1858 through 1941 and provide a glimpse into daily lives of five generations of Wellers and some of their relatives and friends. The letters, in particular, describe the manner in which these individuals lived; reflect their interests, attitudes, and beliefs; and discuss their involvement in significant historical events.

The majority of the letters were written to David F.C. Weller or his wife Mary Emma (Molly) Fowler. Throughout their adult lives, both David and Molly were active in exchanging letters with their friends and relatives. After their marriage, they also kept in close touch with each other whenever David traveled on business or Molly visited out of town friends and relatives. As their children grew, they also began to participate in the correspondence. Fortunately, many of the letters were saved, ultimately providing an extensive collection.

In spring of 2005, a History Center volunteer, Nina Brehm, started a project to study and document the Weller Collection. These efforts are still in progress. Part of this endeavor includes performing genealogical research to determine the family’s ancestry and to understand the relationships between the David F.C. Weller Family and the relatives with whom they corresponded. Additional research is being performed to relate information found in the letters to historical events and circumstances that might have had an impact on the writer (e.g., wars, political atmospheres, economic situations, epidemics, major community events, etc.). Because of the sizable work effort, this project is being completed in phases. As each phase is completed, information will be added to the web site. So please check back often to see the story unfold.

Click here to see the list of items from the Weller Collection currently on the website. Table of Contents.