J. Brackin Kirkland Papers

Collection

Identifier: M15

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The papers of J. Brackin Kirkland consist chiefly of correspondence, office memoranda, speeches, reports, publications, clippings, and photos, divided almost equally between personal and professional papers. Together they comprise some 27 cubic feet of material. Inclusive dates of the collection are 1886 to 1983; however, the great bulk of the material falls between 1918 and 1976.

Dates

Creation: 1886-1983

Conditions Governing Access

Noncirculating; available for research.

Conditions Governing Use

This collection may be protected from unauthorized copying by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code).

Biographical / Historical

J. Brackin Kirkland (1892-1974) grew up on a farm in Jones County, Mississippi, graduated from the New York State College of Agriculture at Cornell University, and pursued a career in education and youth work in New York and Alabama for thirty years before retiring to Mississippi in 1950. During the course of his professional career he was associated with three institutions: George Junior Republic in Freeville, N.Y., Boys Clubs of America, Inc., in New York City, and Southern Industrial Institute in Camp Hill, Alabama. He served approximately a decade with each in various capacities, but most notably as executive director of the George Junior Republic (1920's), financial director of the Boys Club of America national office (1930's), and president of Southern Industrial Institute (1940's).

After Kirkland's retirement to Mississippi, he worked as an active cattle and tree farmer in Jones County, was a member of the local Universalist Church and the Jones County Republican central committee, and served on the Board of Directors of the University of Southern Mississippi Foundation.

Extent

27 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Correspondence, speeches, reports, publications, clippings, photographs, genealogical materials relating to Mississippi-born educator in New York and Alabama and with the Boys Clubs of America.

Arrangement

The professional series document the three major phases of Kirkland's career in education and youth work: his service as superintendent and executive director of the George Junior Republic, financial director of Boys Clubs of America, Inc., and president of the Southern Industrial Institute, as well as his associations with Cornell University.

The personal papers series are made up chiefly of correspondence, together with clippings, photos, and family histories. Much of the personal correspondence is addressed to Mrs. Kirkland, and the largest subseries of correspondence is that from her mother, Esther Brewster George.

Mrs. Kirkland made annotations throughout the collection while preparing the papers for donation to the University of Southern Mississippi in 1977. Two smaller bodies of material were added by Joseph Brackin Kirkland, Jr., in 1985 and 1986; they have been integrated into the rest of the collection.

The papers of J. Brackin Kirkland are divided into eight major series:

Biographical material and family histories

Correspondence

Family and personal papers

Cornell University papers

George Junior Republic papers

Boys Clubs of America, Inc., papers

Southern Industrial Institute papers

Miscellaneous small series

The Kirklands divided the papers into these groups prior to their donation. They also established many of the major files within each series, particularly the larger files of correspondence. The second series consists chiefly of family and personal correspondence; much more correspondence may be found in the other series as well.

Provenance

Donated by Mrs. J. Brackin Kirkland in 1977 and by Joseph Brackin Kirkland, Jr. in 1985 and 1986.

Existence and Location of Copies

For Digitized Materials from this collection, see: External Documents link at bottom of page.

Related Materials

J. Brackin Kirkland Oral History Interview, transcript call number F341.5 .M57x, Vol. 41.

M244 L. Clinton Kirkland Papers

Appendices

APPENDIX I

Children and Grandchildren of J. Brackin Kirkland

J. Brackin Kirkland and Eleanor Miller George were married on April 20, 1921,at Sage Chapel, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. They had four children (all born in Ithaca, N.Y.) and nine grandchildren.

1. William George Kirkland (born May 20, 1922) married Shirley Rowan Dawson on June 14, 1952, in New York, N.Y.

a. Keith Brewster Kirkland (born November 30, 1955) married Jane Alison MacIntyre on December 20, 1980, in New Providence, N.J.

b. Derek Granger Kirkland (born September 12, 1957) married Elizabeth Ames Franklin on September 20, 1986, in New York, N.Y.

2.Julia Tucker Kirkland, known as Judy (born April 21, 1924) married Joseph Leidy IV on December 29, 1950, in New York, N.Y.

a. Joseph Leidy V (born July 5, 1955)

b. Paul Tyson Leidy (born December 6, 1958)

3. Joseph Brackin Kirkland, Jr. (born April 5, 1926) married Charlotte Johnson on February 27, 1953, in Dallas, Texas.

a. Joseph Brackin Kirkland III (born December 21, 1953) married Beverly Denise Howell on March 2, 1975, in Ellisville, Miss. Children: Cortney Amanda Kirkland, Joseph Brackin Kirkland IV, Taylor Lee Kirkland

b. Karen Elizabeth Kirkland (born March 20, 1956) married Arthur Veldon Hall on January 27, 1979, in Hattiesburg, Miss. Children: Laura Ashley Hall, Timothy Ryan Hall

4.Richard Ide Kirkland (born September 24, 1927) married Alice Creel on July 29, 1950, in Talladega, Alabama

a. Richard Ide Kirkland, Jr., known as Rik (born May 11, 1951) married Jo Ann Fulk in 1973; divorced. Married Virginia Gonzales on January 30, 1982, in New York, N.Y. Children of second marriage: Matthew Creel Kirkland

b. Steven Paul Kirkland (born May 25, 1953) married Gina Leigh Teichmiller on April 26, 1986, in Asheville, N.C.

c. Katherine Lee Kirkland (born May 6, 1956)

APPENDIX II

Brothers and Sisters of J. Brackin Kirkland and their families

J. Brackin Kirkland's parents, Elijah Thomas Kirkland and Samantha Ardelah Tucker, were married on January 3, 1878, in Jones County, Mississippi. Ten children were born to them; J. Brackin Kirkland was the ninth. All of the children, with the exception of daughters Delia and Hilda, were generally known by their middle names or a derivative thereof.

1.Sarah Vilula Kirkland, known as Lula (born 1878; died 1978) married John Franklin Shows in 1897

Myrtie Lenora Shows (born 1898) married Rev. Norman L. Roberts

Infant son (born 1900; died 1901) Velma Viola Shows (born 1901) unmarried; moved to E1 Paso, Texas

Otho Shows (born 1904) married (1) Ethel Hunter, (2) Blanche Walker, (3) Violet Hilbun

Alice Adelle Shows (born 1906); unmarried; moved to E1 Paso, Texas

Roma Mildred Shows (born 1910) married Homer Clyde Odom

Inda Vesta Shows (born 1913) married ---- Jacobs; moved to E1 Paso, Texas

John Hilburn Shows(born 1915) married Roberta Howard

(More information on the Shows family, including the grandchildren of Lula Kirkland Shows, is found in the Shows family genealogy, Box 1, Folders 40 and 41).

2.Delia Ardelah Kirkland (born 1880; died 1974) married Robert J. Stringer in 1897

Clayborn Stringer

Hilburn Stringer (died young)

Odius Stringer

Myrtice Stringer (married R. B. Ellzey)

3.Lora Corine Kirkland, known as Rena (born 1881; died 1943) married William R. Jones in 1898

Irven Thomas Jones (married Annie Stennis, sister of U.S. Senator John C. Stennis)

Elborn Jones (married Hallie Miller)

Athalia Jones (married Neal Priscock)

Lela Jones (married Wood Carraway)

Ivella Jones (married Paul Gibbs; moved to Texas)

Ola Jones (married Hugh McRaney)

Alda Jones (married Frank Parker)

4. Bowen Travis Kirkland (born 1882; died 1884)

5.Charles Hascal Kirkland (born 1884; died 1937) married Alice Elizabeth Self in 1913; moved to E1 Paso, Texas

Anne Blythe Kirkland (married John Smith Faulk, Jr.)

Jane Ware Kirkland (married Dr. William L. Hawley)

6.Hilda Eran Kirkland (born 1886; died 1921) married Buford T. Collins in 1904

Verlan Collins

Travis Collins

Henry Collins

7.John Burruss Kirkland (born 1888; died 1934) married Jewel Lenora Smith known as Nora in 1922; moved to El Paso, Texas

John Thomas Kirkland (married Gerry ----)

8.Lyonel Clayton Kirkland (born 1890; died 1964) married Mamie Meyer in 1917

L. Clayton Kirkland, Jr. (married ----) Peggy Kirkland (married ---- Sims)

9.Joseph Brackin Kirkland (born 1892; died 1974) married Eleanor Miller George in 1921. SEE APPENDIX I

10. Luther Clinton Kirkland (born 1894; died 1979) married Elizabeth Brewster cousin of Eleanor Miller George) in 1923. They adopted two children and raised another.

Eleanor Jo Kirkland (born 1929) married Orrin S. Wanker in 1955

Robert Britt Kirkland (born 1927) married Joyce Green in 1959

Bill Cox (married Betty ----)

APPENDIX III

Sisters of Eleanor George Kirkland and their families

Eleanor George Kirkland's parents, William Reuben George and Esther Ide Brewster, were married on November 12, 1896,in New York, New York, and spent most of their lives at the George Junior Republic in Freeville, New York, an institution for youth founded by William R. "Daddy" George in 1895. They had three daughters.

1. Eleanor Miller George (born 1897; died 1983) married J. Brackin Kirkland on April 20, 1921. SEE APPENDIX I

2. Esther Arminqton George (born 1904) married Donald Theodore Urquhart on December 28, 1926.

Esther Carol Urquhart (born 1928) married Victor Powell in 1951

Kenneth George Urquhart (born 1930; died 1961) married Camm Wood in 1955

Shirley Patricia Urquhart (born 1934) married Frank Speno in 1956

3. Edith Van Etten George, known as Edo (born 1908) married Malcolm Jonathan Freeborn on July 25, 1930. They had no children.

APPENDIX IV

Cousins of Eleanor George Kirkland on her mother's side

1. Children of her uncle,George Tyson Brewster and his wives Jane Lavinia Burke and Laura M. Jackson

*Freeman Tyson Brewster (born 1894) married Hermine ----

**Esther Elizabeth Brewster, known as Betty (born 1895) married L. Clinton Kirkland in 1923 Lavinia J. Brewster (died young)

*Sarah Virginia Brewster (born 1901; died 1984) unmarried Ruth Esther Brewster (born 1913; died 1920) George Tyson Brewster, Jr. (born 1915; died 1928) Esther Mae Brewster (born 1918) Florence Lillian Brewster (born 1920) married David Earl Hunter

2.Son of her uncle, Charles Wesley Brewster (1880-1938) and his wifeElin Henrietta Fredin

*C. Wesley Brewster, Jr. (born 1910) married Esther Knickerbocker, 1932

Their children:

*Elaine (married Nicholas Bulatkin)

*Judith (married Charles Reiterman) Nancy (married William ----)

* Represented by a file of letters in George family correspondence subseries

** Represented by a file of letters in Kirkland family correspondence subseries

APPENDIX V

Cousins of Eleanor George Kirkland on her father's side

Eleanor George Kirkland's father, William Reuben "Daddy" George, was an only child, so she had no first cousins on her father's side. Several of her more distant George relatives, however, worked with her father at the George Junior Republic, including his first cousin, Edgar Fulkerson George, who died in 1936, three months before "Daddy" George himself.

Children of Edgar Fulkerson George (died 1936) and his wife, Alfhild Maria Axelina Johansson (died 1960)

*Edgar George (born 1896) married Maidell ----

*Ella Frances George (born 1897; died 1976) married John Davry Adams in 1927 Mildred George (born 1899; died 1938)

* Represented by a file of letters in George family correspondence subseries