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William C. Birthright collection

 Collection
Identifier: L328

Scope and Contents

The collection includes correspondence, invitations, greeting cards, legal papers, publications, photographs, and ephemera from William C. and William L. Birthright in Indiana and Mississippi, ranging from 1908 to 1977 and undated, regarding their personal lives, family, business, military service, and careers.

Dates

  • 1908-1977

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research, with restrictions on medical information until 2034.

Conditions Governing Use

Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.

Biographical Note

William Clark Birthright was born on May 27, 1887 in Helena, Arkansas. He was a barber and member, president, and secretary-treasurer of Journeymen Barbers International Union in Nashville, Tennessee in 1904. Birthright also served as president of the Nashville Trade and Labor Council and secretary-treasurer of the Tennessee Federation of Labor during his career. William married Birdie L. Huss (1889-1984), and lived together in Indianapolis for over 39 years. The couple had a son, William Lee Birthright. William C. Birthright died in April 1970 and was buried in Washington Park North Cemetery in Indianapolis.

William Lee Birthright was born to William Clark (1887-1970) and Birdie L. (Huss) Birthright (1889-1984) on May 8, 1916 in Nashville, Tennessee. He served as a photographic officer in the U.S. Air Force from 1941 to 1957 before beginning a career as a commercial photographer with his own studio called, “Lens-Craft Studio.” Birthright died on October 25, 1994 and was buried in Washington Park North Cemetery in Indianapolis.

Sources:

Items in the collection.

Findagrave.com. "William Clark Birthright." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed February 6, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/113380822/william-clark-birthright.

Findagrave.com. "William L. Birthright." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed February 6, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/113380898/william_l_birthright.

Extent

0.3 Cubic Feet (1 manuscript box)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This collection is arranged by subject.

Custodial History

This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Tim Crouse on 1998/04.

Accruals

No further additions are expected.

Processing Information

Collection processing completed 1998/04 by Jill Costill. EAD finding aid created 2018/05/02. Collection reprocessing completed 2025/02/06 by Brittany Kropf. EAD finding aid revised 2025/02/06 by Brittany Kropf.
Title
William C. Birthright collection
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository

Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671