McKnight and Taylor families papers

The McKnight and Taylor families papers are comprised mostly of correspondence written between the McKnight family from 1862 and 1955 by various family members. The first series of correspondence are photocopied letters from Henry McKnight to his parents between 1862 and 1863 during the Civil War. Henry writes in his letters about the daily rigors of military life, the marching, drills, and lack of rest. They reflect Henry's desire to become a soldier in the Union Army, only to realize after joining the army he no longer wants to be a soldier and desperately wants to come home.

The second set of correspondence comes from Mary McKnight and her family between 1929 and 1930 during her stay at the Ohio State Sanatorium. Contents include general information such as her health, information about her family members and neighbors, as well as general information about life in Bowling Green during the 1920s. This provides general information about lifestyles in Bowling Green, Ohio at the onset of the Great Depression. There are also correspondences between Mary McKnight and her family in 1938 as she and some friends took a trip out west.

The third set of correspondence is between Mildred (Taylor) McKnight and her aunt Lillian (Taylor) Murphy in California between 1941 and 1955. The content of these letters contain information on the McKnight Family in Bowling Green, life in California, health, politics, a family scandal due to the disappearance of $500, and Lillian's personal estate.

The collection also includes scrapbooks, including a photographic scrapbook compiled by Mary McKnight of her time spent at the Ohio State Sanatorium between July 1929 and January 1930. Scrapbook pictures include Mary and her friends, the Ohio State Sanatorium, programs from events they would have attended, and menus for holiday dinners, as well as a diary with itinerary, photographs, and brochures from her trip out west between June 30, 1938 and August 6, 1938. Additional scrapbooks include those compiled by donor Scott Cunningham containing letters, clippings, documents, and other genealogical notes on the McKnight and Taylor families from 1823 to 1999.