Use Restrictions

The copyright interests in this collection have been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).

Access Restrictions

Collection open to research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.

Provenance

In May 1965, Alden "Bill" Wonderly Jr. (1925-2015) purchased the farm adjoining his own that was formerly owned by Janie Shuler and her late husband Charles Shuler.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], [box #, folder #], Shuler Family Papers, 1893-1930, SC 0071, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.

Acquisition Information

This collection was acquired by Special Collections in October 2016 at the estate sale of Bill Wonderly in Port Republic, Virginia, from auctioneer Charley Whetzel.

Processing Information

Loose correspondence and clippings were removed from the scrapbook and foldered separately. Dried flowers were also removed from the scrapbook and discarded due to their fragile state. The two-ring binder containing course notes was separated from the notes and was retained.

Bio/Historical Information

Charles H. Shuler was born December 16, 1871 to Daniel Preston Shuler and Sarah Long Shuler of Port Republic, Virginia. Shuler was a farmer and taught public school in Georgia and Rockingham County, Virginia. Shuler was a member of the Port Republic Methodist Church and, according to his obituary, "was a man of many friends." He married Janie C. Martin (b. 1887), daughter of Samuel Smith Martin and Betty Ames Martin of Accomack County, Virginia, in February 1910. Per their marriage announcement, Charles Shuler was the principal of Port Republic High School at the time of their nuptials.

The Shulers, according to the 1920 census, were residents of Westchester County, New York where Charles Shuler taught and Janie Shuler was matron at the New York Juvenile Asylum. They returned to Rockingham County, Virginia by 1921 when Janie Shuler matriculated into the State Normal School for Women at Harrisonburg. She was involved in the High School Club, Athletic Association, French Circle, and the Y. W. C. A. Janie was known as "Mrs. Shuler" by her fellow classmates and was described as being quiet, calm, dignified, and always on time. She earned a professional diploma in 1923. By 1930, both Shulers were employed as public school teachers.

Charles Shuler died May 6, 1936 and is buried at Port Republic Cemetery. After her husband's death, Janie returned to school and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Madison College in 1939. Sometime after graduation, Janie Shuler moved to Shenandoah County to teach public schools. She is listed in the 1940 census as a boarder in the home of Ray Rinker. Janie Shuler died November 21, 1976 in Durham, North Carolina. She is buried at Saint Georges Episcopal Church Cemetery in Pungoteague, Virginia.

Scope and Content

The Shuler Family Papers, 1893-1930, are comprised of one scrapbook of recipes and home remedies, three ledgers, and one State Normal School course notebook created by the Shuler family of Port Republic, Virginia.

The scrapbook is a bound ledger comprised of newspaper clippings and handwritten notes of recipes and home remedies. It is indexed alphabetically by food category and home remedy type (e.g. bedbugs, breads, cakes, headache cures, etc.). Originally serving as an account book, the ledger was repurposed into a scrapbook, presumably by Janie Shuler. Based on pages that are not covered by newspaper clippings, the account book dates from approximately 1893 to 1901. Little can be gleaned about the account book other than it was likely a ledger for a store operated by the Shuler family. Items purchased and recorded in the account book are of the household goods variety and include foodstuffs, clothing, and other basic necessities. The account book was repurposed into a scrapbook by at least the mid to late 1920s, based on the dates present on newspaper clippings. The scrapbook exhibits significant acid burn from the many newspaper clippings laid in and pasted to the pages.

Loose items, including newspaper clippings, handwritten recipes, ephemera, and correspondence, were removed from the scrapbook and foldered separately. They are arranged in the order they were removed from the scrapbook. Included is an owner's manual for the Wonder Can Sealer distributed by Sears Roebuck & Co. and various materials related to raising chickens. Included in the correspondence is one letter to Janie Shuler from her mother dated April 16, 1927 and one letter, postmarked July 1, 1915, to a Mary J. Nicholas from her sister Nora. The letter was addressed care of Daniel Preston Shuler, Charles Shuler's father.

The collection also includes a multi-use ledger dated 1906-1929. "The Electric Light Co. 1010-12 Quebec St. Allentown, Pa." is handwritten on the front flyleaf. However, the content within, while of a disparate sort, does not appear to have any relation to this company. The first seven pages date to the fall of 1906 and are comprised of a member list and meeting minutes for the Sumter County, Georgia teachers. This was likely kept by Charles Shuler while he was a public school teacher in Georgia. The remainder of the ledger is comprised of daily expense and income accounts, presumably for the Shuler family.

A second ledger, dated 1921-1923, with accounting information related to Daniel Preston Shuler is included. The ledger also contains daily time accounts for a worker by the name of McKenley.

Also contained within the collection is a course notebook belonging to Janie Shuler while she was a student at the State Normal School for Women at Harrisonburg. The two-ring binder was separated from the course notes within and retained due to internal annotations. Janie kept notes on Shakespeare, sociology, poetry, eighteenth century literature, The Pilgrim's Progress, classical music, and mythology. She also lists the books required for History of Social Education. Programs from school productions are interleaved in the notes.

Lastly, the collection includes an undated ledger book with a sketch of a schoolgirl on the front flyleaf. The ledger is otherwise blank.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged chronologically.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Agriculture -- 19th century
• Agriculture -- 20th century
• Cooking -- 19th century
• Cooking -- 20th century
• Family papers
• Harrisonburg (Va.) -- History
• Housebooks
• Ledgers (account books)
• Letters (correspondence)
• Madison College -- History
• Madison College -- Students
• Newspaper clippings
• Notebooks
• Pencil drawings
• Port Republic (Va.) -- History
• Printed Ephemera
• Programs (documents)
• Recipes
• Scrapbooks
• State Normal School for Women at Harrisonburg (Harrisonburg, Va.) -- History
• State Normal School for Women at Harrisonburg (Harrisonburg, Va.) -- Students
• Teachers -- 19th century
• Teachers -- 20th century
• Traditional medicine -- 19th century
• Traditional medicine -- 20th century
• Whetzel, Charlie, 1940-2021