5 Linear Feet, Summary: 5 ft. (2 record cartons, 15 in. each); (2 document cases, 2 1/2 in.); (4 document cases, 5 in. each);
(1 flat storage box, 1 1/2 in.); (1 flat storage box, 3 1/2 in.)
Location
West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown,
WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / Fax: 304-293-3981 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
Language
English
Abstract
Papers of the John Wade Kidwell family of West Virginia. Includes funeral and estate records of John Wade and Dessie Christina
Judy Kidwell (ca. 1980s-1990s). Also includes photographs (ca. 1920s-1980s), correspondence (ca. 1940s-1990s), artifacts (1950s-1980s),
motion pictures (1950s-1970s), and blueprints of family home. Also includes records regarding the Kidwell's time in Alexandria,
VA and Washington, D.C. (1941); John Wade's work at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (1943-1946); and daughter Carol Jean Kidwell
Mullenex (1939-1993). Addendum of 2013/07/08 includes additional records regarding Carol Jean Kidwell Mullennex. Addendum
of 2013/08/02 includes records regarding two of John Wade and Dessie's children, David Lee and Neal (Keith O'Neal) Kidwell,
and their families. Addendum of 2014/07/18 includes material regarding the assassination of President Kennedy; Chris Kidwell;
and gospel music performances on recorded to VHS tapes. For more information, please see the Scope and Content note.
Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.
Conditions Governing Access
Special access restriction applies.
Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting
the West Virginia & Regional History Center reference department at https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc.
Preferred Citation
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], John Wade Kidwell Family Papers, A&M 3823, West Virginia and Regional
History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.
Papers of the John Wade Kidwell family of West Virginia. Includes funeral and estate records of John Wade and Dessie Christina
Judy Kidwell (ca. 1980s-1990s). Also includes photographs, correspondence, artifacts, 8 mm motion picture film, VHS tapes,
and blueprints. Photographs depict family vacations (1965-1988), family portraits (ca. 1920s-1980s), and Christmas (1954-1984).
Correspondence includes holiday greeting cards (ca. 1940s-1990s). Artifacts include items which belonged to Dessie (ca. 1970s-1980s)
and paintings (early 1950s - 1983). Motion picture film and VHS tapes depict family vacations and other events (1950s-1970s).
Blueprints depict the family home built in 1978. Also includes binders of material regarding the Kidwell's time in Alexandria,
VA and Washington, D.C. (1941); John Wade's work at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (1943-1946); and of John Wade and Dessie's
daughter, Carol Jean Kidwell Mullennex (1939-1993). Many items also have accompanying descriptive notes written by Chris Kidwell
(ca. 2012).
Boxes 1-2. Funeral and estate records of John Wade and Dessie Christina Judy Kidwell (ca. 1980s-1990s). (Records include a
VHS tape of Dessie's final message to family (1989)--a DVD copy will be available for patron use). [Restricted until 2019]
ca. 1980s-1990s
Mixed Materials Box: 3
Box 3. Family vacation photos, brochures, and trip journals (1965-1988). Also includes typescript descriptions of the family
vacations written by Chris Kidwell (ca. 2012)
1965-2012
Mixed Materials Box: 4
Box 4. Family portraits (ca. 1920s-1980s) and Christmas photos (1954-1984), as well as Kidwell family holiday cards (ca. 1950s-1990s)
and school valentines (ca. 1940s and 1960s-1970s). (Most of the valentines belonged to Chris Kidwell, who attended Parsons
Grade School in the 1960s-1970s. The earlier valentines belonged to uncles of the Judy family. A typescript description and
photos of people related to Parsons Grade School are included.)
ca. 1920s-1990s
Mixed Materials Box: 5
Box 5. Kidwell photos, including a photo album documenting trips to Hawaii in 1971 and 1974, as well as a spiral notebook
used by Chris Kidwell during his junior and senior years at Parsons High School (ca. 1977-1979). Also included are items belonging
to Dessie Judy Kidwell: a Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union pin; a Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry 50th anniversary
keychain; an Order of the Eastern Star emblem; and the book Ritual of the Order of the Eastern Star: As Amended at the Triennial
Assembly of the General Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star Held in Cleveland, Ohio, September 1976 (Washington,
D.C.: General Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, 1976)
1971-1979
Mixed Materials Box: 6
Box 6. 20 reels of Kidwell home movies on 8 mm film, and three 8 mm film reel boxes which serve as exemplars of photographica.
(Some of the footage is of the Judy family. The following is a list of the contents of the motion picture reels, according
to the information on their original boxes.)
1950s-1970s
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 1
O'Neal and David Christmas
1957-?
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 2
Snow in Cannan, Chris and Dana tulip buds, Dick and Dall playing horseshoe
1960
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 3
Chris and O'Neal Winter Snow
[ca. 1963?]
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 4
Chris and O'Neal in Woods at Elk Lick,
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 5
Earl's farewell party, and Chris and O'Neal swimming party, (our neighbors)
1961
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 6
Dess Kidwell
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 7
No information given
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 8
Kanenetha [?] Birthday
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 9
"Sunday Dinner" at Grandma and Granddad (Dick Shanon), Dess and family
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 10
Wade, O'Neal, and Chris at the Beach
August 29, 1965
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 11
O'Neal and Chris, age 9 and 6, at swimming pool motel?
August 1965
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 12
The Ocean (Storm Alma [Hurricane Alma?])
1966
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 13
Oregon Inlet fish
August 29, 1965
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 14
Boys at Beach
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 15
Beach - Canada
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 16
Canada
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 17
Wyoming
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 18
Wyoming
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 19
Wyoming
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Reel: 20
Hawaiian
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 7
Box 7. Two paintings on wood depicting butterflies and flowers, made by Dessie (1983). Also included are photographs and blueprints
of the "dream home" that Wade built for Dessie and family, located at 409 Jameson Avenue, Parsons, WV (ca. 1978)
ca. 1978, 1983
Mixed Materials Box: 8
Box 8. Four binders
ca. 1930s-2013
Mixed Materials Box: 8 Item: 1
Correspondence (1941) and photographs (ca. 1930s, 1941) from the Kidwell family's brief time in Alexandria, VA. They lived
there while Mr. Kidwell worked with eagles at the Washington Zoo
ca. 1930s, 1941
Mixed Materials Box: 8 Item: 2
Printed material, ephemera, correspondence, photographs, personnel records, and a newspaper (1938-1946; includes facsimiles)
from the time when John Wade Kidwell worked as an Engineering Aide Trainee, a civilian job at Wright and/or Patterson Fields
for which he trained at West Virginia Wesleyan College. He eventually moved the family to Dayton, OH, and became Property
and Supply Officer during the war. The materials pertain to both his professional life and family life
1938-1946
Mixed Materials Box: 8 Item: 3
Papers of Carol Jean Kidwell Mullennex (March 5, 1939 - August 6, 1993), the oldest child of John Wade and Dessie Judy Kidwell.
She reportedly suffered from mental illness, possibly paranoid schizophrenia. Her papers include material related to arrangements
for her reinterment in Parsons City Cemetery (2011-2012), financial papers (1970s), and personal correspondence (1971-1980).
Much of the correspondence is to Carol from her boyfriend Ed Matthews, and documents their troubled relationship
March 5, 1939-2012
Mixed Materials Box: 8 Item: 4
Addendum of 2013/07/08 containing records regarding Carol Jean Kidwell Mullennex (also went by Schilansky/Schelesky) and her
daughter Dana. Includes a typescript biography of Carol, photographs of Carol and Dana, valentine greeting cards and other
correspondence, baby booties, and school records. Also includes two WWII ration books
ca. 1939-2013
Mixed Materials Box: 9
Box 9. Addendum of 2013/08/02, which includes records regarding the families of David Lee and Lisa Jon Schroeder Kidwell,
and Neal and Phyllis Kidwell. David Lee Kidwell was the third child of John Wade and Dessie; Neal (Keith O'Neal) was their
fourth child. Includes greeting cards, photographs, clippings, letters, computer printouts, and children's crafts
ca. 1947-2009
Mixed Materials Box: 10
Box 10. Addendum of 2014/07/18, which includes two items regarding the assassination of President Kennedy, a copy of LIFE
Magazine from 29 November 1963, and a copy of the Parsons Advocate from 26 November 1963; programs and certificates regarding
piano recitals and vacation bible schools attended by Chris Kidwell (1966-1969); and two VHS tapes of gospel music, one of
the Shahan family performing in Parsons, West Virginia (1988) and one titled "Hagans Homecoming" featuring the Stephen Pyle
family which includes a list of song titles (2001)
1963-2001
Mixed Materials unboxed
Box 11. An oil painting by Carol Jean Kidwell depicting a river scene (early 1950s); and an aerial painting of the family
home at 409 Jameson Avenue (ca. 1978), which has both a photo of Wade and Dessie and a descriptive note about the home on
the back