Family Evidence

The Family Evidence Series contains numerous bound volumes of family records, genealogy research, land records and sentimental correspondence. Mrs. Caperton was very adept at documenting her Phelps-Caperton lineage; something that the series reflects quite well. While An Accumulation of Evidence, Vols. I - III reveal Mrs. Caperton's talents, interests, and research methods, the remaining materials in the series capture the overall legacy of her family and self. Katherine Phelps Caperton's An Accumulation of Evidence: Family Records, Vols. I-III are perhaps the most valuable and telling items in the Caperton/Burnam Family Papers. An Accumulation Vols. I -III diligently documents Caperton's ancestors and descendants, and their social and cultural accomplishments and memories. Extensive investigations into the volumes and the remaining collection of family papers reveal that Mrs. Caperton rarely missed an opportunity to document the moments in her life that held distinct personal or social value. Consequently, An Accumulation allows for a better understanding of Madison County and other Kentucky elites and the events that influenced their particular worldviews. The volumes represent not only Mrs. Caperton's intellectual pursuits but also her social and spiritual legacy. Based on the notes that are found within the collection as a whole and, more specifically, details within the Old Letters and Documents Series, researchers will find that Mrs. Caperton found solace in preserving her and her husband's social, political and religious positions in both the local and national narratives. The content within the volumes cover a wide range of topics besides the most obvious genealogical studies. They are an incredible resource for looking into the ways in which like-minded contemporaries dealt with events such as World War I and II, the 19^th Amendment and Prohibition, and other major (or minor) national and global developments. The typed and bound manuscripts are a genuine culmination of Caperton's historical interests, diligent record keeping and the corresponding historical account that resulted from such methods. Mrs. Caperton's astute note taking, the resulting memories, both accurate and proposed, and, the corresponding events that are documented in the volumes create a snapshot of the lives of Madison County, Kentucky elites and the prominent values that were held dear to their hearts and actions. Based on an informal interview with Kathy (Burnam) Flood, a Caperton/Burnam descendant and collection donor, the volumes also represent the life that Mrs. Caperton lived after the passing of her beloved husband; a life of honoring her cultural heritage and late husband's lasting mark of the community. Upon the death of Col. Caperton in April 1909, Mrs. Caperton, under doctor's recommendations, threw herself into her historical and genealogical pursuits to not only grieve and avoid senseless idleness, but to also document a rapidly changing world that, in her own words, transitioned during her lifetime from one without autos or telephones to one with technologies and developments that would never cease to amaze; or in some cases frustrate and perplex. Each volume also contains extensive holographic notes on the opposing pages of each typed manuscript page, which only goes to show that Mrs. Caperton was never truly satisfied with her pursuits and found genuine pleasure in learning and disseminating U.S., Kentucky, Western and Global historical narratives. The topics in the holographic notation provide additional details on a particular subject or person or they simply fill in additional blanks that she felt were valuable to the narrative she constructs throughout the works. Overall, the materials in the series demonstrate a robust willingness to document her family's history. The series also includes a postcard album and a few scrapbooks that contain clippings about a variety of topics, such as, but not limited to, Phelps and Caperton genealogy, local and regional events, and other personalized articles and documents.