Rush Dew Holt Family Papers
Collection
Collection Number: A&M 4218
Papers of the Rush Dew Holt family relating to Matthew S. Holt, Andrew E. Holt, Ralph K. Chase, and Helen Jane (Holt) Seale. The collection includes correspondence, publications, photographs, and clippings, among other material that documents the personal and business activities of the Holt family.
Series 1. Dr. Matthew S. Holt Papers; 1837-1943
Includes correspondence, books, photographs, and miscellaneous writings and publications collected by Dr. Matthew S. Holt, father of Rush Dew Holt, Sr. Topics represented by Dr. Matthew S. Holt’s papers include horse breeding; local, state, and national politics; the Socialist Party of West Virginia; and the practice of medicine. There are also medical account books; an account book for the Weston Republican, ca.1879-1880; and two daybooks for the Weston Republican, 1881-1893.
Series 2. Andrew E. Holt Papers; 1926-1958
Includes personal and business papers and correspondence retained by Andrew E. Holt, brother to Rush D. Holt, Sr. The personal and business papers describe Andrew E. Holt’s involvement with the Blown Glassware and Holt Plant Companies in Weston, West Virginia, in addition to his legal actions relating to the case of Holt v. WMMN radio station, a complaint against J. P. Councill Company, and the divorce proceedings between Andrew E. Holt and Alice Holt.
Series 3. Ralph K. Chase Papers; 1918-1947
Includes personal and business papers, educational material, and correspondence, among other material retained by Ralph K. Chase, brother-in-law to Rush D. Holt.
Series 4. Helen Jane (Holt) Seale Papers; ca. 1930-2008
Includes correspondence, educational material, travel material, and other miscellaneous personal papers and ephemera retained by Helen Jane (Holt) Seale, daughter of Rush D. Holt, Sr.
Series 5. Mixed; ca. 1820-2013 and undated
Because of multiple addenda and our desire to retain original order, not all material pertaining to the Rush D. Holt, Sr. Family Papers was able to be separated into distinct series. In addition, it was not always possible to determine a single person to which the material should be assigned. Therefore, this series contains material pertaining to Matthew S. Holt, Andrew E. Holt, Ralph K. Chase, and Helen Jane (Holt) Seale, in addition to the Froelich family. Also included is mixed material pertaining to Rush Dew Holt, Sr., Jr., and Helen F. Holt.
English
No special access restriction applies.
Researchers may access digitized and born digital materials by visiting the link attached to each item or 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.
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.
Dr. Matthew S. Holt
Dr. Matthew S. Holt, Jr. (1850-1939) was born in Gilmer County, Virginia (now West Virginia), in July 1850 to parents, Matthew S. Holt, Sr. and Abagail C. (Bennett) Holt.
He was a respected physician, horse breeder, and a controversial political figure. Dr. Holt was a self-proclaimed socialist, atheist, and pacifist. His outspoken opposition to America's involvement in World War I brought much criticism and physical attacks against his family and himself, but Dr. Holt held firm to his views.
Dr. Holt married Chihela Dew in 1895, and they raised six children including Andrew E. Holt and Rush D. Holt, Sr.
Chihela (Dew) Holt (1871-1949) was the first female graduate of Salem College and later taught in a business school. She later opened her own grocery store next to the family home in Weston, West Virginia.
Dr. Holt died in Weston, West Virginia, on March 31, 1939.
Andrew E. Holt
Andrew E. Holt (1901-1976) was born in Weston, West Virginia, on September 21, 1901 to parents, Dr. Matthew S. Holt, Jr. and Chihela (Dew) Holt.
He worked as a retail merchant in the grocery industry. He was also involved with the Blown Glassware and Holt Plant Companies in Weston, West Virginia.
Andrew Holt died in Weston, West Virginia in June 1976.
Ralph K. Chase
Ralph K. Chase (1901-1948) was born on July 14, 1901 in Schenectady, New York. He was the son of Robert C. B. Chase and Louise S. Chase.
He pursued legal education and became a practicing attorney in New York State before moving to Washington, D. C. to take a government-related position in the 1930s. It is likely during this time that Ralph Chase met his future wife, Jane H. Holt, younger sister to Senator Rush D. Holt of West Virginia.
Ralph Chase died in Arlington, Virginia, on July 31, 1949.
Helen Jane Holt Seale
Helen Jane Holt Seale (1945-2008) was born on September 7, 1945 in Weston, West Virginia, to parents Rush D. Holt, Sr. and Helen Louise (Froelich) Holt.
In 1963, she obtained a degree from Greenbrier College in Lewisburg, West Virginia.
During this time, Helen Jane Holt also traveled to numerous locations both in the United States and abroad including Washington, D.C., Florida, North Carolina, Norway, and Denmark, among others.
In 1967, Helen Jane Holt was married in New Orleans, Louisiana; however, no information is available about her husband.
Helen Jane Holt Seale died on October 28, 2008.
Sources:
A&M 4218, Rush Dew Holt Family Papers, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries.
Ancestry Library. West Virginia University, https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/. Accessed 22 Feb. 2017.
29 Linear Feet (29 ft. (32 document cases, 5 in. each); (6 document cases, 2 1/2 in. each); (1 flat storage box, 5 in.); (1 flat storage box, 3 1/2 in.); 9 photos in photograph filing cabinets)
0.94 Gigabytes (14 files, formats include .pdf and .tif)
Papers of the Rush Dew Holt family relating to Matthew S. Holt, Andrew E. Holt, Ralph K. Chase, and Helen Jane (Holt) Seale. The collection includes correspondence, publications, photographs, and clippings, among other material that documents the personal and business activities of the Holt family. The collection is divided into five series as follows: Dr. Matthew S. Holt Papers (1837-1943), Andrew E. Holt Papers (1926-1958), Ralph K. Chase Papers (1918-1947), Helen Jane Holt Seale Papers (ca. 1930-2008), and Mixed (ca. 1820-2013 and undated).
This collection is one of five (see also A&M 0873, 1858, 4039, and 3943) pertaining to Rush Dew Holt, Sr. and his family. The records have been gathered via multiple accruals from 1956 to 2016. Originally, these collections were divided between A&M 873 and A&M 1701, the latter also being composed of thirteen addenda and A&M 1858.
In an attempt to organize the collections in a more coherent fashion for patron use and to reflect the creator(s) in a more concise manner, the material was reevaluated and reorganized into the three sets of papers with distinct series and subseries: A&M 873: Rush Dew Holt (1905-1955) Papers; A&M 1858: Helen Holt (1913-2015) Papers; and A&M 4218: Rush Dew Holt Family Papers.
Because of the 2016-2017 reorganization, the physical arrangement no longer matches the intellectual arrangement and series order. Furthermore, any box and folder citations created prior to the above-mentioned project are likely no longer accurate.
For assistance locating material using an older citation, please ask a staff member of the West Virginia & Regional History Center.
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/
One postcard, showing North View of New State Capitol Building, Charleston, W. Va., ca. 1951, separated to Postcard Collection, A&M 3960.
Part of the West Virginia and Regional History Center Repository