 Oscar Newton Maxwell and Annie Sarah Coombs letters
Collection DescriptionHistorical NoteOscar Newton Maxwell (1878-1933), son of Isaac Newton Maxwell (1847-1914) and Mary Jane Kitchens Maxwell (1844-1913), lived in Danville, Georgia. Annie Sarah Coombs (1881-1918), daughter of Ashley Boothe Coombs and Charlotte Elizabeth Plane Coombs, was born in Twiggs County, Georgia. Oscar Maxwell was warden of the women's department of the State Prison Farm in Milledgeville, Georgia. Scope and ContentThe collection consists of correspondence and receipts. The correspondence begins in 1895 when Annie Coombs is fourteen years old and writing to her friend Oscar Maxwell. She goes away to school at Georgia Normal and Industrial College in Milledgeville and writes him about her studies, activities and friends. Apparently they used the nicknames Sun Flower (Oscar) and Hyacinth (Annie) in their early letters to conceal the identity of the writers, since their parents did not approve of the letter writing. They planned to marry in December 1897, even though her parents objected. But Oscar's December 17 letter states that Annie has backed out. By 1900 Oscar and Annie are married with a son Newton. Letters in 1918 tell of the sickness and death of Newton, probably of influenza. There are a few letters from other family members. Transcripts of the letters are included. Administrative InformationPreferred CitationOscar Newton Maxwell and Annie Sarah Coombs letters, ms3716, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries. Finding Aid PublicationFinding aid prepared on: 2013. Related Materials and SubjectsSubject Terms | ||||||||||||||||||||||