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Naylor Family Collection
Ms2017-039


Descriptive Summary

Title: Naylor Family Collection
Span Dates: 1869-1997
Bulk Dates: 1925-1954
ID No: Ms2017-39; Ph2017-039
Creator: Naylor Family
Extent: 6 boxes
Language: English
Repository: West Virginia State Archives, Charleston, WV
Abstract: This collection contains papers of various members of the Naylor family, particularly Walter and Elfa Naylor and their children. The correspondence focuses on daily life with some comments on larger issues.

Administrative Information

Donor: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Transfers:
Preferred Citation: [item, collection number], Naylor Family Collection, West Virginia State Archives, Charleston, WV.
Processor: Mary Johnson
Biographical Note: The principal correspondents are:

Walter L. Naylor (1874-1950), a native of Jackson County, who moved to Grafton in the 1910s and also lived in Tunnelton before moving to Buckhannon in 1929. He was a school teacher for many years. Elfa E. Sallaz Naylor (1880-1945), also from Jackson County, was the wife of Walter Naylor and a homemaker.

Clara Merle Naylor Knott (1906-1954), the oldest child of Walter and Elfa Naylor, was born in Jackson County. Much of the correspondence in the collection from the 1920s is to and from Merle, as she was known, while she was a student at West Virginia University and while she was working at the West Side Community House in Cleveland, Ohio. The collection also contains diaries that were kept by Merle in the 1920s and from the late 1930s through late 1940s. After working in Ohio in the late 1920s to 1931, Merle returned to West Virginia, where she lived for the rest of her life. She worked in Parkersburg for several years and moved to Kanawha County after she married Wade Knott in 1941.

Walter Carl Naylor (1917-1997), born in Taylor County, was the middle child of Walter and Elfa Naylor; and Rex Vaughn Naylor (1920-2012), also born in Taylor County, was their youngest child. During the summers of 1935 through at least 1938, Carl went to Citizens Military Training Camp at Fort Benjamin Harrison. In the fall of 1939, he went to Baltimore, where he was working when he was ordered to Camp Lee in October 1941, having a reserve commission in the Army. Both Carl and Rex served in the military during World War II, and there is more correspondence involving them during that time period. Seriously injured in training in Texas, Carl did not see overseas duty. Rex graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan in 1942 before entering service and spent time in the Pacific.


Contents List:

Box 1

1:1. Correspondence, Rebecca Jennie Thomas Naylor, 1869-1872
1:2. Correspondence, Lu Sallaz Cleek, to and from, 1910-1913, undated
1:3. Postcards to others, 1910-1927
1:4. Correspondence, to Elfa Sallaz, 1900-1905
1:5. Correspondence, to Elfa Sallaz Naylor, 1910-1912, undated
1:6. Postcards, Elfa Naylor, to, 1906-1927
1:7. Correspondence, Grandfather Naylor to Walter, Leonard and Katie, 1914
1:8. Postcards, Walter Naylor, to, 1904-1918
1:9. Correspondence, Naylors to and from Relatives, 1925-1929
1:10. Correspondence, Elfa and Walter Naylor to Merle Naylor, 1926-1929
1:11. Correspondence, Walter Naylor to Merle Naylor, 1930
1:12. Correspondence, Elfa Naylor to Merle Naylor, 1930-1931
1:13. Correspondence, Elfa Naylor to Merle Naylor, 1938-1940, undated
1:14. Correspondence, Elfa Naylor to Walter Naylor, 1935
1:15. Correspondence, Elfa Naylor to Uncle Vince [Sallaz], [December 6, 1936]
1:16. Correspondence, Elfa Naylor to Carl Naylor, 1939
1:17. Correspondence, Elfa Naylor to Carl Naylor, 1940
1:18. Correspondence, Elfa Naylor to Carl Naylor, 1941
1:19. Correspondence, Elfa Naylor to Carl Naylor, 1942
1:20. Correspondence, Elfa Naylor to Carl Naylor, 1943
1:21. Correspondence, Elfa Naylor to Carl and Josephine Naylor, 1944
1:22. Correspondence, Elfa Naylor to Carl and Josephine Naylor, 1945
1:23. Correspondence, Elfa Naylor to Merle Naylor Knott, 1941-1943
1:24. Correspondence, Elfa Naylor to Merle Naylor Knott, 1944-1945
1:25. Correspondence, Elfa Naylor to Rex Naylor, 1942-1943, 1945
1:26. Correspondence, Elfa Naylor to Family, 1944?
1:27. Correspondence, Elfa and Walter Naylor from Relatives, 1930-1939
1:28. Correspondence, Elfa Naylor from cousin Nancy Talley, 1941-1943, 1945
1:29. Correspondence, Elfa and Walter Naylor from Family, 1945
1:30. Correspondence, Walter Naylor to Rex Naylor, 1943
1:31. Correspondence, Walter Naylor to Rex Naylor, 1946, 1948-1950
1:32. Correspondence, Walter Naylor to Carl Naylor, 1943-1945
1:33. Correspondence, Walter Naylor to Carl Naylor, 1946, 1949
1:34. Correspondence, Walter Naylor to Merle Naylor Knott, 1945
1:35. Correspondence, Walter Naylor to Merle Naylor Knott, 1948
1:36. Correspondence, Walter Naylor from Ralph Brown, 1946-1948
1:37. Correspondence, Walter Naylor, to, 1943, 1945
1:38. Correspondence, Walter Naylor, to, 1947-1950
1:39. Correspondence, Merle Naylor to Parents (Walter and Elfa Naylor) and Brothers, 1925-1926
1:40. Correspondence, Merle Naylor to Parents (Walter and Elfa Naylor), brother Carl, 1927
1:41. Correspondence, Merle Naylor to Parents (Walter and Elfa Naylor), brother Carl, 1928
1:42. Correspondence, Merle Naylor to Parents (Walter and Elfa Naylor), 1929
1:43. Correspondence, Merle Naylor to Parents (Walter and Elfa Naylor), 1930
1:44. Correspondence, Merle Naylor to Parents (Walter and Elfa Naylor), 1931
1:45. Correspondence, Merle Naylor to Parents (Walter and Elfa Naylor), 1936-1939
1:46. Correspondence, Merle Naylor to Rex (Vaughn) Naylor, 1928-1931, 1939
1:47. Correspondence, Merle Naylor to Carl Naylor, 1931, 1939
1:48. Correspondence, Merle Naylor from Wade Knott, 1934-1939
1:49. Postcards, Merle Naylor, to, 1907-1921
1:50. Correspondence, Merle Naylor, to, 1923-1929
1:51. Correspondence, Merle Naylor, to, 1930
1:52. Correspondence, Merle Naylor, to, 1931, 1932, 1933
1:53. Correspondence, Merle Naylor, to, 1934-1939


Box 2

2:1. Correspondence, Merle Naylor to Elfa Naylor, 1940, undated
2:2. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott to Elfa Naylor, 1941
2:3. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott to Elfa Naylor, 1942-1943
2:4. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott to Elfa Naylor, 1944-1945
2:5. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott to and from Wade Knott, 1941-1942, 1945
2:6. Correspondence, Merle Naylor to Carl Naylor, 1940
2:7. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott to Carl Naylor, 1941
2:8. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott to Carl Naylor, 1942
2:9. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott to Carl Naylor, 1943
2:10. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott to Carl and Josephine Naylor, 1944
2:11. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott to Carl and Josephine Naylor, 1945
2:12. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott to Carl and Josephine Naylor, 1946
2:13. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott to Jo Naylor, 1946
2:14. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott to Carl and Josephine Naylor, 1947, 1949
2:15. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott to Carl and Josephine Naylor, 1950-1953
2:16. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott to Walter Naylor, 1949
2:17. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott to Rex Naylor, 1943, 1945
2:18. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott to Rex Naylor, 1949-1951
2:19. Correspondence, Merle Naylor, to, 1940
2:20. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott, to, 1942, 1944-1945
2:21. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott, to, 1946-1949
2:22. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott, to, 1950-1952
2:23. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott, to, 1953
2:24. Correspondence, Merle Naylor Knott, to, 1954
2:25. Correspondence, Rex Naylor from Merle Naylor Knott's friends, 1954
2:26. Correspondence, Carl Naylor to Elfa Naylor, 1936-1940
2:27. Correspondence, Carl Naylor to Elfa Naylor, 1941
2:28. Correspondence, Carl Naylor to Elfa Naylor, 1942-1945
2:29. Correspondence, Carl Naylor to Merle Naylor, 1930, 1936, 1939-1940
2:30. Correspondence, Carl Naylor to Merle Naylor Knott, 1941-1945
2:31. Correspondence, Carl Naylor to Merle Naylor Knott, 1948-1949
2:32. Correspondence, Carl Naylor to Merle Naylor Knott, 1950-1952
2:33. Correspondence, Carl and Josephine Naylor from Panzarellos, 1944
2:34. Correspondence, Josephine Naylor to Elfa and Rex Naylor, 1944
2:35. Correspondence, Josephine Naylor to Rex Naylor, 1949, 1951
2:36. Correspondence, Josephine Naylor to and from Carl Naylor, 1944-1945
2:37. Correspondence, Josephine Naylor to and from Carl Naylor, 1946-1947, 1952, undated
2:38. Correspondence, Carl Naylor, to, 1930-1935
2:39. Correspondence, Carl Naylor, to, 1936-1937


Box 3

3:1. Correspondence, Carl Naylor, to, 1938-1939
3:2. Correspondence, Carl Naylor, to, 1940-1942
3:3. Correspondence, Carl Naylor from Marjorie Call, 1936-1939
3:4. Correspondence, Carl Naylor from Marjorie Call, 1940-1942
3:5. Correspondence, Carl Naylor, to, 1943-1945
3:6. Correspondence, Carl Naylor, to, 1946-1958, undated
3:7. Correspondence, Carl Naylor Photography and Work, 1940s-1950s
3:8. Correspondence, Carla Naylor, from, 1949-1954
3:9. Correspondence, Carl Naylor to Rex Naylor, 1941-1945
3:10. Correspondence, Carl Naylor to Rex Naylor, 1947, 1949
3:11. Correspondence, Carl Naylor to Rex Naylor, 1951, 1954
3:12. Correspondence, Carl Naylor to Rex Naylor, 1955-1962
3:13. Correspondence, Carl Naylor to Rex Naylor, 1985-1986, 1992
3:14. Correspondence, Rex (Vaughn) Naylor to Elfa Naylor, 1928
3:15. Correspondence, Rex (Vaughn) Naylor to Merle Naylor, 1928-1929
3:16. Correspondence, Rex (Vaughn) Naylor to Merle Naylor, 1930-1939
3:17. Correspondence, Rex Naylor to Parents (Walter and Elfa Naylor), 1941-1942
3:18. Correspondence, Rex Naylor to Parents (Walter and Elfa Naylor), 1943
3:19. Correspondence, Rex Naylor to Parents (Walter and Elfa Naylor), 1944
3:20. Correspondence, Rex Naylor to Parents (Walter and Elfa Naylor), 1945
3:21. Correspondence, Rex Naylor to Walter Naylor, 1947, 1949-1950
3:22. Correspondence, Rex Naylor to Merle Naylor, 1940-1943
3:23. Correspondence, Rex Naylor to Merle Naylor Knott, 1944
3:24. Correspondence, Rex Naylor to Merle Naylor Knott, 1945
3:25. Correspondence, Rex Naylor to Merle Naylor Knott, 1946-1949
3:26. Correspondence, Rex Naylor to Merle Naylor Knott, 1950-1953
3:27. Correspondence, Rex Naylor, from, 1944-1945
3:28. Correspondence, Rex Naylor from Ruth Ann Chafin, 1942-1943
3:29. Correspondence, Rex Naylor from Ruth Ann Chafin and Family, 1944
3:30. Correspondence, Rex Naylor, to, 1942, 1948, undated
3:31. Correspondence, Rex Naylor to Carl Naylor, 1941-1943
3:32. Correspondence, Rex Naylor to Carl Naylor, 1944-1945
3:33. Correspondence, Rex Naylor to Carl Naylor, 1946-1949
3:34. Correspondence, Rex Naylor to Josephine Naylor, 1946-1949
3:35. Correspondence, Rex Naylor to Carl Naylor, 1950-1954
3:36. Correspondence, Rex Naylor to Carl Naylor, 1955-1959
3:37. Correspondence, Rex and Phyllis Naylor to Carl and Josephine Naylor, 1960-1964
3:38. Correspondence, Phyllis Naylor to Carl Naylor, 1985-1986
3:39. Correspondence, Jeff Naylor to Carl Naylor, 1984
3:40. Correspondence, Rex Naylor to Carl Naylor, 1983-1997


Box 4

4:1. Correspondence, Ora Sallaz Wolfe, from, 1955-1966
4:2. Correspondence, from Family, 1950, 1955-1956, 1961, 1996
4:3. Postcards, no message, early 1900s
4:4. Greeting Cards
4:5. Walter L. Naylor Estate
4:6. Merle Naylor Knott Estate
4:7. Paid Notes on Wade and Merle Knott's Property
4:8. Documents, Jehu Thomas, 1872, 1878
4:9. Baby Materials, Merle Naylor
4:10. Victory Girls Certificate, Clara Berle [sic] Naylor, 1918
4:11. Church Marriage Certificate, Merle Naylor and Wade Knott, 1941
4:12. School Materials, Carl Naylor
4:13. Teaching Certificates
4:14. Deed, Upshur County
4:15. Miscellaneous Family Materials
4:16. Chinese currency (4)
4:17. Clippings, Naylor
4:18. Clippings, Sallaz
4:19. Clippings, West Virginia
4:20. Clippings, Miscellaneous


Box 5

Merle Naylor Diary, 10 from the 1920s, most undated
Merle Naylor Diary, 1937
Merle Naylor Diary, 1940
Merle Naylor Diary, 1941
Merle Naylor Knott Diary, 1945
Merle Naylor Knott Diary, 1946
Merle Naylor Knott Diary, 1948
Merle Naylor Knott Diary, 1949
Merle Naylor Knott Address Book
The West Virginia Review, Miniature No. September 1938


Box 6

6:1. Cradle Roll Certificate, Rex Vaun [sic] Naylor
6:2. Wills
6:3. Deeds, etc., Jackson County Property
6:4. Photographs, Rex Naylor, Merle Naylor, Elfa Naylor, Carl Naylor, pulled from correspondence (1)
6:5. Photographs, Nan Lee Naylor, Ida Naylor, Sam and Wendy Bell, pulled from correspondence (6)
6:6. Photographs, Merle Naylor Knott and Nan Lee Naylor, 1953, pulled from correspondence (1)
6:7. Photographs, Mildred Davis Hewitt, Lois Merle Hewitt, Merle Naylor (6)
6:8. Photographs, Merle Naylor, Carl Naylor, Rex Naylor (7)
6:9. Photographs, Carl and Rex Naylor (3)
6:10. Photographs, Merle Naylor Knott, Wade Knott, friends (4)
6:11. Photographs, Gilbert Naylor, pulled from correspondence (1)
6:12. Photographs, Wade Knott's Family, most unidentified (28)
6:13. Photographs, Nursery Children, Merle Naylor, West Side Community House, Cleveland, Ohio (19)
6:14. Photographs, Ruth, cousin of Naylors, pulled from correspondence (1)
6:15. Photographs, Sallaz/Armstrong family (5)
6:16. Photographs, Sallaz headstone, Ripley, pulled from correspondence (1)
6:17. Photographs, Nancy Sallaz Talley daughters, Nancy and sister, Sydneyville Church, pulled from correspondence (3)
6:18. Photographs, Joan, friend of Merle Naylor, pulled from correspondence (1)
6:19. Photographs, Jackie Shira, pulled from correspondence (1)
6:20. Photographs, Virginia and Judy, friends of Rex Naylor, pulled from correspondence (1)
6:21. Photographs, Virginia Rhodes, pulled from correspondence (1)
6:22. Photographs, Andre Sirguey, 1923, pulled from correspondence (1)
6:23. Photographs, Debbie Snyder (1)
6:24. Photographs, Paul Starcher (1)
6:25. Photographs, Military charge demonstration, pulled from correspondence (2)
6:26. Photographs, Dogs, birds, pulled from correspondence (5)
6:27. Photographs, Unidentified scenic (2)
6:28. Photographs, Miscellaneous (6)
6:29. Photographs, Negatives, pulled from correspondence


Manuscript Collections

West Virginia Archives and History