Lighton Family Papers
-
Select files to request
Scope and Content Note
The papers pertain primarily to William Rheem Lighton (1866- 1923), his wife Laura McMaken Lighton (1869-1948) and their children, Dorothy (1893-1967), Louis Duryea (1895-1963), Suzanne Chalfant (1905-1978), and Betty (b. 1912).
Most of the papers were collected and saved by daughters Suzanne and Betty. Included are materials pertaining to their extended family, in particular, Dorothy Lighton's children and grandchildren and Laura McMaken's father, Andrew Campbell McMaken. These include papers pertaining to Andrew McMaken's Civil War service; see Series 7 description for details. Also included are some materials pertaining to close friends Lee Seamster (a Fayetteville judge, later member of the Arkansas Supreme Court, and Suzanne Lighton's legal mentor) and Henry Tovey (music professor at the University of Arkansas).
Dates
- 1828-1987
Creator
- Lighton family (Family)
Language of Materials
Materials are in English.
Access Information
Please call (479) 575-8444 or email specoll@uark.edu at least two weeks in advance of your arrival to ensure availability of the materials.
Use Information
RESTRICTIONS APPLY. Certain legal and business records are restricted until the year 2038. Original patient and personnel records and correspondence concerning patients and personnel are restricted; in some cases photocopies, with names obliterated, are provided for research use. Negatives are restricted.
No Interlibrary Loan.
Standard Federal Copyright Laws Apply (U.S. Title 17).
Biographical Note
The Lightons came to Fayetteville, Arkansas, in 1908 and built Happy Hollow Farm. An article ("The Story of an Arkansas Farm," Saturday Evening Post, 22 January 1910) and later a book about the farm (Happy Hollow Farm, New York: George H. Doran Company, 1914) made W. R. Lighton and Fayetteville famous. Although the family sold Happy Hollow Farm and moved to California around 1919, the women of the family later returned to Fayetteville, and all became prominent in the community. Laura Lighton and Suzanne Chalfant (Peggy Sue) Lighton were active in various local groups and the collection includes papers pertaining to their activities in such organizations as the Perennial Garden Club, the City Library, the Friday Social Club, the Arkansas Bar Association, the Washington County Bar Association, the Arkansas Democratic Women's Club, the League of Women Voters, and the American Red Cross. See series and subseries descriptions for further details on individual family members.
Extent
18.85 Linear Feet (36 boxes)
Arrangement of the Papers
Contents of Collection (31 containers)
- Series 1. Correspondence. Boxes 1-7
- Series 1. Subseries 1. 1828-1890
- Series 1. Subseries 2. 1890-1914
- Series 1. Subseries 3. 1916-1918
- Series 1. Subseries 4. 1919-1941
- Series 1. Subseries 5. 1941-1945
- Series 1. Subseries 6. 1945-1987
- Series 2. William Rheem Lighton. Boxes 8-13
- Series 2. Subseries 1. Personal items, Happy Hollow Farm, movie endeavors
- Series 2. Subseries 2. Manuscripts, notebooks and notes for books
- Series 2. Subseries 3. Galleys and typescripts
- Series 2. Subseries 4. Reprints and clippings
- Series 2. Subseries 5. Typescripts of stories and screenplays done in collaboration with Louis Duryea (Bud) Lighton
- Series 3. Laura McMaken Lighton. Box 14
- Series 4. Louis Duryea (Bud) Lighton. Boxes 15-17
- Series 5. Suzanne Chalfant (Peggy Sue) Lighton. Boxes 18-19
- Series 6. Marjorie (Betty) Lighton. Boxes 20-23
- Series 7. Dorothy Lighton, Laura McMaken Lighton's extended family, and friends of the Lightons. Box 24
- Series 8. Photographs. Boxes 25-28
- Series 8. Subseries 1. Primarily photographs pertaining to William Rheem Lighton
- Series 8. Subseries 2. Primarily photographs pertaining to Laura McMaken Lighton
- Series 8. Subseries 3. The Lighton family
- Series 8. Subseries 4. Primarily photographs pertaining to Dorothy Lighton and her family
- Series 8. Subseries 5. Primarily photographs pertaining to Louis Duryea (Bud) Lighton
- Series 8. Subseries 6. Primarily photographs pertaining to Suzanne Lighton
- Series 8. Subseries 7. Primarily photographs pertaining to Marjorie (Betty) Lighton
- Series 8. Subseries 8. Laura McMaken Lighton's extended family; the North family, Henry Tovey, and other friends; and Fayetteville scenes
- Series 8. Subseries 9. Betty Lighton's 35 mm proof sheets
- Series 9. William Lighton's works, scrapbooks, albums, and other books. Boxes 29-30, Volumes 1-41
- Series 9. Subseries 1. William Lighton's works
- Series 9. Subseries 2. Scrapbooks and albums
- Series 9. Subseries 3. Betty Lighton's college yearbooks, 1931-1934
Acquisition Information
Papers pertaining to the William Rheem Lighton family were donated to Special Collections by Betty Lighton, Fayetteville, Arkansas, December 1987. Two additional items designated for the collection were identified in the collections in November 2018.
Processing Information
Processed by Nan Lawler, June 1990. Special Collections Division, University of Arkansas Libraries, Fayetteville, Arkansas. Updated by Katrina Windon in November 2018 to incorporate Box 31, Folder 1.
- Title
- Lighton Family Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Nan Lawler
- Date
- June 1990
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Department Repository
University of Arkansas Libraries
365 N. McIlroy Avenue
Fayetteville AR 72701 United States
(479) 575-8444
specoll@uark.edu