Roots Family Papers
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Scope and Content Note
Copies of correspondence, diaries, certificates, lists, map, military, genealogical, business and legal records, photographs, and other published and unpublished materials created, received, or collected by Logan Holt Roots (1841-1893), Philander Keep Roots (1838-1921), or members of their families. Material pertains to: the military, business, political, personal, familial, and other activities and interests of soldier, planter, political leader, banker, and railroad developer L.H. Roots, who was U.S. Congressman from Arkansas, 1868-71; of student, engineer, soldier, mining speculator, planter, banker, and civic leader P.K. Roots; and of members of their families; in Illinois, Nevada, and elsewhere but principally in Arkansas after 1868. Textual materials and map in electrostatic copy; photographs in positive prints.
Dates
- 1842-1907
Creator
- Roots 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
No Use Restrictions Apply.
No Interlibrary Loan.
Standard Federal Copyright Laws Apply (U.S. Title 17).
Biographical Note
Logan Holt Roots was born March 26, 1841 near Tamaroa, Illinois and died May 30, 1893 in Little Rock, Arkansas.
His early education was in Illinois; upon graduating from Illinois Normal University, in 1862, he enlisted in the Eighty-first Illinois Regiment of Infantry Volunteers for service in the Civil War. He was appointed to the staff of General William T. Sherman, where he served as a commissary officer in Georgia, Tennessee, and Mississippi. At the close of the Civil War he was assigned to Little Rock, Arkansas. In the late 1860's he began purchasing land in Arkansas and Prairie Counties which he managed as a plantation. From 1868 to 1871 he served as a Republican Representative from Arkansas to the U.S. Congress.In 1871 he married Emily Blakeslee of Illinois. In 1872 he purchased controlling interest of the Merchant's National Bank of Little Rock, which he served as president until 1890.
Logan Holt Roots was engaged in considerable banking, land, and railroad development in Arkansas from 1868 to 1893. He was a prominent Republican, Episcopalian, Mason, and Union Army veteran. Fort Roots, the military post and hospital in Little Rock, is named for him.
Philander Keep Roots was born June 4, 1838 in Willington, Connecticut and died October 16, 1921 in Little Rock, Arkansas.
His early education and training as a civil engineer was in Illinois and Kentucky and led to an engineer's post with the Union Army in Tennessee. Following the Civil War he was involved in several mining operations in Nevada, and by 1869 he began an associaiton with his brother, Logan Holt Roots, in politics, plantation management and other business in Arkansas. In 1873 he was appointed cashier of the National Bank of Western Arkansas in Fort Smith, Arkansas and in 1880 appointed cashier of First National Bank, Little Rock, Arkansas
In 1866 he married Frances Maria "Fannie" Blakeslee of Illinois. One of their children, Logan Herbert Roots, became the Episcopal Bishop of Hankow, China.
Philander Keep Roots was active in many business and civic affairs in Little Rock from 1880 to 1921, including the Mason and christ Episcopal Church. He was one of the founders of the Young Man's Christian Association in Little Rock.
Extent
3 Linear Feet (6 Boxes)
Arrangement of the Papers
Material is arranged and described in two series:
- Series 1: Frank H. Parke Records Pertaining to Logan Holt Roots, 1842-1907
- Series 1. Subseries 1: Correspondence, 1842-1870
- Series 1. Subseries 2: Other Records, 1862-1907
- Series 2: Graham Hall Records Pertaining to Logan Holt Roots and Philander Keep Roots, 1840-1900
- Series 2. Subseries 1: Logan Holt Roots Correspondence and Diary, 1840-1887
- Series 2. Subseries 2: Philander Keep Roots Correspondence, 1840-1871
- Series 2. Subseries 3: Philander Keep Roots Diaries and Appointment Book, 1855-1900
- Series 2. Subseries 4: Other Records
Acquisition Information
Loaned for xeroxing by owner of original materials through David Wilson.
Processing Information
Processed by Samuel Sizer.
- Title
- Roots Family Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Samuel Sizer
- 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