Guide to the Jerrie Watson Bass Collection
Record Group 018
Date Span: 1849--ca. 2000
Extent: ca. 0.7 cubic foot + digital surrogates
Biographical Sketch: Ms. Jerrie Watson Bass, a resident of Dothan, Alabama, is her family's historian. She provided this material as part of the Veterans History Project (sponsored by the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress), after reading a November 2002 letter to the editor of the Dothan Eagle from Dr. Olliff asking for help with the project. Ms. Bass's collection goes beyond that project's parameters to cover the Civil War, World War I, and World War II.
Scope / Content Note: Collection documents portions of the history of the Watson side of Ms. Bass's family. Includes substantial antebellum and Civil War correspondence and bills of Hardy and Malvina Scarborough of Mt. Andrew, Barbour County, Alabama (Ms. Bass's great-great grandparents), photographs of a number of generations of both the Watson and Collier families (her father's and mother's respectively), and two wartime artifacts.
Organization: Organized into 3 series:
- Series 1. Scarborough Documents, 1849 - 1878, 50 items. Letters between Scarborough family members, letters from friends, ledger pages,
transcriptions of letters, and maps (provided by Wiregrass Archives staff).
- Series 2. Artifacts, c. 1863, c. 1917, 2 items. Cuff from Hardy Scarborough's Confederate jacket and WW1 helmet from Asa Watson.
- Series 3. Photographs, 1860s - 1970s, 31 items. Portraits and snapshots of Scarborough and Watson family members. Many military photographs, others are photos of civilian family members. One image of a newspaper article.
Date processed: 9-8-2003
Processed By: M. Olliff
Publications about this collection:
Olliff, Martin T. “It Came from the Archives: Private Hardy F. Scarborough, 1832-1864.” TroyToday (blog). May 14, 2020. https://today.troy.edu/perspectives/it-came-from-the-archives-private-hardy-f-scarborough-1832-1864/.
Calendar of items
Series 1. Scarborough Documents, 1849 - 1878, 50 items. Letters between Scarborough family members, letters from friends, ledger pages, transcriptions of letters, and maps (provided by Wiregrass Archives staff).
File I.D. File Title
018-03-002-001-001 1849 June 21 - Unsigned to "Dear Brother"
018-03-002-001-002 1849 Dec 8 - From "Sallie Burns" to "Mr & Mrs Scarborough"
018-03-002-001-003 1849 [__] the 9th - From "Ninah Paulk" to "Mr John Hurt"
018-03-002-001-004 1851 Feb 16 - From "H F Scarborough", Baker County Gin, to "My Dear Bro [Jasey]"
018-03-002-001-005 1851 July 25 - From "Burns", Stewart County, Georgia, to "Dear Sir"
018-03-002-001-006 [18]'53 Oct 14 - From "G.H.C." to "Mr Hardy F Scarborough"
018-03-002-001-007 1854 May 17 - From "Jasey Scarborough", Dooley County, Georgia, to "Dear Brother"
018-03-002-001-008 1854 July 15 - From "A N Scarborough", Clabron Parish, Louisiana, to "Dear Brother Hardy"
018-03-002-001-009 1855 Jan 20 - From "L. H. Turner", Auburn, to "My Dear Friend"
018-03-002-001-010 1855 Jan 31 - From "Fannie A Bryan", Lowndes County, Georgia, to "Dear Sister"
018-03-002-001-011 1855 May 16 - From "Carton Wellborn" Wellborn's Mill, to "Dear Sir"
018-03-002-001-012 1856 June 29 - From "F.A.Miller", Hamilton Conty, Florida, to "Dear Sister & Brother"
018-03-002-001-013 1856 Nov 18 - From "Eli [Warrenn], Perry, Georgia, to "Dear Sir"
018-03-002-001-014 1857 May 21 - From "Kendal and [McRae]", Eufaula, Alabama, to "Dear Sir"
018-03-002-001-015 1857 Oct 23 - From "H F Scarborough", to "Mr Jno [Farver]"
018-03-002-001-016 1858 Oct 18 - From "H F Scarborough", Barbour County, Alabama, to "Dear Bro"
018-03-002-001-017 1862 May 4 - From "A V Turner", Odom Creek, to "Dear Hardy"
018-03-002-001-018 1863 Feb 17 - From "H F Scarborough", Camp Ageechee, to "Dear Wife & Children"
018-03-002-001-019 1863 Feb 25 - From "HFS", Camp Ageechee, to "Dear Wife"
018-03-002-001-020 1863 Mar 9 - From "H F Scarborough", Camp Jones, to "Dear Wife" [N. B. Laminated, illegible]
018-03-002-001-021 1863 Apr 9 - From "[H F Scarborough]", Camp Ashby, to "Dear Wife"
018-03-002-001-022 1863 Apr 20 - From "H.F. Scarborough", Camp Ashby, to "My Dear Wife"
018-03-002-001-023 1863 May 3 - From "[H F Scarborough]", Camp Ashby, to "My Dear Wife"
018-03-002-001-024 1863 July 24 - From "H F Scarborough", Camp Ashby, to "Dear Wife"
018-03-002-001-025 1863 Sept 4 - From "H F Scarborough", Camp Ashby, to "Dear Wife"
018-03-002-001-026 1863 Nov 18 - From "H F Scarborough", Camp Ashby, to "Dear Wife"
018-03-002-001-027 1864 Feb 14 - From "H F Scarborough", Camp Ashby, to "Dear Wife" [N.B. Illegible]
018-03-002-001-028 1864 Feb 19 - From "H F Scarborough", Camp Ageechee, to "Dear Wife" [N.B. Illegible]
018-03-002-001-029 1864 Mar 9 - From "H F Scarborough", Camp Ashby, to "Dear Wife"
018-03-002-001-030 1864 Mar 23 - From "H F Scarborough", Camp Ashby, to "Dear Wife"
018-03-002-001-031 1864 Apr 8 - From "H F Scarborough", Camp Ashby, to "Dear Wife"
018-03-002-001-032 [1871] March - Unsigned to "Mis [______] Scarbrough"
018-03-002-001-033 1878 April 7 - From "C A Scarbrough", Yatsville, Cayell County, [Texas] to "Miss [Mallie] Sarbough"
018-03-002-001-034 1855 - Account Ledger - 1 leaf - From "Gaston & Wellborn" to "Mr H F Scarborough"
018-03-002-001-035 Date Unknown - Note of Purchases & Account Balance
018-03-002-001-036 Date Unknown [1852 August 22] - From "J F Bryan" to "Dear Brother"
018-03-002-001-037 Date Unknown [April - June 1863] - Fragment - From "HFS" to "[Malvina]"
018-03-002-001-038 Date Unknown [January - June 1854] - From "A N Scarborough" to "Dear Brother"
018-03-002-001-039 Date Unknown - Fragment - From "HFS" to "[Malvina]"
018-03-002-001-040 Date Unknown - From "N Sapp", Muscogee County, Georgia, to "Dear Cousin"
018-03-002-001-041 Various Dates - Envelopes
018-03-002-001-042 Currency - Confederate States of American - $10.00 bill [ten dollar bill]
018-03-002-001-043 Maps - Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, 1949-1864 [included by archival staff]
018-03-002-001-044 Transcriptions of Letters in Jerrie Bass Collection
018-03-002-FF3-001 1849 May 21 - Ledger page, single leaf, List of purchases
018-03-002-FF3-002 1858 - Mr. H.F. Scarborough, Account statement from W. Clark, Clayton, Alabama.
018-03-002-FF3-003 1849 January 1 - From Sallie Burns, Auburn, Alabama to "My Dear Mother" combined with letter to "Dear Malvina" (Miss Malvina C. Bryan), Shell Creek, Georgia.
018-03-002-FF3-004 1851 September 19 - From Burns, Stewart County, Georgia, to "Mr Scarborough", Concord, Baker County, Georgia.
018-03-002-FF3-005 1854 January 22 - From "A N Scarbrough", Bienville Parish, Louisiana, to "Dear Brother Hardy"
018-03-002-FF3-006 1859 April 4 - From "Fannie A Miller", Troublesome [Poolofise], Lownds Conty, Georgia, to "Dear Sister"
Series 2. Artifacts, c. 1863, c. 1917, 2 items. Cuff from Hardy Scarborough's Confederate jacket and WW1 helmet from Asa Watson.
Ref. No.: ART 018-03-002-AR2-001--World War 1 U. S. Army Helmet of Thomas Asa ("Ace") Watson.
Ref. No.: ART 018-03-002-AR2-002--Woven Coat Cuff made by Malvina Scarborough for Hardy Scarborough, Civil War.
Series 3. Photographs, 1860s - 1970s, 31 items. Portraits and snapshots of Scarborough and Watson family members. Many military
photographs, others are photos of civilian family members. One image of a newspaper
article.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-001--Malvina Carter Scarborough (1833-1896). Illiterate wife of Hardy Scarborough of Mt. Andrew, Barbour County, Alabama. Grandmother of Alma Scarborough. Alma was Jerrie Bass's paternal grandmother.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-002--Hardy Franklin Scarborough (1832-1864), private in Georgia Volunteers, Terrell Light Artillery, Capt. Brooks's Company. Died during the Civil War in Savannah, Georgia. Hardy was husband of Malvina and grandfather of Alma Scarborough. Alma was Jerrie Bass's paternal grandmother. Scarborough describes this photograph in his February 17, 1863 letter [see folder 018-03-002-001-018 above].
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-003--Joseph Howell Watson. Served in the 33rd Alabama Infantry Regiment, Company I, during the Civil War. Later, he served as sheriff of Enterprise, Alabama. Joseph was grandfather of Thomas Asa (Ace) Watson and twin brother Joseph Masa (Mace) Watson. "Ace" was Jerrie Bass's paternal grandfather.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-004--Antoinette "Nettie" Cariker Watson, wife of Joseph Howell Watson. Nettie was grandmother of Thomas Asa (Ace) Watson and twin brother Joseph Masa (Mace) Watson. "Ace" was Jerrie Bass's paternal grandfather.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-005--Joseph Watson holding granddaughter, Louise. Granddaughter Nettie is standing.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-006--Joseph Howell Watson Family. L-to-R: Nettie Sue-granddaughter, Joseph Howell Watson, Lucille-granddaughter, Anna Louise-daughter and mother of Nettie Sue, Antoinette Cariker Watson-wife.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-007--Sheriff Joseph Watson with young man, possibly his nephew, on the streets of Enterprise, Alabama.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-008--Left-to-right: Joseph Masa Watson, Jerry Frank Watson (little boy), Thomas Asa Watson. Joseph and Thomas were twins. Jerry Frank is Thomas' son and Jerrie Bass's father.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-009--Thomas Asa "Ace" Watson. Served in 42nd Infantry Division ("Rainbow Division"), 167th Regiment, Company G in World War I. Ace was Jerrie Bass's paternal grandfather.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-010--Thomas Asa "Ace" and Alma Scarborough Watson before their marriage. Ace in WWI uniform. Ace and Alma were Jerrie Bass's paternal grandparents.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-011--Thomas Asa and Alma Scarborough Watson after their marriage.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-012--42nd Infantry Division, 167th Regiment, marching into Montgomery, Alabama, after returning from World War I. Ace Watson, who served in the regiment, marched in this parade.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-013--167th Regiment of the 42nd Infantry Division (Rainbow Division) Reunion, Ozark, Alabama, July 19, 1958. Photograph by Kingsley.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-014--Isaac David Collier, Sr., holding dog. Other young man unidentified. "Ike" Collier served in the U. S. Navy in World War I aboard the USS Birmingham and was Jerrie Bass's maternal grandfather.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-015--Isaac David Collier, Sr., seated and friend (World War I).
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-016--Isaac David Collier, Sr. (middle) U.S. Navy (World War I).
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-017--Verla Lee Lambert, later wife of Isaac D. Collier, Sr., mother of Mary Nell Collier and maternal grandmother of Jerrie Bass.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-018--Verla Lee Lambert, at Fort Sheridan, Montgomery, Alabama. ca. 1917 or 1918.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-019--Obituaries of Isaac David Collier, Sr.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-020--Isaac David Collier, II, as a child. This second "Ike" Collier served in the 7th Special Seabee Battalion, 1st Platoon, of the U. S. Navy in World War II and is Jerrie Bass's maternal uncle.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-021--Ike and Louise Collier (brother and sister) taken during World War II. He served in the U. S. Navy. Ike and Louise are maternal uncle and aunt of Jerrie Bass.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-022--Ike and Mary Nell Collier (brother and sister) taken during World War II. He served in the U. S. Navy. Mary Nell is Jerrie Bass's mother.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-023--Collier siblings, 1991-(Martha, Louise, Ike, II, and Mary Nell).
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-024--Mary Nell Collier as a member of the Dothan High School Band.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-025--U. S. Army Air Force Cadet Jerry F. Watson, standing with Stearman training airplane, World War II Jerry is Jerrie Bass's father.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-026--U. S. Army Air Force Flight Cadet Jerry Frank Watson, Physical Training Instructor, Selma, Alabama, during World War II.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-027--U. S. Army Air Force Flight Cadet Jerry F. Watson standing with P-51 Mustang, World War II
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-028--Service Portrait of Jerry Frank Watson, U. S. Army Air Force, in "Pinks and Greens" uniform. World War II.
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-029--Jerry Frank Watson, United States Army Air Forces, in Japan, 1949. World War II uniform. (notice the "Ike" jacket-named after Eisenhower)
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-030--Lt. Col. Jerry Frank Watson, United States Air Force, near retirement
Ref. No.: PH 018-03-002-031--Extra copy of PH 018-03-002-007
Contact Us
Wiregrass Archives
Troy University Dothan Campus
Everett 128
502 University Dr.
Dothan, AL 36303
Phone: 334-983-6556 x21327
Email: wiregrassarchives@troy.edu