The Paul Bough Travis Papers, 1812-1963 and undated, consist of correspondence, diaries, mementos, unpublished short stories and poetry, and other materials relating to the World War I experiences and artistic career of Paul Travis, and to the genealogy of Marjorie Penfield Travis. Includes diaries and correspondence of her grandparents, William L. and Lucy E. Wood.
This collection will be useful to researchers studying art and artists in Cleveland, Ohio, and the genealogy of the Wood , White, Ely, Hall, Rawson, and Ramsey families of Ohio, New York, and Massachusetts. The papers of Paul Travis document his World War I service, literary works, and his professional career. The papers also document the trip to Africa made by Travis and include letters from friends he met there. Travis' literary works include long stories, short stories, and unfinished stories. The "History of Columbiana County" relates to Travis' ancestors in a semi-fictional story, and "Boyhood" is autobiographical.
Among the papers are a journal kept by Lucy White Wood on a trip from Kellogsville, Ohio, to Missouri in about 1866, and a copy of a short Civil War diary kept in 1865 by William L. Wood of Company A, 29th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. A business account book kept by David Scott in New Lisbon, Ohio, dated 1812, and three student notebooks of mathematics (ca. 1833-1850) kept by William S. Travis, Hervey Davis, and Robert Davis (assumed to be related to the Travis and Penfield families) are also included.