Browse Items (91 total)

  • Collection: Charles Shively Collection

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This pamphlet, created by the ACLU of South California Gay Rights Chapter, instructs veterans on how to apply to upgrade their discharge to honorable discharge, if they had been discharged "less than honorably" due to being (or being accused of…

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Allan Searcy was Gordon's boyfriend for a time. Allan wrote to Gordon from various posts in the Navy. This letter is dated May 17, 1973. Allan notes that "It seems every day I mature more. Damn by the time I am 19 I'll be 30," shares praise he…

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Allan Searcy writes from his ship in the Navy to Gordon Copeland, and asks about their mutual friends ("everyone in town") and asks him to say hello to Ricky. Dated May 4, 1973.

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In this letter, Allan writes "it sounds like my *hotline* was right about what was happening downtown," asks about Flo, complains that Ricky didn't write him back, and tells Gordon to say hi to Red (Ricky's friend). Dated June 7, 1973

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Allan writes to Gordon from Charleston, SC ("not AWOL"). In this letter Allan refers to a prior decision to "get out of the Navy" - "to get out on you know what," but says that he has now changed his mind: "I figured it wasn't worth it... So I told…

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In this letter, Allan apologizes for not spending more time with Gordon when he was home ("my mother was sick, what could I do!?") and asks him to say hello to Chuck (Charles Shively?) and again complains about Ricky's lack of correspondence. Dated…

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Greeting card from Allan to Gordon with a conch shell on the front. Allan asks how Gordon's Easter was and says his was "boring. Like every day." Dated April 17, 1974.

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Birthday card from Allan to Gordon, apologizing for it being a couple days late, dated June 20, 1974.

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In this letter, Allan writes "I think there is something you should know. I am now going with somebody, and have been for a couple of months now. I think it is only fair that you should know this. I still think of you as a great friend (I always…

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Allan writes to Gordon from Spain - he didn't like Morocco, but he loves Spain, and he toured a champagne distillery. Dated October 18, 1974.

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Valentine's Day card from Allan Searcy to Gordon Copeland, not dated. "To Gordon, my sweetest Valentine :) "

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In this Valentine's Day card, Allan writes "Gordon, I hope we're still good friends. Let the past be the past, life isn't long enough. Only think of the future. Love, Allan." The greeting card's pre-printed message reads "Valentine, you are... the…

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In this letter, Allan gives his condolences about the death of a mutual friend or family member named Michael, and passes on a message to Judy and (another) Gordon ("I really feel bad and ... I wish them the best of luck"). He asks "How is everyone…

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This letter was filed in Gordon Copeland’s correspondence folder in the Charles Shively archives. Written by hand in cursive, with faded pencil, on yellowed stationary, it is addressed “Dear Skip,” and is not signed or dated. However the stationery…

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This small funeral program has a yellow front page with painted picture of yellow flowers and a white church steeple, and reads "In Loving Memory." The inside contains the Twenty-Third Psalm ("The Lord is my shepherd...") and gives her dates of birth…

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This packet contains a letter from the Cambridge Hospital Patient Accounts Department, addressed to Charles Shively's partner Gordon Copeland, stating that his Free Care status had been denied due to lack of income verification. The letter encloses…

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This document is Timothy Kelleher's Medical Examiner's Certificate of Death. The certificate states that Timothy passed away on December 3, 1977, "en route to the Cambridge Hospital" and the causes are listed as "Coronary Heart Disease" and "Sudden…

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This letter, from Carol to “Dad Copeland,” is written in cursive with red ink, on stationery decorated with a hunting dog in the top left corner. It is likely that “Skip” is Gordon, and Carol is Skip’s wife, writing to her father-in-law. It is dated…

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Gordon Copeland's Certificate of Death records his passing on November 23, 1995. The certificate states that he passed away at age 64, and that the immediate cause of death was "hepato cellular carcinoma" with 3 months between onset and death, and…

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This scan is actually of a xeroxed copy of a postcard saved in Charles' files. On the same sheet of xerox paper was also a studio portrait of Charles' partner, Gordon Copeland, at age 18 months, taken in 1932 in England (close to Gordon's father's…

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In this letter, Charles' mother, Florence, breaks the news that his brother "Butch" (Mearl C. Shively, Jr.) has gotten married to "an awfully nice girl" named Marilyn L. Edwards on March 6 (Marilyn's 19th birthday - year not given). Florence also…

List of personal property referred to in Gordon Copeland's Last Will and Testament, signed April 5, 1985
This 1-page document is a list of personal property referred to in Gordon Copeland's Last Will and Testament, April 5, 1985. The list refers to 6 items (jewelry, a watch, and a pitcher) to be inherited by Gordon's sister, children, grandchildren, and…

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This document, dated April 5, 1985, is the Last Will and Testament (envelope and 4 page document) of Gordon W. Copeland, Jr. (Charles Shively's partner). Gordon left six precious items to his sister and younger descendants (the list is archived here…

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This type-written letter, from Gordon Copeland (Charles' partner) to the Boston Veterans' Affairs office, requests "to activate a character of service determination to determine my access to VA benefits." The letter is dated July 3, 1979 - during…

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This document is a type-written draft of a letter from Gordon Copeland, addressed to the Secretary of the Air Force, Discharge Review Board. Gordon writes, "I hope that an upgrade of my undesirable discharge will be possible without a personal…

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This is a photocopy of a portrait photograph of Charles' partner, Gordon Copeland, at age 18 months (as noted on the back). He is standing beside a woman in a dress with lace on the shoulders. She may be Gordon's mother (Marie Thompson Copeland), or…

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This letter from May 10, 2000 introduces Jack Cornett as the attorney retained to administer the estate of Charles' brother, Stephen C. Shively, and presents a Waiver of Notice of Application to Relieve Estate from Administration. The estate in…

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This newspaper clipping is most likely from a local newspaper, as it describes Charles as a "Fairfield High School graduate." It briefly notes that Charles (son of Mr and Mrs Mearl Shively at 2117 Tuley Rd) made the undergraduate Dean's List at…

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Sympathy card from Lou Costa in Billerica to Gordon Copeland, November 2, 1990

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This letter is addressed to Charles Shively, and signed by the executive director of the Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. The letter states that John Mitzel has recommended Charles for membership, and describes the achievements and value of…

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This document is a standard form from the Middlesex Probate and Family Court Department that simply states "Court Does Not Require the Memorandum... Happy New Year." It was stored in Charles' files in an envelope addressed to Gordon Copeland…

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This packet contains a letter from a law firm, a document confirming that Charles received one fifth of the household goods from his deceased mother's home, and a Quit Claim Deed in which Charles grants ownership of his portion of his deceased…

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This letter, dated September 27 1996, presents Charles Shively with a Waiver of Notice of Application to Relieve Estate from Administration, regarding the property at 1333 East Avenue in Hamilton Ohio that had previously belonged to Charles' mother.…

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This item includes 2 pieces of paper: one, a draft of the poem typed on a typewriter with handwritten edits, and the second, a handwritten version of the poem (probably an earlier draft) on lined composition book paper. Both versions are dated 9 July…

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This newspaper clipping is an obituary for Florence L. Shively, the mother of Charles Shively. She had died on Monday September 16, 1996, so this clipping is probably not long after that.
It was probably run in a local paper, as the article on the…

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This scan is of a xerox of a newspaper clipping that describes "a blaze at on the top floor at 135 Commonwealth Ave" in which "Gordon W. Copeland," (Charles' partner) "34, an occupant... was taken to City Hospital after being overcome by smoke. He…

Charles Shively, portrait as a toddler
This is a professional portrait photograph of Charles Shively, labeled "Age 1 yr."

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This document is a copy of the form that Charles filled out to reserve the sanctuary of the Old Cambridge Baptist Church (Cambridge MA) for Gordon's memorial service on December 8, 1995. Charles wrote that he anticipated 50-75 people to attend, and…

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This typed paragraph appears to be a draft of Gordon's obituary run in the Boston Globe on Thursday, December 7, 1995 (also included in this collection). (Gordon Copeland was Charles Shively's partner.) This draft is not signed or dated.

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These handwritten sheets draft out Gordon's obituary and also include scattered notes and lists regarding his memorial service. Gordon was Charles Shively's partner.

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This Certified Copy of Birth Record is for Charles Shively. It notes his birth date on December 8, 1937, in Stonelick Twp., Clermont County, Ohio, to Florence Lillian Potrafke and Mearl Carlton Shively of Batavia Ohio. The certificate notes Charles’…

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Black-and-white portrait photograph of a woman theatrically posing with a sword and a mask in her hands, wearing a strappy, feathered bikini top and sequined satin panties with cut-aways at the hips, and spiral earrings. She has autographed the…

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This is Gordon's birth certificate. He was born on June 17, 1931 in Providence RI. His father, also named Gordon, was born in Chatham, England, and his mother, Marie Thomas, was born in Syracuse, New York.

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This envelope contained four obituaries for Charles Shively's partner of 30 years, Gordon W. Copeland Jr. The obituaries record his passing on November 23, 1995, and note that he was a father, grandfather, brother, uncle. He attended Brown…

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This newspaper clipping is from the front page of The Columbus Citizen, August 28 1954, featuring a headline regarding the Ohio State Fair: "Ohio's Finest Young Musicians --- The 1954 All Ohio Boys' Band." The caption says that the band has 320…

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This legal document is regarding the sale of a property in Cambridge by Timothy and Evelyn Kelleher to Charles Shively, for $16,000 to be paid over 10 years with 9% interest.

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This is a business card for a Deputy Director at the Massachusetts' Department of Correction, named Michael D. Shively (Ph.D.). The History Project does not currently know what relation Michael has to Charles Shively. The card gives Michael's office…

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This article is from the Sunday Echo, June 21, 1959. The paper appears to be based in Fairfield Ohio. The article announces Charles' graduation magna cum laude from Harvard University, having majored in American History. The article notes that…

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This is the Last Will and Testament of Mearl Avery Shively, Charles' grandfather. This will was signed by Mearl Avery and two witnesses, in Batavia Ohio, on July 30 1971. This date is a year after the death of Charles' father (Mearl Avery's son),…
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