Edward East Barthell Lantern Slide Collection

Collection

Identifier: MSS.0332

Staff Only

Scope and Content Note

This is a collection of 433 lantern slides and glass negatives, exclusive to Vanderbilt University and/or the Nashville, Tennessee area. Lantern slides were invented in 1849, ten years after the invention of the photograph. This medium allowed for viewing photographs and images in an entirely new format, visible to a substantial group of people. Lantern slides were used at Vanderbilt alumni events and contain images that aren’t available in other formats. This particular collection contains lantern slides of group portraits, photographs of buildings, portraits of alumni, portraits of faculty, yearbook portraits, campus maps, tombs, and publications.

Dates

multiple

Language of Materials

English

Biography of Edward East Barthell

Edward E. Barthell was born in East Nashville, Tennessee, in April 1866. Barthell was the eldest of three sons of Jackson P. Barthell and Fannie Card Barthell. Upon graduating Vanderbilt, he began practicing law and was a prominent member of the Nashville Bar. In 1894, he married Florence E. Freeman and they had four children, of which Edward Barthell Jr. came to work with him in his Chicago law practice, later in his career.

Barthell went to Vanderbilt Law School – graduating class of 1888. As a student he was highly involved and active in the collegiate life. In 1887, he was given the Founder’s Medal and chosen to represent Vanderbilt in an intercollegiate oratory contest. He was also a member of the Kappa Alpha Fraternity.

In 1889 he began practicing law in Tennessee with John Bell Keeble, a classmate and friend. This partnership dissolved because Keeble was appointed the District Attorney for the L & N Railroad. Eventually Barthell began commuting between a Chicago firm and a Nashville firm. However this commute ended in 1915, when he moved to Chicago, and became part of the Barthell, Fitts & Rundall practice, which eventually employed his son Edward Barthell Jr.

Barthell continued to be involved with the Vanderbilt community. In 1905 he was president of the Vanderbilt Alumni Association. He was also a member of the Board of Directors. He was considered one of the most active members of the Vanderbilt Board of Trust. He died May 9, 1937 at the age of 68