Douglas Volk and Leonard Wells Volk papers, circa 1858-1965, bulk 1870-1935

The bulk of the correspondence is between Douglas and Marion Volk, dating from around the time of their first encounter and documenting their married life beginning in 1881, and ending in 1924, just prior to Marion's death in 1925. Their correspondence details all aspects of their careers and personal lives as Douglas worked and taught often away from home, and Marion ran the family home and worked to promote the activities of the Sabatos Handicraft Society in Center Lovell, Maine.

The bulk of the letters from the 1890s to circa 1915 are from Douglas to Marion detailing his painting, teaching, business affairs, personal relationships, and living conditions. These letters are most prolific from 1880-1888. His responses to his wife's letters in the early 1900s provide some insight into the heyday of production at Hewnoaks, but two folders of undated letters from Marion to Douglas appear to be from circa 1900-circa 1910, and provide the most detailed information in the series about the family's involvement in the Center Lovell community and Marion's activities in rug-making and textiles. There appear to be no letters from 1891, 1902, and 1905-1906, although some letters are undated and may be from these years.

Volk's 1919 letters to Marion contain detailed descriptions of his European trip to paint portraits of World War I leaders.

Other family correspondence includes letters to Marion Volk from her mother, Margaret Larrabee, and to Marion from other family members and friends; two letters from Emily Clarissa Volk to her son, Douglas; and circa 0.75 linear feet of letters to Douglas and Marion from their children, Gerome (Jerry), Marion Volk Bridge (Mary Ann) and Wendell, which primarily describe daily life unrelated to artistic endeavors. Also found is one letter from Douglas Volk to his son Leonard "Leo" Volk, and two folders of letters from Douglas Volk's sister, Nora Volk Colt.

General correspondence is with friends, colleagues, galleries, museums, art institutions, art societies, publishers, universities and colleges, and United States Government agencies. There are letters from artists including Edwin Howland Blashfield, William Merritt Chase, Elliott Daingerfield, Cass Gilbert, Philip Leslie Hale and Lilian Westcott Hale, Karl von Rydingsvard, and J. Alden Weir. Six folders of letters from George de Forest Brush and his wife Mary (Mittie) Taylor Whelpley Brush, reveal details about Brush's education in Europe, his experiences in Wyoming and Canada in the 1880s, and his later career. The letters also document the close relationship between the Brush and Volk families, recording their mutual sympathy and support during times of illness and bereavement, including the death of the Brush's infant son, Alfred, from cholera shortly after his birth in 1886, and Leonard Volk's death in 1891.

Also found is correspondence with writer and leader of the Ethical Society of St. Louis, Percival Chubb, and Volk family friend and founder of the Ethical Culture movement, Felix Adler and his wife Helen Goldmark Adler. Correspondence with the Buffalo Fine Arts Gallery, Albright Art Gallery includes personal and business related correspondence with Cornelia B. Sage Quinton, which documents, among other things, the gallery's purchase of Volk's Lincoln portrait for $5000.

Correspondence with Beck Engraving Company relates to plates produced by the company from Volk's Lincoln portrait. Correspondence with Charles L. Hinton relates to Hinton's work on the Lincoln medal made from a portrait of Lincoln by Volk and produced by Whitehead & Hoag. Correspondence with Whitehead & Hoag also relates to Hinton's work.

Correspondence with Fred'k Southack & Alwyn Ball Jr. Inc. relates to Volk's New York City studio lease in the mid-1920s.

National Academy of Design records include minutes of meetings and letters from Edwin Howland Blashfield, when Volk was the National Academy's Recording Secretary in the early 1920s. Correspondence with the Portland Society of Art documents the purchase by Cyrus H. K. Curtis of Volk's Lincoln portrait With Malice Toward None which Curtis donated to the Society in 1927.

Correspondence with the United States Military Academy Museum, West Point relates to Volk's portraits of Major-General John G. Foster (1930), and Major-General Gordon Granger (1931).

One folder contains carbon copies of some of Volk's letters from 1920. These copies relate primarily to his contemporary portraits of government and military subjects and include letters directly to, or relating to, David Lloyd George, Brand Whitlock, Comte d'Arschot, and John J. Pershing.