Collection Details:

Collection Name and Number: Richard H. Truly and Family Papers (Z/2424).
Creator/Collector: Truly, Richard H.; others.
Date(s): 1881-1992; n.d.
Size: 0.50 cubic feet.
Language(s): English.
Processed by: MDAH staff, Laura Heller, 2026.
Provenance: Gift of Lee Truly Rumbles of Boulder, Colorado, in April 2026; Z/U/2026.011.
Repository: Archives & Records Services Division, Mississippi Department of Archives & History.

 

Rights and Access:

Access restrictions: Collection is open for research.

Publication rights: Copyright assigned to the MDAH. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to Reference Services. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the MDAH as the owner of the physical items and as the owner of the copyright in items created by the donor. Although the copyright was transferred by the donor, the respective creator may still hold copyright in some items in the collection. For further information, contact Reference Services.

Copyright notice: This material may be protected by copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code).

Preferred citation: Richard H. Truly and Family Papers (Z/2424), Mississippi Department of Archives & History.

 

Biography:

Richard Harrison Truly

Richard Harrison Truly was born on November 12, 1937, in Fayette, Jefferson County, Mississippi, the son of James Bennett Truly (1905–1984) and Jessie Smith Sheehan Truly (1912-1971). His father worked as a lawyer for the Federal Trade Commission, and his mother worked as a teacher. Richard attended Georgia Institute of Technology and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1959. While in college, he was active in the Boy Scouts of America and Navy ROTC. Then he joined the U.S. Navy where he attended flight school and was designated a naval aviator on October 7, 1960. From 1963 to 1965, Truly was first a student and later an instructor at the U.S. Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Truly was among the first military astronauts selected to the United States Air Force's Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program in Los Angeles, California. After the cancellation of the MOL program, Truly joined NASA Astronaut Group 7 in August 1969. Later, Truly left NASA to become the first commander of the Naval Space Command. Truly returned to NASA to become NASA's Associate Administrator for Space Flight on February 20, 1986. Truly retired from the Navy as a vice admiral shortly before becoming NASA administrator. He was named to head NASA as its eighth administrator in May 1989, the first astronaut to do so. He held this position until May 1992.

After leaving NASA, Truly became Vice President and Director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute, part of the Georgia Institute of Technology, in Atlanta, Georgia. He served in this role from 1992 to 1997. Then he served as director of the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory and as executive vice president of the MRIGlobal (formerly Midwest Research Institute) from 1997–2005. In May 2007, Retired Vice Admiral Richard Truly testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations as a member of a military advisory board on the subject of the threats to U.S. national security posed by global climate change. In 2010, Truly was appointed to the board of trustees of the Colorado School of Mines by Governor Bill Ritter. He served as the vice chairman of the board.

Truly was married to Colleen "Cody" Hanner, and had three children. Richard Harrison Truly died on February 27, 2024, at his home in Genesee, Colorado, at the age of 86.

 

Scope and Content Note:

This collection largely consists of genealogical papers, research and letters to Richard H. Truly, as well as other correspondence with Jessie Smith Sheehan Truly, and Mrs. J.H. Mullholland.

 

Series Identification:

Series 1: Richard H. Truly
This series largely consists of correspondence received by Richard Harrison Truly, as well as genealogical research files and photographs.  Of note is the oldest item in the collection, an indenture to deed between George W. Shackleford and Pauline Shackleford, and Mary Truly, dated October 13, 1881.

Box 1, Folders 1-20

 

Series 2: Hamner Family 
This series focuses on the genealogical research and information about the Hamner family and surname.  This includes correspondence between Lois Ferrell and Mrs. J.H. Mulholland, and then later correspondence between Claudia Mulholland and Jessie Smith Sheehan Truly.  There are a large number of notes and typescripts related to genealogy.

Box 1, Folders 21-44
Box 2, Folders 1-17

 

Series 3: Jefferson County
This series consists of articles and short writings about Jefferson County, Mississippi, and surrounding areas.

Box 2, Folders 18-28

 

Series 4: Miscellaneous
This series largely consists of loose papers discovered inside books donated as part of the collection. Books are cataloged separately, however can be located in the catalog as gifts presented by the donor of this collection.

Box 2, Folders 29-33

 

Series 5: Oversized
This series largely consists of oversized genealogical items, a “Chart of My Ancestry: Truly and Sheehan," and a Daughters of the American Revolution Chart on Richard Harrison Truly. Additionally, a photoprint copy from the National Archives, Record Group 109.14.2 of the “Roll of Prisoners of War” which mentions Hamner family members and company muster roll, prisoner of war, and report records for George W. Hamner (photocopies).

Oversized drawers

 

 

Box List:

Box 1
Folder 1: Family tree, Richard H. Truly, n.d.
Folder 2: Biographical entry, Wikipedia, for Richard H. Truly, n.d.
Folder 3: Letter, Gene Boyer to Richard H. Truly, October 16, 1988.
Folder 4: Letter, Jeanne Truly Davis to Richard H. Truly, n.d. (enclosed photocopies)
Folder 5: Letters, John C. Grady to Richard H. Truly, 1990-1991
Folder 6: Letter, Fracis D. Huber to Richard H. Truly, March 9, 1992
Folder 7: Letter, Kathryn R. Lowry to Richard H. Truly, November 11, 1981
Folder 8: Card and photographs, Virginia "Ducky" McCormick to Richard H. Truly, n.d.
Folder 9: Letter, Janet Fox McLaurin to Richard H. Truly, March 30, 1982.
Folder 10: Letter, Van B. Philpot, Jr. to Richard H. Truly, February 20, 1992.
Folder 11: Letter, Sara Stone to Richard H. Truly, November 8, 1989.
Folder 12: Letter, Jenny Smith Thornton to Richard H. Truly, November 18, 1981.
Folder 13: Letter, Everette Truly to Richard H. Truly, January 19, 1982.
Folder 14: Letter, Genevieve Truly to Richard H. Truly, December 18, 1989.
Folder 15: Letter, Jeff Truly to Helen M. W. Wilson, September 8, 1932 (copy).
Folder 16: Letter, Mrs. Mildred L. Truly to Richard H. Truly, May 16, 1983.
Folder 17: Photographs, Scout camps [including Richard H. Truly], n.d.
Folder 18: Copy negatives of Truly ancestors: Martha Ann Mundy; Henry (Hallie) Fox; Richard Harrison Truly; Martha Ann Permilia Key, Bennett A. Truly
Folder 19: Essay, "Life in the Penitentiary" by Stella Atkinson Fox (Mrs. L.T. Fox), n.d.
Folder 20: Indenture to Deed, George W. Shackleford and Pauline Shackleford, and Mary Truly, October 13, 1881.
Folder 21: Application, Daughters of the American Revolution, Jessie Smith Sheehan, n.d.
Folder 22: Application, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Jessie Smith Sheehan, n.d.
Folder 23: Letter, Maude H. Beckham to Jessie Smith Sheehan Truly, November 20, 1930.
Folder 24: Letter, S.E. Farish to Mrs. J.H. Mulholland, December 6, 1929.
Folder 25: Letter, Lois D. Ferrell to Mrs. J.H. Mulholland, March 25, 1936.
Folder 26: Letter, Lois D. Ferrell to Mrs. J.H. Mulholland, n.d.
Folder 27: Letter, Ed Hamner to Herman B. Hamner, January 15, 1922.
Folder 28: Letter, Ed Hamner to Herman B. Hamner, January 31, 1926.
Folder 29: Letter, Reuben F. Hamner to Jessie Smith Sheehan Truly, July 10, 1930.
Folder 30: Letter, Ruth Hamner to Claudia Mulholland, n.d.
Folder 31: Letter, Library of the University of Virginia to Mrs. J.H. Mulholland, April 23, 1931.
Folder 32: Letter, Mrs. W.P. Marsh to "Henry" [no last name], February 26, 1910.
Folder 33: Letter, [Mrs. W.P. Marsh] "Mama" to "Henry" [no last name], September 24, 1911.
Folder 34: Letter, [Mrs. W.P. Marsh] "Mama" to "Henry" [no last name], October 25, 1913.
Folder 35: Letter, Mrs. W.P. Marsh to Jessie Smith Sheehan Truly, July 11, 1930. (Includes handwritten genealogical notes).
Folder 36: Letter, Mrs. W.P. Marsh to Jessie Smith Sheehan Truly, July 17, 1930.
Folder 37: Letter, [unknown] to "Evylen," April 8, 1938.
Folder 38: Letter, Claudia Mulholland to Jessie Smith Sheehan Truly, June 6, 1930.
Folder 39: Letter, "Claude" Mulholland to Jessie Smith Sheehan Truly, October 25, 1936.
Folder 40: Letter, Claudia Mulholland to Jessie Smith Sheehan Truly, March 23 [no year].
Folder 41: Letter, National Archives and Records Services to Honorable Arthur Winstead, March 20, 1961 [RE: Military record of G.W. Hamner].
Folder 42: Letter, Lou Ellen Nettles to Mrs. J.H. Mulholland, January 14, 1941. 9enclosed two copied letters from Nellie Nettles Singleton and Marcie Anna Newcomer).
Folder 43: Letter, Lou Ellen Nettles to Mrs. J.H. Mulholland, May 24, 1941.
Folder 44: Letter, Lou Ellen Nettles Griffin to Mrs. J.H. Mulholland, August 10, 1941.
 

Box 2
Series 2: Hamner Family (continued)
Folder 1: Letter, J.K. Rockwood to Mrs. Mulholland, December 7, 1933.
Folder 2: Letter, Jessie Smith Sheehan Truly to Claudia Mulholland, January 20, 1937.
Folder 3: Article, "Hamner," n.d. (typescript).
Folder 4: Article, "A Declaration of Independence signed by Citizens of Albermarle," n.d. (typescript).
Folder 5: Biographical sketch, "The Hamners of America" by Edward Delmar Hamner, n.d. (original typescript copy).
Folder 6: Biographical sketch, "The Hamners of America" by Edward Delmar Hamner, n.d. (carbon typescript copy and photocopy).
Folder 7: List, "Births" [includes births and some deaths]; "Marriages," 1815-1915.
Folder 8: Genealogical notes and research on Hamner, n.d.
Folder 9: Genealogical notes and research on Hamner, n.d.
Folder 10: Notes, Typescript "Hamner," n.d.
Folder 11: Notes, Handwritten of "History of Albermarle, Hamner," n.d.
Folder 12: Notes, Miscellaneous handwritten genealogical notes, n.d.
Folder 13: Notes, Excerpts from genealogical research n.d. (typescript).
Folder 14: Notes, References to Margaret Hamner, n.d. (typescript).
Folder 15: Notes, Genealogical Research on Hamner lineage, n.d. (typescript original and photocopy).
Folder 16: Typescript, "Lottery Ticket", Genealogical research notes, n.d.
Folder 17: Typescript, Excerpt notes from genealogical research, n.d.
Folder 18: Booklet, "Historic Attractions: Fayette and Jefferson County, Mississippi," compiled by the James Rex Whitney Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, circa 1965.
Folder 19: Article, "Citizens of Unusual Note: Excerpts from Darden Family History," n.d.
Folder 20: Article, "Citizens of Unusual Note: Extracts from Harper Family," n.d.
Folder 21: Article, "Folklore and Folk Customs," n.d.
Folder 22: Article, "Historic Art," n.d.
Folder 23: Article, "Interview with Mrs. Warren of Union Church," n.d.
Folder 24: Articles, "Land Grants," "Landmarks," and "Early Settlements," n.d.
Folder 25: Article, "Short History of Thomas Hinds Lodge #58, A.F. & A.M," n.d.
Folder 26: Article, "Negro Superstitions," n.d.
Folder 27: Article, "Outstanding Points of Interest to Tourists," n.d.
Folder 28: Articles, Miscellaneous and disorganized, n.d.
Folder 29: Papers found inside book, Hector and Sarah Holt Truly, their family, 1720-2004. Compiled by Jeanne Truly Davis. Published 2000. 
Folder 30: Papers found inside book, Truly family : descendants of Hector Truly : allied families, Key and Whitney : glimpses of Mississippi, 1800-1900. Compiled by Jeanne Truly Davis. Published 2000. Inscribed: “To Dick – Thanks so much for all your help! With love – Jeanne, Sep. 2000.”
Folder 31: Papers found inside book, The Natchez court records, 1767-1805 : abstracts of early records. Compiled by May Wilson McBee. 
Folder 32: Papers found inside book, Ancestry of the Fox family of Richland and Lexington Counties, South Carolina, by Joseph E. Steadman, Sr., and Collection of Fox data. Compiled by Shirley Faucette. 
Folder 33: Papers found inside book, Ancestors of Anselm Cooke, by Frances Cooke Chan, Langford Publications, published 1998. Inscribed: “To Cousin Richard, Best Wishes, Frances Chan, Sept., 1998.”
 

Oversized drawers:
Folder 1: “Chart of My Ancestry: Truly and Sheehan.”
Folder 2: Daughters of the American Revolution Chart: Richard Harrison Truly.
Folder 3: “Roll of Prisoners of War” including Hamner family members (Photoprint copy from National Archives, Record Group 109.14.2 Records relating to prisoners, oaths, and paroles). 
Folder 4: Company muster roll, Prisoner of war, and report records for George W. Hamner (photocopies).