Helen Elizabeth Ames Coulter Collection

Collection

Identifier: A-0325

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Helen Elizabeth Ames Coulter Collection offers an insight into music that was popular in the first half Twentieth Century in America, via a collection of piano sheet music published in America between 1890 and 1960. Music styles represented are varied, including a number of romantic ballads ,marches, and a wide variety of dance pieces such as waltzes and foxtrots. The years around The World Wars are well represented with a variety of patriotic pieces. Particularly well represented are novelty songs, including a variety of “hillbilly songs” and old-west folk tunes popular at the time in Texas, as well as “Hawaiiana” and “South Sea” novelty songs, many including ukulele and Hawaiian guitar accompaniments. Post-WWII is less well represented, with most entries representing nostalgic songs in the style of previous decades. There are several compilation books of sheet music from this time period featuring such nostalgic fare. The collection is organized chronologically. Overall, the collection will prove very useful to researchers interested in the evolution of popular culture, performance, and music during the first half of the Twentieth Century.

Dates

Creation: 1910-1970

Language of Materials

The collection is in English.

Biographical / Historical

Helen Elizabeth (Ames) Coulter was born February 15, 1900, in Crawford Illinois to A.F. Ames and Anna Ames. She married Edward Franklin Coulter on March 9, 1922 in Lawrence, Illinois. They had two sons, Harold Coulter (October 23, 1926-January 2, 2013) and Ernest Coulter (February 4, 1932-May 4, 2019). The family moved to St. Louis, MO sometime before 1930, and to Texas in 1942. The family initially lived in Houston. Helen and Edward retired to Nacogdoches, TX in 1959.

Extent

1.50 Cubic Feet

Additional Description

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in one banker's box.

Bibliography

Faye Coulter, handwritten note included in folder for the Helen Elizabeth Ames Coulter Collection, April 30, 2018, Helen Elizabeth Ames Coulter Collection, A-0325, East Texas Research Center, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas.

“Harold V. Coulter,” Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line], Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012, Accessed April 2, 2026, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60525/records/71610207

“Helen Ames,” Family Number 179, Sheet 10, Enumeration District 48, Population Schedule, Robinson, Crawford County, Illinois, 1900 U.S. Census, accessed via Ancestry.com April 2, 2026, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602/records/11874909.

“Helen Ames,” Illinois, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1800-1940 [database on-line], Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016, Accessed April 2, 2026, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61370/records/901483314

“Helen Coulter,” Dwelling Number 45, Sheet 41, Enumeration District 263-708B, Population Schedule, Houston, Harris County, Texas, 1950 U.S. Census, Population Schedules for the 1950 Census, 1950 - 1950, NAID: 43290879, Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, Record Group 29. National Archives at Washington, DC., accessed via Ancestry.com April 2, 2026, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62308/records/190824153?tid=&pid=&queryId=4ac28bd6-7e47-4ddb-a4ca-3733550da88d&_phsrc=Ysu55&_phstart=successSource

“Helen Coulter,” Family Number 306, Sheet 11, Enumeration District 45-40, Population Schedule, Maplewood, St. Louis County, Missouri, 1930 U.S. Census, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls, accessed via Ancestry.com, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224/records/3404231