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Nelson Dickerman Papers

Creator:
Dickerman, Nelson, 1881-1952  Search this
Urbanski, Pauline  Search this
Former owner:
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources  Search this
Extent:
3.5 Cubic feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Letters (correspondence)
Maps
Family papers
Clippings
Diaries
Baby books
Photograph albums
Christmas cards
Photographs
Date:
1880-1965.
Summary:
Papers relating to the career and life of mining engineer Nelson Dickerman: letters, photographs, clippings and diaries kept during his mining career. Much of the material is personal, rather than professional, relating to Dickerman's family and children. Family photographs include baby books.
Scope and Contents note:
This collection documents Nelson Dickerman, a mining engineer and his immediate family members, Hallie Dickerman (wife) and three daughters, Delight, Rhoda and Doris. The majority of documentation pertains to the Dickerman Family and is best represented through the black and white and photographs.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into six series. Series 1: Biographical Materiall Series 2: Correspondence

Series 3: Diaries

Series 4: Photographs

Series 5: Maps

Series 6: Miscellaneous
Biographical/Historical note:
Nelson Dickerman was born in 1881 in Denver, CO to Charles O. and Louise Haage Dickerman. He began mining as an assistant surveyor at Tomboy gold mines in Colorado in 1900 and in 1903, worked underground at Bunker Hill and Sullivan Mine, Idaho. Dickerman would later take a position as a metallurgist at the Ladd Metal's Company's copper smelter in Idaho. He graduated from the University of California in 1905 earning a B.S. and later that year joined the Yuba Consolidated Goldfields in Hammonton, California. Dickerman worked for a number of mining companies throughout his career as a general manager, superintendent, and vice president—Natomas Consolidated (1910); Kirtley Creek Gold Dredging Company (1911-1913); Pato Mines (Columbia), Ltd. and Nechi (Columbia), Ltd (1913-1916); Guiana Development Company and Liberty Development Company in Dutch and French Guiana (1916-1921); Cornwall, Anglo-Oriental Mining Corporation (1928-1932); and Amiranian Oil Company (1937-1938). During his career Dickerman made examinations in Chile, Argentina, British Guiana, Columbia and the United States. He worked for the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, War Production Board from 1939 to 1944 and in 1945, he joined the U.S. Bureau of Mines serving in the far east unit, foreign minerals division until 1948. He then went to work for the Central Intelligence Agency where he served until his death in February 1952.

Nelson Dickerman married Hallie Ferron on May 12, 1909; they had three daughters, Delight Dickerman, Doris Dickerman, and Rhoda Dickerman John.
Provenance:
The collection was donated to the National Museum of American History, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources by Pauline Urbanski on April 28, 1993.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research and on site by appointment. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Infants  Search this
Mining engineers  Search this
Mining engineering  Search this
Genre/Form:
Letters (correspondence) -- 1900-1950
Maps
Family papers -- 20th century
Clippings
Diaries
Baby books
Photograph albums
Christmas cards
Photographs -- 20th century
Citation:
Nelson Dickerman Papers, 1880-1965, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0542
See more items in:
Nelson Dickerman Papers
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep841fdb13d-0858-4a8d-b9cb-a216a53829e6
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0542

Dr. Robert H. Ivy Papers

Collector:
Ivy, Robert Henry, 1881-1974  Search this
Donor:
Lamp, Robert A.  Search this
Names:
Blair, Vilray Papin, 1871-1955  Search this
Extent:
1 Cubic foot (1 box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Articles
Journals (periodicals)
Letters (correspondence)
Motion pictures (visual works)
Photographs
Reports
Slides (photographs)
Writings
Date:
1901-1972
Scope and Contents:
The collection includes letters, many of which are of an honorary nature such as awards and appointments, some of which relate to his publishing activities and others to medical or military subjects; slides and photographs of patients; a few photographs relating to his military service; writings, journal articles written by Ivy and by others; articles; reports; reference materials; and a 16mm film.
Arrangement:
Collection is unarranged.
Biographical / Historical:
Ivy was an oral surgeon who specialized in patients with cleft lips and cleft palates. Born in London, Ivy emigrated to the U.S at the age of 6, but went back to England to attend the Emmanuel School. At the age of 18 years in 1898, Dr. Ivy attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. He then attended University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He served as the first dental intern in the United States in 1901 at the Philadelphia General Hospital. Dr. Ivy worked as an assistant to Dr. Vilrary Blair at the Surgeon's General Office in Washington in 1917. Later he was assigned to Base Hospital in France, which saw many patients with face, head and jaw injuries. He wrote a textbook called Applied Anatomy and Oral Surgery for Dental Students.
Provenance:
Collection donated by Robert Lamp, 2016.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Occupation:
Dentists  Search this
Oral surgeons  Search this
Physicians  Search this
Surgeons  Search this
Topic:
Cleft palate  Search this
Face -- Surgery  Search this
Medicine  Search this
Mouth -- Surgery  Search this
Surgery, Plastic  Search this
Genre/Form:
Articles -- 20th century
Journals (periodicals) -- 20th century
Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century.
Motion pictures (visual works) -- 20th century
Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- 20th century
Reports -- 20th century
Slides (photographs) -- 20th century
Writings -- 20th century
Citation:
Robert H. Ivy Papers, 1901-1972, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1411
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep85828810b-d22f-4d05-9ff0-d1fa7dfa41db
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1411

As ever, Scott Fitz-- letters between F. Scott Fitzgerald and his literary agent Harold Ober, 1919-1940 Edited by Matthew J. Bruccoli, with the assistance of Jennifer McCabe Atkinson. Foreword by Scottie Fitzgerald Smith

Author:
Fitzgerald, F. Scott (Francis Scott) 1896-1940  Search this
Author:
Bruccoli, Matthew Joseph 1931-2008  Search this
Ober, Harold 1881-1959  Search this
Subject:
Ober, Harold 1881-1959  Search this
Physical description:
xxii, 441 p 23 cm
Type:
Correspondence
Correspondance
Biographies
collective biographies
Correspondance privée
Letters (correspondence).)
Personal correspondence
Place:
United States
États-Unis
Date:
1972
20th century
20e siècle
Topic:
Authors, American  Search this
Literary agents  Search this
Agents littéraires  Search this
Écrivains américains  Search this
Call number:
CT275.F548 A1
CT275.F548A1
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_10636

Forman H. Craton Papers

Creator:
Craton, Forman H., 1902-1983  Search this
Names:
General Electric Company  Search this
Extent:
4.15 Cubic feet (13 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Letters (correspondence)
Memoirs
Personal papers
Diaries
Date:
1902-1983
Summary:
Diaries and memoirs, profusely illustrated with photographs and other mementos, which describe Craton's life, education and work experience as an engineer at General Electric in minute detail, and include his comments on the culture, current events and politics of the times; and correspondence, mostly letters from Craton to his wife and to his mother.
Scope and Contents:
This memoir is the autobiography of a man whose entire career from college graduation to retirement was spent working in one of the giants of American industry, the General Electric Company. His life spanned more than three quarters of the twentieth century and the detail in which it has been recorded provides much scattered historical, cultural, social and economic information about the period.

It is part contemporaneous diary written on a daily or weekly basis, part a record of chronological periods of Mr. Craton's life reconstructed from notes, scattered diary entries, sketches, photographs and memory and part a record of specific experiences, for example the family's boating years, Mr. Craton's time at the War Production Board, his religious life. Mr. Craton referred to it as "my 40-volume autobiography-----a continuous story of my life since birth. I estimate there are at least three million words in this record-----" in a two page autobiographical account written November 28, 1978 for Milton Wise, a former classmate.

References to Mr. Craton's work at G.E. appear in the daily and weekly diary entries but are in separate sections in the record of Mr. Craton's life that was written after his retirement. The story of those years is divided into two sections, one relating to home, family and friends and another to his career at G.E. These sections on his work contain a significant amount of information on the company's transportation interests and the manufacture and merchandising of locomotives and locomotives parts as well as descriptions of Mr. Craton's colleagues.

The year 1942 spent in Washington as a dollar-a-year man at the War Production Board and his account of his trips to Washington immediately before and immediately afterwards paint an interesting picture of war-time Washington, its hotels, restaurants, and cocktail lounges and the social life of which they were a part. They also give some indication of a Federal government rapidly expanding to meet war-time needs at home and abroad.

Major current events occurring during Mr. Craton's lifetime are also noted. They begin with the arrival of the Graf Zeppelin in New York In October 1928; the election of Herbert Hoover as president in that year as well as subsequent presidential elections were recorded as were the depression of the thirties and its effect on family life, and World War II. Developments in the space program and the landing of the astronauts on the moon were watched on television and noted in the memoirs.

The record is replete with Mr. Craton's disapproval of labor unions and their activities and his bias about Jews and Blacks, and reference to social classes that he considered his inferiors. Entries throughout the years from childhood on describe friends, acquaintances and fellow workers in minute detail. They also describe every woman with a pretty face or good figure noticed on the street, in a store, restaurant or hotel and document the drinking that was one aspect of recreational life at the time among some groups.

Looking back on the period from 1949 to 1963 from the vantage point of 1977 Mr. Craton divided it into 3 periods. In the one he entitled "Emancipation" there is a lengthy description of their friendship with the Brightmans, biographical details of the members of the Dinner Club, a detailed account of Bab's wedding and the birth of the first grandchild. This record of friends, family and activities is heavily illustrated with photographs and clippings.

Numerous references to the family's daily living and travel expenses show the changes that occurred in the price level over the years and caused Mr. Craton major concern about inflation.

The memoirs are profusely illustrated with photographs of family, friends and places visited as well as with magazine pictures, menus, programs, and other mementos.

Much of the collection is typed on 8-1/2 by 5 inch notebook sheets. Much is handwritten in a small, neat script. Photographs are labeled.

The Container List indicates by folder whether the contents are diary or memoirs written after the fact.
Arrangement:
The collection is divided into two series.

Series 1: Memoirs, 1902-1983

Series 2: Correspondence, 1923-1982
Biographical / Historical:
Childhood and Youth

Forman Craton, an only child, was born on June 23, 1902 in Syracuse, New York. His mother, Annie Fairbanks Hutchison was the granddaughter of General Orrin Hutchison, a man of some prominence in Onondaga County, New York. His father, Dr. Samuel Boyce Craton, was the great grandson of Joshua Forman, the founder of Syracuse, New York. Dr. Forman earned his medical degree at Syracuse University and became an eye, ear, nose and throat specialist. Somewhat later he confined his practice to diseases of the eye.

Mr. Craton's memoirs recount several unpleasant memories of a dark, gloomy house on McClennan Ave. in Syracuse where he spent his earliest years. Among them were the death of a brother who was a "blue" baby, a series of colds, coughs, sore throats and other respiratory complaints, getting sick on street cars, fear of dogs, and fear of being banished from home for misbehavior.

About April 1, 1908 the family moved to 326 Highland Ave., a socially better neighborhood where they spent the next 7 years which are described by Mr. Craton as among the happiest in his life. The long winters offered a multitude of winter activities for children. They built snowmen, snow forts, snow houses. There were few cars so the streets were not cleared and youngsters went sledding and tobogganing on nearby hills. The tennis court at the Sedgwick Farm Club was flooded for skating and hockey. Indoors the children played "house" with appropriate rearrangement of the furniture or hide-and-seek in houses with large attics. In good weather, hopscotch, baseball and football took over along with climbing trees and riding bicycles.

Burten Holmes' travel pictures, special movies such as "Birth of a Nation" and later Jack London's "The Sea Wolf" as well as books and records were part of the cultural scene. Magazines too, "St. Nicholas", "Boys' Life" and "American Boy" were available. At his mother's instigation young Craton began a stamp collection.

Most of the neighborhood families, including his, belonged to the Sedgwick Farm Club, two and a half blocks from his house. It had large rooms, bowling alleys, a squash court, tennis courts, a children's playground. Dancing school which he attended was held at the club once a week. He also attended Sunday School regularly.

After one term at a private school young Craton transferred to Lincoln, the neighborhood public school, where he finished the 8 grades in 6 years. In summarizing his early years Mr. Craton remarked on the varied backgrounds of his school friends and the fact that rich and poor children mixed well and played together. He mentioned being conscious of class distinctions as early as 1912 and this awareness reappears throughout his life.

The comfortable life of young Forman's early years changed abruptly with the untimely death of his father, Dr. Craton, on February 26, 1915. The family income dropped from $10,000 to $12,000 annually, a very good one for that period, to about $1,500 a year from his father's estate. Shortly after his father's death the boy and his mother moved to 410 Douglas St. It was a "nice flat" but the lad was aware that the neighborhood was not as good as Highland St. Forman gradually lost touch with his old playmates (his mother resigned from the Sedgwick Farm Club to save money) and the boy soon became part of the Douglas St. crowd.

The young Forman began his high school days at North High School. Two of the city's characteristics were important to him during this period. The NY Central R.R. ran through downtown Syracuse and watching the trains was a fascinating pastime. The Erie Canal on which boats were hauled by horse through the city competed with the NY Central for by his attention. Although too slight for competitive sports he was an enthusiastic fan of the football and baseball teams at school. His lone outside activity at school was dramatics.

Work experience during his high school years included several one or two day-at-a-time jobs shoveling snow for the NY Central, laboring work at a steel company, tips for errands at the State Fair, and Christmas clerking at a men's store. His first full time job was as gardener for the Calthop sisters during the summer of 1919, at 20¢ an hour. In the fall of 1919 he got a job working after school and on Saturdays at Bardeen's, a book publishing company. The summer before university he was a machinist's helper at Solrag Process Co. That summer he and his mother moved to a flat at 205 Waverly Ave, a block from Syracuse University where he enrolled in the fall.

To his bitter disappointment the young man was not asked to join Phi Delta Theta, his father's fraternity and this caused great unhappiness in his early days at the university. Because of the necessity to be practical about earning a living for himself and his mother he put aside his interest in writing and cartooning, and majored in mechanical engineering. He excelled in his college work, and was invited to join several honorary fraternities in engineering and mathematics. He made a number of friends both male and female and in spite of his early bitterness over his rejection by his father's fraternity had a satisfying college career. After intercession by a friend of his father's about which Forman later wrote that he was ashamed, he received and accepted a bid from Phi Delta Theta in the middle of his college years.

In August 1923 the Cratons vacationed at Star Island, in the Isles of Shoals, New Hampshire, where young Forman quickly became friends with Willette Flitschner, from Louisville, KY. whom he would marry in a few years.

Young Manhood

During his final year at college an interview with Mr. George Pfeiff who was recruiting for a new course in Factory Management at the General Electric Co. led to a job offer in Schenectady, NY. After some soul searching about leaving his mother in Syracuse he left for the job at General Electric in Schenectady. His career at General Electric lasted 38 years.

Homesickness was a serious problem as Forman Craton began his career with the company. With the exception of vacations he had spent all of his young life, including his college years, in Syracuse. He went directly from a vacation at Star Island where Willette was also vacationing to a plant employing 22,000 people in a city in which he was a stranger. His proclivity for introspection, always strong, and his sensitivity to people and his surroundings are clearly evident in his letters to his mother and to Willie in August and September, and recur frequently throughout the years. He turned to poetry at this time for solace, particularly Sara Teasdale. The year 1924 ends with two letters to Willie declaring his love.

Because the young man had been recruited for the Factory Management Course he was moved from spot to spot in the plant, some assignments lasting a week, others several weeks. In 1925 Forman enrolled in an accounting course at G.E. that involved home work. That and almost daily letters to his mother and Willie left him little free time. Still troubled by home-sickness and unhappy in his work, after much agonizing he asked for a transfer to "test" which in effect meant starting again.

He had become convinced that his interests lay in engineering rather than in manufacturing and the test course pointed its members toward design, application engineering and technical sales.

A young Mr. Craton left for the General Electric facility in Erie, a plant with 5000 employees, on January 10, 1926 and never looked back. The transfer brought him immediate satisfaction and pleasure in his work and began a lifetime career. He found Erie and its people interesting, began attending the Unitarian Church where he met and enjoyed knowing a number of young people. His early months there were spent in rented rooms but late in the year he rented an apartment at 1308 W 9th Street in preparation for his marriage to Willie.

Family Life

Forman Craton and Willie Flitschner were married January 27, 1927. He made his first trip for the company, the first of an endless number, in 1927. The year 1928 was a banner year for the young couple. A daughter named Barbara and always called Bab was born on August 28 at Hamot Hospital. His salary having been increased to $42.00 a week in February, they bought a secondhand, dearly beloved Dodge for $225. In late June Forman wrote the first paragraph of his first short story, in an endeavor to follow through on his interest in writing. The year 1928 was also the year that the Graf Zeppelin which had left Germany in October 13 arrived in New York on October 15. In November the Cratons voted for Herbert Hoover who won the presidency by a large electoral majority. His Democratic opponent was Al Smith.

On May 24, 1932 a new baby, Roger Phelps Craton, was born. As the depression hit bottom Mr. Craton's salary was cut to $1900 a year, his work week to 4 days and he felt lucky to still have a job.

The death of Willie's mother made 1935 a sad year for the family. Increasing responsibilities at GE as business improved kept Mr. Craton busy at the plant and frequently out of town. As his responsibilities increased the necessary and expected business entertaining increased keeping him away from home often during the evenings in Erie. He was out of town more frequently also and business entertaining often involved drinking and late nights.

The war years meant greater responsibility at the plant and long working hours for Mr. Craton and the restrictions felt by all families as rationing affected family eating habits and recreation, especially the use of automobiles.

For several years after the children were born Mr. Craton's mother either lived with the family or visited for long periods of time. His mother had become harassed by worry, fears and discontent

and no effort by Mr. Craton seemed to assuage these. This situation continued through out the thirties. On November 19, 1939 Mr. Craton wrote "all of this makes life at home unnatural, strained, unpleasant and nerve wracking."

Mr. Craton's frequent and long business trips made the responsibility for his mother especially difficult for his wife. It was January 1944 before the elder Mrs. Craton left the Craton house to reside at St. Margaret's Home with many misgivings on her part and Mr. Craton's.

His mother's death occurred on September 28, 1947 and an inheritance of about $20,000 from her made building a longed for new home possible in 1948.

Another crisis in their family life was the suicide of Willette Craton's father, "the Colonel", on April 10, 1946. Long widowed he had remarried at age 70, apparently not very successfully. He was also driven by financial worries. What estate there was went to the second wife with only the proceeds of a $1,000 insurance policy to Willette Craton, causing some feeling of resentment.

Graduation from university were important family occasions as were the children's marriages.

Thanksgiving was generally spent with Bab and Tom Moore and their family, Christmas with Roger and Joan and theirs.

Children and Grandchildren

A daughter named Barbara and always called Bab or Babbie was born on August 28, 1928 at Hamont Hospital. Her brother, Roger Phelps Craton was born on May 24, 1932.

Both children did well in school, received good grades, and were a source of pride and satisfaction with their behavior, appearance, and accomplishments. Bab wanted a year at Southern Seminary in Buena Vista, Virginia before entering college. Despite their concern about the expense the Cratons agreed because they feared she could not get all the necessary credits in the Erie public school. Her graduation from Southern Seminary was an important family occasion which involved visiting the Robeys and other relatives living in the area.

Bab left Erie in late September 1946 for her first year at Syracuse University. By 1949 she was a senior at Syracuse University and Roger was a senior at Strong Vincent High School and well-thought of as a young sailor at the Erie Yacht Club.

Bab graduated from college in June, 1950 and she and Tom Moore, an architectural student, were married in August. Since he had one more year for his degree in architecture she went to work in an office in Syracuse. Roger graduated from high school that year and entered the University of Pennsylvania in the fall of 1975.

The first grandchild, Elizabeth Forman Moore, was born on September 15, 1952. Her father Tom joined an architectural firm in Berea, Ohio where they lived for a time before moving to Brecksville, Ohio. A second grandchild, Peter Moore born in 1955 was followed by another girl, Margaret Joanna Moore, born October 2, 1957 and called Peggy.

Another Moore grandchild, Charles Andrew, born July 3, 1965 shortly became a cause of much

family concern and anxiety because of his failure to thrive and respond developmentally. By April 1970 he was placed in the Sunnyhaven Home in Columbus, Ohio. He was transferred to a state hospital in Breckville in the spring of 1973. Sunnyhaven felt he could no longer be helped there and he had become more difficult to manage. Mr. Craton never became reconciled to Charles' retardation or the fact that he was born to his adored daughter.

Peg Moore the youngest child was thinking about college during the annual Thanksgiving visit in 1974-she was interested in one with a strong art curriculum. Peter Moore was an increasingly excellent football player in high school, winning several awards. He planned to enter Wooster College in the fall, having graduated from high school in 1975 the same year Elizabeth graduated from Bowling Green University. She was attending classes at the Univ. of Georgia, working in the Admissions Office and living at 2511 Planthersville Road in Decatur.

Roger Craton at the University of Pennsylvania joined the fraternity to which his father and grandfather belonged. He was active in Masks and Wigs and also played lacrosse. He graduated with high honors in 1954 and married Joan Gibson the following November.

Roger and Joan Craton moved to Detroit, he to work in a bank and finish his M.A. degree at night.

By 1960 Roger was working for the Ford Motor Company. His first child, a boy named Lincoln after Joan's father, was born May 30, 1960. Cynthia, his second child was born on August 1, 1962. Both of these children attended private schools and lived in London for the several years during which Roger Craton worked for Ford in London.

By 1971 Roger had returned to Ford in Detroit, and had bought a large home in Bloomfield Village, Birmingham, Michigan. He had been appointed comptroller of Ford's North American Automotive Operations, a 30 million dollar a year business.

On July 5, 1980 Roger phoned his parents that he was leaving Ford to become chief finance officer with a seat on the board of directors of Chesebrough-Pond Corporation effective August 1, 1980. His new annual compensation was to be $300,000. Thus meant that the Roger Craton family would move to Greenwich, Connecticut in June 1981 when Cynthia Craton would graduate from high school.

A Thirty Eight Year Career At The General Electric Co.

The following account of Mr. Craton's career was written by him in November 1978 at the request of Milton Wise of the class of 1924 of Syracuse University, who was compiling a book on the surviving members of their class at the College of Applied Science.

"On July 7, 1924 I reported in Schenectady for General Electric's new Factory Management Course and thus began a rewarding GE career that was to span the next 38 years. However, a year on this course convinced me I was slanted more toward engineering than manufacturing. So I transferred to the "test" course, which pointed its members toward both design and application engineering as well as technical sales. It proved to be a good move.

Long fascinated by trains and discovering GE's deep involvement in rail transportation apparatus, I soon transferred to the Erie, Pa. plant where I finally headed traction motor test nights and later took locomotive test. The latter was an impossible dream come true, involving electric locomotive riding and operation on the 4-mile test track. In November 1926 I moved into railway control engineering at Erie to design circuitry for gasoline-electric cars and various types of electric-drive locomotives. Also I had an indoctrination course on traction motor design and application.

In 1930 the Lackawanna suburban electrification out of Hoboken was inaugurated. It included two 3,000-volt trolley-battery-diesel locomotives for transfer freight service between the Jersey City and Secaucus yards. I'd done the control engineering on these locomotives and helped put them into service, This included the thrill of operating the locomotive pulling a 105-car freight train up grade out of Jersey City, through the Bergen Hill tunnel and on to Secaucus, to me an incredible experience. This assignment was my first intimate exposure to railroading and years later I wrote an article about it which appeared in TRAINS Magazine.

In 1931 I moved from design into locomotive application engineering and commercial work, the two functions being combined at Erie. However we were fast sinking into the abyss of the Depression. By 1932 the only active job we had was apparatus for the Pennsylvania Railroad electrification; if you weren't fortunate enough to be working on that, and I wasn't, it was touch and go whether you'd be short-timed or dismissed. I got down to four days a week and 157 per month with a wife and two children to support but I hung onto my job. That was the bottom. In 1933 things began to improve slowly, I was assigned the New Haven Railroad commercial work at Erie. The New Haven was progressive and interested in dieselization as well as possibly extending their electrification to Boston. We made extensive diesel-switcher studies culminated by an initial order for ten units. This was followed in 1937 by an order for six 3,600-hp 216-ton 11,000/600-volt AC/DC passenger locomotives for operation into Grand Central. On September 21, 1938 while running freight tests on these, we found ourselves in the middle of the hurricane of that date, another experience I wrote about for TRAINS.

In the late 1930s GE and American Locomotive Co. were partners in the diesel business; they built 100 tons and up using our equipment and we anything below 100. I was assigned promotion of our diesels with the New England railroads. This meant extensive traveling involving memorable episodes. My experiences on the Boston & Maine, where we had a demonstrator, were particularly noteworthy and were covered by a TRAINS article entitled "Joy & Pain on the Boston & Maine."

In 1940 I became manager of Industrial Haulage at Erie which had responsibility for the GE mining and industrial locomotive business, about to come on strong with World War II in the immediate offing. This was my first managerial job. I became active in the Mining & Industrial Electric Locomotive Section of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association and was chairman of the section. Also I spent much of 1942 in Washington as a dollar-a-year man on the War Production Board and was responsible for scheduling the manufacture of all locomotives in the U.S. below 100-tons; these included both diesel and steam as well as the military requirements. I made a 2-month trip to Hawaii in early 1945 to appraise the postwar market for diesels in the sugar industry.

In 1945 I became assistant general sales manager and in 1947 general sales manager of GE's locomotive and transportation equipment business. The product line included electric-drive locomotives of all types and sizes, electrical propulsion equipments sold to other builders for locomotives, subway and rapid-transit cars, trolley cars and coaches, off-highway vehicles, and a large parts business. After the war we had a period of inflation and labor trouble including a 9-week strike which made pricing and shipping promises difficult. Also as 1950 approached we struggled to get our business up to $100,000,000 annually, which would keep about 5,000 employees busy at Erie. So it was a challenging and interesting time.

In the early 1950s due to rapid growth the Company was reorganizing, decentralizing and establishing new measurements. In 1953 a study team was formed to recommend how the Company's foreign operations could be blended smoothly into all this. On the team were four from international operations, four from domestic, and the chairman, an international man. On this team I represented the Company's heavy apparatus business. The nine of us holed up in a New York hotel for over a year on this when we weren't traveling around on interviews including a 3-week trip to Central and South America. It was one of the most fascinating of my business experiences.

After this I returned to my marketing job at Erie, the position having been upgraded slightly from "sales" to "marketing" in the reorganization. In 1956 I spent three months taking the Company's Advanced Management Course. Back in Erie again, I headed a team to study the reorganization of our own business. we spent four months on this and presented our report in May 1957. We recommended the business be split up into three decentralized sections: 1) Locomotives; 2) Equipments; 3) Parts sales. Our recommendations were adopted and the department reorganized. I became general manager of the equipment business, a position I held until my retirement o July 1, 1962 at age 60.

Equipment doesn't sound as glamorous as locomotives but actually is more so. We'd adapted our locomotive propulsion apparatus to oil-well drilling which put us into that business; I've visited an oil-well drilling platform 60 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. With expansion of open-pit mining and the proliferation of heavy off-highway vehicles, our motorized-wheel business was booming. Mass transit was promising an even greater future. Also we supplied electrical equipments to Alco and Baldwin as well as our own associates in the Erie Plant. These lines along with parts kept some 2,500 people busy in our Equipment Section."

Finances

It took 17 years thanks to his early career change and the depression for Mr. Craton's salary to reach %5,000. The next step up meant that he was eligible to join Elfun, an investment fund for G.E. managers and executives.

With the end of the depression and the increasing industrial activity caused by war production Mr. Craton's salary had risen to $6,700 a year. Overtime and extra compensation brought this to $8,500. By November 1946 several increases had raised his base salary to $9,000 and following a long strike at the plant this figure was raised to $9,720. A March 13, 1946 journal entry noted that Mr. Craton's income tax for 1945 was $1,800 -- "more than he used to make". One of the satisfactions of these increases was the purchase of a small boat that added a great deal to the family's recreation.

Mr. Craton became eligible for the GE stock plan in 1953 and was authorized to purchase 900 shares of company stock over the next 10 years at $71.00 a share. His stock in GE enabled him to retire at age 60 instead of 65. He noted that the 2500 shares he owned in 1965 for which he had paid about $60,000 over the years had a market value of $300,000. It was the income from the Elfun trusts and the dividends from G.E. stock, substantial contributions to his retirement income, that made the extensive travel during his early retirement years possible.

Despite the post-war salary increases and his investment income that appeared to keep pace with the inflation of those years, inflation was an abiding concern for Mr. Craton.

Leisure Time

As a young single man much of Mr. Craton's social life revolved around the Unitarian Church. He enjoyed the young people he met at church-related social affairs and found them interesting.

After their marriage the Cratons played bridge with friends, occasionally played poker for small stakes, went to movies, and attended lectures and concerts at Chautauqua during the season. They entertained and were entertained by friends for cocktails and dinner and made weekend visits to friends living out of town. Swimming, walking the beach and picnics at Peninsula, a local recreation area, were important when the children were young. They were regular television viewers with a number of favorite programs. The Watergate hearings were watched daily during the second Nixon administration and all space shots were followed with interest. The week-end sports programs were watched with anticipation and pleasure. Mr. Craton's interest in opera is well-documented and he was a regular radio and television fan of the Metropolitan Opera performances. He also bought and played frequently recorded arias.

A friendship with the Brightmans developed into a more active social life than usual but this subsided after the Brightmans left Erie.

Recreation during the years from 1945 to 1964 was centered in the Yacht Club which Mr. Craton joined when he bought a small boat. Boating then became a major recreational activity. Young Roger quickly became an excellent sailor, participating in sail boat races with skill and enthusiasm. The first boat was replaced by a larger but still modest one. Mr. Craton's interest eventually resulted in his being elected commodore of the Erie Yacht Club, a highly prized distinction. The Cratons participated in all of the Yacht Club activities, using it for dinner, dancing, and special occasions, even after Mr. Craton sold his boat.

Mrs. Craton joined a local book club in 1928 and was still a member in 1982.

Most of the home repair and upkeep was done by Mr. Craton, a careful and persistent workman who was proud of his results. He was indefatigable in searching for parts and pleased to avoid what he considered outrageous charges, particularly by plumbers. Mrs. Craton did most of the gardening but he helped with the heavy work.

During periods when Mr. Craton was keeping a diary on a daily or weekly basis much of his spare time was devoted to writing it. He also spent many hours in creative writing in an effort to get published and for a brief period in drawing cartoons for possible publication.

Mr. Craton became an avid photographer and gave it special emphasis after the children were born and during vacations. He also used a movie camera for some occasions.

During his retirement years Mr. Craton was a regular attendant at the YMCA Friday speakers luncheon, lunched with a friend on a weekly basis and he and Willie enjoyed frequent dinners out with the Reeds and the Ogdens, friends of long-standing.

For a period of years immediately following retirement Mr. Craton was actively engaged in fundraising for the United charities campaign, particularly among G.E. retirees and played a major role in a capital fund drive for the Booker T. Washington YMCA.

Religious Life

As a small child Mr. Craton went to Sunday School at the May Memorial Unitarian Church in Syracuse where the minister was the Reverend John H. Applebee. After his father's death when he was twelve years old he went to the church service with his mother. In his teens he also belonged to the Young People's Religious Union. He was one of two delegates from May Memorial selected to attend the Unitarian Laymen's Third Annual Institute at Star Island, Isles of Shoal, off Portsmouth, New Hampshire, July 28 - August 11, 1923 where he first met and fell in love with Willette, his wife.

In Schenectady as a young man on his first job Mr. Craton attended All Souls Unitarian Church. He liked the people and the minister, the Reverend Ernest Caldecott, very much and depended heavily on the church for his religious and social life during a period of severe loneliness and homesickness. He began however to have some problems with Unitarianism. Although he enjoyed the sermons as lectures he found them lacking in spirituality. During this period Mr. Craton was also unhappy with the factory management course at General Electric. He felt he was not suited to the manufacturing part of the General Electric Co. although he was much impressed by the vast scope of the company. He finally worked out a transfer from factory management to "test" that resulted in a transfer from Schenectady to Erie, PA and the real beginning of a satisfying career in GE.

The Unitarian church in Erie was neither as large nor as socially well-connected as that in Schenectady but the people were hospitable and the Reverend Charles Judson Dutton an interesting minister. Despite his concerns about the lack of spirituality he continued to attend the church until the children were ready for Sunday School. Both Cratons felt that the children needed a different Sunday School for their religious initiation.

The Cratons tried St Paul's Episcopal for a time and then the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant in the early 40's. There they remained first they attended without joining the church. His attendance was spotty because he was overwhelmed with work and travel. Later the yacht club activity took up the weekends and attendance dropped to Christmas and Easter. The Cratons finally joined the Presbyterian Church because they wanted Bab and Tom Moore to be married there. His retirement did not get Mr. Craton to resume regular attendance but Mrs. Craton was a faithful volunteer in the church library for many years.

Health

Mr. Craton's health as a child seems to have been unexceptional. There were coughs, colds, upper respiratory complaints and several of the common childhood diseases but nothing out of the ordinary.

As a young man he developed an intermittent bladder problem that medication helped some and that seemed to be more nuisance than serious. This was life-long. There was also a chronic urethritis that he noted with concern. While he recorded a number of minor ailments in his journal he lost little or no time from work. The first hospitalization was for an appendectomy in 1947. Mr. Craton's care and concern about his own health carried over to his wife and children. He seemed excessively upset about the children's routine childhood illnesses.

Once Mr. Craton reached the management level at the Corporation he made annual visits to the Mayo Clinic for physical examinations paid for by the company. These were continued for many years after his retirement when Mrs. Craton became a Mayo patient also. The Clinic findings for both of the Cratons are recorded in some detail.

Having disregarded a doctor's advice about a car trip to Florida in 1969 Mr. Craton spent several weeks hospitalized there and several more recovering enough to return to Erie. A detached retina in the summer of 1970 resulted in hospitalization, surgery and a long period wrestling with double vision. Much dreaded prostate surgery occurred in 1971 successfully.

The annual visit to the Mayo Clinic in 1973 brought a diagnosis of angina pectoris, use of nitroglycerine, orders to cut his drinking to one drink a day, to cut down on sweets and to walk every day.

Chronic emphysema was beginning to interfere with Mr. Craton's physical activity and to diminish his pleasure in those he pursued.

Another detached retina meant another hospitalization and recovery period. This was followed by ambulatory surgery for a fracture of a hand. A severe bronchitis took Mr. Craton back to Hamot Hospital again in the first week of February. By this time Mr. Craton was almost living the life of an invalid whose physical condition dictated his activity or lack of it. In May of 1982 there was another hospitalization for tests all of which negative. Following the second retina surgery Mr. Craton in his words "developed a post-operative nervous condition that lasted for months, that required doctoring, extensive use of Valium...For months I had to fight depression, apprehension and the jitters. I had no appetite and lost perhaps as much as twenty pounds". (Special note at beginning of Diary for the year 1978)

During his working and retirement years there were a number of dental problems that seemed to be exacerbated by his objections to the dentist's charges. He continued with the same dentist year after year and also continued complaining about him.

Mr. Craton's Writing

Mr. Craton had interests from a very young age in writing and in drawing cartoons. The interest in writing was life-long, that in cartoons short-lived. Because of the necessity to be practical about earning a living for himself and his mother, Mr. Craton put aside his interest in writing and cartoons and majored in mechanical engineering. Throughout his life however he continued to try to write for publication and document his life whenever he could find the time to do so. In June 1927 for example, six months after his marriage he wrote his first short story. In 1934 after a vacation trip to Canada he tried another short story. The memoir itself is testament to his writing interest. The diary sometimes abandoned for lack of time was always returned to -- once after a lapse of 27 years. This gap was filled during his retirement years when he also wrote extensively on particular periods of his life or special activities such as boating.

A number of statements scattered throughout the memoirs indicate that regular entries were important to him, helped him cope with problems and enhanced his enjoyment of his good times.

Mr. Craton also tried persistently when he could find the time to write and rewrite for publication. While he had no success with his interest in short-story writing and none with the cartoons he submitted to Collier and the Saturday Evening Post for publication, he did succeed with several articles about trains and railroads. An article about diesel electric locomotives in industry resulted in a check for $35.00 and publication in the magazine Purchasing in 1944. Another milestone was the publication in Steel of an article for which he was paid $55.00.

Yankee, a magazine with a circulation of about 350,000 accepted and paid $250 for an article entitled "Candle Light" that was based on visits to the Isles of Shoals when Mr. Craton was a young man. Trains also accepted a railroading article "Joy and Pain on the Boston and Maine" for which it paid $45.00 and in December 1970 published "Tarzan Jr." and paid $125.00 for it. The published articles were a source of pride and satisfaction.

Travel

Travel was an important part of Mr. Craton's life. His business trips were frequent and often lengthy, taking him away from wife and family. They included time spent in Hawaii, Australia, Mexico and Venezuela on G.E. business.

Family travel included frequent trips of short duration to visit family or friends, annual trips to the Mayo Clinic combined with visits to family or friends, and trips to Buena Vista, Virginia where cousins, the Robeys lived and operated Southern Seminary, a girls preparatory school. The earliest vacation trip of note was in 1931 to Colorado. This was by car, driving an average 300 miles per day for a total mileage of 3,940 miles. Gasoline averaged 15¢ a gallon, oil 25¢ a quart. There was a trip to Canada in 1933, a Great Lakes Cruise in 1936.

During the war Mr. Craton was sales manager for locomotives for industry, the military, the Maritime Commission and underground mining. Because G.E. thought there was a potential post-war market in Hawaii, particularly in the sugar fields Mr. Craton was sent there while wartime travel restrictions were still in effect to determine the design of a standard diesel electric unit for use in Hawaii.

This trip began a life long love affair with the islands that resulted in seven more trips of several months each with Mrs. Craton after he retired.

During those seven years the Cratons spent two or three of the worst months of the Erie winter in Hawaii.

Mr. Craton's retirement at age 60 meant a real emphasis on travel that started with a nine week trip to Europe in 1962 and included Holland, Germany, Switzerland and Italy and was followed by several months in Florida in early 1963. In 1964 there was a South Sea Island cruise followed by several months in Hawaii, in 1966 a trip of 80 days around the world and in 1967 a return to Europe, with close friends, Barbara and Charles Reed. 1968 saw a trip to the North Cape, the Scandinavian countries, Russia and Ireland.

A trip to Florida in 1969 was an unfortunate one. Mr. Craton spent much of it in hospital and recovering from a back problem. There was a return to Hawaii in 1971 but a planned return in 1972 had to be cancelled because a bleeding intestinal tract sent Mr. Craton into the hospital again. Several months were required for recuperation.

In June 1972 the Cratons returned to Canada, this time to Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and Vancouver, and again in January 1973 returned to Kappa Sands, Kauai, Hawaii where they spent Erie's worst winter months each year from 1973 through 1977.

A second detached retina for Mr. Craton prevented any winter travel in 1978 but by June of 1978 the Cratons were able to visit Joan and Roger Craton who by then were living outside London. It was a memorable trip with a number of short trips beyond the London area.

Mid March of 1979 took the Cratons on a trip to the American south. Their first stop was to see their great-grandchild Carrie, and then on to Charleston, Savannah, Hilton Head and Jekyll Island, where they visited their friends the Bauschards. Mr. Craton did not enjoy much of this trip, would have preferred being home but realized that his wife needed both a change and less work and more rest than she got at home. They cut the trip short by a week and returned home.

The last recorded trips were to see Joan and Roger and their new home in Connecticut in late March and Roger's summer place in Good Hart in July 1982.
Provenance:
Gift to Smithsonian from Mrs. Willette Craton, October 9, 1992
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Electrical engineers  Search this
Electric engineering -- 20th century  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographs -- 20th century
Letters (correspondence) -- 1920-1930
Memoirs
Personal papers -- 20th century
Diaries -- 20th century
Citation:
Forman H. Craton Collection, 1902-1983, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0454
See more items in:
Forman H. Craton Papers
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep87de554a2-534e-4403-9b26-3dda0ae6edaa
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0454
Online Media:

John Calvin Ferguson Family Papers

Creator:
Ferguson, John Calvin, 1866-1945  Search this
Names:
Ferguson, John Calvin, 1866-1945  Search this
Extent:
6.4 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Letters (correspondence)
Newspaper clippings
Photographs
Photograph albums
Speeches
Place:
Shanghai (China)
China
Nanjing (Jiangsu Sheng, China)
Date:
circa 1850s-1988
bulk 1900-1945
Summary:
The John Calvin Ferguson Family papers measure 6.4 linear feet, and date from circa 1850s to 1988, with the bulk dating from 1900 to 1945. The bulk of the papers consists of John Calvin Ferguson's personal, professional, and family correspondence, and correspondence between other members of the Ferguson family. The papers also include biographical materials; sermons, speeches, and writings by Ferguson and others; printed materials, both collected and given to Ferguson; and photographs, including five photograph albums.
Scope and Contents:
The John Calvin Ferguson Family papers measure 6.4 linear feet, and date from circa 1850s to 1988, with the bulk dating from 1900 to 1945. The bulk of the papers consists of John Calvin Ferguson's personal, professional, and family correspondence, and correspondence between other members of the Ferguson family. The papers also include biographical materials; sermons, speeches, and writings by Ferguson and others; printed materials, both collected and given to Ferguson; and photographs, including five photograph albums.

Biographical materials includes various business cards and professional contacts; an ink sketch portrait of Ferguson by Li Yuling; various membership documents and cards; memorial service and obituary materials for Ferguson and members of the Ferguson family; repatriation documentation and materials from the M. S. Gripsholm; and assorted genealogical and family documents.

Correspondence comprises the bulk of the collection, and is both professional and personal in nature. Much of John Calvin Ferguson's correspondence documents his activities and movements while living in China, as well as the state of the political and social climate during the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in 1912 and as the Second Sino-Japan War begins in 1937. His journey back to the United States aboard the M. S. Gripsholm, as well as his failing health, are also much discussed topics. Extensive correspondence between other members of the Ferguson family are also found within the papers, including Ferguson's wife, Mary Elizabeth Wilson, and his children.

Sermons, speeches, and writings reflect Ferguson's many career interests, including his work as a minister, education administrator, and as an ambassador with the Chinese government. The collection also contains printed materials and photographs, including five photograph albums.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged as 6 series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1915-1981 [Box 1, 1 OV Folder; 0.5 linear feet]

Series 2: John Calvin Ferguson Correspondence, 1902-circa 1945 [Boxes 1-7; 2.2 linear feet]

Series 3: Ferguson Family Correspondence, 1886-1982 [Boxes 7-12; 2.1 linear feet]

Series 4: Sermons, Speeches, and Writings, 1896-1988 [Boxes 12-13; 0.3 linear feet]

Series 5: Printed Material, 1896-1988 [Boxes 13-14; 0.4 linear feet]

Series 6: Photographs, circa 1850s-1967 [Boxes 14-17; 0.9 linear feet]
Biographical / Historical:
John Calvin Ferguson (1866-1945) was an author, collector and scholar of Chinese art, Methodist minister, university president, and Chinese government advisor, born in Napanee, Ontario.

Ferguson attended Albert College in Ontario, received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1886 from Boston University, and was ordained in the Methodist Episcopal Church shortly thereafter. He received his PhD from Boston University in 1902. In 1887, he married Mary Elizabeth Wilson (1866-1938) and was sent to China as a Methodist missionary, where he spent his first year studying Chinese in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, downriver from Nanjing on the Yangzi. In Nanjing, Ferguson helped found the Methodist school, Huiwen Shuyuan (later Nanjing University), and worked to establish a western curriculum with departments of liberal arts, medicine, and theology. He was the first president of the university, as well as treasurer and then superintendent of the Central China Mission until 1897, when he left the ministry.

In 1897, Qing official Sheng Xuanhuai (1847-1916) invited Ferguson to become first president of Nanyang College at Shanghai, where he worked for five years before leaving his position to assist Sheng with his governmental duties. Ferguson then became a member of the Treaty Commission and foreign secretary to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce in 1902, and chief secretary of the Imperial Chinese Railway Administration a year later until 1905. Concurrently, he was foreign advisor to the Viceroys of Nanjing and Wuchang. While in Shanghai, he was Honorary Secretary of the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society and editor of the Journal from 1902 to 1911, then becoming president for a year. During his last year in Shanghai, he was Chairman of the Famine Relief Commission until moving to Beijing in 1911 to become foreign secretary to the Ministry of Posts and Communications. He remained in Beijing after the fall of the Qing Dynasty, becoming active in the Red Cross and subsequently Vice President of the Red Cross Society.

In Shanghai, Ferguson developed a popular Chinese-language daily newspaper in 1899, Sin Wan Pao, which he owned until 1929. He began collecting Chinese art objects while in Nanjing, and studied Chinese art and literature in earnest while in Beijing. In 1912, Ferguson became a buyer of Chinese art objects for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, becoming a fellow in perpetuity and honorary fellow in recognition of his work. He was then wholly launched into the collecting field, becoming a dealer of Chinese art, working between collectors and vendors in Peking for American museums and individuals, as well as developing his own collection. After being appointed advisor to the new Chinese Republican government in 1915, he traveled between the United States and China until setting up permanent residence with his family in Beijing in 1919. During this time in Beijing he wrote and lectured extensively on Chinese art and archaeology. He ultimately donated the bulk of his personal collection, over one thousand Chinese art objects, to Nanjing University in 1934 for which he received an official thanks by public mandate from the Chinese government. Other gifts of his collection were made to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

He remained in his Beijing home until 1943 when he returned to the United States with his daughter, Mary, via the M. S. Gripsholm. He died in Clifton Springs, New York on August 3, 1945.

This biography draws heavily from Lara Jaishree Netting's book, A Perpetual Fire: John C. Ferguson and His Quest for Chinese Art and Culture, Hong Kong University Press, 2013; and R. H. Van Gulik's article, "Dr. John c. Ferguson's 75th Anniversary," Monumenta Serica: Journal of Oriental Studies of the Catholic University of Peking, Vol. VI, 1941.

Genealogy Chart, Ferguson FamilyJohn Calvin Ferguson, m. Mary Elizabeth Wilson -- Luther Mitchell, m. Edith GrayHelen Matilda 1) m. George E. Tucker2) m. John C. BeaumontAlice MaryFlorence Wilson 1) m. Jay C. Huston2) m. Raymond C. MackayCharles John, m. Isabel M. MarindinMary EstherRobert Mason, m. Margaret SparrDuncan PomeroyPeter Blair, m. Elizabeth Hamlen
Provenance:
The John Calvin Ferguson Family Papers were donated to the Archives by Ferguson's grandson, Peter Ferguson, in 1999.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Permission to reproduce and publish an item from the Archives is coordinated through the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery's Rights and Reproductions department. Please contact the Archives in order to initiate this process.
Occupation:
Political consultants -- China  Search this
Art collectors -- China  Search this
Genre/Form:
Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century.
Newspaper clippings
Letters (correspondence) -- 19th century
Photographs
Photograph albums
Speeches
Citation:
John Calvin Ferguson Family Papers, FSA A1999.33. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C. Gift of Peter Ferguson.
Identifier:
FSA.A1999.33
See more items in:
John Calvin Ferguson Family Papers
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc311330381-7f7a-4ab7-9be6-872334e2c42d
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-fsa-a1999-33
Online Media:

D. Ward King Road Grader Collection

Creator:
King, D. Ward  Search this
Extent:
1 Cubic foot ( 4 boxes, 1 map-folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Articles
Writings
Blueprints
Photographs
Photograph albums
Reprints
Poems
Scrapbooks
Letters (correspondence)
Date:
1902-2005
Summary:
Photographs, publications and correspondence related to D. Ward King's invention the King Road Drag, or the Split-Oak drag, which improved rural travel in the early 20th century by introducing a simple design and low-effort system for grading poor-quality roads. The King Road Drag was promoted heavily across the United States and Canada via the "Good Roads Campaign" originally sponsored by the railroad companies in the early decades of the twentieth century.
Scope and Contents:
This collection contains photographs, correspondence and articles documenting the road drag that D. Ward King invented to grade, drain water from, and improve the condition of rural roads in the early 20th century. Included are photographs of King, his family, the road drag, and the conditions of roads before and after treatment; a scrapbook containing letters and photographs; a blueprint of the road drag; as well as articles and reprints from various publications praising King's invention.

This collection would be of interest to researchers of the Good Roads movement, rural life and development in the early 20th century, and agricultural invention.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged into four series.

Series 1: Correspondence, 1907; 1909

Series 2: Publications, 1903; 1907-1917; 1999

Series 3: Photographs, circa 1905-1915; 1908-1910; 1919-1920

Series 4: Miscellaneous, 1907-1915
Biographical / Historical:
Born and educated in Springfield Ohio, David Ward King (1857-1920), who was known as D. Ward King, moved to rural Maitland, Missouri after his marriage in 1881 and began life as a farmer. In 1896, he demonstrated the use of his simple invention, dubbed the "King Road Drag" or the split-oak drag, which consisted of two split logs attached by crossbeams and hitched with a loop of chain to horses, to be dragged along a stretch of rutted muddy road until it was smooth. His rudimentary road grader had the effect not only of flattening and compacting muddy soil, but creating a crest in the center of the road, sloping down at each side, so that the next rain would run off the packed surface into the ditch. This basic scheme had a revolutionary effect on rural life--farmers were often mired in mud on the roads to their fields or into town, their most powerful draft horses unable to contend with wagon wheels sunken into deep ruts after heavy rains. Use of King's drag soon made their roads not only passable, but faster and safer to travel, which saved time and money for all in the community.

In 1903, King was employed by the Chicago and North Western Transportation Co. to promote his product across the country as part of their "Good Roads Campaign," giving lectures and demonstrations. King patented the King Road Drag (US Patent 884,497 and US Patent 1,102,671) in 1908 and later improved it in 1914. The United States Patent Office called his invention a "Road Grader," but King referred to it as a "split log drag," the "King Road Drag,"

Although King patented his invention, the simple design made it difficult to enforce patent rights, so farmers were encouraged to build and make use of their own versions of the road drag. Even after the railroads withdrew their support (the road drag's success had the effect of sending more potential passengers on the roads with their bicycles and cars, rather than riding the train), King made a decent living for years on the lecture circuit, presenting in 46 of the 48 then- existing states and Canada. His midwestern education made him an eloquent, dynamic speaker, and his talks were often sold out. The invention of the road drag and its almost evangelical use across the country has been credited for increased automobile use in the early part of the century, as well as the advent of parcel post delivery and mail-order catalogue supply to rural areas.
Provenance:
Collection donated by Helene W. King and Amy Burbank King in 2014.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Roads -- Design and construction  Search this
Road machinery  Search this
Road scrapers  Search this
Roads  Search this
Roads -- Accessories  Search this
Graders (Earthmoving machinery)  Search this
Inventors -- 20th century -- United States  Search this
Inventions  Search this
Road drainage  Search this
Genre/Form:
Articles -- 20th century
Writings
Blueprints -- 20th century
Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- 1900-1950
Photograph albums -- 20th century
Reprints
Poems
Scrapbooks -- 20th century
Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century.
Citation:
D. Ward King Road Grader Collection, 1903-2000, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1332
See more items in:
D. Ward King Road Grader Collection
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8c96af71f-d47b-4e1b-a06b-5bb3f2568859
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1332
Online Media:

Slover Puppeteer Collection

Puppeteer:
Slover, Alvin  Search this
Former owner:
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Culture and the Arts  Search this
Donor:
Larson, Mary E.  Search this
Extent:
2 Cubic feet (4 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Black-and-white photographs
Clippings
Guest lists
Ledgers (account books)
Letters (correspondence)
Notes
Scrapbooks
Date:
1880-1990
Summary:
The collection relates to the Slover Family of puppeteers, and documents their lives and activities as they traveled the country with their show.
Content Description:
The collection relates to the Slover Family of puppeteers, and documents their lives and activities as they traveled the country with their show. The collection includes photographs, including photographs from their earliest days when they were traveling in wagons; guest books; a manuscript for a memoir from the matriarch of the family; a ledger, 1916-1932, listing what the box office take was in each location the show was performed; a notebook containing content of the shows, jokes, etc.; a scrapbook containing photographs and other things; letters; clippings and articles; and printed music.
Related Materials:
See Museum accession 2004.0005 for related artifacts (puppets) in the Division of CUlture and the Arts
Provenance:
Donated by Mary E. Larson to the Division of Culture and the Arts, National Museum of American History, in 2004.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research.
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
manuscripts  Search this
Puppeteers  Search this
Puppets  Search this
Traveling theater -- United States -- 19th century  Search this
Traveling theater -- United States -- 20th century  Search this
Genre/Form:
Black-and-white photographs
Clippings
Guest lists
Ledgers (account books) -- 20th century
Letters (correspondence)
Notes
Scrapbooks
Citation:
Slover Puppeteer Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1464
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep891f27abf-c6aa-4bf5-a0c5-4b1fbf8a9050
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1464

Quin Shen Yu Papers

Creator:
Yu, Quin Shen, 1916-2003  Search this
Former owner:
Yu, Susan Shen  Search this
Extent:
1 Cubic foot (1 box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Biographies
Black-and-white photographs
Notes
Report cards
Writings
Date:
1916-2012
Summary:
The collection consists of papers relating to Chinese immigrant Quin Shen Yu and his family.
Content Description:
The collection consists of papers relating to Chinese immigrant Quin Shen Yu and his family. It includes identification documents and credentials; photographs of the family and of Yu's life; letters; scrapbook; school papers such as report cards and assignments; writings and notes; papers from Yu's time in the Boy Scouts; biographical information, including a book and a CD.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into one series.
Provenance:
Collection donated to the Archives Center in 2019 by Susan Shen Yu.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Emigration and immigration  Search this
Identification cards  Search this
Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century  Search this
Genre/Form:
Biographies
Black-and-white photographs
Notes
Report cards
Writings
Citation:
Quin Shen Yu Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1487
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep82f42e4e2-0d59-44b6-9abb-3daea9ac7529
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1487

Nick Reynolds Kingston Trio Papers

Musician:
Kingston Trio  Search this
Creator:
Reynolds, Nick, 1933-2008  Search this
Former owner:
Kingston Trio Legacy Project  Search this
Reynolds, Leslie  Search this
Extent:
2.1 Cubic feet (4 boxes, 1 map-folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Articles
Business records
Business letters
Fliers (printed matter)
Legal records
Letters (correspondence)
Posters
Color prints (photographs)
Programs
Scrapbooks
Sheet music
Date:
1950-2014
Summary:
The collection documents Nick Reynolds, a member of the vocal music group, the Kingston Trio.
Content Description:
The collection documents the life and career of Nick Reynolds, one of the members of the Kingston Trio folk music group. Included in the collection are: a scrapbook approximately covering the years 1958-1970, and including such things as articles, photographs, and flyers announcing appearances by the Trio; letters, including fan mail, and a large set of letters and cards sent by member Nick Reynolds to his parents; postcards; business and legal papers, especially relating to a 1981 reunion; programs; songbooks and sheet music; posters advertising appearances; a book about the Trio; articles and miscellaneous printed materials.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into two series.

Series 1: Reynolds, Nick, Personal Papers, 1950-2014, undated

Series 2: Kingston Trio Papers and Ephemera, 1956-2013, undated
Biographical / Historical:
The history of the original Kingston Trio and its subsequent permutations has been well chronicled. The group came to national prominence in 1958 during the folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s. At that time the trio consisted of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds. Their first album released in 1958 contained their first gold record, Tom Dooley. Success continued for the trio but in 1961, Dave Guard left the group and John Stewart joined the group as his replacement. The group continued to have a successful run, their cover of Where Have All the Flowers Gone? and Greenback Dollar made the Billboard Top Ten chart in 1961 and 1963 respectively. The group in its configuration of Reynolds, Shane, and Stewart ceased actively performing in June 1967. Subsequent incarnations of the group performed into the twenty-first century.

Nicholas (Nick) Wells Reynolds, tenor, was a founding member of the Kingston Trio. He was born in San Diego, California on July 27, 1933. His parents were Stewart S. and Jane Keck Reynolds. His father was a commander in the United States Navy. Reynolds attended schools in Coronado, California graduating in 1951 from Coronado High School. He graduated from Menlo College, Atherton, California in 1956.

Reynolds, Bob Shane (1934-2020) and Dave Guard (1934-1991) formed the Kingston Trio in the 1950s. Reynolds left the Trio in 1967 moving to Oregon. He rejoined the Trio in 1988 after recording the album Revenge of the Budgie in 1983, and remained with the group until retiring in 2003. Reynolds died in San Diego, California on October 1, 2008 survived by his third wife, Leslie Yerger Reynolds, and four children.

Sources

Family Search, 1940 United States Census, accessed July 9, 2019. Obituary, Nick Reynolds, The New York Times, October 2, 2008. Obituary, Nick Reynolds, The Los Angeles Times, October 3, 2008. Kingston Trio Legacy Project, (http://kingstontriolegacyproject.com) last accessed July 9, 2019.
Provenance:
Collection donated by the Kingston Trio Legacy Project to the Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution in 2018.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Folk music  Search this
Folk musicians  Search this
Folk songs -- United States  Search this
Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century  Search this
Postcards -- 20th century -- United States  Search this
Genre/Form:
Articles -- 20th century
Business records -- 20th century
Business letters
Fliers (printed matter)
Legal records -- 20th century
Letters (correspondence) -- 21st century
Posters -- 20th century
Color prints (photographs) -- 20th century
Programs -- Concerts -- 20th century
Scrapbooks -- 20th century
Sheet music -- 20th century
Citation:
Nick Reynolds Kingston Trio Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1472
See more items in:
Nick Reynolds Kingston Trio Papers
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep862aa8fcb-25ba-45b4-a369-2f8c2917baff
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1472

[Adina Via to Frank Robinson : manuscript letter]

Author:
Via, Adina Mae, 1937-1966  Search this
Names:
Robinson, Franklin A., Sr., 1932-2023  Search this
Collection Collector:
Robinson, Franklin A., Jr., 1959- (actor)  Search this
Collection Creator:
Quinn, Terry (photographer)  Search this
Extent:
1 Item (Ink on paper., 10-1/2" x 8".)
Container:
Box 5, Folder 5
Type:
Archival materials
Letters (correspondence)
Holographs
Date:
[Jan. 15, 1951.]
Local Numbers:
AC0475-0000158.tif (AC Scan No.)
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but negatives and audiovisuial materials are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Some papers of living persons are restricted. Access to restricted portions may be arranged by request to the donor. Gloves required for unprotected photographs. Viewing film portions of the collection and listening to LP recording requires special appointment. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
The Archives Center does not own exclusive rights to these materials. Copyright for all materials is retained by the donor, Franklin A. Robinson, Jr.; permission for commercial use and/or publication may be requested from the donor through the Archives Center. Military Records for Franklin A. Robinson (b. 1932) and correspondence from Richard I. Damalouji (1961-2014) are restricted; written permission is needed to research these files. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Courtship  Search this
Genre/Form:
Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century.
Holographs -- 20th century
Collection Citation:
The Robinson and Via Family Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
See more items in:
Robinson and Via Family Papers
Robinson and Via Family Papers / Series 2: Robinson Family / 2.6: Robinson, Franklin A. / 2.6.1: Correspondence, diaries, personal ephemera / Correspondence received from Via, Adina M.
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8792f1465-4761-4138-960d-89ab33581f1f
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0475-ref1509

[Adina Via to fiance Franklin Robinson, p. 1 : manuscript letter]

Author:
Via, Adina Mae, 1937-1966  Search this
Names:
Robinson, Franklin A., Sr., 1932-2023  Search this
Collection Collector:
Robinson, Franklin A., Jr., 1959- (actor)  Search this
Collection Creator:
Quinn, Terry (photographer)  Search this
Extent:
1 Item (Ink on paper., 10-1/4" x 8-1/2".)
Container:
Box 6, Folder 5
Type:
Archival materials
Letters (correspondence)
Holographs
Date:
[March 14, 1956.]
Scope and Contents:
Pencil, in brackets: "[April 1.]"
Local Numbers:
AC0475-0000163.tif (AC Scan No.)
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but negatives and audiovisuial materials are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Some papers of living persons are restricted. Access to restricted portions may be arranged by request to the donor. Gloves required for unprotected photographs. Viewing film portions of the collection and listening to LP recording requires special appointment. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
The Archives Center does not own exclusive rights to these materials. Copyright for all materials is retained by the donor, Franklin A. Robinson, Jr.; permission for commercial use and/or publication may be requested from the donor through the Archives Center. Military Records for Franklin A. Robinson (b. 1932) and correspondence from Richard I. Damalouji (1961-2014) are restricted; written permission is needed to research these files. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Courtship  Search this
Genre/Form:
Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century.
Holographs -- 20th century
Collection Citation:
The Robinson and Via Family Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
See more items in:
Robinson and Via Family Papers
Robinson and Via Family Papers / Series 2: Robinson Family / 2.6: Robinson, Franklin A. / 2.6.1: Correspondence, diaries, personal ephemera / Correspondence received from Via, Adina M.
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep88ff79ca3-134b-497c-8a32-394e2de217f9
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0475-ref1512

White, Edmunds, and Fallen Family Papers

Farmer:
White, Julius Lee  Search this
Former owner:
Carter, Ethel H.  Search this
Extent:
2 Cubic feet (5 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Date:
bulk 1894-1978, undated
Summary:
Collection documents the personal and working lives of tenant farmer Julius Lee White, who worked on a tobacco farm in Ringgold, Virginia, and those of his extended family.
Content Description:
Collection of papers relating to family, work, and African American life in Virginia, and Maryland. It documents the personal and working lives of tenant farmer Julius Lee White and his extended family. The papers are particularly important regarding tobacco farming and the precarious financial nature of this type of work. The papers concern three groups the White, Edmunds, and Fallen families who are connected through the marriage of Julius Lee White and Geraldine Edmunds. These papers consist of material generated by the families in their personal and working lives and are especially strong in 20th century material. They consist of financial papers including bills, receipts, and statements relating to utilities, insurance, medical matters, housing, automobiles, loans, banking, work (such as pay statements), taxes, and other such concerns; bills of sale for tobacco; greeting cards, postcards and letters; ephemera such as trading stamps, coupons, premiums; church related materials such as programs, a hymnal, religious tracts and other printed material; the personal papers of a World War II soldier including a 1909 letter and selective service documents; and numerous portrait photographs of family members, as well as candid photographs. The collection is divided into four series: Series 1, White family papers, Series 2, Edmunds family papers, Series 3, Fallen family papers, and Series 4, Photographs.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into four series:

Series 1: White Family Papers, 1906-1978

Subseries 1.1: Julius Lee White, 1943-1978

Subseries 1.2: Geraldine White, 1950-1973

Subseries 1.3: Family Papers, 1906-1971

Series 2: Edmunds Family Papers, 1936-19701

Subseries 2.1: Thomas B. Edmunds, 1945-1970

Subseries 2.: General Family Papers, 1936-1955

Series 3: Fallen Family Papers, 1949-1971

Series 4: Photographs, 1948-1967
Related Materials:
Materials in the Division of Work and Industry

Tractor-pulled tobacco planter, Accession Number 1989.0600.01

Hand-held tobacco planter, Accession Number 1989.0600.02

Three wooden hand-held tobacco planting pegs, Accession Number 1989.0600.02

Ten assorted wall calendars, all advertising in nature, Nonaccession Number 1990.3016.02

One sign: "Jesus is the head of this home,", Nonaccession Number 1990.3016.03

Admiral table radio, Nonaccession Number 1990.3016.04

Sonora table radio, Nonaccession Number 1990.3016.05

Silvertone table radio, Nonaccession Number 1990.3016.06

Sears and Roebuck table radio, Nonaccession Number 1990.3016.07

Fourteen assorted burlap fertilizer sacks, Nonaccession Number 1990.3016.08
Provenance:
Collection donated by Ethel H. Carter, along with several three- dimensional objects in 1988.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning intellectual property rights. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Bills of Sale -- Tobacco  Search this
Church bulletins -- 20th century -- United States  Search this
Financial records -- 20th century  Search this
Greeting cards -- 20th century  Search this
Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century  Search this
Military records -- 20th century -- United States  Search this
Postcards -- 20th century  Search this
Religious tracts -- 20th century -- United States  Search this
Trading stamps -- 20th century -- United States  Search this
Tenant farmers -- 20th century -- Virginia  Search this
Tobacco -- 20th century -- Virginia  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographs -- 20th century
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1444
See more items in:
White, Edmunds, and Fallen Family Papers
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep88fdf863e-3a10-4d1f-b885-8279a5200c65
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1444

GAF Records

Creator:
GAF Corporation  Search this
Names:
Agfa (Firm)  Search this
Ansco Company  Search this
Anthony, Edward A.  Search this
Extent:
3 Cubic feet (3 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Black-and-white photographs
Business records
Clippings
Histories
Legal documents
Newsletters
Price lists
Trade catalogs
Trade literature
Date:
1939-1963
Summary:
The collection consists of historical and business records for ANSCO, a company now owned by GAF (General Aniline and Film Corporation).
Content Description:
Collection includes business correspondence, some of it regarding a collection of Matthew B. Brady photographs; photographs, mostly of the company's products, biographical information on Edward A. Anthony, who started Anthony & Scovill, which merged with AGFA in 1928; multiple written accounts of the history of the company; trade literature; catalogs; price lists; company newsletters; scholarly journals; legal documents; and clippings. There is a small number of papers relating to Edward A. Anthony's first company, Anthony and Co., dating back to 1877.
Provenance:
Collection donated to the Photographic History Collections of the National Museum of American History, by GAF. Transferred to the Archives Center in 2019.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Camera industry  Search this
Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century  Search this
Photographic film industry  Search this
Scholarly periodicals  Search this
Genre/Form:
Black-and-white photographs
Business records -- 20th century
Clippings -- 20th century
Histories
Legal documents -- 20th century
Newsletters -- 20th century
Price lists
Trade catalogs
Trade literature -- 20th century
Citation:
GAF Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1476
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep87437769b-b4ce-4b7d-8a9e-aba5f1359d36
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1476

Ricki Covette Burlesque Collection

Creator:
Covette, Ricki  Search this
Donor:
Jewell, Irene  Search this
Extent:
2 Cubic feet (6 boxes, 2 map folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Advertisements
Brochures
Certificates
Clippings
Decals
Letters (correspondence)
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Theater programs
Date:
1940–2002
bulk 1950s–1970s
Summary:
Scrapbooks and posters documenting the burlesque career of Irene Jewell (stage name Ricki Covette), who at 6'8" was billed as "The World's Tallest Exotic Dancer."
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of eight scrapbooks and five posters documenting the burlesque career of Irene Jewell (stage name Ricki Covette), who at 6'8" was billed as "The World's Tallest Exotic Dancer." The albums contain clippings; letters; certificates; photographs, including photographs of her act; ephemera, such as postcards, travel brochures, postcards, and decals, from her travels; advertisements; and theater programs.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged into two series.

Series 1: Scrapbooks

Series 2: Posters
Biographical / Historical:
Born in 1925 in rural Alberta, Canada, Irene Jewell aspired to become a singer and dancer. Moving to the United States in the 1950s, Jewell began a thirty-year career in show business, including theater, small parts in television and film, but especially burlesque, under her stage name "Ricki Covette." Billed as "The World's Tallest Exotic Dancer" at 6'8" and the "Glamazon," Covette's career spanned the peak of burlesque's popularity; her career highlights included headlining at clubs, including an 82-week stint at the ShoBar in New Orleans, Louisiana, and a solo act world tour in Japan, the United Kingdom, and the Americans. Besides her burlesque career, Covette also had parts in theater, including playing the role of Gymnasia in the 1963-1964 tour of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and appearing in the 1966 film The Swinger. After she left show business, she started a successful second career as a real estate broker in the Los Angeles area and travelled with her husband, cinematographer Stuart Jewell, shooting footage of nature and culture. In 2010 she appeared in Leslie Zemeckis's documentary, Behind the Burly! Covette died in February 2016.
Provenance:
Donated to the Archives Center in 2014 by Irene Jewell (stage name Ricki Covette).
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Social Security numbers are present and have been rendered unreadable and redacted. Researchers may use the photocopies in the collection. The remainder of the collection has no restrictions.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Burlesque (Theater) -- 1920-1970  Search this
Burlesque shows -- 1920-1970  Search this
Postcards -- 20th century  Search this
Striptease -- 1920-1970  Search this
Stripteasers -- 1920-1970  Search this
Genre/Form:
Advertisements -- 20th century
Brochures -- 20th century
Certificates -- 20th century
Clippings -- 20th century
Decals
Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century.
Photographs -- 1950-2000
Scrapbooks -- 20th century
Theater programs -- 1950-2000
Citation:
Ricki Covette Burlesque Collection, 1940–2022, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1335
See more items in:
Ricki Covette Burlesque Collection
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8447243f0-1217-4a84-81b0-d5612eaf8621
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1335
Online Media:

Richardson Direct Reading Slide Rule

Maker:
George W. Richardson  Search this
Physical Description:
plastic (part material)
aluminum (overall material)
paper (part material)
Measurements:
overall: 28 cm x 4.2 cm x .4 cm; 11 1/32 in x 1 21/32 in x 5/32 in
Object Name:
slide rule
Place made:
United States: Illinois, Chicago
Date made:
ca 1909
Subject:
Mathematics  Search this
Rule, Calculating  Search this
Patented  Search this
General Calculation  Search this
Credit Line:
Gift of Michael Konshak
ID Number:
2009.0038.02
Accession number:
2009.0038
Catalog number:
2009.0038.02
See more items in:
Medicine and Science: Mathematics
Science & Mathematics
Slide Rules
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ac-a376-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1346566
Online Media:

Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Panama Canal Collection

Donor:
Brewer, Jack  Search this
Buchalter, Lloyd A.  Search this
Dallimore, Georgie  Search this
Fogelmann, Edgar L.  Search this
Schurmann, Audrey Stoner  Search this
Wheeler, David  Search this
Engineer:
Ray, Edward A. , 1867-1934  Search this
Extent:
1.75 Cubic feet (4 boxes, 1 map folder)
Culture:
Kuna (Cuna)  Search this
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Articles
Certificates
Envelopes
Letters (correspondence)
Negatives
Newspaper clippings
Panoramic photographs
Patents
Photographs
Picture postcards
Telegrams
Tickets
Place:
Costa Rica
Gatun Locks (Panama)
Panama Canal (Panama)
San Blas Islands (Panama)
Date:
1904-1971
bulk 1904-1924
Summary:
Collection documents the construction of the Panama Canal and life in the Panama Canal Zone.
Content Description:
Collection consists primarily of photographs--both loose and in albums--documenting the construction of the Panama Canal and life in the Panama Canal Zone from individuals who worked there. Materials also include scrapbooks, postcards, letters, envelopes, a patent (US Patent 1,299,318 for a drill), railroad tickets, vehicle licenses, certificates, newspaper clippings, and telegrams.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged into one series.
Historical:
The Panama Canal Zone was established with the signing of the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty as an unincorporated and organized territory of the United States in 1903. The treaty allowed for the construction of the Panama Canal, a strip of land 10 miles wide extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, by the United States. Panama granted exclusive canal rights to the United States in exchange for financial reimbursement and protection of the newly established republic in Panama. The Canal Zone had two administrative subdivisions, the Balboa (Pacific) and Cristobal (Atlantic) districts. Balboa Heights was the administrative headquarters for both the Canal Zone government and the Panama Canal Company. The Canal Zone existed until 1979. Full control over the Canal Zone and the operation of the canal was transferred to Panama in 2000.
Provenance:
Collection assembled from several accessions that were purchased and donated. In some instances, the immediate source of acquisition is unknown. Known provenance includes: David Wheeler (1983.0630); Lloyd A. Buchalter (1987.0854); Audrey Stoner Schurmann (1999.0334); Edgar L. Fogelmann (2001.0302); Jack Brewer (1999); and Georgie Dallimore (1980).
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Canals -- Panama  Search this
Cuna Indians  Search this
Drivers' licenses  Search this
Railroads  Search this
Genre/Form:
Articles -- 20th century
Certificates -- 20th century
Envelopes
Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century.
Negatives -- 20th century
Newspaper clippings
Panoramic photographs
Patents -- 20th century
Photographs
Picture postcards
Telegrams
Tickets
Citation:
Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Panama Canal Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1569
See more items in:
Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Panama Canal Collection
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep80b8f7512-4d6d-4ced-9216-5abf58191d4c
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1569

Ernst D. Moore Papers

Author:
Arnold, Cheney & Co.  Search this
Collector:
Moore, Ernst D. (importer, trader)  Search this
Names:
Pratt, Read and Company  Search this
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919  Search this
Extent:
1.6 Cubic feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Letters (correspondence)
Diaries
Articles
Receipts
Photographs
Maps
Account books
Date:
1888-1932
Summary:
Papers documenting Moore's work as an ivory trader employed by Arnold, Cheney and Co. Includes copies of his diary entries while working as an ivory trader, financial documents, price lists, his writings on the subject of ivory, articles, a map, and photographs.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists primarily of copies of records still in the possesssion of Moore's family. Foremost among these are copies of his diary entries for the time he was employed overseas by Arnold, Cheney & Co. These provide a daily, often humorous, description of the lifestyle of an American businessman trading in the outposts of the British Empire. Further documentation of this lifestyle is provided by Moore's personal account book, expense account statements, and receipts, as well as the materials on Club life in these spots. These include rule books for the Union Club at Aden, the Mombasa Club, the Mombasa Sport Club, and the Mnazi Moja and English clubs at Zanzibar, along with statements of Moore's accounts at each.

The collection contains a great deal of information on the ivory trade, primarily in Moore's correspondence, both business and private, and in documents relating to his contract and service abroad. Although most of these are xerographic copies, a number of originals are included; since these are fragile, it is recommended that the researcher use the copies. There are several items directly related to ivory, including three ivory pricelists from 1922, a small pamphlet about ivory published in 1921, and Moore's handwritten description of the characteristics and classification of ivory. Also contained in the collection are a number of articles written by Moore about ivory and the ivory trade, along with his book, Ivory: The Scourge of Africa, in both typescript and published form. An additional folder contains a photographic copy of the map of "Ivory Country" used to illustrate the book.

The collection also contains copies of many of Moore's photographs. Most of them were taken during his days in Aden, Mombasa, and Zanzibar. These document all aspects of the ivory trade, from the elephant in the wild to the loading of tusks onto ships bound for New York. They depict ivory poachers, transport of tusks, weighing and measuring tusks, storage facilities in the traders' compound or "ivory house," trade goods used to purchase the ivory, and local scenes. Of especial interest are a number of photographs which show the visit of ex President Theodore Roosevelt to Mombasa in 1909. There are also three photoprints showing activities in Pratt, Read & Company's factory at Deep River, Ct. The remaining photographs are family snapshots, mainly of Moore's children. NOTE: Permission to publish these photographs must be obtained directly from the donor, who retains the copyright on them. The collection also includes a history of Pratt, Read & Company which Moore wrote in 1930.

Biographical information in the collection includes a chapter from a biography of Moore which was written by his daughter as a school assignment, autobiographical recollections of Moore's days as an ivory buyer, and a copy of his obituary.

Of additional interest are copies of documents relating to Moore's uncle, Dwight Moore. These deal with his service as U.S. Consul at Aden and Zanzibar in the 1880s 1890s, and correspondence between Moore and his uncle during Moore's service overseas.
Biographical / Historical:
Ernst R. Domansky was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 1, 1884. He was an ivory trader employed by Arnold, Cheney & Co., ivory importers of New York city, serving as that firm's agent in Aden, Mombasa, and Zanzibar from 1907 to 1911. He negotiated for the purchase of tons of elephant tusks from the Arab traders who brought them from the interior of Africa, and made several trips into the interior himself. He also served briefly as U.S. Consul at Zanzibar in 1911.

Shortly after his return to the United States sometime between 1911 and 1913 Domansky changed his name to Ernst D. Moore. There were evidently several reasons for this: Moore had been his mother's maiden name and, while his own parents were dead by this time, his uncle, Dwight Moore, had always looked after his interests. Dwight Moore had, in fact, obtained Ernst's position with Arnold, Cheney & Co. for him. In addition, both of his brothers had already switched from Domansky to Moore.

In 1913, Moore married Miss Elsie Warner of Chester, Connecticut, where he took up residence. He was then employed by the piano manufacturing firm of Pratt, Read & Co., of Deep River, Connecticut. Pratt, Read was the chief customer for the ivory which Moore had purchased in Africa; the company used it in making piano keyboards. Moore served as Secretary, and later as Vice President, of Pratt, Read's subsidiary, the Pratt Read Player Action Company, located in Deep River. Following that, he was head of the Moore & Fisher Manufacturing Company, also of Deep River. He retained his interest in ivory and, after retiring, wrote a book describing his days in Africa and the ivory trade his Ivory: Scourge of Africa was published in 1931. He died on June 5,1932.
Related Materials:
The Archives Center also contains Collection #320, the Pratt Read Corporation Records. It includes a few photographs of E. D. Moore, as well as information on the ivory trade and the American ivory industry. The records of Arnold, Cheney & Company for the period 1873 1902 are to be found at the Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts; they are in Collection #103, the Ropes Emmerton & Company Records. Additional records relating to both Arnold, Cheney & Company and Pratt, Read & Company can be found in the Cheney/Downing Collection at the Connecticut River Foundation at Steamboat Dock, Essex, Connecticut.
Provenance:
Collection donated by Edith Sibley, January 30, 1989.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Permission to publish these photographs must be obtained directly from the donor, who retains copyright. See repository for details.
Topic:
Ivory industry  Search this
Piano makers  Search this
Ivory  Search this
Imports -- 1880-1940  Search this
Elephants -- Africa -- Mombasa  Search this
Genre/Form:
Letters (correspondence) -- 1850-1900
Diaries -- 1880-1940
Articles -- 1880-1940
Receipts -- 20th century
Receipts -- 19th century
Letters (correspondence) -- 1900-1950
Photographs -- 1900-1950
Maps -- 1880-1940
Photographs -- 1850-1900
Account books
Citation:
Ernst D. Moore Papers, 1888-1932, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0321
See more items in:
Ernst D. Moore Papers
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep845196ef9-8684-47b3-bb3f-0c298718888e
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0321
Online Media:

Eugene B. Johnson Papers

Creator:
Johnson, Eugene B. , October 18, 1915 - November 22, 2007  Search this
Names:
National Sales Engineering Corporation  Search this
Extent:
1.75 Cubic feet (5 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Business records
Invoices
Laboratory notes
Letters (correspondence)
Trade catalogs
Date:
1927-1980
Summary:
The papers relate to Johnson's work as an engineer with the National Sales Engineering Corporation Records, and its machine tool products.
Content Description:
The papers relate to Johnson's work as an engineer and salesman with the National Sales Engineering Corporation Records, and its machine tool products. They include Johnson's school records including exam blue books and notebooks; his credentials; client files and information, including quotes, invoices and correspondence; and trade literature for company products.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into one series.
Biographical / Historical:
Eugene B. Johnson (October 18, 1915 - November 22, 2007) was a salesman in the tool and die manufacturing field. Spending much of his career as a salesman for the National Sales Engineering Corporation, Johnson rose to become the company's vice president by the time of his retirement.

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/detroitnews/obituary.aspx?n=eugene-b-johnson&pid=182719095
Provenance:
Immediate source of acquisition unknown.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Topic:
Identification cards  Search this
Machine-tool industry  Search this
Machine-tools  Search this
Genre/Form:
Business records -- 20th century
Invoices -- 20th century
Laboratory notes -- 20th century
Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century.
Trade catalogs -- 20th century
Citation:
Eugene B. Johnson Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1450
See more items in:
Eugene B. Johnson Papers
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8231eb64b-f760-4382-9247-861db83c8584
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1450

Isabel Norniella Papers

Creator:
Norniella, Isabel, 1938-  Search this
Names:
McCann Erickson  Search this
Ole Television Network  Search this
Publitec  Search this
Extent:
4 Cubic feet (4 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Business records
Advertising
Newsletters
Letters (correspondence)
Photographs
Interviews
Clippings
Articles
Scrapbooks
Advertisements
Awards
Photograph albums
Date:
circa 1969-2005
Scope and Contents:
The papers document Norniella's life and career in the advertising field, and her Ole Television Network, and include business records, photographs, scrapbooks, photograph albums, advertising, clippings and articles, awards, newsletters, and publicity materials.
Arrangement:
Collection is unarranged.
Biographical / Historical:
Isabel Norniella was born in Cuba in 1938. She graduated with a degree in advertising management from the University of Puerto Rico. After working for several advertising firms, including McCann Erickson, she founded her own, Publitec, in 1969. Her firm has been much awarded, and has had clients including Stokely Van Camp, Cutty Sark, Uncle Ben's, and others. She has also done publicity work with several charities. In 1994 she founded the Ole Television Network.
Provenance:
Donated by Isabel Norniella to the Archives Center in 2017.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
advertising -- 20th century  Search this
Minority consumers  Search this
Advertising campaigns  Search this
Minorities in advertising  Search this
Advertising executives  Search this
advertising -- 21st century  Search this
Advertising history  Search this
Advertising agencies -- United States  Search this
Genre/Form:
Business records -- 20th century
Advertising -- 20th century
Newsletters -- 21st century
Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century.
Newsletters -- 20th century
Letters (correspondence) -- 21st century
Photographs -- 20th century
Interviews -- 21st century
Business records -- 21st century
Clippings -- 21st century
Clippings -- 20th century
Articles -- 20th century
Scrapbooks -- 20th century
Articles -- 21st century
Advertisements -- 21st century
Awards
Photographs -- 21st century
Advertisements -- 20th century
Photograph albums -- 20th century
Citation:
Isabel Norniella Papers, ca. 1969-2005, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1417
See more items in:
Isabel Norniella Papers
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep899d46198-db75-494e-8f7e-2476b98521eb
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1417
Online Media:

Father Charles E. Coughlin Collection

Topic:
Liberation Journal
Social Justice
Dearborn Independent
Creator:
Coughlin, Charles E. (Charles Edward), 1891-1979  Search this
Names:
Ford, Henry, 1863-1947  Search this
Pelley, William Dudley, 1890-1965  Search this
Extent:
9 Cubic feet (27 boxes, 1 map-folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Letters (correspondence)
Pamphlets
Periodicals
Lectures
Articles
Photographs
Books
Sermons
Speeches
Audio cassettes
Date:
1919-2015, undated
Scope and Contents:
This refence collection was assembled to assist in writing a biography of the Reverend Mr. Charles E. Coughlin. The collection contains books, booklets, published sermons, published lectures, pamphlets and other printed materials. Of these, 57 were written by Coughlin. The remainder of the materials relate to him directly or have chapters or passages relating to him. Additionally, there are periodicals, including newspaper and magazine articles, and a full set of Coughlin's weekly publication, Social Justice, 1936-1942; other periodicals such as William Dudley Pelley's weekly Liberation Journal, 1938-1948; copies of Henry Ford's Dearborn Independent; original photographs, including images of Coughlin and of his church; letters; copies of the FBI's files on Coughlin; and (non-original) recordings of his broadcasts.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged in four series.

Series 1: Coughlin, Charles E., Writings and Speeches, 1930-1972, undated

Series 2: Photographs and Ephemera, 1927-1979, undated

Series 3: Periodicals and Publications, 1919-2012

Series 4: Reference Materials, 1933-2015, undated
Biographical / Historical:
Charles Edward Coughlin was born on October 25, 1891 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada to Thomas J. and Amelia Mahoney Coughlin. He was educated in Canada and attended St. Michael's College, Toronto. After graduation he prepared for Holy Orders within the Basilian Fathers at St. Basil's Seminary. He was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood in 1916. Coughlin left the Basilian order after 1923 and moved to Detroit, Michigan.

Coughlin was accepted into the Roman Catholic Archidiocese of Detroit in 1923. He was eventually assigned to the Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. His reputation for formidable preaching led to the growth of his congregation, and in 1926 Coughlin began broadcasting after a Klu Klux Klan cross burning on the lawn of the church.

He eventually expanded the topics of his broadcast to the political arena. It was with this programmatic change that Coughlin became one of the most controversial figures in the first half of the twentieth century. Described as the "Radio Priest," "The Fighting Priest," and the "Angel of the Airways," Coughlin broadcast weekly from a radio studio in Royal Oak from 1926-1940. Taking a strident and nationalistic tone, he lambasted immigrants, bankers, Communists and other groups. Breaching the line between religion and politics he also lectured and sermonized on government policy. While initially favoring the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, he eventually became one of the president's harshest critics.

In 1936 he began publishing Social Justice a weekly paper. Coughlin's broadcasts were so successful that between 1931-1936 a new Shrine of the Little Flower was built. The zig-zag Art Deco style of the Shrine became a tourist destination for Coughlin's fans. His increasingly harsh rehtoric coincided with the outbreak of World War II. While stating he was not antisemitic, he professed support for some of the governmental policies of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini in part because they were a check on Communist Russia. The Vatican and many Roman Catholic American bishops disagreed and wanted Coughlin to leave the airwaves. Eventually he was forced off the air and publication of Social Justice was halted.

Coughlin remained parish priest at the Shrine of the Little Flower until his retirment in 1966. He spent his retirement publishing and giving the occasional interview. Coughlin died on October 27, 1979. He is buried in the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield, Michigan.
Separated Materials:
Objects related to Father Charles E. Coughlin are held in the Division of Cultural and Community Life (now Division of Cultural and Community Life).
Provenance:
The collection was purchased by the National Museum of American History from Todd Moriarty. Moriarty had acquired the collection from an individual who amassed the materials with plans to write a book on Coughlin.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Reproduction restricted due to copyright or trademark. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Anti-communist movements -- United States  Search this
Religion and politics  Search this
Catholic Church  Search this
Radio in religion  Search this
Priests  Search this
Catholicism  Search this
Radio broadcasting  Search this
Radio in politics  Search this
Genre/Form:
Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century.
Pamphlets -- 20th century
Periodicals -- 20th century
Lectures -- 20th century
Articles -- 20th century
Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- 20th century
Books -- 20th century
Sermons
Speeches -- 20th century
Audio cassettes -- 20th century
Citation:
Charles E. Coughlin Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1389
See more items in:
Father Charles E. Coughlin Collection
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep867b37af7-2fdc-4842-85c7-d55cada4b673
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1389
Online Media:

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