Search Results

Collector:

Robinson, Franklin A., Jr., 1959- (actor)  Search this

Creator:

Quinn, Terry (photographer)  Search this

Conner, Mary Robinson, 1930-2009  Search this

Names:

Capital Transit Company (Washington, D.C.)  Search this

Serenity Farm, Inc.  Search this

Howes, Grace Bourne, ?-1976  Search this

Robinson, Adina Theresa, 1963-  Search this

Robinson, Amanda Baden, 1849-1940  Search this

Robinson, Elizabeth Bourne, 1892-1976  Search this

Robinson, Frank A., 1883-1970  Search this

Robinson, Franklin A., 1841-1905  Search this

Robinson, Franklin A., Sr., 1932-  Search this

Robinson, Martha Walls, 1807-1897  Search this

Robinson, Robert David, 1962-  Search this

Robinson, Robert Henry, 1851-1937  Search this

Robinson, Thomas Wells, 1803-1869  Search this

Townshend, Martha Robinson, 1880-1961  Search this

Via, Adina Mae, 1937-1966  Search this

Via, Ida Virginia Woods, 1914-2010  Search this

Via, Robert Delano, 1933-  Search this

Via, Robert Milton, 1906-1983  Search this

Extent:

31.1 Cubic feet (93 boxes, 3 map-size folders)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Motion pictures (visual works)

Correspondence

Photographs

Postcards

Baby books

Phonograph records

Postcard albums

Ephemera

School yearbooks

Diaries

Albums

Housebooks

Snapshots

Home movies

Family papers

Scrapbooks

Funeral registers

Architectural drawings

Place:

Maryland -- Family farms

Washington (D.C.)

Prince George's County (Md.)

Arizona -- Motion pictures

Benedict (Md.)

Charles County (Md.) -- Family farms

Calvert County (Md.) -- Family farms

California -- Motion pictures

Bahamas -- Motion pictures

Yosemite National Park (Calif.)

Puerto Rico -- Motion pictures

Washington -- motion pictures

Oregon -- Motion pictures

Disneyland (California)

Brandywine (Md.)

St. Thomas, V.I. -- Motion pictures

Florida -- Motion pictures

United States of America -- Maryland -- Carroll County -- Westminster

United States of America -- Maryland -- Carroll County -- Marston

United States of America -- Maryland -- Carroll County -- New Windsor

Date:

1838-2023, undated

bulk 1872-1985

Summary:

Papers documenting the farming and family life of the Robinson family of Prince George's County and after 1975, Charles County, Maryland. Papers documenting the farming and family of the Via family of Greene County, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Prince George's and Calvert Counties, Maryland, by 1949.

Scope and Contents:

An extensive and comprehensive collection of papers relating to family, farming, and the Southern Maryland tobacco culture, the Robinson and Via Family Papers cover many aspects of family and farm life. The papers are particularly important in regard to the tobacco culture that defined Southern Maryland for generations. The papers concern two distinct family groups, the Robinson and Via families who are connected through the marriage of Franklin A. Robinson and Adina Mae Via. The papers consist of material generated by the Robinson and Via families in their personal and working lives and as farm owners and operators.

The papers are especially strong in 20th century material. They consist of various types of farm records: account books, bills, receipts, tenant farming agreements, ephemera, land rental and purchase agreements, insurance policies, photographs and 8mm and 16mm films of farming practices and procedures, equipment and landscapes, related to the farming of tobacco, small grains, and livestock. The personal records include diaries, letters both personal and business, greeting cards, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, high school yearbooks, baby books, house plans, recipe books, photographs and 8mm films of birthdays, holidays, weddings, baptisms, family occasions, and family travel, oral histories, and funeral ephemera including photographs, and transcription discs. Of particular interest are the "Serenity Farm Tobacco Production Photographs" documenting the crop year 1999-2000 and the films detailing agricultural practices. There is a memorandum book for Black Walnut Thicket, 1885-1901, the Baden farm in Baden, Prince George's County.

This collection includes a comprehensive range of 8mm and 16mm films and photographs documenting farming practices and landscapes as well as family gatherings, birthdays, holidays, and vacations. The researcher is alerted to the fact that in some cases with the memorandum and account books, books printed for a given year were often saved and used for subsequent years, some were dated, some were not.

The collection is divided into seven series arranged by subject and most often chronologically at folder level within each series.

Arrangement:

The collection is divided into seven series:

Series 1: Ferndale Farm (Potomac Landing), Prince George's County, Maryland, 1861-1973, undated

Subseries 1.1: Farm papers, bill, and receipts, and publications, 1861-1973, undated

Subseries 1.2: Farm papers, bill, and receipts, 1945-1960, undated

Subseries 1.3: Farm papers, bills, and receipts, 1960-1965, undated

Series 2: Robinson Family, 1845-2017, undated

Subseries 2.1: Family Papers and Publications, 1845-1993, undated

Subseries 2.2: Townshend, Martha Robinson, 1896-1961, undated

Subseries 2.3: Robinson, Frank A., 1899-1970, undated

Subseries 2.4: Robinson, Elizabeth Bourne, 1841-1976, undated

Subseries 2.5: Conner, Mary Robinson, 1938-1985, undated

Subseries 2.6: Robinson, Franklin A., 1932-1997, undated

Subseries 2.6.1: Farming, 1948-1976, undated

Subseries 2.6.2: Financial, 1948-1988, undated

Subseries 2.6.3: 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA), 1945-1954, undated

Subseries 2.6.4: Travel, 1959-1970, undated

Subseries 2.7: Robinson, Jr., Franklin A., 1959-2001, undated

Series 3: Serenity Farm, Charles County, Maryland, 1962-2000, undated

Series 4: Via Farm, Calvert County, Maryland, 1954-1987, undated

Series 5: Via Family, 1932-2010, undated

Subseries 5.1: Family papers, 1941-1983, undated

Subseries 5.2: Via, Robert M., 1933-1987, undated

Subseries 5.3: Via, Ida Virginia, 1928-2010, undated

Subseries 5.4: Via, Robert D., 1933-1988, undated

Subseries 5.5: Robinson, Adina Via, 1937-1966, undated

Series 6: Photographs, Photographic Slides, and Photographic Negatives, 1860-2000, undated

Subseries 6.1: Photographs, 1872-2000, undated

Subseries 6.2: Photographic negatives, 1927--2000, undated

Subseries 6.3: Photographic Slides, 1955-1979, undated

Series 7: AudioVisual, 1943-1988

Biographical / Historical:

Robinson Family

The Robinson family is thought to be of Scottish origin and appear in the records of Prince George's County, Maryland by the early 18th century. The line has been definitively traced to James Robinson (?-1849). James' father was probably Benjamin Robinson (?-1810), of Prince George's County, Maryland. (Will Book TT1, pg. 15, Records of Prince George's County, Maryland, Maryland State Archives (MSA))

James Robinson and Sarah Wynn were issued a marriage license on February 28, 1802 in Prince George's County, Maryland. (Marriage Records of Prince George's County, Maryland) Eleven children lived to maturity (not listed in birth order); Thomas Wells (1803-1869), Ann, Priscilla, James Monroe, Benjamin (1813-1882), John C. (1819-1895), Mary Sophia, Thomas Stanley (1800-1874), Alfred, Sarah Ann, Matilda, and Rebecca Maria.

James worked as a farm manager for Benjamin Oden near Upper Marlborough, Prince George's County. (Oden Papers, Maryland Historical Society) The Robinsons and their children, moved to Wood County, Virginia (now West Virginia) by April 18, 1818 where James acted as Oden's land agent (Deed Book 6, pg. 123, Land Records of Wood County, West Virginia). They brought with them three enslaved described in the above reference as, "Kate a woman 45 years of age very black; Colonel a boy aged 8 years yellow complexion: and George a boy aged six years of a dark brown complexion." They settled on part of what was known as the "Burnt Mill" tract in the general area where the Hughes River meets the Little Kanawha River. (Deed Book 9, pg. 110 and Deed Book 14, pg. 40, Land Records of Wood County)

Thomas Wells Robinson may not have accompanied his family to Virginia as he has a presence in Prince George's County prior to 1822 and was employed as a farm manager for Benjamin Oden at least until 1832. He married Elizabeth J. Richards on December 15, 1829 (Robinson Family Bible). They had nine children; Richard Thomas (1831 1906), Rebecca Maria (1832-1895), Mary Wynn (1834-1916), James George (1835-1883), Virlinda Victoria (1837-1838), Elizabeth Ann (1839-1916), Sarah Ann Sophia (1840-1874), Franklin Alexander (1841-1905) and John Alfred (1843); seven lived to maturity. (Robinson Family Bible) Elizabeth died on August 17, 1843 from complications in childbirth. She was buried in the graveyard of Page's Chapel (later known as St. Thomas Episcopal Church), Croom, Prince George's County. In 1843, Thomas purchased the plantation of Dr. Benjamin B. Hodges for $10,000 or approximately $15 an acre. Hodges was a brother-in-law of Benjamin Oden. The deed dated September 7, 1843 describes the parcel as containing, "Six hundred and twenty nine acres of land more or less and constitute that plantation or Estate of the said Benjamin Oden heretofore commonly called "Brown's Quarter Place" being the Land tracts and parcels of land sold by the said Benjamin Oden to the said Benjamin B. Hodges and by deed bearing date the tenth day of December eighteen hundred and thirty five and recorded in Liber AB no. 10 folio 162 also one of the land Records of the County aforesaid". (JBB no. 3 pgs. 312 314, Land Records of Prince George's County) The land was level to rolling bordered on the north by a tributary of Piscataway Creek and generally termed "white oak land". Underlying the whole property was a large strata of gravel and sand. The entire parcel went by the name, Potomac Landing.

Thomas supplemented his land holdings with later purchases. With the exception of twenty acres purchased from Sarah Talbert in 1844, (JBB no. 3 pg. 475, Land Records of Prince George's County) and the purchase of lot #3 consisting of 195 acres, part of the estate of John Townshend in 1856, these purchases were not contiguous to Potomac Landing. By the time of his death in 1869 these non-contiguous parcels had been sold. Thomas sold eighty-six acres of Potomac Landing and Jeffries to Edward Eversfield in October of 1843. (JBB no. 3, pg. 198, Land Records of Prince George's County) On January 13, 1846 Thomas married the widow Martha Ann Walls, daughter of George and Martha Naylor Walls. They had two sons; Benjamin Wells (1848-1849) and Robert Henry (1851-1937).

In addition to his sons, Thomas owned enslaved. The number varied from six in 1849 (JBB 6, folio 186, Land Records of Prince Georges' County) to eleven as noted in the census for 1850, and finally six as noted in the census of 1860. The 1867 Maryland Slave Statistics noted that, "at the time of the adoption of the Constitution of Maryland, in the year 1864, . . ." Thomas owned six enslaved, their names and ages being; Isaac Franklin age 31, Alfred West age 19, Susan West age 17, Margaret Franklin age 14, Fannie Franklin age 12, and Peter Franklin age 9. All were noted as being in good physical condition. (Prince Georges' County Slave Statistics 1867 1869, C 1307 1, MdHR:6198, page 185, MSA)

Thomas's financial problems began in the mid-1800s when Deeds of Trust appear in the county records securing outstanding loans. In 1856 and 1857 Thomas joined with others as bondsman for his son, Richard who was serving as "Collector of the State and County Taxes" for the 4th collection district, making he and the other signatories liable for any uncollected taxes. This, coupled with poor investments, led to his almost being "sold out" in 1859-1860 by J.W. & E. Reynolds of Baltimore to pay his debts. He executed three drafts on Penn & Mitchell, also of Baltimore, to pay off J.W. & E. Reynolds. (Equity Case #597, Prince Georges' County) Thomas was in poor health and his son James managed the farm in 1857 and 1858, and again from 1861 to October of 1862 (Equity Case #873, Prince Georges' County)

In October of 1862 Thomas' two sons, James and Franklin, traveled to Richmond to join the Confederate States Army. James enrolled in the 5th Battalion, Local Defense Arsenal and Franklin enrolled in the 5th Virginia Infantry, the Stonewall Brigade. (CSA Military Records, National Archives) James visited home frequently but was captured by the Union Army in St. Mary's County, Maryland on May 15, 1864 and spent the remainder of the war in Point Lookout Prison Camp. He was released on May 14, 1865. Franklin was not able to visit home at all during the war but survived to return home in 1865. In 1865, Thomas surveyed a parcel of 172 acres for his daughter Rebecca Maria. Rebecca had married her second cousin, William B. Robertson, on November 18, 1855. He made a gift of fifty acres, and Rebecca agreed to purchase the remainder. The Robertsons named this parcel Holly Grove. In Equity Case #849 (1872) filed after Thomas' death, his widow Martha and Samuel H. Berry, as executrix and executor, sought to recover payment for this land. At that time, William B. Robertson described this 172 acres of Potomac Landing: "There was no fences on the line which separated this land from the old gentleman's land, but he was to put a fence on it which he agreed to do before we agreed to come there. The land was thin, unimproved, with gullies and scrubby pine. If witness had been a judge of land he would not have given five dollars for it. All the improvements were one comfortable quarter the other indifferent with a poor oak shingle roof, worn out which made it not tenantable." Further along in his testimony, William gave an account of a conversation, "In a few days my father in law Thos. W. Robinson came to Washington and told me there his children had returned from the South, his two sons, that his debts were small and he was a happy man." Rebecca and William built a house on the property, a side-hall, double parlor plan that most likely her brother James was builder. They also built accompanying farm structures. (Records of Prince George's County, Maryland, Equity Case #849, MSA)

Thomas' son, Franklin, managed the farm after the War. In December 1868 Thomas entered into a sharecropping agreement with Edward Hanson, an African-American. After about a year-long illness, on May 16, 1869, Thomas died, deeply in debt. He was buried beside Elizabeth in the graveyard at St. Thomas' Church. He named as executrix his wife, Martha, and his friend and lawyer, Samuel H. Berry, as executor. His will divided the farm into thirds, one third going to his wife and their son Robert Henry, one third to his son James, and one third to his son Franklin. The land was surveyed according to the will. His personal property was sold but not enough profit was realized to pay off his creditors. The Commissioners of Prince George's County sued the estate on behalf of Thomas' creditors. The outcome was that in 1876 the property was sold at public auction. The Notice of Sale dated September 1, 1876 in the local county newspaper, The Prince Georgian, describes the farm as, "containing 514 2/3 acres More or less. The Improvements consist of a SMALL DWELLING, Three Barns, Stabling, and other necessary outbuildings. It is well wooded and watered, and the soil of fair quality. It has recently been divided into three lots and will be offered in lots, a description of which will be given at the time of sale." The sale was held on September 27, 1876, Lot No. 1 was purchased by Robert for $6.00 an acre, Lot #2 was purchased by Franklin for $5.00 an acre and Lot #3 was purchased by James for $4.00 per acre. Robert and Franklin eventually paid off their mortgage, but James defaulted on his purchase and later moved to St. Mary's County, Maryland. His portion later came to be owned by the Hawkins family, some members who had worked on the Robinson farm. (Equity Case #873, Prince Georges' County, MSA)

Lot #1, purchased by Robert from his fathers' estate, consisted of 177-1/3 acres, including the dwelling and farm buildings. On July 24, 1872, he married Amanda Malvina Baden (1849-1940), daughter of Robert W. G. and Margaret Caroline Early Baden. The Baden and Early families were both prominent south county families. Robert and Amanda had eight children; Caroline Early (1873 1967), Lucy Tennent (1875 1958), Albert Henry (1878 1914), Martha Perry (1880 1961), Robert Gover (1882 1882), Frank Alexander (1883 1970), Margaret Baden (1886 1956) and Grace Malvina (1889 1965).

By 1880 Robert had paid off his debt on the property and was fully engaged in farming. Unlike his father, or perhaps because of his father, Robert did not add to his land holdings, choosing to remain relatively debt free for his lifetime. The only land transactions he participated in were the sales of 79-3/4 acres in 1921 of Amanda's inheritance from her father and her interest in two smaller parcels of her father's land sold in 1894 and 1928 respectively. In 1928 he transferred 3.09 acres to his son Frank.

As late as the Federal census of 1880, Franklin was living with Robert and his household, both men engaged in farming. Sometime after 1880, Franklin took up residence on his part of Potomac Landing. His brother James most likely built the side-hall double parlor house that copied the main house at Potomac Landing. On February 18, 1897, Martha Robinson, died at the age of ninety. She was buried in the graveyyard of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Baden, Prince George's County. Robert continued cultivation of tobacco and small grains as his father before him. The first reference to the farm being named Ferndale is found in the "Communion Record" of Robert's daughter, Martha Perry "Pattie", dated 1896. (Robinson and Via Family Papers) The exact origin or reason for this new name is lost but perhaps the name Potomac Landing held such bitter memories of debt and hardship that, as a symbolic break with the past, a new name was found. It also may have simply been a way to distinguish this portion of Potomac Landing from the others. The farm continued to be listed on tax bills as Potomac Landing well into the 20th century, but was known to the general public and businesses as the Ferndale Farm. (Robinson and Via Family Papers)

Robert served as deputy inspector at the State Tobacco Warehouse in Baltimore for eight years under W.B. Bowie. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Bank of Brandywine. In July of 1905, Franklin died, a bachelor farmer. He was buried facing south in the graveyard of the Church of the Atonement, Cheltenham, (a chapel in St. Thomas' Episcopal Parish) where he had served as vestryman, treasurer, and cemetery custodian. Franklin died intestate and a lengthy process of dividing his estate began. This resulted in the sale of his part of Potomac Landing (Lot #2) in July 1908 to William E. Boswell. The court declared Robert ineligible for any inheritance due to his being " . . . a brother of the half blood." The Boswell family later sold the property to the Billingsley family of St. Mary's County. (Equity Case 3209, Prince George's County)

In 1910, after living in the farm's original home for approximately sixty seven years, the Robinson family built a new home. It was described in a 1956 insurance policy as, "2 story, frame, metal roof, 16x43, wing 14x28, 9 rooms." (Robinson and Via Family Papers) The house design was a simple Victorian with plastered walls, and lit by carbide gas. Electrical lighting was installed in 1951. The house was built with monies from Robert and Amanda, and their son Frank, who served as builder and contractor.

On Tuesday March 9, 1937, "During a celebration in honor of his wifes birthday anniversary, Mr. Robinson collapsed at the table and died immediately without a word or a sigh." (Robinson and Via Family Papers) Robert was buried beside his mother in the cemetery at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Baden.

At Robert's death, Ferndale Farm was valued at $30.00 an acre, the total acreage, 174 acres, being valued in the whole at $5,220.00. Robert died intestate, again the fate of the land was in question. He left eight heirs, his widow, Amanda, six of his children and his son Albert Henry's only surviving child, R. Henry Robinson. Rather than have the farm sold and his mother's life disrupted, Frank purchased the estate and personal property from the heirs. Before this could take place, a deed had to be granted the heirs for the property since one had never been recorded after the 1876 sale. Equity case 873 was reopened sixty-two years after its supposed resolution. Frank testified, "over a period of about thirty years I would on a number of occasions, talk about the fact that he had purchased and paid for this property and that a deed had never been executed to him and [he] kept saying he was going to have someone straighten this matter out for him." It was discovered that Robert had fully paid for his part of Potomac Landing. On February 14, 1938 the farm was deeded from Amanda along with Robert''s heirs to Frank. (Book 499, page 334, Land Records of Prince George's County) According to the deed and a 1937 fire insurance policy the farm consisted of 177 1/3 acres, "1 two story dwelling, one tenant house, 1 barrack, 1 tobacco barn, 1 corn house & cow stable, 1 Stable, and 1 Granary & Stable." (Robinson and Via Family Papers)

Frank A. Robinson, now the sole owner of Ferndale Farm, was born August 17, 1883. He learned farming and in addition took up the trade of builder and contractor. As a young man, he worked in the general store of his uncle Robert Baden. He was the contractor for the first Bank of Brandywine and many homes in and around the town of Brandywine, including the home of his cousin Robert E. Baden, DDS. He was secretary of the Building Committee for construction of the Chapel of the Incarnation in Brandywine, a mission chapel for St. Thomas' Episcopal Parish. His success in the building trade gave him disposable income that he invested in land. His first purchase was in August, 1915 of a 2-9/100 acre of land in Brandywine that was being sold by the Board of County School Commissioners; the purchase price was $300. In March 1916 he purchased 38.09 acres of his Uncle Franklin's farm. This property adjoined Ferndale Farm. Over the next fifty-four years of his life, Frank bought and sold many pieces of real estate. Perhaps his most significant purchases were: 18-1/3 acres purchased from The German American Colonization Land Company of Maryland in October 1915 (Book 115, pg. 140, Land Records of Prince George's County); 147.99 acres purchased from August and Wilhelmina Noltensmeir in December 1917 (Book 129, pg. 263, Land Records of Prince George's County) and 320 acres called the Vineyard purchased from William M. Wilson in March 1928. Frank used these three parcels as collateral for other purchases. Never once did he mortgage Ferndale Farm, insuring that no matter what financial stormy seas might blow, his home was secure. Over the course of his life, especially in the case of the Noltensmeir farm, when cash was needed a parcel of land would be surveyed off and sold. He inherited his grandfather Thomas' love of land but had fortunately developed a shrewd business sense to go along with it.

On November 20, 1929, he married Elizabeth Freeland Bourne, daughter of Joseph Blake and Maria Gantt Bourne of Calvert County, Maryland. They had three children: Mary Elizabeth (1930-2009), Franklin Alexander (1932-2023), and Robert Lee (1935-1997). In addition to his construction business he continued farming, raising tobacco, hay, and small grains. He engaged in sharecropping with tenants on his various properties. He was active in community affairs serving on the Board of The Maryland Tobacco Growers Association (MTGA), the Vestry of St. Thomas Parish, and as sheriff of Brandywine. On January 9, 1940 Amanda Baden Robinson died. She was buried next to her husband at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Baden. In February 1958, Frank and Elizabeth conveyed 1.57 acres of Ferndale Farm to son Franklin where he and his fiancée, Adina M. Via, were building their new home prior to their marriage in July of that same year.

The booming economy and suburbanization of the Washington metropolitan area in the early 1960's led to the high quality gravel lying beneath Ferndale into becoming a valuable commodity. In October 1962, Franklin and his parents granted a three-year lease to William C. Nolte for mining sand and gravel on the Ferndale Farm at .174 per yard. (Book 2747, pg. 11, Land Records of Prince George's County) From now until 1975 when the property was sold, gravel would be mined from under the farm by various companies. In November 1962, Elizabeth and Frank transferred to Franklin the 38.09 acres Frank had purchased from Fitzhugh Billingsley in 1916. (Book 2754, pg. 99, Land Records of Prince George's County) That same year they transferred 6.754 acres, part of the Vineyard, to son Robert and his wife Lois, (Book 2765, pg. 201, Land Records of Prince George's County)

On December 28, 1965, Frank and Elizabeth participated in a land exchange/purchase of the farm of Ralph W. and Cordelia H. Brown located along the Patuxent River in Benedict, Charles County, Maryland. Franklin had rented this farm the year before and was impressed enough by its location and arability to work out a purchase. Frank and Elizabeth traded 65.9920 acres that would eventually become Franklin's under Frank's will. On February 21, 1966 they deeded the Charles County farm to Franklin and Adina. Adina named this property Serenity Farm. The property consisted of 480.66 acres. (Liber 179, page 708 etc., Land Records of Charles County)

On February 5, 1970, after a short illness, Frank died at Cafritz Memorial Hospital. He was buried at St. Paul's Episcopal Church near his parents. In his will, probated March 4, 1970 he left thirty acres of the property purchased from the German American Land Company and A. Noltensmeir to Elizabeth. He willed forty acres of the same parcel to daughter Mary Robinson Conner. The remainder of Ferndale Farm was willed to Franklin and the remaining acreage of the Vineyard was left to Robert Lee. Franklin Alexander Robinson was born August 13, 1932 at the Garfield Hospital in Washington, D.C.. He received his schooling in the public school system of Prince George's County, graduating from Gwynn Park High School in June 1951. He was a charter member of Gwynn Park's chapter of The Future Farmers of America. He was extremely active in FFA, achieving the Degree of Maryland Farmer in 1950 and their highest award, the Degree of American Farmer at their convention in Kansas City, Missouri in October 1953. He obtained his private pilots license in 1954. He entered the United States Army in February 1955 and went through basic training at Camp Gordon, Augusta, Georgia. After basic training he was transferred to Camp Hanford, Washington State. There he worked part time on the farm of Dick and Theresa Laurent during his off duty hours and began a lifelong friendship with them. He returned home to farming on an agricultural discharge in October of 1956. On July 27, 1958 he married his high school sweetheart, Adina Mae Via, daughter of Robert Milton and Virginia Woods Via. They had three children: Franklin Alexander (1959), Robert David (1962), and Adina Theresa (1963).

Franklin continued expanding and improving the farming operation by modern methods and means. At times, he farmed over one thousand acres, both owned and rented. On February 21, 1966, his parents deeded their purchase of the Ralph W. and Cordelia H. Brown farm in Benedict to he and Adina, later known as Serenity Farm Franklin and Adina engaged an architect to draft house plans for an anticipated new residence. A small A frame vacation home was built on the property so the family could spend weekends there.

On December 14, 1966, after a long illness, Adina died from complications associated with Hodgkin's Disease. She was buried in Trinity Memorial Gardens, Waldorf, Charles County. Franklin married Margaret Walker Lennox (nee Tallen, known as Rita) on August 21, 1970 (Marriage Records of Prince George's County, Maryland). This marriage ended in divorce in 1977. There were no children from this marriage.

On July 14, 1975 the Robinson family, Franklin, his second wife, Margaret, her daughter Margaret W. Lennox, Franklin, Jr., R. David, A. Theresa and Elizabeth B. Robinson, moved to Serenity Farm. On July 17, 1975 Franklin and Elizabeth sold the remaining acreage of Ferndale Farm to Brandywine Sand and Gravel, thus ending 131 years of ownership by the Robinson family. Elizabeth Bourne Robinson died on July 15, 1976 and was buried beside her husband at St. Paul's Church, Baden. Franklin married Hiltrud (Ceddie) Harris (nee Sedlacek) on July 15, 1978. (Robinson Family Bible) This marriage ended in divorce in 1986. There were no children from this marriage. Franklin married Diedre Gale Merhiage on April 19, 1989; this marriage ended in divorce in 1997. There were no children from this marriage. He married Remelda Henega Buenavista on January 13, 2007.

The Robinson family continue day-to-day operations of Serenity Farm. The land is well suited to the growing of tobacco and small grains, which crops, (with the exception of tobacco) along with a flock of sheep, are cultivated there to the present time. After the crop year 2001 the Robinson family took the tobacco buyout program offered by the state of Maryland and ceased growing tobacco. Franklin is active in farming and community affairs having served on the vestry of St. Thomas Episcopal Parish, the Board of Directors of the Maryland Tobacco Growers Association (MTGA), the Board of the Production Credit Association, the Boards of three schools, Holy Trinity Day School, Queen Anne School, and Calverton School, and numerous other organizations. Currently the farm consists of approximately 275 acres. In 1981 a state agricultural land preservation district of 222.755 acres was created. This was the first such district in Charles County and one of the first in the state of Maryland.

Via Family

The Via family traces its origins to the colony of Virginia, where the probable progenitor of the line, Amer Via, a French Huguenot, settled in Manakin Town, Albemarle County between 1670-1700. It is impossible to trace the Via line definitively due to the loss of Virginia county records during the Civil War.

The Via family line covered in this collection can be definitively traced to William Via of Fredericksville Parish, Louisa (later Albemarle) County, Virginia. The William Via family lived west of the present day town of Whitehall at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, an area commonly known as Sugar Hollow. William Via III served in the Virginia Line during the Revolutionary War. He married Mary Craig, daughter of Thomas Craig and Jane Jameson, on March 17, 1784. William died on June 27, 1836, in Albemarle County (Rev. War Pension Appl. 6363, National Archives). His son Thomas married Sally, widow Griffin, on January 1, 1811 (Albemarle County Marriage Records). Their son, Hiram Karl Via (1812-1893), married Harriet Ardenia Naylor by license dated March 7, 1836 (Albemarle County Marriage Records).

Hiram and Harriet's son, Robert St. Clair Via (1844-1925), served as a private in Company I, 7th Virginia Infantry of the Confederate States Army (CSA Military Service Records, National Archives). After the war he married his first cousin, Mary Frances Naylor, daughter of Samuel Chapman Naylor and Eliza Jane Gardner, on April 3, 1866 in Rockingham County (Rockingham County, Virginia, Marriage Records). Sometime between 1870 and 1872, they moved to Linn County, Missouri, and settled about seven miles from the town of Bucklin. Their son, Hiram Chapman Via (1872-1933), was born there. In 1893, the family returned to Virginia, and settled on a farm in Greene County near the town of Stanardsville.

Hiram Chapman Via operated a mill as well as a farm. On March 15, 1899, he married Adina Eleanor Eusebia Runkle, daughter of Milton D. L. Runkle and Roberta A. Beadles (Greene County, Virginia, Marriage Records). They had three children: Bernice Olive (1902-1999), Robert Milton (1906-1983), and Deward Daniel (1909-1977).

Robert moved to Washington, D.C.. In December 1927 he began employment with the Capitol Traction Company as a streetcar conductor (Robinson and Via Family Papers). During the early 1930s, Robert rented a townhouse at 715 A St., SE, where he lived with his sister Bernice V. McMullan and her son, William C. McMullan; his brother and sister in law, and his parents. Next door, at 717, lived the Moses Albright family, including Moses's stepdaughter Ida Virginia Woods (1914-2010), daughter of Jesse Lee Woods (1894-1918) and Donna Mae Barker (1896-1928) of Frederick County, Maryland. Robert and Virginia began a courtship and on September 3, 1932 were married in Frederick, Frederick County, Maryland (Frederick County, Maryland, Marriage Records).

After their marriage, Robert and Virginia lived in various locations in the Washington metropolitan area. Their first child, Robert Delano, was born on March 24, 1933, and their second child, Adina Mae, was born on April 12, 1937. Virginia was employed outside the home while her children were in school. Her first job before her marriage had been with Woolworth's in Martinsburg, WV working the candy counter and then before the birth of her son at The Hecht Company on F St. in Washington, D.C.. After her marriage she worked briefly for the United States Postal Service in Capitol Heights, Maryland. Beginning in the 1950s, she worked first at the Hecht Company department store on 7th Street in the District and later for Charles of the Ritz as a receptionist in their beauty salon located in Woodward & Lothrop's F Street store in Washington, D.C.. She also worked as salon manager at the Charles of the Ritz salons in the Woodward & Lothrop stores in Seven Corners, Virginia, and Chevy Chase, Maryland. She retired due to health reasons in 1973.

On September 10, 1941, Robert and Virginia purchased Lot #43 in Woodlane subdivision in Prince George's County. (Book 619, pg. 12, Land Records of Prince George's County) A house was designed for them for this lot by Clyde E. Phillips. They did not construct a home on this property due to the outbreak of World War II. Robert, due to his employment in public transportation, did not serve with the Armed Services in World War II. On October 18, 1946, they purchased approximately thirty acres bordering on Burch's Creek near the towns of Clinton, also know as Surrattsville, and T.B. in Prince George's County from Joseph H. and M. Pauline Blandford. (Book 873, pg. 483, Land Records of Prince George's County) Over the next three years, hiring private contractors, doing work themselves, and with the help of Robert's brother Deward, they built the two story house designed by Phillips in 1941. They moved to the farm from Capitol Heights in 1949. Robert raised hogs, small grains and a crop of tobacco yearly on this farm and also maintained his job with Capitol Transit (formerly Capitol Traction). In 1954, Robert and Virginia purchased a farm of approximately 150 acres in Island Creek, Calvert County, Maryland. The intention was for Robert and his son to enter into a full time farming operation on expanded acreage. Robert D. Via, known as Delano, graduated from Gwynn Park High School in June 1951. Delano was a part-time farmer and pursued a career as a country and western singer with Bashful Bob and the Rhythm Rangers, he being Bashful Bob. He was employed in various jobs, and began a tour in the Army in 1953. By the time the Via family moved to Calvert County in 1956, he decided to pursue careers other than farming. He eventually traveled and worked in various parts of the United States. He married first Delores Cooper, second Gloria J. Irick, and finally Candice Marinelli in December 1974, they had two children, Robert Marin (1975) and Kirstin Marin (1976).

On June 1, 1956 Robert resigned from his position at Capitol Transit due to health reasons. He and his family moved to the farm in Island Creek, Calvert County where he began full time farming. He and Virginia sold the thirty-acre farm in Prince George's County on June 21, 1956 to Melvin C. and Geraldine H. Rardia. (Book 2003, pg. 564, Land Records of Prince George's County) Virginia continued her employment with Charles of the Ritz. Adina, now a graduate of Gwynn Park High School, was employed by the USAF at Andrews Air Force Base in Camp Springs, Maryland. They both commuted daily from Calvert County to their places of employment.

Robert farmed in Calvert County, raising hogs, cattle, small grains and tobacco. Over the course of the next twenty-seven years, Robert and Virginia sold smaller parcels off the farm. In 1974, Robert and Virginia built a small retirement home designed for them by Calvert Masonry Contractors. Robert died on December 22, 1983. He was buried beside his daughter Adina in Trinity Memorial Gardens. At the time of Robert's death, the farm consisted of 28.694 acres. In 1998, Virginia deeded the remainder of the farm, then less than six acres, to her grandson, Franklin A. Robinson, Jr. who sold all but a one-acre lot in April 1999.

Virginia continued to live on the farm in Calvert County, maintaining a small herd of cattle. In the fall of 1989 Franklin, Jr. went to live with her. In 1993, the onset of Alzheimer's Disease required her to move to Serenity Farm and take up residence with her granddaughter A. Theresa. Virginia participated in various studies on Alzheimer's Disease conducted by the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland beginning in 1992. She was profiled in the September 1997 issue of Washingtonian Magazine. In October of 1998 she moved to All American Senior Care in Brandywine, Maryland and in 1999 she moved to Morningside, an elderly care facility in Waldorf, Maryland. In 2002, she moved to St. Mary's Nursing Center in Leonardtown, Maryland. The remainder of the farm was sold in 1999 and 2002. She died January 14, 2010 and was buried at Trinity Memorial Gardens in Waldorf.

Adina Mae Via was born April 12, 1937 at the Homeopathic Hospital in Washington, D.C.. Adina grew up in Washington, D.C. attending public schools. She moved with her family to the Burch's Creek farm, Prince George's County, in 1949. She enrolled in the Prince George's County school system, and graduated from Gwynn Park High School in June of 1955. After graduation, she was employed by the USAF at Andrews Air Force Base in Camp Springs.

In July of 1956, she moved with her family to the Via farm in Island Creek, Calvert County. On July 27, 1958 she married Franklin A. Robinson at the Chapel of the Incarnation. They had three children: Franklin Alexander (1959), Robert David (1962) and Adina Theresa (1963). In the fall of 1958, she and Franklin took up residence in the home they had built on Ferndale Farm. She resigned from her position with the USAF in 1959.

On December 14, 1966, at Providence Hospital in Washington, DC, Adina died from complications due to Hodgkin's Disease. She had been battling this disease for many years prior to her death. She was buried in Trinity Memorial Gardens, Charles County.

Related Materials:

Materials at Other Organizations

The Maryland Historical Society holds items (costume, farming related implements) related to the Robinson and Via families.

Separated Materials:

Materials at the National Museum of American History

The Division of Work and Industry (Agriculture Collection) holds agricultural implements and artifacts associated with both the Robinson farms and the Via farm; the Division of Home and Community Life holds clothing, textiles (crib quilt), jewelry, cosmetics and Adina M. Robinson's sewing box and dress patterns; (Costume and Textiles Collection). See accession numbers: 1989.0688, 1990.0394, 1991.0010; 1991.0722, 1992.0184, 1992.0283, 1992.0321, 1992.0474, 1992.3106, 1994.0064, 1994.0304, 1997.0327, 1998.0038, 1998.0129, 2001.0196, 2002.0087, 2003.0015, 2005.0009.

Division of Armed Forces History (now Division of Olitical and Military History, National Numismatics Collection) holds the Robert M. Via Trolley Token Collection.

Provenance:

The collection was donated to the National Museum of American History, Archives Center, by Franklin A. Robinson, Jr., in November 1993.

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.

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:

Farms -- Maryland  Search this

Holidays  Search this

Amusement parks -- California  Search this

Children's parties  Search this

Rural women  Search this

Sheep ranches  Search this

Parks -- California  Search this

Rural families  Search this

Tobacco -- Harvesting  Search this

Tobacco -- Storage  Search this

Street-railroads  Search this

Street-railroads -- Employees  Search this

Travel  Search this

Urban transportation  Search this

Work and family  Search this

Tobacco curing  Search this

Women in agriculture  Search this

Farm equipment  Search this

Farm buildings  Search this

Family recreation  Search this

Family festivals  Search this

Farm ownership  Search this

Farm life -- 20th century  Search this

Farm management  Search this

Illiterate persons  Search this

Christmas  Search this

Soldiers  Search this

Students  Search this

Family -- 20th century  Search this

Family farms  Search this

Easter  Search this

Electric railroads  Search this

Acting -- 1980-2000  Search this

Amateur films  Search this

Agricultural machinery  Search this

Agriculture -- 20th century -- Maryland  Search this

Tobacco farmers  Search this

Housewives -- United States  Search this

Weddings  Search this

Farmers  Search this

Dairy farms  Search this

Genre/Form:

Motion pictures (visual works)

Correspondence -- 1930-1950

Photographs -- 20th century

Postcards

Baby books

Phonograph records

Postcard albums

Ephemera

School yearbooks

Diaries

Albums

Housebooks

Photographs -- 19th century

Snapshots

Home movies

Family papers

Scrapbooks

Funeral registers

Architectural drawings

Citation:

The Robinson and Via Family Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Sponsor:

Preservation of the 8mm films in this collection was made possible, in part, by a grant from the National Film Preservation Fund.

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.0475

See more items in:

Robinson and Via Family Papers

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep86b1972cf-a789-45ec-8f3e-fb780d43456d

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0475

Collection Collector:

Robinson, Franklin A., Jr., 1959- (actor)  Search this

Collection Creator:

Quinn, Terry (photographer)  Search this

Container:

Box 39, Folder 11

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1950

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.

Collection Citation:

The Robinson and Via Family Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Sponsor:

Preservation of the 8mm films in this collection was made possible, in part, by a grant from the National Film Preservation Fund.

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

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8c69fd212-5fa6-426e-8f82-ac71a4266346

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0475-ref167

Collection Collector:

Robinson, Franklin A., Jr., 1959- (actor)  Search this

Collection Creator:

Quinn, Terry (photographer)  Search this

Extent:

1 Motion picture film (Duration: 28 minutes, 48 seconds, Compilation reel of smaller reels., Camera original, 8mm, Kodachrome reversal)

Container:

Box 26, Item OF475.3 (RV475.2)

Type:

Archival materials

Motion picture films

Date:

1962-1963

Scope and Contents:

1. Cutting tobacco and irrigating, 1962

Place: Ferndale Farm, Brandywine, Maryland

Persons: Frank A. Robinson, Franklin A. Robinson, Jr. and Sr., Robert L. Robinson, Norris Gross and others

Cinematographer: Adina M. Robinson

2. Grain driers and views of John Deere Farm, 1962

Place: John Deere Farm, T.B., Maryland

Persons: None visible, Franklin A. Robinson running the combine.

Cinematographer: Adina and Franklin Robinson

3. R. David Robinson's baptism, picking corn, disking corn, 1962

Place: Chapel of the Incarnation, Brandywine, Maryland, and Ferndale Farm, Brandywine, Maryland

Persons: The Reverend Mr. Richard Hartman, Virginia and Robert Via (hats worn by the Via family and Adina M. Robinson are in NMAH costume collection) Robert David Robinson (baby), Franklin A. Robinson, Jr., Adina M. Robinson, Franklin A. Robinson

Cinematographer: Franklin and Adina Robinson

4. Fall, Winter and Christmas, 1962

Place: Ferndale Farm, Brandywine, Maryland

Persons: Franklin A. Robinson, Jr., Adina M. Robinson, Robert D. Robinson

Cinematographer: Adina and Franklin Robinson

5. Snowman, Easter, sprayer, 1963

Place: Ferndale Farm, Brandywine, Maryland, Via Farm, Calvert County, Maryland, John Deere Farm, T.B., Maryland

Persons: Robert D. Robinson, Adina M. Robinson, Franklin A. Robinson, Jr. and Sr., Elizabeth B. Robinson (hat in NMAH costume collection), Franklin Robinson (b. 1932) doing the agricultural spraying

Cinematographer: Adina and Franklin Robinson

6. Enchanted Forest, and farm pond, 1963

Place: Enchanted Forest (a children's park in Western Maryland), Ferndale Farm, Brandywine, Maryland

Persons: Franklin A. Robinson, Jr., Robert D. Robinson, Ida Virginia Via, Franklin A. Robinson, Sr.

Cinematographer: Franklin and Adina Robinson

7. Mulch planter-corn, mowing grass, 1963

Place: Ferndale Farm, Brandywine, Maryland, John Deere Farm, T.B., Maryland

Persons: Robert D. Robinson, Franklin A. Robinson, Jr., Adina M. Robinson, Elizabeth B. Robinson (mowing grass), Franklin A. Robinson, Sr.

Cinematographer: Franklin and Adina Robinson

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.

Collection Citation:

The Robinson and Via Family Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Sponsor:

Preservation of the 8mm films in this collection was made possible, in part, by a grant from the National Film Preservation Fund.

See more items in:

Robinson and Via Family Papers

Robinson and Via Family Papers / Series 7: Audiovisual / 7.1: Family and farming

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep80bb42aaf-9acd-4da9-9909-08b73cc04c0d

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0475-ref351

Creator:

National Museum of American History  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2016-12-12T19:46:29.000Z

YouTube Category:

Education  Search this

Topic:

American History  Search this

See more by:

SmithsonianAmHistory

Data Source:

National Museum of American History

YouTube Channel:

SmithsonianAmHistory

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_xz_zni4dBV0

Artist:

Harris & Ewing Studio, active 1905 - 1977  Search this

Sitter:

Calvin Coolidge, 4 Jul 1872 - 5 Jan 1933  Search this

Andrew William Mellon, 24 Mar 1855 - 26 Aug 1937  Search this

Harlan Fiske Stone, 11 Oct 1872 - 22 Apr 1946  Search this

Curtis Dwight Wilbur, 10 May 1867 - 08 Sep 1954  Search this

Howard Mason Gore, 12 Oct 1887 - 20 Jun 1947  Search this

James John Davis, 27 Oct 1873 - 22 Nov 1947  Search this

Herbert Clark Hoover, 10 Aug 1874 - 20 Oct 1964  Search this

Hubert Work, 3 Jul 1860 - 14 Dec 1942  Search this

Harry Stewart New, 31 Dec 1858 - 09 May 1937  Search this

John Wingate Weeks, 11 Apr 1860 - 12 Jul 1926  Search this

Charles Evans Hughes, 11 Apr 1862 - 27 Aug 1948  Search this

Medium:

Gelatin silver print

Dimensions:

Image: 22.8 × 32.7 cm (9 × 12 7/8")

Sheet: 34.2 × 46 cm (13 7/16 × 18 1/8")

Type:

Photograph

Place:

United States\District of Columbia\Washington

Date:

December 1924

Topic:

Interior  Search this

Home Furnishings\Furniture\Seating\Chair  Search this

Costume\Dress Accessory\Eyeglasses  Search this

Nature & Environment\Plant  Search this

Home Furnishings\Furniture\Table  Search this

Printed Material\Papers  Search this

Costume\Dress Accessory\Neckwear\Tie  Search this

Personal Attribute\Facial Hair\Mustache  Search this

Home Furnishings\Lighting Devices\Chandelier  Search this

Printed Material\Map  Search this

Artwork\Portrait  Search this

Architecture\Door  Search this

Home Furnishings\Clock  Search this

Container\Inkwell  Search this

Personal Attribute\Facial Hair\Goatee  Search this

Autograph  Search this

Herbert Clark Hoover: Male  Search this

Herbert Clark Hoover: Politics and Government\President of US  Search this

Herbert Clark Hoover: Science and Technology\Engineer  Search this

Herbert Clark Hoover: Politics and Government\Cabinet member\Secretary of Commerce  Search this

Calvin Coolidge: Male  Search this

Calvin Coolidge: Law and Crime\Lawyer  Search this

Calvin Coolidge: Literature\Writer  Search this

Calvin Coolidge: Politics and Government\Governor\Massachusetts  Search this

Calvin Coolidge: Politics and Government\Vice-President of US  Search this

Calvin Coolidge: Politics and Government\Government official  Search this

Calvin Coolidge: Politics and Government\State Senator\Massachusetts  Search this

Calvin Coolidge: Politics and Government\President of US  Search this

Calvin Coolidge: Journalism and Media\Journalist\Columnist  Search this

Calvin Coolidge: Politics and Government\Public official\Mayor  Search this

Calvin Coolidge: Politics and Government\Lieutenant Governor\Massachusetts  Search this

Calvin Coolidge: Politics and Government\State Legislator\Massachusetts  Search this

Curtis Dwight Wilbur: Male  Search this

Curtis Dwight Wilbur: Military and Intelligence\Navy\Secretary of the Navy  Search this

Charles Evans Hughes: Male  Search this

Charles Evans Hughes: Law and Crime\Lawyer  Search this

Charles Evans Hughes: Politics and Government\Presidential candidate  Search this

Charles Evans Hughes: Politics and Government\Governor\New York  Search this

Charles Evans Hughes: Politics and Government\Cabinet member\Secretary of State  Search this

Charles Evans Hughes: Law and Crime\Judge\Justice\US Supreme Court Justice\Chief Justice of US  Search this

James John Davis: Male  Search this

James John Davis: Politics and Government\US Senator\Pennsylvania  Search this

James John Davis: Politics and Government\Cabinet member\Secretary of Labor  Search this

John Wingate Weeks: Male  Search this

John Wingate Weeks: Politics and Government\US Congressman\Massachusetts  Search this

John Wingate Weeks: Politics and Government\Cabinet member\Secretary of War  Search this

John Wingate Weeks: Military and Intelligence\Navy\Officer  Search this

John Wingate Weeks: Business and Finance\Banker  Search this

John Wingate Weeks: Science and Technology\Surveyor  Search this

John Wingate Weeks: Politics and Government\Public official\Mayor  Search this

John Wingate Weeks: Science and Technology\Engineer\Civil engineer  Search this

John Wingate Weeks: Politics and Government\US Senator\Massachusetts  Search this

John Wingate Weeks: Politics and Government\Civil servant\Fire Chief  Search this

John Wingate Weeks: Military and Intelligence\Soldier\Volunteer  Search this

Harry Stewart New: Male  Search this

Harry Stewart New: Journalism and Media\Newspaper publisher  Search this

Harry Stewart New: Journalism and Media\Newspaper publisher  Search this

Harry Stewart New: Journalism and Media\Newspaper editor  Search this

Harry Stewart New: Journalism and Media\Journalist\Reporter\Newspaper  Search this

Harry Stewart New: Politics and Government\Government official\Postmaster\Postmaster General\US Postmaster General  Search this

Harry Stewart New: Politics and Government\US Senator\Indiana  Search this

Harry Stewart New: Politics and Government\Government official\Postmaster  Search this

Hubert Work: Male  Search this

Hubert Work: Politics and Government\Cabinet member\Secretary of Interior  Search this

Hubert Work: Politics and Government\Government official\Postmaster\Postmaster General\US Postmaster General  Search this

Harlan Fiske Stone: Male  Search this

Harlan Fiske Stone: Politics and Government\Cabinet member\US Attorney General  Search this

Harlan Fiske Stone: Education and Scholarship\Educator\Professor\University  Search this

Harlan Fiske Stone: Law and Crime\Judge\Justice\US Supreme Court Justice\Chief Justice of US  Search this

Howard Mason Gore: Male  Search this

Howard Mason Gore: Politics and Government\Cabinet member\Secretary of Agriculture  Search this

Howard Mason Gore: Education and Scholarship\Administrator\Board of Education  Search this

Howard Mason Gore: Politics and Government\Governor\West Virginia  Search this

Howard Mason Gore: Politics and Government\Government official\Commissioner\Agriculture  Search this

Andrew William Mellon: Male  Search this

Andrew William Mellon: Politics and Government\Cabinet member\Secretary of Treasury  Search this

Andrew William Mellon: Politics and Government\Diplomat\Ambassador  Search this

Andrew William Mellon: Business and Finance\Financier  Search this

Andrew William Mellon: Society and Social Change\Philanthropist\Patron of the arts  Search this

Andrew William Mellon: Visual Arts\Art collector  Search this

Andrew William Mellon: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist  Search this

Portrait  Search this

Credit Line:

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Aileen Conkey

Object number:

S/NPG.84.302

Restrictions & Rights:

CC0

See more items in:

National Portrait Gallery Collection

Data Source:

National Portrait Gallery

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm492cdce55-7490-4fcb-ba77-7b9a01e33262

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npg_S_NPG.84.302

Creator:

Hutchins, Stilson, 1838-1912  Search this

Former owner:

Eustis, William Corcoran Mrs  Search this

Carter, George C.  Search this

Carter, George C. Jr  Search this

Owner:

National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States  Search this

Collection Creator:

Garden Club of America  Search this

Type:

Archival materials

Place:

Oatlands Plantation (Leesburg, Virginia)

United States of America -- Virginia -- Loudoun County -- Leesburg

Scope and Contents:

Folder includes work sheets, brochures, garden map, landscape plan since 1965, photo prints, and copies of articles.

General:

George Carter, great-grandson of Robert "King" Carter built the three-story mansion and developed the land as an agricultural plantation shortly after the turn of the 19th century. The Eustises, former owners, renovated the mansion and restored the walled gardens. They extended the terraces, added a boxwood walk, and built a tea house and reflecting pool. In 1965, the Eustis daughters presented the National Trust with the 261-acre estate. The estate became a National Historic Landmark in 1972. A restoration effort began in 1980s to return the gardens to Mrs. Eustis's plans in the early 1900s. The mansion and gardens are now open to the public.

Persons associated with the property include: George Carter (former owner, 1798-); George C. Carter, Jr. (former owner, ?-1897); Stilton Hutchins (1897-1902); William Corcoran Eustis (former owner, 1902-1965); Mrs. Eustis Emmet and Mrs. David Findley (former owners, 1964); National Trust for Historic Preservation (owner, 1965-present); George Carter (constructed terraces and orangerie, early 1880s); Mrs. Custis Eustis (designer of flower beds and rose garden and extended boxwood parterre); and Alredo Francesco Siani (horticulturist, 1982-?).

Related Materials:

Oatlands Plantation related holdings consist of 1 folder (22 35 mm. slides and 44 glass lantern slides)

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Topic:

Gardens -- Virginia -- Leesburg  Search this

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.

Sponsor:

A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAG.GCA, File VA018

See more items in:

The Garden Club of America collection

The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Virginia

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6ef890546-2503-4d4b-b21e-b6c25654307a

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref18836

Landscape designer:

Westring, Dana S.  Search this

Collection Creator:

Garden Club of America  Search this

Type:

Archival materials

Place:

Poke Garden (Marshall, Virginia)

United States of America -- Virginia -- Fauquier County -- Marshall

Scope and Contents:

The folder includes a work sheet, a garden plan, plant list, articles, and a narrative description of the garden keyed to the individual slides.

General:

The garden is a series of rooms connected through ramps, steps, gates, bridges and paths. The tool shed is placed as the focus at the northern end of the main garden. It closes the blue garden and acts as the passage into the hydrangea gardens as well as the dividing structure between the entrance drive and the vegetable/fruit garden. At the southern end of the blue garden is a belvedere with views over the protected agricultural land that adjoins this garden. Below a stone retaining wall is the bocce lawn with a large bench sitting front of a six foot tall stone wall that acts as a privacy barrier from the country road behind it. At the eastern end of the bocce lawn is a covered gate that takes you up a flight of steps to the diving terrace of the swimming pool. Below the swimming pool wall is the pink garden with herbaceous plantings and "shrubby" structure with four antique apples at the bottom just above the pergola bridge. South from the red garden, you will cross the lower bridge , which takes you through the woodland walk to the shade pond and below that to the sylvan seating of the amphitheatre and up the hill to the millennium garden with a stone obelisk set in a circle of turf, which looks down to a large pond site and above to a wildflower garden. On the north side of the parking court is a stone retaining wall planted with Jasmine nudifolium with mock olive behind it and a hedge of blue spruce. The main drive comes out of this parking court through the rhododendron gardens and back to the front gate.

Person(s) associated with the property include: Dana Scott Westring (landscape designer, 1988-present).

Related Materials:

Poke Garden related holdings consist of 1 folder (17 35 mm. slides)

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Topic:

Gardens -- Virginia -- Marshall  Search this

Gardening in the shade  Search this

Vegetable gardening  Search this

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.

Sponsor:

A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAG.GCA, File VA363

See more items in:

The Garden Club of America collection

The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Virginia

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6bf1aba2d-32a6-4e5c-90f3-a429990bd167

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref18844

Former owner:

Hite, Isaac, Jr  Search this

Hunnewell, F. W. (Francis Welles)  Search this

Brumback family  Search this

Restoration landscape architect:

Favretti, Rudy J.  Search this

Owner:

National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States  Search this

Creator:

Garden Club of Virginia  Search this

Collection Creator:

Garden Club of America  Search this

Type:

Archival materials

Place:

Belle Grove (Middletown, Virginia)

United States of America -- Virginia -- Frederick County -- Middletown

Scope and Contents:

The folder includes worksheets and photocopies of articles about the property.

General:

Major Isaac Hite Jr., who fought with the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, and his first wife Eleanor (Nelly) Conway Madison, a sister of President James Madison, built the Federal style house beginning in 1794, using limestone quarried on the 483 acre property. The landscape plan included groves of trees for shade and was influenced by the less formal 18th century English gardens that complement rather than contrast with the natural setting. The fields would have been planted in grain for livestock, including cattle and Merino sheep. During Hite's lifetime the property was expanded to 7,500 acres and included a distillery and several mills. The house has a south façade of dressed limestone, and is in the pavilion style favored by Thomas Jefferson. There are several outbuildings. The only records of the garden show light foundation plantings around the house and a latticework fence.

During the Civil War, Belle Grove Plantation was the setting of the Battle of Cedar Creek on October 19, 1864, in which Union General Philip Sheridan defeated Confederate General Jubal Early.

The Brumback family owned the property from 1907 to 1929. Francis Welles Hunnewell purchased the property in 1929 and bequeathed it to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1964.

In 1983, the Garden Club of Virginia voted to restore the gardens at Belle Grove Plantation, using funds raised in their annual garden walks. The gardens were restored to the style of circa 1820. University of Connecticut Professor Emeritus Rudy J. Favretti (Fellow in the American Society of Landscape Architects) designed the restoration. Restoration included pruning the trees to restore light to the house and open the view of the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains and replacing the large foundation plantings including diseased boxwoods with low-growing plants. In addition, an overgrown herb garden was converted to a demonstration garden comprised of plants used in cooking, medicine and commerce in the 19th century, with restored latticework fencing on three sides and post and rail fencing on the fourth side.

Belle Grove Plantation, now 283 acres, is operated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and open to the public. Sites on the grounds include the ice house, old hall, dairy, smokehouse, blacksmiths shop, demonstration garden, slave cemetery, and agricultural fields. There is also a library of local, architectural, crafts and agricultural history, and an artifacts collection.

Persons associated with the property include Major Isaac Hite (former owner, 1794-1836) and descendents of the Hite family, the Brumback family (former owner, 1907-1929), Francis Welles Hunnewell (former owner, 1929), Rudy J. Favretti (1983, restoration landscape architect) and the National Trust for Historic Preservation (owner, 1964-present)

Related Materials:

Belle Grove Plantation related holdings consist of 2 folders (1 3 x 4 in. lantern slide and 3 35mm slides)

See also the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

See others in:

Hollerith Collection, ca. 1970?

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Topic:

Gardens -- Virginia -- Middletown  Search this

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.

Sponsor:

A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAG.GCA, File VA094

See more items in:

The Garden Club of America collection

The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Virginia

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6a1c3d45f-f402-49e6-afa3-7d7766b16b38

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref18856

Slide manufacturer:

Van Altena, Edward  Search this

Collection Creator:

Garden Club of America  Search this

Extent:

1 Photograph (lantern slide, hand-colored, 3.25 x 4 in.)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Lantern slides

Place:

Shirley Plantation (Charles City, Virginia)

United States of America -- Virginia -- Charles City County -- Charles City

Date:

[between 1914 and 1949?]

General:

Mount reads: "Edward Van Altena, 71-79 W. 45th St., N.Y.C."

Historic plate number: "2."

Historic plate caption: "The Dove Cote. Shirley; Virginia."

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Topic:

Agricultural buildings  Search this

Wild flowers  Search this

Gardens -- Virginia -- Charles City  Search this

Genre/Form:

Lantern slides

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.

Sponsor:

A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAG.GCA, Item VA012003

See more items in:

The Garden Club of America collection

The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Virginia / VA012: Charles City -- Shirley Plantation

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6040b67ae-c707-468a-ab2d-60401eb2a489

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref19098

Collection Creator:

Garden Club of America  Search this

Extent:

1 Photograph (lantern slide, hand-colored, 3.25 x 4 in.)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Lantern slides

Place:

Virginia -- Leesburg

Oatlands Plantation (Leesburg, Virginia)

United States of America -- Virginia -- Loudoun County -- Leesburg

Date:

[between 1914 and 1949?]

General:

Oatland is 261 acres and is deliniated into three basic zones: the agricultural zone, the support or transition zone and the domestic zone. The agricultural zone consists of 215 acres.

Historic plate number: "203; 16."

Historic plate caption: "Oatlands - Garden; Mrs. W. C. Eustis."

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Topic:

Summer  Search this

Containers  Search this

Balustrades  Search this

Roses, climbing  Search this

Gardens -- Virginia -- Leesburg  Search this

Genre/Form:

Lantern slides

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.

Sponsor:

A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAG.GCA, Item VA018042

See more items in:

The Garden Club of America collection

The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Virginia / VA018: Leesburg -- Oatlands Plantation

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb68e59a69e-738f-40eb-aa0a-56f4f9866bbc

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref19348

Collection Creator:

Garden Club of America  Search this

Extent:

1 Slides (photographs) (col.)

Type:

Archival materials

Slides (photographs)

Place:

Virginia -- Williamsburg

Governor's Palace (Williamsburg, Virginia)

United States of America -- Virginia -- Williamsburg

Date:

[1930?]

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Topic:

Spring  Search this

Kitchen gardens  Search this

Agricultural buildings  Search this

Walkways, gravel  Search this

Trees  Search this

Gardens -- Virginia -- Williamsburg  Search this

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.

Sponsor:

A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAG.GCA, Item VA021037

See more items in:

The Garden Club of America collection

The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Virginia / VA021: Williamsburg -- Governor's Palace

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb637d99d88-8f05-42f9-b3f9-983fe7c1dccf

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref19916

Creator:

National Museum of American History (U.S.)  Search this

Bunch, Lonnie G.  Search this

United States. Department of Agriculture  Search this

National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges.  Search this

Names:

Go Forth and Serve: Black Land Grant Colleges (Exhibition) (Washington, D.C.: 1990)  Search this

Howard University  Search this

Former owner:

National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Cultural History  Search this

Extent:

1 Cubic foot

18 Videocassettes (VHS)

15 Cassette tapes

38 Videocassettes (Video 8)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Videocassettes (vhs)

Cassette tapes

Videocassettes (video 8)

Videotapes

Oral history

Interviews

Audiotapes

Date:

1992-1993

Summary:

An oral history project that grew out of the exhibit "Go Forth and Serve" which commemorated the 100th anniversary of the drafting of the second Morrill Act, which provided funds for the founding of land grant schools of higher education for black students.

Scope and Contents:

Oral history interviews, on film and audio, on the subject of African American land grant colleges, conducted in conjunction with the exhibition "Go Forth and Serve" at the National Museum of American History in 1990.

Arrangement:

The collection is organized into one series. It is organized alphabetically by the name of college or university that is the subject of the interview.

Biographical / Historical:

"Go Forth and Serve", an exhibition curated by Lonnie Bunch and Spencer Crew, opened in March 1990 at the National Museum of American History to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the drafting of the second Morrill Act, which provided funds for the founding of land grant schools of higher education for black students. The exhibition was co-sponsored by the Department of Agriculture and the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges. There was a subsequent newsletter, and oral interviews were conducted.

Provenance:

Collection made by the Smithsonian Institution Division of Cultural History, National Museum of American History.

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research. Reference copies must be used. Access and use of audiovisual materials available in the Archives Center reading room.

Rights:

Reproduction may be limited due to intellectual property rights. No releases exist.

Topic:

Alcorn State University  Search this

Tennessee State University  Search this

Fort Valley State University  Search this

South Carolina State University  Search this

Delaware State University  Search this

Prairie View A & M University  Search this

West Virginia State University  Search this

Langston University  Search this

Lincoln University (Jefferson City, Mo.)  Search this

University of Maryland Eastern Shore  Search this

Kentucky State University  Search this

State universities and colleges  Search this

Genre/Form:

Videotapes -- 1990-2000

Oral history -- 1950-2000

Interviews -- 1950-2000

Audiotapes -- 1950-2000

Citation:

Go Forth and Serve: African American Land Grant Colleges Audiovisual Collection, 1992-1993, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.0614

See more items in:

Go Forth and Serve: African American Land Grant Colleges Audiovisual Collection

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8ba9d0324-51aa-4f0c-8584-230fd86526d1

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0614

Creator:

National Museum of the American Indian  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2015-07-22T18:28:05.000Z

YouTube Category:

Education  Search this

Topic:

Native Americans;American Indians  Search this

See more by:

SmithsonianNMAI

Data Source:

National Museum of the American Indian

YouTube Channel:

SmithsonianNMAI

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_nI-Fnop1ybw

Creator:

Smithsonian Gardens  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2023-01-11T19:18:18.000Z

YouTube Category:

Education  Search this

Topic:

Gardens  Search this

See more by:

SmithsonianGardens

Data Source:

Smithsonian Gardens

YouTube Channel:

SmithsonianGardens

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_oGLvmOvdLg8

Creator:

Arensberg, Conrad M. (Conrad Maynadier), 1910-1997  Search this

Names:

Brooklyn College  Search this

Columbia University  Search this

Harvard University  Search this

Massachusetts Institute of Technology  Search this

Correspondent:

Appell, George N.  Search this

Beatty, John  Search this

Chapple, Eliot D.  Search this

Comitas, Lambros  Search this

Coon, Carleton S. (Carleton Stevens), 1904-1981  Search this

Curry, Donald  Search this

Dillon, Wilton  Search this

Ehrich, Robert W.  Search this

Fried, Morton H. (Morton Herbert), 1923-1986  Search this

Gamburd, Geraldine DeNering  Search this

Garrison, Vivian, 1933-2013  Search this

Goodell, Grace E.  Search this

Halpern, Joel Martin  Search this

Haskell, Edward F.  Search this

Iberall, Arthur S.  Search this

Kimball, Solon T.  Search this

Landes, Ruth, 1908-1991  Search this

Lomax, Alan, 1915-2002  Search this

Mencher, Joan P., 1930-  Search this

Niehoff, Arthur H., 1921-  Search this

Richardson, Frederick L.W.  Search this

Steward, Julian Haynes, 1902-1972  Search this

Tax, Sol, 1907-1995  Search this

Tootell, Geoffrey M. B. (Geoffrey Matthew Bemis)  Search this

Warner, William Lloyd  Search this

Whyte, William Foote, 1914-2000  Search this

Winner, Irene  Search this

Zenner, Walter P.  Search this

Extent:

33.3 Linear feet (83 document boxes)

Culture:

Irish  Search this

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Periodicals

Lecture notes

Reports

Syllabi

Photographs

Field notes

Correspondence

Place:

India

Europe

Ireland

Date:

1931-1997

Summary:

This collection contains the professional papers of Conrad M. Arensberg, anthropologist, university professor, and anthropological consultant. Included are correspondence; published and unpublished writings; research materials, including notes, correspondence, diaries, charts, drafts, interviews, research plans, reports, project proposals, and bibliographic cards; speeches; pamphlets; articles from newspapers and periodicals; course materials, including bibliographies, lecture notes, reading lists, assignments, exams, project proposals, and syllabi; curriculum vitae; date books; scholarly papers and publications of other scholars; and photographs.

Scope and Contents:

This collection contains the professional papers of Conrad M. Arensberg, anthropologist, university professor, and anthropological consultant. Included are correspondence; published and unpublished writings; research materials, including notes, correspondence, diaries, charts, drafts, interviews, research plans, reports, project proposals, and bibliographic cards; speeches; pamphlets; articles from newspapers and periodicals; course materials, including bibliographies, lecture notes, reading lists, assignments, exams, project proposals, and syllabi; curriculum vitae; date books; scholarly papers and publications of other scholars; and photographs.

The materials in this collection document Arensberg's career as a university professor, his relationships with colleagues across a spectrum of disciplines, and his contributions to the field of anthropology. As a respected member of the anthropological community, Arensberg received a voluminous amount of correspondence from his peers, who often included copies of their most recent papers. He kept many of these works, which, along with his annotations, can be found throughout the collection. It appears he used these papers in a variety of ways, including as resources for his classes or as reference materials. Arensberg's own work is reflected in his writings and research files. Arensberg's Ireland research, despite its importance to his career and to the field of anthropology as a whole, has a minimal presence in the collection. Located in Series 3. Research Files, the subseries containing Arensberg's Ireland material primarily consists of photocopies of his correspondence, field notes, and diaries during this time. His role as a professor, rather than as a researcher or writer, is the most well-represented in the collection. Arensberg formed lasting relationships with many of his students, as evidenced by his continued correspondence with many of them long after their years at Columbia.

Arrangement:

The collection is organized into 8 series:

Series 1) Correspondence, 1933-1994

Series 2) Writings, 1936-1983

Series 3) Research files, 1931-1984

Series 4) Professional activities, 1933-1990

Series 5) Teaching files, 1938-1983

Series 6) Biographical files, 1946-1997

Series 7) Subject files, 1934-1979

Series 8) Photographs, undated

Biographical Note:

Conrad M. Arensberg was born on September 12, 1910 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Academically inclined from a young age, he graduated first in his class at Shadyside Academy in Pittsburgh. His early success earned him admittance to Harvard College. Arensberg studied anthropology and graduated summa cum laude in 1931.

As a graduate student at Harvard University, Arensberg was asked to join a project being conducted in Ireland by Harvard's Anthropology Department. Alongside W. Lloyd Warner and Solon T. Kimball, Arensberg spent three years studying rural Irish life in County Clare. This research resulted in his doctoral dissertation, "A Study in Rural Life in Ireland as Determined by the Functions and Morphology of the Family," which was later published as The Irish Countryman in 1937. His work was groundbreaking in the field of anthropology, and his study of County Clare "became a model for other community studies... requiring that researchers study a target culture from the inside, making meticulous notes on everything they saw, heard or experienced." Arensberg reshaped the way that anthropologists approached fieldwork and opened doors for the study of modern industrial societies.

Arensberg had a long teaching career. He first became a university professor in 1938 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and remained a professor for the rest of his life, teaching at MIT, Brooklyn College, Barnard College, Columbia University, the University of Florida, and the University of Virginia. At Columbia, Arensberg worked alongside such notable anthropologists as Margaret Mead, Charles Wagley, and Marvin Harris.

Arensberg officially retired in 1979, but he continued to collaborate with his colleagues, counsel past students, and participate in professional associations until his death. He passed away on February 10, 1997 in Hazlet, New Jersey.

Sources Consulted

Comitas, Lambros. 2000. "Conrad Maynadier Arensberg (1910-1997)." American Anthropologist 101(4): 810-813.

Curriculum Vitae—Amended Posthumously. Series 6. Biographical Files. Conrad M. Arensberg papers, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

Thomas, Robert McG. Jr. 1997. "Conrad Arensberg, 86, Dies; Hands-On Anthropologist." New York Times, February 16: 51.

Chronology

1910 September 12 -- Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

1931 -- B.A. from Harvard College

1932-1934 -- Traveled to Ireland to study rural life in County Clare as part of the Harvard Irish Mission

1933-1936 -- Junior Fellow, The Society of Fellows, Harvard University

1933-1994 -- Member and Fellow, American Anthropological Association

1934 -- Ph.D. in Anthropology from Harvard University

1937 -- Published The Irish Countryman, the result of his work in Ireland

1938-1940 -- Occasional consultant, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of American Ethnology

1938-1941 -- Assistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences and Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

1940 -- Founded (with others) the Society for Applied Anthropology

1941-1946 -- Associate Professor and Chairman, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Brooklyn College

1943-1946 -- Captain, Major, AUS, Military Intelligence Service

1946-1952 -- Associate Professor of Sociology, Chairman (until 1949) Department of Sociology, Barnard College, Columbia University

1951-1952 -- Research Director, UNESCO, Institute for the Social Sciences, Cologne, Germany

1951-1952 -- Editor, Point Four Manual, American Anthropological Association

1952-1953 -- Associate Professor of Anthropology, The Graduate Faculty of Political Science, Columbia University

1953-1970 -- Professor of Anthropology, Chairman (1956-1959), Department of Anthropology, Columbia University

1962-1978 -- Co-Director (with Alan Lomax) of Columbia University's Cross-Cultural Surveys of Social Structure and Expressive Behavior

1970-1979 -- Buttenwieser Professor of Human Relations, Columbia University

1979-1997 -- Buttenwieser Professor Emeritus of Human Relations, Columbia University

1980 -- President, American Anthropological Association

1991 -- First recipient, "Conrad M. Arensberg Award" of the Society for the Anthropology of Work

1997 February 10 -- Died in Hazlet, New Jersey

Related Materials:

Arensberg is listed as a correspondent in the following collections at the Smithsonian Institution's National Anthropological Archives: John Lawrence Angel papers; Papers of Carleton Stevens Coon; Ethel Cutler Freeman papers; Frederica de Laguna papers; Ruth Landes papers; William Duncan Strong papers.

For oral history interviews with Arensberg, see the following collections:

-The Smithsonian Institution's Human Studies Film Archives "Video Dialogues in Anthropology: Conrad Arensberg and Lambros Comitas, 1989." In this video oral history conducted by anthropologist Lambros Comitas, Arensberg comments on his training in anthropology, the individuals who were influential in his career, and the geographical areas where he conducted his fieldwork.

-The National Anthropological Archives Manuscript (MS) 2009-15. May Mayko Ebihara conducted this oral history interview with Arensberg on March 7, 1984 as part of a larger oral history project with anthropologists.

For more concerning Arensberg's work with interaction theory, see the Frederick L.W. Richardson papers at the National Anthropological Archives. Richardson worked closely with Eliot Chapple and Conrad Arensberg on theories concerning human interaction.

For correspondence and other information related to Arensberg's Ireland research, see: Solon Toothaker Kimball Papers, Special Collections, Teachers College, Columbia University; and Solon Toothaker Kimball Papers, The Newberry Library, Chicago.

Additional materials concerning Arensberg's research and personal life can be found among the papers of his wife, anthropologist Vivian "Kelly" Garrison. See the Vivian E. Garrison papers at the National Anthropological Archives.

Provenance:

These papers were donated to the National Anthropological Archives by Vivian E. Garrison Arensberg in 2011.

Restrictions:

The Conrad M. Arensberg papers are open for research.

Files containing Arensberg's students' grades have been restricted, as have his students' and colleagues' grant and fellowships applications. For preservation reasons, the computer disk containing digital correspondence files from Joel Halpern is restricted.

Access to the Conrad M. Arensberg papers requires an appointment.

Rights:

Contact the repository for terms of use.

Topic:

Peasants  Search this

Management  Search this

Ethnology  Search this

Ethnic groups  Search this

Family  Search this

Urban policy  Search this

Social interaction  Search this

Industrial relations  Search this

Political anthropology  Search this

Linguistics  Search this

Applied anthropology  Search this

Economic anthropology  Search this

Genre/Form:

Periodicals

Lecture notes

Reports

Syllabi

Photographs

Field notes

Correspondence

Citation:

Conrad M. Arensberg papers, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution

Sponsor:

The papers of Conrad M. Arensberg were processed with the assistance of a Wenner-Gren Foundation Historical Archives Program grant awarded to Vivian E. Garrison Arensberg.

Identifier:

NAA.2011-17

See more items in:

Conrad M. Arensberg papers

Archival Repository:

National Anthropological Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nw37ac2b245-98ed-4b7c-a620-cb61f8d237ec

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-naa-2011-17

Creator:

Smith, Harry Everett, 1923-1991  Search this

Performer:

Patton, Charley, 1891-1934  Search this

Justice, Dick, 1906-1962  Search this

Ashley, Clarence, 1895-1967  Search this

Jones, Coley  Search this

Reed, Belle  Search this

Reed, Bill  Search this

Kazee, Buell, 1900-1976  Search this

Parker, Chubby  Search this

Dunford, Uncle Eck, 1878-1953  Search this

Burnett, Dick  Search this

Rutherford, Leonard  Search this

Foster, Garley  Search this

Grayson, G.B.  Search this

Harrell, Kelly, 1889-1942  Search this

Crain, Edward L.  Search this

Hutchison, Frank, 1897-1945  Search this

Poole, Charlie, 1892-1931  Search this

Lewis, Furry, 1893-1981  Search this

Smith, Versey  Search this

Smith, William  Search this

Carter, Buster  Search this

Young, Preston, 1907-  Search this

Hurt, Mississippi John, 1894-1966  Search this

Nelstone's Hawaiians (Musical group)  Search this

Burnett and Rutherford (Musical group)  Search this

Carolina Tar Heels  Search this

Texas Cowboy  Search this

Virginia String Band  Search this

Carter Family (Musical group)  Search this

North Carolina Ramblers  Search this

Bently Boys  Search this

Williamson Brothers & Curry (Musical group)  Search this

Collection Creator:

Asch, Moses  Search this

Distler, Marian, 1919-1964  Search this

Folkways Records  Search this

Extent:

2 Phonograph records (analog, 33 1/3 rpm, 12 in.)

Culture:

Americans  Search this

Anglo-American  Search this

Type:

Archival materials

Phonograph records

Place:

Appalachian Region, Southern -- Songs and music

Texas

United States

Dallas (Tex.)

Tennessee

United States--West

Maryland

Kentucky

North Carolina

Virginia

West Virginia

Memphis (Tenn.)

Mississippi

Avalon (Miss.)

United States--South

Date:

1952

Contents:

Henry Lee -- Fatal flower garden -- House carpenter -- Drunkards special -- Old lady and the devil -- The butcher's boy -- The wagoner's lad -- King kong kitchie kitchie ki-me-o -- Old shoes and leggins -- Willie Moore -- Lazy farmer boy -- Peg and awl -- Ommie Wise -- My name is John Johanna -- Bandit Cole Younger -- Charles Giteau -- John Hardy was a desperate little man -- Gonna die with my hammer in my hand -- Stackalee -- White House blues -- Frankie -- When that great ship went down -- Engine 143 -- Kassie Jones -- Down on Penny's farm -- Mississippi boweavil blues -- Got the farm land blues.

Track Information:

101 Henry Lee (Child No. 68) / Dick Justice. Guitar.

102 Fatal Flower Garden / Nelstone's Hawaiians (Musical group). Guitar.

103 House Carpenter (Child No. 243)/ Clarence Ashley. Banjo.

104 Drunkards Special (Child No. 274) / Coley Jones. Guitar.

105 The Old Lady and the Devil (Child No. 278)/ Belle Reed, Bill Reed. Guitar.

106 The Butcher Boy, The - Railroad Boy / Buell Kazee. Banjo.

107 Wagoners Lad, The - Loving Nancy / Buell Kazee. Banjo.

201 King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-Me-O / Chubby Parker. Banjo.

202 Old Shoes and Leggins / Uncle Eck Dunford. Guitar,Banjo,Harmonica,Violin,Autoharp.

203 Willie Moore / Burnett and Rutherford (Musical group), Dick Burnett, Leonard Rutherford. Banjo,Fiddle.

205 Peg and Awl / Clarence Ashley, Carolina Tar Heels, Garley Foster. Guitar,Banjo,Harmonica.

206 Omie Wise / G. B. Grayson. Fiddle.

207 My Name is John Johanna (John Johanna) / Kelly Harrell. Guitar,Banjo,Fiddle.

301 Cole Younger / Texas Cowboy, Edward L. Crain. Guitar.

302 Charles Giteau / Kelly Harrell, Virginia String Band. Guitar,Banjo,Fiddle.

303 John Hardy / Carter Family. Guitar,Autoharp.

305 Stackalee (Stagger Lee) / Frank Hutchison. Guitar,Harmonica.

306 White House Blues / North Carolina Ramblers, Charlie Poole. Guitar,Banjo,Fiddle.

403 Kassie Jones (Casey Jones) / Furry Lewis. Guitar.

401 When That Great Ship Went Down (The Titanic) / Versey Smith, William Smith. Guitar,Tambourine (Drum).

402 Engine One-Forty-Three / Carter Family. Guitar,Autoharp.

404 Down on Penny's Farm / Bently Boys. Guitar,Banjo.

204 A Lazy Farmer Boy / Buster Carter, Preston Young. Guitar,Violin.

304 Gonna Die With My Hammer in My Hand (John Henry) / Williamson Brothers & Curry (Musical group). Guitar.

307 Frankie (Frankie and Johnny) / Mississippi John Hurt. Guitar.

405 Mississipi Boweavil Blues (Boweavil Blues)(Boll Weevil) / Charley Patton. Guitar.

406 Got the Farm Land Blues / Clarence Ashley, Carolina Tar Heels, Garley Foster. Guitar,Banjo,Harmonica.

Local Numbers:

Folkways.2951; Folkways.251

FW-ASCH-LP-02951

Publication, Distribution, Etc. (Imprint):

New York Folkways 1952

Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:

Recorded in: Dallas (Tex.), United States, Texas.

Restrictions:

Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.

Collection Rights:

Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.

Topic:

Old-time music  Search this

Ballads  Search this

Folk songs -- United States  Search this

Murder  Search this

Maritime  Search this

Disasters  Search this

Wit and humor  Search this

Marriage  Search this

love songs  Search this

Animals  Search this

String band  Search this

Working class -- Songs and music  Search this

Crime  Search this

Outlaw songs  Search this

Topical songs  Search this

Blues (Music)  Search this

Protest songs  Search this

Railroads  Search this

Agriculture  Search this

Courtship  Search this

Adunke  Search this

Guitar  Search this

Banjo  Search this

Harmonica  Search this

Violin  Search this

Autoharp  Search this

Violin  Search this

Tambourine (Drum)  Search this

Labor  Search this

Industrial revolution  Search this

Railroads  Search this

African Americans  Search this

Collection Citation:

Moses and Frances Asch Collection, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

CFCH.ASCH, Item FW-ASCH-LP-02951

See more items in:

Moses and Frances Asch Collection

Moses and Frances Asch Collection / Series 9: Audio Recordings / LP

Archival Repository:

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/bk5569933a9-9fc7-4d0f-b251-9b38d937c9b2

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-cfch-asch-ref24607

Collector:

Mooney, James, 1861-1921  Search this

Correspondent:

Coulter, John M.  Search this

Fisher, C. H.  Search this

Marques, Don  Search this

Rithwick, J. T. ?  Search this

Simmins, C. S.  Search this

Gordon, R. H.  Search this

Barker, B. F.  Search this

Briggs, J. R.  Search this

Ewell, E. E.  Search this

Fuchs, Ernesto  Search this

Hadley, J. W.  Search this

McGee, W J, 1853-1912  Search this

Prentiss, D. Webster  Search this

Creator:

Parker, A. C.  Search this

Meeker, Louis P.  Search this

Addressee:

Morgan, Francis P., Dr.  Search this

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Newsclippings

Photographs

Date:

undated

Scope and Contents:

Letters from the Department of Interior, Office of Indian Affairs, Letters from the Department of Agriculture. One letter each from the following: Coulter, John M.- University of Chicago. Fisher, C. H.. Chihuahua. Marques, Don, Pueblo, New Mexico. Parker, A. C., University of the State of New York. Rithwick (?), J. T., West Chester, Pennsylvania. Three letters from Simmons, C. S., Cache, Oklahoma. One letter from R. H. Gordon to Dr Francis P. Morgan, Washington, D. C. Copies of letters from the following: Barker, B. F., Ojueles, Texas. (1) Briggs, J. R., M.D., Dallas, Texas. (1) Ewell, E. E., Washington, D. C. (2) Fuchs, Ernesto, Guadalajara, Mexico (1). Hadley, J. W., Lawton, Oklahoma. (1). McGee, W. J., Ethnologist-in-Charge (1). Prentiss, D. Webster, Bermuda, inclosing reports of effect of Peyote on various individuals. (1)

16 cards 4 1/2 x 6 1/2"- with Peyote notes. 1 list of Peyote reference books. 14 sheets from stenographer's note book containing Peyote notes. 11 sheets, 7 x 4 1/4", containing Theodate Smith notes. 58 pages- 11 x 8 1/2"- Manuscript of "The Peyote Road", by C. S. Simmons. [ca. 1912 +] [dated by Mooney] One letter and account of the Mescal Bean, from Louis P. Meeker, Darlington, Oklahoma. 8 pages total. Article on "Huskanawing"- Virginia," Beverly, History of Virginia, 175- 80, 1722, "Huskanawing- North Carolina", and Yaupon Myth.-Lawson, History of Carolina, 1714. "Peyote", by (?) Mitchell. Peyote Parallels, Brazil- Extract from Southey's History of Brazil. Extracts from Heffter- Ueber Pellote- 10 pages. Extract from Havelock's article "A new Artificial Paradise". Extract from Historia de la Compania de Jesus en Nueva Espana, by Francisco Jan'er Alegre. Extract from Rudo Ensayo (1760)- translation. Extract from Mexican Institute Medico Nacional.-translation. Extract from Lumholz, in Journal de la Societe Des Americanistes de Paris, 1899. 5 pages in Spanish. (article). Extract from Prentiss Morgan "Mescal Buttons", Medical Rec., New York 1896. Article in regard to the prejudice against Peyote as shown by the newspapers. Author's name not given. Pages 3, 4, and 5 of an article on Peyote (carbon copy). (Pages 1 and 2 and final sheets missing). One small pasteboard box containing specimens of Peyote. Printed Song, (Tam Hoscua). Extract from Current Literature (1895) on Hasheesh Eating. Extract from Medical Record (October 1895) on Mescal Buttons. Newspaper clippings. House Bills regarding Peyote. Copies of Congressional Record. 1 copy of "Apuntes Para la Historia de la Medicina en Michoacan, por El Dr. Nicolas Leon.

Copies of the following publications: "Mescal Buttons", pamphlet by D. W. Prentiss. Mescal Buttons, Reprint from the Theraputic Gazette, January 1896. Anhalonium Lewinii (Mescal Buttons)- Reprint from the Theraputic Gazette, September 1895. Contributions from ther U. S. National Herbarium, 1892-94 and -96. (3 copies) Theraputic Gazette, January 1896 (one copy) Samoan Kava Custom, by William Churchill (Extract from Holmes Anniversary Volume). Ethnos, Mexican Medical publican- April 1920 (1 copy). Cahoba, Indentity of- the narcotic snuff of ancient Haiti, Reprint from Jounal of Was. Acad. of Sc. 1916. Photostat copies from various publications, regarding Peyote (in sizes varying from 10 x 8 1/2" to 1 1/2 x 3 1/2"). 5 photos showing Peyote plant. 2 small boxes of peyote transferred to United States National Museum 2/11/55. (Letter of Stirling to Kellogg.)

List of Contents by David F. Aberle, May 2, 1952. Bureau of American Ethnology File 2537. Peyote. James Mooney. Miscellaneous material regarding Peyote. Also see File 1887. Manila envelope containing various bibliographical leads and so on, and notes regarding congressional hearings on peyote. I have taken the considerable liberty of sorting some of the remainder of the material into manila folders. These are grouped as follows: Chemistry and Botany. Therapeutic uses (by this is meant therapeutic use in Western medicine, not Indian), and Effects- visions, etc. (Accounts of experiences, etc.) Ethnology, bibliography, and miscellaneous. Accounts of use in various areas, bibliographical leads, mainly Spanish, comprise the bulk of this-only 2 items of Miscellaneous, in fact. Legislation and agitation: congressional hearings, newspaper article, etc. "Peyote Parallels": Marijuana and other drugs. Mooney apparently tried to cover Marijuana, Kava, some South American drugs, etc. In addition to the manila envelope and these manila folders, the following are in this file: 5 sheets of photographs of peyote plants. A manuscript on peyote by C. S. Simmons, Cache, Oklahoma: The Peyote Road. There are also letters to, from, and about the author. The manuscript is not complete. It includes: poetry, preface; Chapter I, Fight on the Indian Religion; II, the Missionary; III, the Rites of the Road; IV, The Drum; VI, Medicine Smoking; VII, healing the sick; XI, Unity; VIII, Physical and Psychical Phenomena; XIII, the Awakening; XIV, the Means to Power; XV, Psychometry-the awakening of the spiritual senses; XVI, the peyote in science and medicine; XVII, The explanation; XVIII, Indian Singing; Appendix- correspondence with congressmen, etc, re Peyote. Chapters 5, 9, 10, 12 are missing. Typescript of chapters 9, 10, 12 received 1968 from Simmons' granddaughter and correspondence, 6 pages. Author, a white man, an ardent peyotist, friend of Quanah Parker, his accounts of his own experiences have considerable interest, and there is also some valuable information in it. He was a complete mystic. Apparently Mooney planned to publish this. A notebook bound in olive cloth, 5 x 8, with 39 pages filled, and 2 bibliographic notes in the very back. The notebook seems to contain, among other things, detailed notes on actual meetings, but hard to read.

Local Numbers:

NAA MS 2537

Topic:

Botany -- Peyote  Search this

Drugs -- Peyote  Search this

Drugs -- mescal  Search this

Drugs -- Kava  Search this

Drugs -- marijuana  Search this

Medicine -- peyote, therapeutic uses  Search this

Religion -- peyote visions  Search this

Genre/Form:

Newsclippings

Photographs

Citation:

Manuscript 2537, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution

Identifier:

NAA.MS2537

Archival Repository:

National Anthropological Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nw3479402e9-16b5-4a7f-9b76-527977315254

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-naa-ms2537

Manufacturer:

Piper Aircraft Corp.  Search this

Materials:

Fuselage: steel tube with fabric cover

Dimensions:

Wingspan: 10.7 m (35 ft 2 in)

Length: 6.8 m (22 ft 4 in)

Height: 2 m (6 ft 8 in)

Weight, empty: 360 kg (790 lb)

Weight, gross: 680 kg (1,500 lb)

Top speed: 206 km/h (128 mph)

Engine: Lycoming O-320, 150 hp

Type:

CRAFT-Aircraft

Country of Origin:

United States of America

Date:

1946

Credit Line:

Transferred from the Atomic Energy Commission

Inventory Number:

A19761155000

Restrictions & Rights:

CC0

See more items in:

National Air and Space Museum Collection

Location:

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA

Exhibit Station:

World War II Aviation

Data Source:

National Air and Space Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv922415005-bec2-440d-82db-59cdeb44dc0e

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nasm_A19761155000

Creator:

National Museum of the American Indian  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2015-07-22T21:41:25.000Z

YouTube Category:

Education  Search this

Topic:

Native Americans;American Indians  Search this

See more by:

SmithsonianNMAI

Data Source:

National Museum of the American Indian

YouTube Channel:

SmithsonianNMAI

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_LGkZcF-TFJk

Creator:

Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

38 Cubic feet (91 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Videocassettes

Slides (photographs)

Scrapbooks

Reports

Programs

Photographs

Photograph albums

Audiotapes

Place:

Memphis (Tenn.)

Date:

1939-1994, undated

Summary:

The Maid of Cotton (MOC) beauty pageant was sponsored by the National Cotton Council, Memphis Cotton Carnival, and the Cotton Exchanges of Memphis, New York, and New Orleans from 1939-1993. The contest was held annually in Memphis, Tennessee until the National Cotton Council and Cotton Council International moved to Dallas, Texas. Beginning with the 1985 pageant (held December 1984) the competition was held in Dallas. The pageant was discontinued in 1993 due to lack of funds, a sponsor, and changes in marketing strategies. The records include files on contestants, photographs, and scrapbooks.

Scope and Contents:

The collection contains the records for the Maid of Cotton pageant (1939-1993) sponsored by the National Cotton Council (NCC), Memphis Cotton Carnival, and the Cotton Exchanges of Memphis, New York, and New Orleans. The collection consists of approximately 38 cubic feet of records created by the NCC in the course of operating the Maid of Cotton contest from 1939 to 1993. The records form the complete archive of this fifty-four year program. The records include administrative files, scrapbooks, photographs, slides, and videotapes.

"One of the main values of the Maid of Cotton collection is its completeness. These are all of the official records of the program, documenting all of its activities throughout its entire existence from 1939 to 1993. As such, it represents a truly unique documentary record and opportunity for research.

Beauty contests have been the subject of serious scholarly study for many years. A search of WorldCat reveals over fifty books on the topic. Scholars have found the subject to be a fruitful springboard from which to study a wide variety of topics, primarily centered around issues of beauty, femininity, culture values, national identity, racism, and feminism.

Beauty pageants serve as symbols that reflect the values of American culture. For example, pageant winners have symbolized the advances made by formerly disenfranchised groups. Vanessa Williams, the first African American to win the Miss America crown (1983), rewrote the definition of beauty in America, and Heather Whitestone, the first deaf Miss America (1995), proved that physical handicaps need not hold anyone back from their dreams. Pageants can provide a focus for the re-examination of our society and culture. The tragic murder of six-year-old Jonbenet Ramsey in 1996 provided a window into what author Susan Anderson calls "the extravagant world of child beauty pageants," that led to public debate about issues of motherhood and adolescence.

In addition, beauty pageants can be viewed in advertising terms: they are the ultimate expression of the tried and true adage that sex sells. All pageants have sponsors and all sponsors want their products to be seen in a positive light. Some sponsors are content to contribute goods and services to the contestants --a new car, a trip to the Caribbean, a fur coat, etc. --so that their generosity can be noted in the publicity surrounding the contest. Others prefer to sponsor the entire program. The Miss Universe contest, for example, was created in 1952 by the Jantzen Company specifically to enable the company to showcase pretty girls wearing its swimsuits. Jantzen abruptly withdrew its previous support of the Miss America pageant when Yolande Betbeze refused to wear a bathing suit during her reign as Miss America 1951. The Maid of Cotton pageant is a highly organized, year-long, very visible public relations program that allows the National Cotton Council to showcase the wonders of cotton through the wonders of young beauty queens. Attractive young women are the perfect vehicle for promoting fashionable fabrics made from cotton.

Cotton --the product at the heart of the Maid of Cotton program --has been central to American economic and political history. NMAH's collecting and research interests reflect this. The Division of Work & Industry contains numerous cotton-related objects and much documentation on the subject. The Archives Center holds several cotton-related collections, including the Peter Paul Haring Papers, 1897-1935, documenting Haring's development of cotton picking machinery; the Lockwood Greene collection of thousands of engineering drawings, many of which were for textile mills; the Robert L. Shurr Script and Scrapbook for a 1939 biographical motion picture on Dr. George Washington Carver; and the Southern Agriculture Oral History Project Records, 1985-1992, which documents modern cotton farming through photography and oral history interviews. In addition, all aspects of cotton production, from farm to factory to finished goods, are documented in several hundred photos in the Underwood & Underwood Agricultural Photonegative Collection, the Underwood & Underwood Glass Stereograph Collection, the Division of Work & Industry Lantern Slide Collection, and the Donald Sultner-Welles Photograph Collection. Cultural aspects of cotton can be discovered in both the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana and in the DeVincent Collection of Illustrated American Sheet Music." (Orr, Craig. "NMAH Collections Committee", memorandum, 2009)

Series 1, Organizational and Pageant Files, 1939-1993, undated., is arranged chronologically by year. Files may contain correspondence, photographs, news clippings, radio commercial scripts, tear sheets, itineraries, trip reports, sheet music, legal documents, waivers, and permissions, and other material related to the Maid of Cotton pageant for that year. Files may also contain subsequent personal information on the Maid of Cotton for that year, for example change of address, news clippings, and the like. This series contains finalist files, trip files and tour report files.

Series 2, Photographs, Slides, and Transparencies, 1939-1994, undated., is arranged chronologically by year. This series contains photographs, slides, and transparencies related to the Maid of Cotton and her travels throughout the United States and overseas. It also contains photographs of the fashions worn by each Maid.

Series 3, Scrapbooks, 1951-1988, contains the scrapbooks created by the National Cotton Council office as well as scrapbooks created by the Maids themselves or others for her. Scrapbooks most often contain news clippings, ephemera, and sometimes correspondence.

Series 4, Audio-Visual, 1991-1993. This series contains video and audio related to the Maid of Cotton. It is currently unprocessed.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into four series.

Series 1: Organizational and Pageant Files, 1939-1993, undated

Subseries 1.1: Maid of Cotton files, 1939-1993

Subseries 1.2: Little Miss Cotton, 1956-1963, undated

Series 2: Photographs, Slides, and Transparencies, 1939-1994, undated

Subseries 2.1: Photographic Negatives and Transparencies, 1939-1993, undated

Subseries 2.2: Slides, 1939-1993, undated

Series 3: Scrapbooks, 1951-1988

Series 4: Audio-Visual, 1991-1993, undated

Biographical / Historical:

The Maid of Cotton pageant began in 1939. The annual pageant was sponsored by the National Cotton Council (NCC), Memphis Cotton Carnival, and the Cotton Exchanges of Memphis, New York, and New Orleans. The pageant was held in Memphis, Tennessee, in conjunction with the Carnival until the 1980s.

In mid-December every year the NCC released a list of contestants. Contestants were required to have been born in one of the cotton-producing states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North and South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas or Virginia. They might have also been born in the cotton-producing counties of Alexander, Jefferson, Massac, Pulaski, Williamson or Madison, Illinois or in Clark or Nye counties of Nevada. There were usually twenty contestants each year.

Contestants were judged on personality, good manners, intelligence, and family background as well as beauty and an ability to model. A Top Ten were chosen and then a Top Five, and finally second and first runners up and a winner. Winners served as goodwill and fashion ambassadors of the cotton industry in a five-month, all-expense tour of American cities. In the mid-1950s the tour expanded globally. In the late 1950s a Little Miss Cotton pageant was begun but lasted only until 1963 before being discontinued. In the mid-1980s Dallas,Texas took over the pageant, in conjunction with the NCC and its overseas division, Cotton Council International. In 1986, to bolster interest and participation, the NCC eliminated the rule requiring contestants to be born in a cotton-producing state. The pageant was discontinued in 1993, one of the reasons being that Cotton Inc. stopped contributing scholarship money as well as waning public interest and changing marketing strategies. (pageantopolis.com website accessed April 2012.)

"The National Cotton Council is the official trade association of the cotton industry. The NCC was founded in 1939 to promote the interests of cotton farmers, ginners, brokers, and manufacturers from the Southern, cotton-growing states. Its mission evolved over the years as new uses for cotton and its byproducts have been found; as competition from synthetic fibers developed; as fashion tastes changed; as government regulation increased; and in response to foreign competition in both farming and manufacturing . The NCC website states that its modern-day mission is "to ensure the ability of all U.S. cotton industry segments to compete effectively and profitably in the raw cotton, oilseed and U.S.-manufactured product markets at home and abroad." Throughout its existence, the NCC has been the contact point for issues affecting its members, legislators in Congress, allied agribusiness, and consumers.

One of the first NCC programs undertaken by to promote the versatility and value of cotton to consumers was the Maid of Cotton program, begun in 1939. This consisted of a beauty pageant open to young women born in one of the seventeen southern cotton growing states. The contestants were evaluated on the basis of beauty, personality, poise, good manners, and intelligence; a family background in cotton production was especially helpful. The girls had to apply for selection to compete in the program. At first this was done directly to the Memphis-based program but eventually a system of state Maid of Cotton programs were established, whose winners went on to compete in the national Maid of Cotton contest. The Maid of Cotton received numerous prizes, whose value and variety tended to increase over the years. In the late 1940s, the program added a scholarship prize, probably in emulation of the Miss America contest. The Maid of Cotton pageant was held each December in Memphis as part of that city's Cotton Carnival festivities. The winner was featured prominently on her own float in the Cotton Carnival parade, was feted at prestigious Carnival events, and was treated as royalty wherever she went. Selection as the Maid of Cotton carried a high degree of status and mature ladies in the South to this day proudly identify themselves as such.

The Maid of Cotton's main function, once crowned, was to serve as a goodwill and fashion ambassador for cotton; any publicity she gained was automatically positive publicity for the cotton industry. Accompanied by an NCC-appointed manager, the Maids embarked on an all-expenses-paid tour. The Maids appeared in full regalia at public events such as county fairs, parades, and holiday events; starred in fashion shows featuring all-cotton outfits; gave speeches to local chambers of commerce and other groups; and in general were the attractive personification of the cotton industry wherever they went. At first, the tours concentrated on the cotton states but they were later extended to major cities outside the cotton belt and came to include visits to legislators on Capitol Hill. Beginning in the mid-1950s, the Maids began touring internationally and in the 1970s and 1980s they frequently headed up fashion shows in Asia.

Over time, however, the publicity value of an industry-anointed beauty queen lost its attraction both to the public and --more importantly --to the press. In addition, the role of cotton in the South, particularly in Memphis, declined. In 1986 the contest was moved from Memphis to Dallas. Eventually the cotton industry withdrew its support for the program's scholarships; the 1993 Maid of Cotton was the last to be crowned." (Orr, Craig. "NMAH Collections Committee", memorandum, 2009)

Related Materials:

Materials in the Archives Center

National Cotton Council Records, circa 1960s-1980s (AC1177)

Southern Agriculture Oral History Project Records, 1986-1991 (AC0773)

Provenance:

This collection was donated by the Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange on October 14, 2009.

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are 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:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Genre/Form:

Videocassettes

Slides (photographs)

Scrapbooks -- 20th century

Reports

Programs -- 20th century

Photographs -- 20th century

Photograph albums -- 20th century

Audiotapes

Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Sponsor:

This collection was processed with a generous donation from Mr. and Mrs. Steven L. and Michelle Pitcher Trulaske, 2010.

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.1176

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8f53d73b9-ea20-46d7-a006-fb4122e3ad71

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1176