Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Nellie Suydam Cowley papers
MS 158
View entire collection guide
Search this collection
Table of contents
Title: Nellie Suydam Cowley papers
Date (inclusive): 1861-1945, undated
Date (bulk): 1892-1945
Collection Number: MS 158
Creator:
Cowley, Nellie Suydam
Extent:
1.67 linear feet
(4 boxes)
Repository:
Rivera Library. Special Collections Department.
Riverside, CA 92517-5900
Abstract: This collection contains diaries, correspondence, photographs, publications, and other material pertaining to Nellie Suydam
Cowley, an average citizen who spent much of her life in Glendora, California. Her diaries and writings are based on what
she considered to be her "ordinary" life and the "ordinary" events that encompassed it. While much of the material pertains
to Glendora there is also material that documents her time in Arizona. Includes Cowley's diaries which depict the everyday
happenings of her life in California and Arizona over a span of fifty-three years, photographs of her family, friends, residences,
and travels, and her published poems and short stories. Also includes documents such as mortgage and stock certificates pertaining
to her financial dealings.
Languages: The collection is in English.
The collection is open for research.
Copyright Unknown: Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction,
and/or commercial use, of some materials may be restricted by gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and
publicity rights, licensing agreement(s), and/or trademark rights. Distribution or reproduction of materials protected by
copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. To the extent other restrictions
apply, permission for distribution or reproduction from the applicable rights holder is also required. Responsibility for
obtaining permissions, and for any use rests exclusively with the user
[identification of item], [date if possible]. Nellie Suydam Cowley papers (MS 158). Special Collections & University Archives,
University of California, Riverside.
Purchased in 1983.
Processed by Reajinae Jenlins and Aleia McDaniel, Student Processing Assistants, 2015.
Processing of the Nellie Suydam Cowley papers was completed by undergraduate students from the University of California, Riverside
as part of the Special Collections & University Archives Backlog Processing Project started in 2015. This project was funded
by the UCR Library and administered by Bergis Jules, University and Political Papers Archivist, and Eric Milenkiewicz, Manuscripts
Curator.
Nellie Suydam Cowley was raised in both Southern California and Arizona. She grew up filled with a love for books that eventually
led to her love of writing. Nellie chronicled her life and dreams through her diaries and letters. As one of two children,
Nellie and her family moved to California in 1885 where she spent the majority of her life in the city of Glendora. Her writings
are based on what she considered her "ordinary" life and the "ordinary" events that encompassed it. Cowley had dreams of becoming
a writer and going to college but ultimately was never able to achieve these goals. Unable to become a writer, Nellie became
a printer and in 1913 set up a printing shop in Arizona with her husband Harry Cowley. After the death of her mother, the
failure of the printing shop, and the dissolution of her marriage Nellie relocated to Glendora, California. She continued
to write stories, some of which were published; participate in civic events; and completed twenty-nine diaries detailing her
life before dying of cancer in 1946.
This collection contains diaries, correspondence, photographs, publications, and other material pertaining to Nellie Suydam
Cowley and her life in Glendora, California and Douglas, Arizona. Includes Cowley's diaries which depict the everyday happenings
of her life in California and Arizona over a span of fifty three years, photographs of her family, friends, residences, and
travels, and her published poems and short stories. Also includes documents such as mortgage and stock certificates pertaining
to her financial dealings.
This collection is arranged into four series as follows:
- Series 1. Writings, circa 1875-1945
- Series 2. Photographs, 1861-1913
- Series 3. Financial documents, 1886-1906
- Series 4. Publications, 1902-1949, undated
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
library's online public access catalog.
Cowley, Nellie Suydam
Douglas (Ariz.)
Glendora (Calif.)
Clippings (information artifacts)
Diaries
Photographs