Clara Bradley Burdette Papers: Finding Aid

Processed by The Huntington Library staff; supplementary encoding and revision supplied by Xiuzhi Zhou in 2000 and Diann Benti in June 2017.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2129
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© 2000
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.


Overview of the Collection

Title: Clara Bradley Burdette Papers
Dates (inclusive): 1843-1954
Collection Number: mssBurdette papers
Creator: Burdette, Clara Bradley, 1855-1954.
Extent: Approximately 50,000 pieces in 163 boxes.
Repository: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2129
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: This collection contains papers related to the life, activities, and family of Southern California social, business, and philanthropic leader Clara Bradley Burdette (1855-1954). It includes materials on various women's clubs and societies, especially the General Federation of Women's Clubs, California Federation of Women's Clubs, and Alpha Phi Sorority. There are also materials related to Mills College, Syracuse University, California College in China, the Southwest Museum, Trinity Baptist Church in Los Angeles, including manuscripts and sermons by Robert Jones Burdette, and the Republican party.
Language: English.

Access

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Administrative Information

Publication Rights

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item]. Clara Bradley Burdette Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Provenance

Gift of Florence A. Walker, 1955 and 1962.

Biographical Note

Clara Bradley Burdette (1855-1954) was a Southern California social, business, and philanthropic leader. She attended Syracuse University, where she was a founder of Alpha Phi Sorority in 1872. After the deaths of her first two husbands, Nathaniel Milman Wheeler and Col. Presley C. Baker, she married Robert Jones Burdette (1844-1914), a humorist and lecturer who moved to the ministry after his marriage to Clara in 1899. He founded the Trinity Baptist Church in Los Angeles, and Clara became a leader of women's societies and was founder and first president of the California Federation of Women's Clubs in 1900. She was active in Republican politics (particularly in Herbert Hoover's campaign for the presidency), and she was a trustee of Syracuse University, Mills College, California College in China, Pasadena Hospital, and the Southwest Museum.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of letters, manuscripts, diaries, documents, scrapbooks, and photographs related to the life, activities, and family of Clara Bradley Burdette.
It includes materials on various women's clubs and societies, especially the General Federation of Women's Clubs, California Federation of Women's Clubs, and Alpha Phi Sorority.
There are also materials related to Mills College, Syracuse University, California College in China, the Southwest Museum, Trinity Baptist Church in Los Angeles, including manuscripts and sermons by Robert Jones Burdette, and the Republican party.
Significant persons represented in the collection include: Susan B. Anthony (5 pieces), Robert Jones Burdette (948), Harry Chandler (16), Herbert Hoover (37), Lou Henry Hoover (18), Carrie Jacobs-Bond (23), Melville De Lancy Landon (5), Charles Fletcher Lummis (65), John Steven McGroarty (10), Ralph Palmer Merritt (77), Harrison Gray Otis (25), Aurelia Henry Reinhardt (96), James Whitcomb Riley (23), and Caroline M. Seymour Severance (11).

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Huntington Library's Online Catalog.  

Subjects

Burdette, Clara Bradley, 1855-1954.
Burdette, Clara Bradley, 1855-1954 -- Family.
Burdette, Robert J. (Robert Jones), 1844-1914.
Alpha Phi (Sorority)
California College in China.
California Federation of Women's Clubs.
General Federation of Women's Clubs.
Mills College.
Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- )
Southwest Museum (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Syracuse University.
Trinity Baptist Church (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Women -- Societies and clubs -- California -- Los Angeles.
Women civic leaders -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archives.
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- History -- Sources.

Forms/Genres

Diaries -- California.
Letters (correspondence) -- California.
Personal papers -- California.
Photographs -- California.
Scrapbooks -- California.

Alternate Authors

Anthony, Susan B. (Susan Brownell), 1820-1906.
Burdette, Robert J. (Robert Jones), 1844-1914.
Chandler, Harry, 1864-1944.
Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964.
Hoover, Lou Henry, 1874-1944.
Jacobs-Bond, Carrie, 1862-1946.
Landon, Melville D. (Melville De Lancey), 1839-1910.
Lummis, Charles Fletcher, 1859-1928.
McGroarty, John Steven, 1862-1944.
Merritt, Ralph Palmer, 1883-1963.
Otis, Harrison Gray, 1837-1917.
Reinhardt, Aurelia Henry, 1877-1948.
Riley, James Whitcomb, 1849-1916.
Severance, Caroline M. Seymour (Caroline Maria Seymour), 1820-1914.


Box 1

A -Allro

Box 1a

Alpha Phi. 1909 - 1939

Box 1b

Alpha Phi. 1940 - 1946 and undated

Box 2

American - Aylesworth

Box 3

Babcock - Baker

Box 4

Balch - Baumgartner

Box 5

Beach - Beveridge

Box 6

Bickers - Boynton

Box 7

Bradford - Brousseau

Box 8

Brown - Burdette (Charles Ernest)

Box 9

Burdette, Clara (Bradley) To Adams-Bunnell

Box 10

Burdette, Clara (Bradley) To Robert Jones Burdette

Box 10a

Burdette, Clara (Bradley) To C - F

Box 11

Burdette, Clara (Bradley) Gale To - Kress

Box 12

Burdette, Clara (Bradley) To Lapworth - Norton

Box 13

Burdette, Clara (Bradley) To Oakland - Ryan

Box 14

Burdette, Clara (Bradley) To Sabel - Wade

Box 14a

Burdette, Clara Corresp. to Florence Walker

Box 15

Burdette, Clara (Bradley) To Wallace - Women

Box 16

Burdette, Felicia (Johnson) - Burdette, R Edwin

Box 17

Burdette, Robt. J. a To Clara Burdette 1883 - 1898, Apr. 16

Box 18

Burdette, Robt. J. a To Clara Burdette 1898, Apr. 17 - Sept.

Box 19

Burdette, Robt. a To Clara Burdette 1898, Oct. - 1899, Jan.

Box 20

Burdette, Robt. J. a To Clara Burdette 1899, Feb. - 1914 n.d.

Box 21

Burdette, Robert Jones a To Anthony, Susan - Robt. J. b

Box 22

Burdette, Robt. J. a To L Campbell-Burdette, Robt. J. a & Clara

Box 23

Burdette, Robert Jones b To Bradley-Clara (Bradley) Burdette

Box 24

Burdette, Robt. Jones b To Burdette, Robt. Jones a - Misc. Corr.

Box 25

Burdette, Robt. Jones b Diary-Burdette, W G

Box 26

Burdick - Calder

Box 27

California Association - Federation Business

Box 28

California Committee - University

Box 29

Calif. Federation of Women's Clubs 1902 - 1924

Box 30

California Federation of Women's Clubs 1924 - 1937

Box 31

California Federation of Women's Clubs 1938 - 1946

Box 32

California Foundation - Cay

Box 33

Cecil - Cherington

Box 34

Chicago - Clyde

Box 35

Coad - Coyle

Box 36

Craddick - Cuthbert

Box 37

Daggett - Dayton

Box 38

Dearborn - Dozier

Box 39

Drake - Edwards

Box 40

Egermayer - Eyer

Box 41

Fairbanks - Foley

Box 42

Foltz - Gelesnoff

Box 43

General Federation of Women's Clubs 1900 - 1919

Box 44

General Federation of Women's Clubs. 1920 - 1922

Box 45

Burdette, Clara General Federation of Women's Clubs. 1923

Box 46

Burdette, Clara General Federation of Women's Clubs. Correspondence. 1924 Jan.-June 3

Box 47

General Federation of Women's Clubs. Biennial Convention A - Reports. 1924, June 3 - 13

Box 48

General Federation of Women's Clubs. Biennial Convention Resolutions, speeches, printed. 1924, June 3 - 13

Box 49

Clara Burdette - General Federation of Women's Clubs. 1925 - 1927, Jan.

Box 50

General Federation of Women's Clubs. Feb. 1927 - 1941

Box 51

George Goodwin

Box 52

Goddard - Guyles

Box 53

Hackett - Hazard

Box 54

Heale - Holmes

Box 55

Home - Hull

Box 56

Humphrey - Ivins

Box 57

Jacobs - Keyes

Box 58

Kilmer - Lay

Box 59

League - Long

Box 60

Loomis - Lyon

Box 61

Mabee - McWilliams

Box 62

Macy - Meredith

Box 63

Merriam - Meyer

Box 64

Michigan - Mitchell

Box 65

Moen - National

Box 66

Near - Olney

Box 67

Oneal, Helen E. (W.) To Clara (Bradley) Burdette

Box 68

Oneal, Helen E. (W.) Bills - school grades

Box 69

O'Neil - Pasadena First Nat'l Bank

Box 70

Pasadena Hospital

Box 71

Pasadena: Maryland Hotel - Pettinos

Box 72

Pettus - Pefau

Box 73

Phelps - Potts

Box 74

Pratt - Reid

Box 75

Reinhardt - Riverside

Box 76

Robb - Sayler

Box 77

Scanlan - Sewell

Box 78

Shaw - Smith

Box 79

Shape - Steele

Box 80

Stehman - Stowe

Box 81

Stratford - Syracuse Univ. to C.B. Burdette

Box 82

Syracuse University. Reports for the Board of Trustees. 1938 - 1949

Box 83

Tabor - Tindolph

Box 84

Todd - Tyrell

Box 85

United Brotherhood - Walker, Charles A.

Box 86

Walker, Florence A. - Wellington

Box 87

Wells - Wheeler

Box 88

Roy Bradley Wheeler to Clara (Bradley) Burdette. 1888 - 1898

Box 89

Roy Bradley Wheeler to Clara (Bradley) Burdette - Robert Jones Burdette

Box 90

Wheeler, Roy B.

Box 91

Wheeler Ruth - Wixson

Box 92

Wohlford - Women's

Box 93

Wood - Zelzah

Box 94

Miscellaneous and unidentified

Box 95

Christmas cards. 1920-21

Box 96

Clara Burdette Christmas Cards (also some letters). 1929

Box 97

Christmas cards which have been checked.

Box 98

Christmas cards and other greeting cards.

Box 99

Burdette, Clara. Mills College Printed material.

Box 100

Diaries, etc. 1881 - 1913

Box 101

Burdette, Clara. Diaries, etc. 1916 - 1930

Box 102

Burdette, Clara. Diaries, etc. 1931 - 43

Box 103

Burdette, Clara. Business Papers, accounts, funeral plans

Box 104

Miscellaneous

Box 105

Clippings. 1917 - 1925

Box 106

Clippings. 1926

Box 107

Clippings. 1928 - 1933

Box 108

Clippings. 1928 - 33

Box 109

Clippings. 1930 - 1934

Box 110

Clippings. 1928 - 1933

Box 111

Clippings, esp. articles by Robert Burdette

Box 112

Burdette, Robt. & Clara. Clippings

Box 113

Printed material (clippings, programs, etc.)

Box 114

Clippings

Box 115

Printed material (clippings, etc.). 1872 -

Box 116

Photographs

Box 117

Photographs

Box 118

Photographs

Box 119

Photographs. Clara Burdette & Roy

Box 120

Burdette, Robt. Photographs

Box 121

Photo Albums

Box 122

Burdette, Clara. Christmas and Greeting Cards. 1930s-1940s

Box 123

Burdette, Clara

Contains:
  • 1) Compositions
  • 2) Replies to invitations to Wedding of Clara and M.M. Wheeler
  • 3) Press releases, reports, lecture notes, etc.
  • 4) Bills & accounts
  • 5) Calendars & appointment schedules
  • 6) Itineraries
  • 7) Addresses
  • 8) Lists re gifts, dinners, acknowledgements, etc.
  • 9) Calling cards, programs, etc.
  • 10) Autobiographical material
Box 124

Suffrage; Syracuse University. Printed material

Box 125

Clara Burdette - Life Story

Box 126

Burdette, Clara (Notes, clippings, & correspondence) Life Story

Box 127

Printed items

Box 128

Clara Burdette - "Hoover for President" Campaign. Republican Committees. 1920 &

Box 129

Burdette, Clara Hoover Campaign. 1928, 1934, 1940

Box 130

International Relations (chiefly printed material)

Box 131

Burdette, Clara International Relations (printed material)

Box 132

Burdette, Clara Invitations sent her

Box 133

Burdette, Clara Invitations sent her. 1931 - 1934

Box 134

Burdette, Clara. Life Story

Box 135

Burdette, Clara. Life Story Notes, clippings, etc.

Box 136

Burdette, Clara. Material for talks & addresses

Box 137

Burdette, Clara. Materials for talks & addresses

Box 138

Burdette, Clara. Material for talks & addresses

Box 139

Burdette, Clara. Materials for talks & addresses

Box 140

Burdette, Clara. Mexico & Norway Corres. & printed material

Box 141

Burdette, Clara. Requests. 1902, 1911-12

Box 142

Burdette, Clara. Robert J. Burdette: His message (original mss.)

Box 143

Temple Baptist Church. Source Material

Box 144

Burdette, Robert. Biographical, Speeches, Namesakes

Box 145

Burdette, Robert. Diaries, etc. 1880 - 1902

Box 146

Burdette, Robert. Diaries, etc. 1903 - 1914

Box 147

Burdette, Robert. Mss., letters from publishers, letters re books, Misc.

Box 148

Burdette, Robert. Material for speeches

Box 149

Burdette, Robert. Material for speeches, clippings, etc.

Box 150

Burdette, Robert. Receipts, etc. (1888 - 1914)

Box 151

Burdette, Robert. Sermons

Box 152

Burdette, Robert. Sermons

Box 153

Burdette, Robert. Sermons

Box 154

Burdette, Robert. Speeches, lectures, notes etc.

Box 155

Burdette, Robert. Speeches

Box 156

Burdette, Robert. Speeches & lectures Funeral addresses

Box 157

Wheeler, Nathaniel Milman. MSS. A-I

Box 158

Wheeler, Nathaniel Milman. MSS. J-N

Box 159

Wheeler, Nathaniel Milman. MSS. O-Ephemera