Register of the Louisa A. Withee Papers, 1890-1920

Processed by Daryl Morrison & Don Walker; machine-readable finding aid created by Don Walker

Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections

University Library, University of the Pacific

Stockton, CA 95211

Phone: (209) 946-2404

URL: http://www.pacific.edu/Library/Find/Holt-Atherton-Special-Collections.html

Register of the Louisa A. Withee Papers, 1890-1920

Collection number: Mss129

Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections

University Library

University of the Pacific

Contact Information

Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections
University Library, University of the Pacific
Stockton, CA 95211
Phone: (209) 946-2404
URL: https://www.pacific.edu/university-libraries/find/holt-atherton-special-collections

Processed by:: Daryl Morrison & Don Walker
Date Completed:: 4-94; 5-98
Encoded by:: Don Walker

Descriptive Summary

Title: Louisa A. Withee Papers,

Date (inclusive): 1890-1920

Collection number: Mss129

Creator: Louisa A. Withee

Extent: 0.25 linear ft.

Repository: University of the Pacific. Library. Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections

Stockton, CA 95211

Shelf location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.

Language: English.

Administrative Information

Access

Collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Louisa A. Withee Papers, Mss129, Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library

Biography

Ancestors of Louisa Withee's husband were farmers in Wisconsin and it is of interest that a town in that state bears their name. Louisa Withee remained in Wisconsin her entire life. Louisa's sister, Helen Wood Manville, and Helen's daughter Marion, were widely-traveled published authors. Helen Manville's (1839-1912)collected poetry appeared as Heart Echoes (1875). Marion Manville Pope (1859-1930)published Over the Divide and Other Verses (1888), Up the Matterhorn in a Boat (1897) and Between Two Goals (1917). In 1891 Marion Manville married Charles Pope, an American businessman working in South America, and Helen Manville moved with her daughter and son-in-law to Chile. In 1911 Pope concentrated his business activities in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Charles Pope made lengthy business trips to New York and London on some of which his wife and mother-in-law joined him. Most of their contact with Louisa Withee and other Wisconsin relatives, however, was by mail. It is not clear from this correspondence what Charles Pope's business was, although one might guess that he was involved in the import trade. Helen Manville seems to have been torn between living with her daughter in South America and remaining in Wisconsin near family. This issue was resolved only by her death (1912). Louisa Withee's son, Haskell, also figures in the correspondence since he was spent some time in Europe with the Popes.

Scope and Content

The primary correspondence in this collection consists of letters to Louisa A. Withee from her son son Haskell, her sister, Helen Manville, and Helen's daughter, Marion Pope. Some of these date from the Manvilles' European tour (1890). Subsequent items discuss, apart from family matters, the Chilean earthquakes of 1906 and 1909, as well as American business prospects in South America. Letters from Charles Pope to his Aunt (by marriage), Louisa Withee, concern business dealings. The Popes seemingly acted on Louisa's behalf with respect to insurance and other business matters. The collection also contains a few family photographs, although most are unidentified.

BOX 1: LOUISA A. WITHEE PAPERS, 1890-1920

1.1 CORRESPONDENCE FROM EUROPE, JAN-APR 1890 [Louisa A. Withee is the addressee unless otherwise indicated]

1) Helen A. Manville, Paris, 1-28

2) Marion Manville, Paris, 3-1

3) M.M. Manville, London, 3-2.

4) [Marion], Fischer's Hotel, London, 3-3

5) Envelope to Mrs. Louisa A. Withee, 3-5 Cor. (?) 9th and Cass Streets, LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Four photographs enclosed:

-Unidentified group of eight women camping:::::

-Mrs. Helen A. Manville:::::

-Pearl Fraser now Mrs. Asa Trigg(?):::::

-House of Thomas and Cora (?) Fraser. ["where he died"]

6) Marion, London to "Home Folks", 3-15

7) Helen to "Mother," London, 4-16.

8) Helen, Orient Line to Sister and Mother, n.d.

1.2 CORRESPONDENCE CHIEFLY FROM EUROPE, MAY-JUL, 1890

1) N. Haskell Withee, Grand Hotel, Nice, 5-12

2) Marion to "Grandma and Aunty," 5-22.

3) Helen, 5-23

4) N. Haskell Withee, Lucerne, 6-3

5) Helen, Margate, England to "Mother and Sister," 7-1

6) Helen, High Cliff Hotel, Margate, England, 7-8

7) E. H. Sherbirne, Spirit Lake to sister Sophia at LaCrosse, 7-10

1.3 CORRESPONDENCE FROM NON-FAMILY, 1896-1899.

1) E.A. Caldwell, NYC to "Friend," 1-5-96

2) Rasmus (?) Ras...(?) Hangehagen 10, Benzen, Norway to "friend Withee," 6-26-99

1.4 CORRESPONDENCE CHIEFLY FROM CHILE,1904-1906

1) Helen, Continental Hotel, NYC, 9-28-04

2) Unidentified Photographs. Probably Archer family. In envelope dated 9-28-04. Note on envelope "To be kept relating to Cousins Archer":

-Woman on bridge:::::

-Family group:::::

-Two children in yard:::::

-Man in baseball uniform...Mansville & Power Co.:::::

-Girl child in yard:::::

-Stadium, bull-fighting scene (faded):::::

-Woman in cowboy hat, scarf and cuffs:::::

-Man and woman on lawn:::::

-Man and woman on lawn w/ man and car in the background:::::

-Man and three children with dog:::::

-Man and woman with child and baby in cart

3) Helen [in Chile], n.d. [c1906]

4) Helen A. Manville, 330 Avenida Espana, Santiago, 10-25-06

5) Helen, Santiago, Chile, 12-22-06

1.5 CORRESPONDENCE FROM CHILE, 1907

1) Helen A. Manville, Santiago, Chile, 2-13

2) John Hicks, American Legation, Santiago, Chile to Mrs. Manville, 4-6

3) Helen, 330 Avenida Espana, Santiago de Chile, 6-11

4) Helen, 10-20

5) Helen, 10-27

6) Helen, 11-3

7) Helen, 12-29

1.6 CORRESPONDENCE FROM CHILE, 1908-1909

1) [Charles Pope], Santiago, 2-1-08

2) [Marion to aunt?] ca. 1909, pp. 2-7 [Describes earthquake]

3) [Helen,] 94 Espana, Santiago, Chile, c3-14-09

4) Helen, 5-24-09

5) Helen, 7-12-09

6) Marion, 8-30-09

1.7 CORRESPONDENCE FROM CHILE & ELSEWHERE, 1910

1) Charlie to Aunt Marion, 1-16

2) Helen, Redroof Bungalow, Santiago, Chile, 4-18

3) Helen, on board United Fruit Company's S.S. Zacapa, 12-19

4) Helen, The Breslin, NYC, 12-29

1.8 CORRESPONDENCE FROM CHILE & NY 1911

1) Charlie, 2-8

2) C.T. Clarke, Mercer Supply Co., Trenton, N.J. to Mr. Pope, 2-4

3) Salmagundi Club [illegible], 6-11

4) Marion, 9-12

1.9 CORRESPONDNCE FROM BUENOS AIRES, AUG-SEP 1912.

1) Helen, 8-22

2) [Helen] to "Dear Friend," 8-23

3) Helen, 8-27

4) Helen, 9-5

5) Helen, 9-11

6) Announcement of death of Helen A. Manville, beloved mother of Marion Manville Pope, in Buenos Aires, September 24, 1912.

1.10 CORRESPONDENCE CHIEFLY FROM BUENOS AIRES, OCT-NOV 1912.

1) Adelaide H. Brown, East Orange, New Jersey to Mrs. Withee, 10-7

2) Marion, Buenos Aires, 10-22

3) Marion, Buenos Aires, 10-25

4) Marion, Buenos Aires, 11-26

1.11 CORRESPONDENCE FROM BUENOS AIRES, 1913

1) Marion [incomplete], c1913

2) Marion, 1-2

3) Marion, 1-23

4) Marion, 4-30

5) Marion, 6-10

6) Marion, 7-9

7) Marion, 8-19

1.12 MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE, 1914-1918

1) Charlie, Splendid Hotel Frascati, 8-6-14

2) Augusta S., Beulah, Wyoming to "Cousin Louisa," 5-16-15

3) North Fork Farm, Owen, Wisconsin to Vassine (?), 2-1-15

4) Marion, 9-13-17

5) Marion, 1-23-18

6) Charles Pope, New York to Mrs. Louisa A. Withee, Portland, Oregon, 2-9-18

7) Charles Pope, New York City, 2-15-18

8) [Marion], B.A.,to Aunt, 2-24-18

9) Marion to "Aunty and Bessie," 7-20-18

1.13 MISC. CORRESPONDENCE, 1919-1920

1) Marion, New York, 7-9-19

2) Marion, New York, 10-25-19

3) Marion, Grosvenor Hotel, 3-24-20

4) Marion, Buenos Aires, 8-29-20

5) Marion, 9-22-20

1.14 UNDATED CORRESPONDENCE

1) American Legation, Santiago to Elena De Manville [envelope]

2) "Dr. Salaberry Presents his Resignation" [clipping]

3) Marion, Hotel Seville, N.Y. [World War I news]

4) "On the Opening of the Trans-Andean Railroad," by Helen Manville, Santiago, Chile [poem]

5) Haskell, Wisconsin to "Mother" (Louisa Withee) [regarding selling 120 acres of land]

6) Birkall?, Los Angeles to Mrs. Withee, 8-30-?

7) Letisha to "Mother"