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Bovard Family papers
5004
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Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Title: Bovard Family papers
Creator:
Bovard, George Finley
Creator:
Bovard, Marion McKinley
Creator:
Bovard, Sarah, 1826-1888
Identifier/Call Number: 5004
Physical Description:
1.29 Linear Feet
4 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1859-1871
Date: 1904
Date (inclusive): 1915-1931
Date: 1950
Date: 1996
Abstract: This collection consists of the papers, scrapbooks, sermons, bibles, and diaries of members of the Bovard Family. Family members'
materials present belong to brothers and former USC presidents George Finley Bovard (1856-1932) and Marion McKinley Bovard
(1847-1891), and their mother, Sarah Young Bovard (1828-1888).
Language of Material:
English.
Container: 1
Container: 2
Container: 3
Container: 4
This collection consists of the papers, scrapbooks, sermons, bibles, and diaries of members of the Bovard Family. Family members'
materials present belong to brothers and former USC presidents George Finley Bovard (1856-1932) and Marion McKinley Bovard
(1847-1891), and their mother, Sarah Young Bovard (1828-1888). The collection consists of four series:
George Finley Bovard papers
S.S. Marion McKinley Bovard scrapbook
Sarah Bovard diaries
Bovard Family bibles
The George Finley Bovard papers contain correspondence, newspaper clippings, family history, sermons, and Bovard's testimony
in Edward L. Doheny's bribery trial. The S.S. Marion McKinley Bovard scrapbook contains newspaper clippings, correspondence,
and photographs of the production and 1942 dedication of the cargo ship named in honor of USC's first president, Marion McKinley
Bovard. His two daughters, identified as Mrs. William D. Armstrong and Mrs. Marion Shibley, are depicted in the photographs
of the ceremony. The Sarah Bovard diaries contain photocopies of the original diary pages, transcriptions of pages whose entries
date from 1859 to 1871. The Bovard Family bibles contain two bibles belonging to George F. Bovard and George L. Drake (John
Kenneth Bovard). Both were ordained Methodist ministers.
Marion McKinley Bovard (1847-1891) served as USC's first president from the school's founding in 1880 to his death in 1891.
Marion oversaw the establishment of the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, School of Music, College of Medicine and what
would become the School of Fine Arts.
George Finley Bovard (1856-1932), Marion's younger brother, was part of USC's first graduating class and served as the 4th
president of USC from 1903 to 1921. George's presidency was defined by World War I: enrollment dropped, and USC became an
official training school for army officers through the establishment of the Reserve Officers Training Corps and the introduction
of military training in physical education classes. Following the end of the war enrollment steadily increased, and Bovard
retired and was awarded the title of President Emeritus.
Sarah Young Bovard (1828-1888) was an Indiana woman who was married to Methodist minister James W. Bovard and the two had
12 children, six of whom became Methodist ministers and two became USC presidents.
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Rights Statement for Archival Description
Finding aid description and metadata are licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Department of Special
Collections at specol@usc.edu. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical
items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
[Box/folder no. or item name], Bovard Family papers, Collection no. 5004, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of
Southern California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Mrs. Lowell Martin, 1986 and 1990.
This collection is related to 5200 Bovard Family wedding dress.
Collection is partially processed.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Diaries
Scrapbooks
Family archives -- United States
Universities and colleges -- California -- Los Angeles -- Administration -- Archival resources
Bovard, George Finley -- Archives
Bovard, Marion McKinley -- Archives
Bovard, Sarah, 1826-1888 -- Archives