Allie Prescott Correspondence: Finding Aid

Finding aid prepared by Steven Collicelli, February 10, 2011.

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

Overview of the Collection

Title: Allie Prescott Correspondence

Dates (inclusive): 1870-1891

Collection Number: mssHM 74433-74480

Creator: Prescott, Allie.

Extent: 48 items.

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 correspondence of Los Angeles schoolteacher Allie Prescott to her family in Massachusetts between 1870 and 1891. The letters in the collection deal primarily with family history and Prescott's struggles with loneliness, teaching, and living in Los Angeles.

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]. Allie Prescott Correspondence, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Provenance

Purchased from Dawson's Bookshop, March 9, 1956.

Biographical Note

Sometime before 1870, Allie Prescott (born circa 1847) left her native Massachusetts to start a new life in Los Angeles, California. She travelled alone, leaving behind a large family in Boston. Prescott soon became a public schoolteacher and fell in love with the young city’s sunny climate, abundant fresh produce, and mix of cultures. Deeply religious, Prescott’s letters include mention of several Los Angeles area churches: Methodist, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, and Unitarian. Finally, while the motivations behind Prescott’s move are unknown, her letters indicate that she was sending money home to help support her mother.

Scope and Content

The correspondence of Allie Prescott consists of 48 handwritten letters addressed primarily to her mother and her sister, Emma. They are arranged chronologically from Jan. 11, 1870 to Apr. 4, 1891. Six undated letters have been placed at the end of the collection.

The letters in the collection deal primarily with Prescott family history and Allie Prescott’s struggles with loneliness, teaching, and living in Los Angeles. The letters include descriptions of wildfires, oil wells, Chinese and Mexican cultures, and churchgoing. In addition, the collection includes anecdotal information concerning late 19th century fashion.

Arrangement

Indexing Terms

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

Subjects

Prescott, Allie.

Chinese -- California -- Los Angeles.

Mexicans -- California -- Los Angeles.

Women -- California -- Correspondence.

California -- History -- 19th century -- Sources.

Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Church history.

Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Description and travel.

Forms/Genres

Letters (correspondence) -- California -- 19th century.

Box 1

Correspondence

1870, Jan. 11. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Emma.” HM 74433

1874, Sep. 2. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74434

1874, Sep. 19. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74435

1874, Oct. 4. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74436

1874, Oct. 11. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Sister Laura.” HM 74437

1874, Dec. 6. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74438

1874, Dec. 27. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74439

1875, Jan 17. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Grandmother.” HM 74440

1875, Mar. 18. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Grandmother.” HM 74441

1875, Aug. 29. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74442

1875, Oct. 24. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74443

1875, Dec. 10. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Grandfather.” HM 74444

1876, Mar 5. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74445

1876, Oct. 15. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Daniel.” HM 74446

1876, Oct. 22. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74447

1876, Nov. 5. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Daniel.” HM 74448

1876, Nov. 26. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74449

1877, Mar. 25. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74450

1877, Apr. 29. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74451

1877, Jul. 1. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74452

1877, Sep. 2. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Emma.” HM 74453

1878, Aug. 4. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Emma.” HM 74454

1878, Sep. 22. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74455

1878, Oct. 23. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74456

1878, Dec. 8. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74457

1879, Jun. 30. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74458

1879, Jul. 10. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74459

1879, Jul. 31. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74460

1879, Aug. 30. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74461

1879, Dec. 10. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74462

1880, Feb. 15. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Grandfather.” HM 74463

1881, Jan. 3. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74464

1881, Dec. 5. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74465

1881, Dec. 11. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74466

1882, Feb. 19. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74467

1882, Apr. 3. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Emma.” HM 74468

1882, Jun. 4. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Emma.” HM 74469

1883, Aug. 14. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Emma.” HM 74470

1883, Aug. 28. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Emma.” HM 74471

1886, Jun. 28. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Emma.” HM 74472

1887, Jun. 28. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74473

1891, Apr. 12. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mother.” HM 74474

Undated. Prescott, Allie 1 letter to “Dear Mr. Reed.” HM 74475

Undated. Prescott, Allie 1 letters to [unknown]. HM 74476

Undated. Prescott, Allie 1 letters to [unknown]. HM 74477

Undated. Prescott, Allie 1 letters to [unknown]. HM 74478

Undated. Prescott, Allie 1 letters to [unknown]. HM 74479

Undated. Prescott, Allie 1 letters to [unknown]. HM 74480