Jane Porter Candler papers concerning the Wilson family, approximately 1890-1928

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Summary

Abstract:
This collection primarily contains correspondence from Woodrow Wilson and various Wilson family members to Jane Porter Candler. Also present are photographs, ephemera, clippings, and publications sent to or collected by Candler. Material dates from approximately 1890 to 1928.
Extent:
.42 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Jane Porter Candler papers concerning the Wilson family, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection primarily contains correspondence from Woodrow Wilson and various Wilson family members, including Ellen Axson Wilson and Edith Bolling Galt Wilson, to Jane Porter Candler. Also present are photographs, ephemera, clippings, and publications sent to or collected by Candler. Material dates from approximately 1890 to 1928. Letters mostly discuss family activities, health, and the aftermath of the death of Ellen Axson Wilson in August 1914. Woodrow Wilson's four letters to Candler are brief responses to letters from her. Some items in this collection are annotated, presumably by Jane Porter Candler.

Biographical / historical:

Jane Porter Candler (1861-1949) lived in Los Angeles and was a close friend of Ellen Axson Wilson from their childhoods in Rome, Georgia.

Woodrow Wilson (December 28/29, 1856-February 3, 1924), the twenty-eighth president of the United States, was born in Staunton, Virginia, the son of a Presbyterian minister. In 1885, he married Ellen Axson (1860-1914); the couple had three daughters. Wilson received a PhD from Johns Hopkins University in 1886 and taught history, political science, and economics at Bryn Mawr College, Wesleyan University, and Princeton University. In 1902, he became president of Princeton. Wilson was elected governor of New Jersey in 1910. In 1912, he was elected president of the U.S. as a Democrat. The early years of his presidency saw the passage of several acts aimed at financial reform. Wilson's wife Ellen died in August 1914; he married Edith Bolling Galt (1872-1961) in December 1915.

During Wilson's first term as president, events in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America predominated the U.S.'s foreign affairs, and World War I began in Europe. He was reelected to a second term in 1916. In April 1917, Wilson called for a declaration of war against Germany, which was passed by Congress on April 6. Numerous acts dealing with the economy, sedition, and espionage were passed during the war. In his January 1918 "Fourteen Points" speech, Wilson called for the creation of a League of Nations. World War I ended in November 1918; a post-war Red Scare over Communism occurred in the U.S., fueled by the 1917 Russian Revolution. On October 2, 1919, Wilson suffered a stroke and was incapacitated for the remainder of his presidency. He died in Washington, D.C. at age 67.

Acquisition information:
Provenance unknown. In library as of 1984.
Processing information:

This collection was reprocessed in 2021 by Melissa Haley as part of the American Presidential Papers Project. Previously assigned item-level call numbers have been retained; material was rehoused during reprocessing. The four Woodrow Wilson letters in the collection have been described and foldered at the item level. Previously assigned legacy terminology regarding autograph status was retained; items marked autograph indicate the item is in the handwriting of the author of the letter or document. Brief biographical notes for Wilson family members and others represented in the collection appear in the container list.

Arrangement:

Collection is arranged by format. Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by sender.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

Terms of access:

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]. Jane Porter Candler papers concerning the Wilson family, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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