Collection context
Summary
- Title:
- Allen Family Papers 1812-1957
- Extent:
- 0.50 linear feet
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of the item] Allen Family Papers, 1812-1957, M000058, Sutro Library, Califorina State Library, San Francisco, Calif.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
This collection includes personal letters sent between the Allen family and their extended relatives between 1812-1957. Also featured are 32 cabinet card portraits of various Allen family members and 21 additional photographs documenting family homesteads, scenes from towns and countrysides in Vermont, and other miscellaneous life happenings of the Allens. Lastly, there are also several postcards, pamphlets, and newspaper clippings; plus, one calling card, and one blank check.
- Biographical / historical:
-
This collection primarily contains the personal correspondence among the Allen family and their extended relatives from 1812 to 1957. The earlier correspondence references the American Civil War, most pertain to health, welfare, and family news. The later letters contain several references to the Great Depression and the local war effort during World War II; yet, the majority of the writing is of a personal nature.
The central figures in this collection are John Allen and his daughter, E.J. (Nellie) Allen. John Allen, born in Pawlet, Vermont on August 15, 1822, was the son of Nathan and Julia Leffingwell Allen. He was a descendant of John Allen, his great-grandfather, one of the first settlers of Danby, Vermont, born on March 23, in 1728. This Allen ancestor served in the Revolutionary War as a Lieutenant [See folder 34]. John passed away on October 17, 1904 in Medina, New York.
E.J. (Nellie) Allen, born to John Allen and Julia E. Jackson in Rochester, New York on February 23, 1872, lived in Poultney, Vermont and worked as a librarian at Green Mountain Junior College later in her life. She is only addressed throughout the collection by her nickname, Nellie, but in a later letter from cousin Merle, her full name is revealed to be Eleanor Julia Allen. She shared the home of her cousin, Esther Leffingwell Edwards, who was born July 13, 1872, and died May 2, 1948 at 75 years old. There is no correspondence documenting Nellie's youth or middle age, although notes on several photographs indicate she spent some time in China and Japan doing missionary work. The last we see of Nellie is in her letters from 1957, where she is nearly 84 years old. She passed away on September 16, 1957 in Rutland, Vermont.
A substantial number of letters, 28 in all, were written to Nellie's "cousins" Marian Goucher and Merle Daulton [mother and daughter] who settled together on a ranch in Madera, California. Marian S. Goucher lived from 1862-1957, whereas her daughter Merle L. Daulton lived from 1889-1970. These letters, dating from 1933 to 1957, consist of personal news, and share the history of two geographical locations central to the Allen family: Poultney, Vermont and Petersburg, New York through the East Coast relatives.
In addition, this collection contains 32 portraits of various Allen family relatives during the 1800's and 21 pictures, mainly of E.J. (Nellie) Allen and Esther Edwards in the 1900's. The Allen family homesteads have also been photographed, as well as various scenes from Pawlet and Poultney, Vermont, where many Allens, including John and Nellie, spent most of their lives.
- Processing information:
-
Original order unknown. Materials were first described and arranged by an unnamed archivist in an undated, typewritten finding aid. Finding aid was digitally transcribed and revised by Leila Kalliel in 2023.
- Arrangement:
-
The collection is organized into three series:
Series 1: Correspondence, 1812-1957
Series 2: Miscellaneous items, 1897-1950
Series 3: Photographs, 1891-1945
Indexed terms
About this collection guide
- Date Encoded:
- This finding aid was encoding in EAD by Archon 3.21 from an SQL database source on June 13th, 2024 .
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
This collection is open for research. Please page materials three business days in advance of your visit by email: sutro@library.ca.gov
- Terms of access:
-
Property rights reside with the repository. Literary rights reside with the creators of the documents or their heirs. To obtain permission to publish or reproduce, please email sutro@library.ca.gov
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of the item] Allen Family Papers, 1812-1957, M000058, Sutro Library, Califorina State Library, San Francisco, Calif.
- Location of this collection:
-
SFSU - J. Paul Leonard Library1630 Holloway Ave, Room 610San Francisco, CA 94132-4030, US
- Contact:
- (415) 469-6100