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Title: Emma Nevada Collection
Dates: 1852-1973
Collection Number: Consult repository
Creator/Collector:
Extent: 5 linear feet.
Repository:
Northeastern University (Oakland)
Oakland, California 94613
Abstract: The Emma Nevada collection consists of Nevada family personal objects and ephemera as well as research materials for the projected
book on Emma Nevada to be entitled The Miner’s Canary (never published).
Language of Material: English
Collection is open for research.
Contact the Special Collections Curator, F.W. Olin Library, Mills College, for copyright information and permission to publish.
[Identification of item]. Emma Nevada Collection. Collection Number: Consult repository. Northeastern University (Oakland)
Donated by Victor Hermann in July 1998
Biography/Administrative History
Emma Wixom was born on February 7, 1859 in the Alpha mining camp near Nevada City in California. Her father, Dr. William
Wallace Wixon, moved the family overland to recently opened silver mine in Austin, Nevada. Emma spent the remainder of her
childhood in Nevada and participated in many local musical events. Already a gifted linguist, Emma studied Spanish, Italian,
French and German at Mills College, and took classes with vocal teacher Alfred Kelleher. Mrs. Susan Mills enabled Emma to
travel to Europe to continue her training. She became the pupil of famous vocal teacher Mathilde Marchesi and after three
years of Marchesi’s strong influece, Emma made her debut at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London, under the stage name "Nevada,"
inspired by both the city she was born near and later the state she spent her childhood in. She toured Europe and the United
States for nearly 30 years before retiring and devoting herself to vocal teaching. Emma Nevada died in 1940 in Liverpool,
England.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Emma Nevada collection consists of Nevada family personal objects and ephemera as well as research materials for the projected
book on Emma Nevada to be entitled The Miner’s Canary (never published). Series 1, Nevada Family Papers, contains original
ephemera and objects from the 18th – 20th centuries, belonging to Emma or Mignon Nevada. Subseries 1 contains personal and
family papers, correspondence, and manuscript notes; Subseries 2 contains programs, press extracts, professional biographies,
and news clippings (both series arranged by category and date); Subseries 3 contains photographs of Emma Nevada, painted family
portraits and ephemera. Series 2, Research Materials, consists of Ruth Hermann’s research for a biography of Emma Nevada (never
published). It contains Ruth Hermann’s notes from newspapers, official records and other sources and from her trips to sites,
photocopies of newspaper articles, photographic copies of original photographs, and modern snapshots of people, places and
monuments. Inventory available by request.
Mills College -- Alumni and alumnae.