Guide to the Clara Van Wormer Diary MC316
Liz Phillips
University of California, Davis Library,
Dept. of Special Collections
2021
1st Floor, Shields Library, University of
California
100 North West Quad
Davis, CA 95616-5292
speccoll@ucdavis.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
University of California, Davis Library,
Dept. of Special Collections
Title: Clara Van Wormer Diary
Creator:
Van Wormer, Clara G.
Identifier/Call Number: MC316
Physical Description:
1
volume
[43] pages in a ruled notebook, plus two small
photographs. 12mo. Limp black textured split-grain leather,
a.e.g.
Date (inclusive): circa
1907-1915
Abstract: Diary of Clara G.
Van Wormer, a Northern California woman who worked for famed
horticulturalist Luther Burbank in the early 20th century, and
who records a trip to the Pacific Northwest.
Physical Location: Researchers should
contact Archives and Special Collections to request collections,
as many are stored offsite.
Clara G. Van Wormer (1889-1983) was born in West Salem,
Wisconsin. Her father, Clement Van Wormer, was an attorney and
real estate agent, and around 1902 the family moved to Santa
Rosa, California. The Van Wormers knew horticulturalist Luther
Burbank, and Clement introduced his daughter to him.
Diary of Clara G. Van Wormer, a Northern California woman who
worked for famed horticulturalist Luther Burbank in the early
20th century, and who records a trip to the Pacific Northwest.
Clara begins her diary by noting her first visits to San
Francisco (starting March 17, 1907), and then includes a brief
self-chronology: "Graduated from High School Christmas 1909. Got
diploma Business College, June 1910. Began working for Mr.
Burbank on October 24, 1910. Pauline worked there until October
8, 1911. Then I took her place." Pauline Olsen was secretary to
Luther Burbank until 1908; she returned later as bookkeeper, and
until 1911 she was in charge of Burbank's Information Bureau at
his private research center in Santa Rosa. Then follows an
account of an extended trip to Washington state with her sister,
Charlotte, to visit friends and family. Starting on June 23,
1909, they take a sleeper car, which "is heaps better than
traveling tourist. Had a great time climbing up into our upper
berth." After about ten days in Everett, they headed to Seattle,
where their first stop was the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition,
and then lunch "at a Japanese Tea House." They also visit
Snohomish, Reiter, and Startup. On August 3 they head back to
Seattle, visiting the Exposition again and then several
battleships docked there. Then they begin their trip back home,
finally reaching Santa Rosa again on August 10. Back in Santa
Rosa, Clara and Charlotte go to school and pal around with their
cousin [?] Joe. In an amusing entry, Joe, Clara, and Charlotte
attempt to try on each other's clothes – it works well for the
girls, but Joe can't fit into anything. They took several photos
of the afternoon (Clara developed the photos), and one is laid in
at the beginning of the diary (the other photo features Clara and
her sister, Josephine). After a few remarks about the classes
she's taking that fall, the diary abruptly ends. The bulk of the
narrative covers the period of the summer of 1909. The last page
has a short chronology of events from 1912 to 1915, beginning
with a few camping trips, then her engagement, marriage, and
honeymoon, and finally a trip to the Panama Pacific International
Exposition.
[Description provided by William Reese]
Collection is open for research.
Liz Phillips created this finding aid with information
supplied by William Reese.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from William Reese, 2021.
[Identification of item], Clara Van Wormer Diary, MC316
Archives and Special Collections, UC Davis Library, University of
California, Davis.
All applicable copyrights for the collection are protected
under chapter 17 of the U.S. Copyright Code. Requests for
permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted
in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for
publication is given on behalf of the Regents of the University
of California as the owner of the physical items. It is not
intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder,
which must also be obtained by the researcher.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Women -- California -- History
Sonoma County (Calif.) --
History
Washington (State), Eastern --
Travel
Van Wormer, Clara G. -- Archives
Michael and Margaret B. Harrison
Western Research Center