Extent: 2 cubic feet
Finding Aid Prepared By: Melissa Reynolds, October 1999; Elissa Arnesen, June 2002
Provenance: The materials in this collection were purchased by the museum from Doug Hastings in July 1999 and from Kim and Brian Sullivan in May 2002. Mr. Hastings had purchased the ephemera from an antique store and the Sullivan’s were selling their materials on E-bay.
Arrangement: Materials were arranged in topical as well as chronological order.
Copyright: The materials in the collection may be assumed to be copyrighted by the creator of those materials. The museum advises patrons that it is their responsibility to procure from the owner of the copyright permission to reproduce, publish, or exhibit these materials. The owner of the copyright is presumed to be the creator, his or her heirs, legates, or assignees. Patrons must obtain written permission from The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum Starsmore Center for Local History to reproduce, publish, or exhibit these materials. In all cases, the patron agrees to hold The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum Starsmore Center for Local History harmless and indemnify the museum for any and all claims arising from the use of the reproduction.
Restrictions: The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum Starsmore Center for Local History reserves the right to examine proofs and captions for accuracy and sensitivity prior to publication with the right to revise, if necessary. The Starsmore Center for Local History reserves the right to refuse reproduction of its holdings and to impose such conditions as it may deem advisable in its sole and absolute discretion in the best interests of the museum. Oversized and/or fragile items will be reproduced solely at the discretion of the Archivist. Under no circumstances will more than 25% of any one collection be reproduced.
Credit: Reproduction, publication, or exhibition of this work must include the following credit in proximity to the image or in a special section of credits:
The Edith Bixby Love Collection
The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum
Starsmore Center for Local History
Series Description:
- I. Personal Correspondence from Family Friends
- II. Personal Correspondence from Daughters
- III. Personal Correspondence from Family Members
- IV. Other Correspondence
- V. Printed Materials
- VI. Photographs
Scope Note: The Edith Bixby Love Collection consists primarily of personal materials pertaining to Edith Bixby Love and the lives of her friends and family circa 1895-1925. Most materials belonged to Edith Bixby Love, some however, belonged to her daughters. The collection has been divided into six series to reflect the type and content of materials involved. These are: Personal Correspondence from Family Friends; Personal Correspondence from Daughters; Personal Correspondence from Family Members; Other Correspondence; Printed Materials; and Photographs.
Contents:
I. Personal Correspondence from Family Friends
Scope note: This series contains personal correspondence to Edith Bixby Love created by friends of her family.
Box 1
1(1) Letters from Maude Kenneth 1919-1922: Personal correspondence written to Edith B. Love in Colo. Springs discussing her daily life and family in California.
1(2) Letters from Melzinia Coar 1919-1921: Personal correspondence written to Edith B. Love discussing her daily life and family in Colo. Springs and Kansas.
II. Personal Correspondence from Daughters
Scope note: This series contains personal correspondence to Edith Bixby Love created by her daughters, Irene, Neta and Frankie. One folder contain personal and business correspondence to Frankie from various authors.
1(3) Letters from daughter Irene 1907-1919: Letters to her mother in Colo. Springs about what’s going on in her life in California. Includes a few letters from Irene’s husband Clyde Heller to her mother. Also includes stories about the day before prohibition begins, their daughter, Emily, and details of an accident that leads to Clyde’s death.
1(4) Letters from daughter Irene 1920-1929: Letters to her mother in Colo. Springs about what’s going on in her life in California. Includes stories of the aftermath of her husband’s death, information and stories about her daughter, and stories about what’s going on with her sisters, relatives, and friends. Also includes letters written by Irene’s 2nd husband, Al, concerning a heart attack Irene had.
1(5) Letters from daughter Neta 1916-1920: Letters to her mother in Colo. Springs about what’s going on in her life. Includes stories of her 2nd husband Avery Smith and her divorce and marriage to her 3rd husband John Swensson.
1(6) Letters from daughter Neta 1921-1922: Letters to her mother in Colo. Springs about what’s going on in her life in California. Includes stories of traveling around the world with John in his ship, her niece Emily, and many letters begging her mother to come live with her. Also includes some letters from John.
1(7) Letters from daughter Frankie 1902-1918: Letters to her mother in Colo. Springs about what’s going on in her life while she travels around the United States as a member of a fraternal order. Includes talk of her daughter’s father Ed Hutcheson.
1(8) Letters from daughter Frankie 1919: Letters to her mother in Colo. Springs about what’s going on in her life in Washington D.C.. Includes stories about her daughter Marjorie and husband, Henry Finkenhoefer. Also includes details and thoughts about the start and progress of WWI, recipes for alcohol and substitutes for alcohol during prohibition, story about a tank climbing Pikes Peak, coal prices, grocery prices, race riots in Washington D.C., fashion, sewing and fabric samples, talk of the Spanish Flu epidemic, Fraternal orders, coal strike and shipping strikes.
1(9) Letters from daughter Frankie 1920: Letters to her mother in Colo. Springs about what’s going on in her life in Washington D.C.. Includes stories about land and house prices, and details about Marjorie and Henry. Also contains letters from both of them and fabric samples from Frankie.
1(10) Letters from daughter Frankie 1921: Letters to her mother in Colo. Springs about what’s going on in her life in Washington D.C.. Includes stories about her daughter and husband, contains letters from both of them and fabric samples from Frankie. Also includes a story about making Glen Eyrie a summer home for president Harding, the Pueblo flood, coal prices, school enrollment, and the printer’s strike.
1(11) Letters from daughter Frankie 1922-1929: Letters to her mother in Colo. Springs about what’s going on in her life in Washington D.C.. Includes stories about her daughter and husband, contains letters from both of them. Also includes stories about the Daylight Savings debate in Congress, coal prices and cancer treatment when Frankie is diagnosed with a tumor in her stomach.
1(12) Letters to Frankie Bixby: Most letters are undated and are from suitors of Frankie Bixby circa 1900-1910. Includes letters from Will Mason, Donald Lloyd Nelson, Ralph and Max.
III. Personal Correspondence from Family Members
Scope note: This series contains personal correspondence to Edith Bixby Love created by her grand-daughters, Marjorie (Frankie’s daughter) and Emily (Irene’s daughter) and her son-in-law John (Neta’s husband).
1(13) Letters from granddaughter Marjorie 1920-1922: Letters about school, and daily life with her parents in Washington D.C. written to her grandmother in Colo. Springs.
1(14) Letters from son-in-law John 1919-1922: Letters written from various sea ports during John’s time away from his wife, Neta, due to his job to his mother-in-law in Colo. Springs. Mostly about daily life and his relationship with her daughter.
1(15) Letters from granddaughter Emily 1919-1929: Letters about her father’s death and daily life with her mother and relatives in California. Includes letters while she is growing up, her marriage to Jack Maroney, and ends with a telegram concerning her mother, Irene’s, heart attack.
IV. Other Correspondence
Scope note: This series contains personal and business correspondence to Edith Bixby Love written by fraternal orders, friends of the family, suitors of Edith and her daughters, family members, realty companies, insurance, attorneys and loan agents. Includes a folder with empty postmarked envelopes.
1(16) Letters from Emma 1920: Personal correspondence written to Edith B. Love in Colo. Springs discussing her daily life, fraternal orders, and family in California.
1(17) Letters from Clarence P. Spencer 1906-1909: Personal correspondence written to Edith J. Bixby (Juanita or Neta) and her mother Edith L. Bixby Love, discussing his love and obsession for Neta and his wish to live or marry her. Includes nasty letters to Mrs. Love accusing her of being a bad mother and blaming her for Neta not returning affection for him.
1(18) Letters from Charles (Chas.) Johnson 1919-1920: Friend of the Love family writes Edith from Missouri about daily life and what’s going on in both families.
1(19) Letters from A. Roesgen 1919: Friend of the Love family writes Edith from California about daily life and what’s going on in both families.
1(20) Letters from T. Walters 1919: Friend of the Love family writes Edith from Pueblo, Colorado about daily life and what’s going on in both families.
1(21) Various envelopes without letters: Empty envelops with postmarks and stamps circa 1900-1930.
1(22) Letters from various authors 1899-1909: Correspondence from various fraternities, suitors, reality companies, attorneys and friends of the family to Edith Love and her daughters.
1(23) Letters from various authors 1910-1918: Correspondence from various fraternity sisters, family members, friends of the family and a loan agent to Edith Love and her daughters.
Box 2
2(1) Letters from various authors 1919: Correspondence from various fraternity sisters, family members, and friends of the family to Edith Love and her daughters. Includes a letter that was probably never sent from Edith Love.
2(2) Letters from various authors 1920-1921: Correspondence from various fraternity sisters, family members, and friends of the family to Edith Love and her daughters.
2(3) Letters from various authors 1922-1929: Correspondence from various fraternity sisters, family members, and friends of the family to Edith Love and her daughters.
2(4) Women of Woodcraft: A letter to Frankie from the fraternal order and multiple receipts.
2(5) Brotherhood of American Yeomen: Correspondence and receipts from the fraternal order.
2(6) Fraternal Union of America: Correspondence, receipts, a list of member names, a contract, and a dance card from the organization.
V. Printed Materials
Scope note: This series contains personal and business materials such as newspapers, ephemera, booklets, receipts and business cards printed for personal and commercial use. Includes autograph books and school papers from when the girls were in school and a folder pertaining to legal affairs.
(2)7 First Presbyterian Church: Pamphlets, booklets, programs, correspondence and other materials regarding the church circa 1898-1920.
(2)8 Prudential Insurance Co.: A letter, receipts, and booklets pertaining to the company and their insurance coverage.
2(9) Business Cards from Colorado Springs Businesses: Cards pertaining to painters and paper hangers, real estate, calling cards, candidates, fraternities, banks, loans and insurance, cafes, churches, the 7up bottling company, sewing machines, repairs, coal, feed and & produce, tea, spices and extracts, room and board, disease specialists, hair dressing, flowers, printing and a salesman named M.B. Beidelman who sells music.
2(10) Receipts: Pertaining to ice & coal, drugs, fraternities, insurance, the Gazette, grocery stores, electric company, dairy, water, laundry, contractors, attorneys, J.C. Penny’s Co., U.S. Postal service, and money orders.
2(11) Addresses: Various addresses written in pen or pencil on scrap paper.
2(12) Report Cards & School Books: Belonged to the three daughters of Edith Bixby Love.
2(13) Advertisements: For the American College of Sciences, drug stores, face cream, Manitou Spring water, and various other products.
2(14) Autograph Book 1884-1886: Belonged to Edith L. (Brown) Bixby Love while she was in school.
2(15) Autograph Book: Not dated, belonged to Edith L. (Brown) Bixby Love.
2(16) Booklets: Masonic Calendar 1907, Monta Rosa Rebekah Lodge 1891, Presbyterian Handbook 1901, Easter 1901, Thirteenth Colorado State Convention 1901, Cave of the Winds, Business Policy of the Dern Tea and Coffee Co., real estate offer from Wood, Harmon & Co., Offer to the Fraternal Union of America members, First Cumberland Presbyterian Church 1899, Columbine Milk Recipes, and theYoung Men’s Cabinet 1900.
2(17) Law and Legal Affairs: Tax forms, a bill, a posting from the City Commissioner, and correspondence from an insurance company.
2(18) Newspaper Clippings: Pertaining to a birthday celebration and various poems.
2(19) Various Ephemera: Poems written by Edith and Juanita, drawing instructions, recipes, envelopes, Antlers Hotel stationary & envelopes, calendar, yarn art, ticket stubs from the Colorado Springs and Interurban Railway Company Broadmoor and Spruce St. routes, a ballot, prescription, outside of a notebook, Colorado Springs Opera House ticket stub, advertisements, and a Zoo Park ticket book.
2(20) Opera House Programs: Programs from performances held at the Colorado Springs Opera House.
2(21) Various Programs: Pike Centennial Celebration 1906, Odd Fellowship 1906, Grand Labor Day Celebration 1901, Special Meeting of the Columbine Homestead No. 141 Yeoman 1906, Minutes of the Kansas Synod 1900, Republican Battle Hymn 1908, and Fraternal Order of America membership silver drive.
2(22) Forrest Family History & D.A.R.: Handwritten genealogy of the Forrest family and roots to the Daughters of the American Revolution.
2(23) Bank Books: 4 books dated 1900-1901, 1901, 1901-1902, & 1902 from the First National Bank.
2(24) Letterheads: J.D. Hiltbrand, dealer of Piano’s and Organs (tissue paper), Kingery’s special built, The Gibson Lumber Co., The Whitaker Printing Company (2).
VI. Images
Scope note: This series contains photographs pertaining to Edith Bixby Love, her fraternities and her family.
Photographs: Black and white photographs that depict Frankie Bixby, an unidentified boy and girl, a women in a carriage, Clyde Heller’s grave 1919, and mounted photographs of the Odd Fellows 1901 or 1902 and the Rebekah Lodge 1901 or 1902.
Relations
This information was compiled by reading the correspondence and documents in the Edith Bixby Love Collection.
