Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Cushman Family Papers, 1918-1985
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Cushman Family
- Title
- Cushman Family Papers
- Dates
- 1918-1985 (inclusive)19181985
- Quantity
- 9.4 linear feet
- Collection Number
- Mss 673
- Summary
- This collection primarily consists of the correspondence, a few diaries, limited financial records, and memorabilia of William and Clarice Cushman of Missoula, Montana, and their son, Roger Cushman. The bulk of the correspondence is letters to Clarice from her husband, William, when he was away from home in the U.S. Navy during WWII, in Liberia for four years, in the Warm Springs mental health facility in Montana, and in the Veterans Hospital in Sheridan, Wyoming. The letters chronicle the family’s daily lives, the centrality of religious beliefs, marital discord, and four decades of Clarice Cushman’s attempts to find medical and education assistance for their son, Roger Cushman, who had severe disabilities.
- Repository
-
University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana--Missoula.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Clarice Mildred Stromert Cushman was born March 13, 1906 in Stratford, Iowa, to Ida and Bernard Stromert. She graduated from high school in Wilmar, Minnesota, in 1923 and from the State Teachers College in St. Cloud, Minnesota, in 1925. Clarice Stomert married William Cushman on January 12, 1935. For most of their married life Clarice Cushman lived in Missoula, Montana. She was a charter member of the Faith Evangelical Free Church.
William Howard Cushman was born January 24, 1909 in Woodstock, Ohio, to Mary Ellen and Arthur Cushman. He attended the University of Ohio, majoring in forestry, and later attended Montana State University in Missoula, Montana in 1939 and 1940. After he moved to Missoula, he worked for the U.S. Forest Service. During World War II, he served with the U.S. Navy. After the war, he worked in Liberia, Africa, for the LeTourneau Corporation for about four years. He then rejoined his family in Missoula where he did a variety of outdoors work. He was a member of the Faith Evangelical Free Church.
The Cushmans had one child, Roger, born December 10, 1938, in Missoula, Montana. Roger was diagnosed with “quadriplegia with hydrocephalus.” The Cushmans struggled with his care and education. In the mid 1940s Roger stayed at Beverly Farm Home and School for Nervous and Backward Children in Godfrey, Illinois. When that institution’s treatment was unsatisfactory, Mrs. Cushman moved with Roger to Denver, Colorado, for speech and physical therapy. By 1946 they were back in Missoula but Mrs. Cushman searched for the best options for their son for many years afterwards. Roger Cushman died February 17, 1978.
William Cushman died April 30, 1987 and Clarice Cushman died February 2, 1993, both in Missoula, Montana.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection is divided into four series.
Series I: Correspondence (1919-1985) The bulk of the correspondence is letters to Clarice Cushman from her husband, William Cushman, when he was away from home in the U.S. Navy during WWII, in Liberia for four years, in the Warm Springs mental health facility in Montana, and in the Veterans Hospital in Sheridan, Wyoming. The letters chronicle the family’s daily lives, the centrality of religious beliefs, marital discord, and four decades of Clarice Cushman’s attempts to find medical and education assistance for their son, Roger Cushman, who had severe disabilities. The correspondence also includes letters from relatives, friends and institutions, letters received by William Cushman, and letters received by Roger Cushman.
Series II: Diaries and Scrapbooks (1920-1971) includes Clarice Cushman’s diaries, that begin a few years before her marriage to William Cushman in 1935 and end during WWII. Her sometimes daily brief entries reveal her daily activities, social contacts, and later interactions with her husband. The more sporadic entries in William Cushman’s diaries describe his work and include one lengthier examination of his feelings about his marriage and his wife while they are apart. Clarice Cushman’s scrapbook (1920-1925) contains photos and memorabilia of her school years beginning in high school and ending when she is awarded a teaching certificate. The other two scrapbooks of local music and school events may have been done as an exercise with the Cushman’s son, Roger.
Series III: Financial Records (1928-1968) consists of a few scattered bank records and some daily and weekly income and expenditure lists.
Series IV: Miscellaneous (1918-1974) consists of memorabilia from high school, weddings, and births as well as various types of personal identification, a genealogy, church programs, and religious tracts. The few identified photos are of the Cushmans around the late 1930s.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright status unknown.
Preferred Citation
[Name of document or photograph number], Cushman Family Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana--Missoula.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is divided into four series:
Series I: Correspondence bulk, 7.4 linear feet, 1919-1985
Subseries 1: Letters to Clarice Cushman, 6.7 linear feet, 1919-1985
Subseries 2: Letters to William Cushman, 0.5 linear feet, 1939-1973
Subseries 3: Letters to Roger Cushman, 0.2 linear feet, 1952-1958
Series II: Diaries and Scrapbooks, 1.0 linear feet, 1920-1971
Series III: Financial Records, 0.4 linear feet, 1928-1968
Series IV: Miscellaneous, 0.6 linear feet, 1918-1974
Custodial History
The Cushman Family Papers were donated to the Historical Museum of Fort Missoula in Missoula, Montana, by Althea Bell. The Museum donated the bulk of the papers to the Archives in 1998, a single letter in 2004, and three diaries in 2007.
Acquisition Information
Gift of the Historical Museum of Fort Missoula, 1998, 2004, and 2007.
Processing Note
The Cushman Family correspondence was sorted and organized by recipient, author and chronology.
Related Materials
Some Cushman family photographs, artifacts, and memorabilia are held by the Historic Museum of Fort Missoula in Missoula, Montana.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I: Correspondence, 1919-1985Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Subseries 1: Letters to Clarice
Cushman 6.7 linear feet
|
1919-1985 | |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/1 | Letters from aunt |
1919 |
| 1/2 | Letters from mother and friends |
1923 |
| 1/3 | Letters from sister and friends |
1924 |
| 1/4 | Letters from sister |
1925 |
| 1/5 | Letters from mother, sister, and friends |
1926 |
| 1/6 | Miscellaneous correspondence |
1927 |
| 1/7 | Letters from sister and friends |
1928 |
| 1/8 | Letters from mother, sister, and friends |
1929 |
| 1/9 | Miscellaneous correspondence |
ca. 1920s |
| 1/10 | Letters from mother and sister |
1930 |
| 1/11 | Letters from friends |
1930 |
| 2/1 | Letters from mother, sister, and friends |
1931 |
| 2/2 | Letters from mother, sister, and friends |
1932 |
| 2/3 | Letters from sister and friends |
1933 |
| 2/4 | Letters from sister and William (Bill)
Cushman |
Jan-Sept 1934 |
| 2/5 | Letters from friends and William Cushman |
Oct-Dec1934 |
| 3/1 | Letters from husband and sister |
1935 |
| 3/2 | Letters from husband, mother, and sister |
1936 |
| 3/3 | Letters from husband, relatives, and
friends |
Jan-June 1937 |
| 3/4 | Letters from husband, relatives, and
friends |
June-Dec 1937 |
| 3/5 | Letters from relatives and friends |
Jan-Mar 1938 |
| 3/6 | Letters from husband, relatives, and
friends |
June-Dec 1938 |
| 4/1 | Letters from husband, relatives, and
friends |
Jan-May 1939 |
| 4/2 | Letters from husband, relatives, and
friends |
June-Dec 1939 |
| 4/3 | Miscellaneous correspondence |
circa 1930s |
| 4/4 | Letters from relatives and friends |
Jan-May 1940 |
| 4/5 | Letters from husband, relatives, and
friends |
June-Sept 1940 |
| 4/6 | Letters from husband, relatives, and
friends |
Oct-Dec 1940 |
| 4/7 | Miscellaneous correspondence |
1940 |
| 5/1 | Letters from husband, relatives, friends, and church
leaders |
1941 |
| 5/2 | Letters from husband, relatives, and
friends |
1942 |
| 5/3 | Letters from relatives, friends, and
lawyer |
1943 |
| 5/4 | Letters from husband |
Aug-Sept 1943 |
| 5/5 | Letters from husband |
Oct-Dec 1943 |
| 6/1 | Letters from institutions regarding possible placement
of Roger Cushman |
1943 |
| 6/2 | Letters from husband |
Jan-June 1944 |
| 6/3 | Letters from husband |
July-Aug 1944 |
| 6/4 | Letters from husband |
Sept-Oct 1944 |
| 6/5 | Letters from husband |
Nov-Dec 1944 |
| 7/1 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1944 |
| 7/2 | Letters from institutions |
1944 |
| 7/3 | Letters from husband |
Jan-Feb 1945 |
| 7/4 | Letters from husband |
Feb-Mar 1945 |
| 7/5 | Letters from husband |
Apr-June 1945 |
| 8/1 | Letters from husband |
July-Oct 1945 |
| 8/2 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1945 |
| 8/3 | Letters from institutions |
1945 |
| 8/4 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1946 |
| 8/5 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1947 |
| 8/6 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1948 |
| 9/1 | Letters from husband, relatives, and
friends |
1949 |
| 9/2 | Letters from institutions and others regarding Roger
Cushman |
1946-1949 |
| 9/3 | Letters from husband |
ca. 1940s |
| 9/4 | Miscellaneous correspondence |
ca. 1940s |
| 9/5 | Letters from husband, relatives, and
friends |
1950 |
| 9/6 | Letters from husband |
1951 |
| 9/7 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1951 |
| 10/1 | Letters from husband |
Jan-Mar 1952 |
| 10/2 | Letters from husband |
Apr-June 1952 |
| 10/3 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1952 |
| 10/4 | Letters from institutions |
1950-1952 |
| 10/5 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1953 |
| 10/6 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1954 |
| 11/1 | Letters from institutions |
1953-1954 |
| 11/2 | Letters from husband |
1955 |
| 11/3 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1955 |
| 11/4 | Letters from husband |
1956 |
| 11/5 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1956 |
| 11/6 | Letters from husband, relatives, and
friends |
1957 |
| 11/7 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1958 |
| 11/8 | Letters from husband |
1959 |
| 12/1 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1959 |
| 12/2 | Letters from husband |
ca. 1950s |
| 12/3 | Letters from husband |
1960 |
| 12/4 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1960 |
| 12/5 | Letters from husband |
1961 |
| 12/6 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1961 |
| 13/1 | Letters from institutions |
1961 |
| 13/2 | Letters from husband, relatives, and
friends |
1962 |
| 13/3 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1963-1968 |
| 13/4 | Letters from institutions |
1963-1966 |
| 13/5 | Letter from relative and religious
literature |
ca. 1960s |
| 13/6 | Letters from institutions |
ca. 1960s |
| 13/7 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1970-1979 |
| 13/8 | Letters from institutions |
1970-1978 |
| 13/9 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1980-1985 |
| 14/1 | Letters from relatives and friends |
undated |
| 14/2 | Holiday Greeting Cards |
undated |
Subseries 2: Letters to William Cushman
0.5 linear feet
|
1939-1973 | |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 14/3 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1939 |
| 14/4 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1940-1943 |
| 14/5 | Letters from wife |
May 1941-Apr 1944 |
| 14/6 | Letters from wife |
May 1944-Oct 1945 |
| 15/1 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1944-1949 |
| 15/2 | Letters from relatives and friends |
1950-1973 |
| 15/3 | Letters and drawings regarding inventions |
1954-1955 |
| 15/4 | Letters and greeting cards from wife |
undated |
| 15/5 | Miscellaneous correspondence |
undated |
Subseries 3: Letters to Roger
Cushman 0.2 linear feet
|
1952-1958 | |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 15/6 | Letters from father, relatives, and
friends |
1952-1958 |
| 15/7 | Letters and other materials regarding
Roger |
undated |
Series II: Diaries and scrapbooks, 1920-1971Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 15/8 | Clarice Cushman’s diary |
1934-1938 |
| 16/1 | Clarice Cushman’s diary |
1939-1943 |
| 16/2 | William Cushman’s diary |
1943-1956 |
| 16/3 | William Cushman’s diary, |
ca. 1944 |
| 16/6 | Clarice Cushman scrapbook |
1920-1925 |
| OS 1 | Scrapbook of local concerts and school
events |
1969-1970 |
| OS 1 | Scrapbook of local concerts and school
events |
1970-1971 |
Series III: Financial Records, 1928-1968Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 16/7 | Minnesota Building and Loan passbook |
1928-1936 |
| 16/8 | Bank statement |
1934 |
| 16/9 | Bank statement |
1957 |
| 16/10 | Western Montana Clinic |
1940-1943 |
| 16/11 | Financial records |
1948-1950 |
| 17/1 | Financial records |
1951-1952 |
| 17/2 | Financial records |
1953-1954 |
| 17/3 | Financial records |
1961-1968 |
Series IV: Miscellaneous, 1918-1978Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 17/4 | Clarice Cushman’s graduation announcements and
commencement programs |
1923 |
| 17/5 | Edna Margaret Stomert’s wedding announcement |
1924 |
| 17/6 | Clarice Cushman’s State Teacher’s College Graduation
announcement |
1925 |
| 17/7 | Clarice Cushman’s Montana State Teaching
Certificate |
1932 |
| 17/8 | Photos of Clarice, William, and Roger |
ca. 1939 |
| 17/9 | Unidentified photos |
undated |
| 17/10 | William Cushman’s MSU Student Handbook with his student
transcripts attached |
1937-1940 |
| 17/11 | Baby cards and gift tags |
1938 |
| 17/12 | Draft card, passport, driver’s licenses, and
other |
1940-1960 |
| 17/13 | Clarice Cushman’s handwritten list of news
stories |
undated |
| 18/1 | Miscellaneous notes |
undated |
| 18/2 | Cushman genealogy |
1978 |
| 18/3 | Clarice Cushman’s Willmar High School monthly
magazine |
1918 |
| 18/4 | Clarice Cushman’s Willmar High School senior
yearbook |
1923 |
| 18/5 | Miscellaneous research |
undated |
| 18/6 | Church programs |
1944 |
| 18/7 | Religious tracts, music programs, and travel
information |
undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Americans--Liberia--Correspondence
- Children with disabilities--Montana--Missoula
- Parents of children with disabilities--Montana--Missoula
- Psychiatric hospitals--Montana
- Veterans' hospitals--Wyoming--Sheridan
- Women--Montana--Missoula--Diaries
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
Personal Names
- Cushman, Clarice Mildred Stromert, 1906-1993
- Cushman, Roger, 1938-1978
- Cushman, William Howard, 1909-1987
Corporate Names
- United States. Navy--History--World War, 1939-1945
- Warm Springs State Hospital
Family Names
- Cushman family
Form or Genre Terms
- Diaries--Montana--Missoula
- Scrapbooks--Montana--Missoula
Finding aid prepared by Katherine M.
Weist (2005) and Teresa Hamann (2007)
2007
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
