Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Gertrude Hutchinson Merritt Papers, 1925-1971
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Merritt, Gertrude Hutchinson, 1902-1971
- Title
- Gertrude Hutchinson Merritt Papers
- Dates
- 1925-1971 (inclusive)19251971
- Quantity
- 0.5 linear feet
- Collection Number
- Mss 602
- Summary
- This collection contains mostly outgoing correspondence and short stories written by Gertrude Hutchinson Merritt and a brief biography of her life written by Richard L. Merritt. The writings describe Gertrude Merritt’s travels and work in New York, Europe, Latin America and San Francisco from 1925 to her death in 1971.
- 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
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Gertrude Hutchinson Merritt was born on July 5, 1902 in New York City to Alfred and Marry Zimmerman, East Prussian immigrants. After her parents separated, she lived in an orphanage for several years, then in foster care and finally in 1911, was back with her father, stepmother and siblings. She attended Columbia School of Librarianship. Merritt worked for the New York Public Library, the Book of the Month Club, in the publishing business and briefly ran a bookstore on lower Fifth Avenue in New York City.
Merritt traveled to the USSR and worked for the Moscow Daily News twice during the 1930s. She traveled to Columbia in 1938 and after U.S. entry into World War II, she moved to the Panama Canal Zone where she was the first medical librarian at Gorgas Hospital until her departure in 1948. Merritt acquired more library training at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. From there she was at UNESCO in Paris in 1949 and in 1950 went to Geneva, Switzerland in 1950, as the assistant to the chief of the World Health Organization Library for three years.
Merritt moved to San Francisco, California, in 1953. In 1954 she met Richard L. Merritt, who became her husband. That same year, Merritt took the position of medical librarian at the new Kaiser Foundation Hospital where she worked until she retired in 1966. She died May 17, 1971
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection contains outgoing correspondence and short stories written by Gertrude Hutchinson Merritt and a brief biography of her life written by Richard L. Merritt. The material describes Gertrude Merritt’s travels and work in New York, Europe, Latin America, and San Francisco as well as her political views, her thoughts on writing, books, and authors, and the state of her life. A few of the letters are addressed to Ernst Boas, who was a lover of Romana Javitz and the son of Franz Boas.
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 not transferred to The University of Montana
Preferred Citation
[Name of document or photograph number], Gertrude Hutchinson Merritt Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Custodial History
The letters in this collection were passed from the recipients to Richard L. Merritt, the donor.
Acquisition Information
The letters were a gift of Richard L. Merritt in 1974 and the typed transcriptions were a gift of Richard L. Merritt in 1977.
Processing Note
The loose letters were maintained in groups determined by recipient and chronologically within those groups.
Related Materials
The Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College holds a photocopy of the typed and transcribed letters, the short stories, and the brief biography of Merritt.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/1 | Letters to Romana Javitz | 1925-1934 |
1/2 | Letters to Romana Javitz | 1940-1950 |
1/3 | Letters to Romana Javitz | 1955-1971 |
1/4 | Letters to Mary Lorene | 1950-1971 |
1/5 | Letters to Ethel Wigmore | 1950-1971 |
1/6 | Letter from Dr. Francis Schiller | 1971 |
1/7 | Bound copies of transcribed letters, biography, and short stories | 1925-1971 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Medical librarians
Personal Names
- Merritt, Gertrude Hutchinson, 1902-1971--Biography
Geographical Names
- Europe--Description and travel
- Latin America--Description and travel
- New York (N.Y.)
- San Francisco (Calif.)
Form or Genre Terms
- Personal papers
- Short stories
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Merritt, Richard L.