Adelaide Sutton Gilbert Correspondence, 1876-1893
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Gilbert, Adelaide Sutton, 1849-1932
- Title
- Adelaide Sutton Gilbert Correspondence
- Dates
- 1876-1893 (inclusive)18761893
- Quantity
- 1 ft.
- Collection Number
- MsSC 225
- Summary
- Resident of Spokane, Wash. Letters to family members in New York state, chiefly detailing the daily life of an upper-middle class family. Includes information relating to Gilbert's husband, Frederick W. Gilbert, and his activities as civil engineer and division superintendent for Northern Pacific Railroad, domestic help, clothing, social life, the weather, and daily events in the Northwestern communities in which she lived prior to moving to Spokane, including Brainerd, Minn., Portland, Or., Missoula, Mont., Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and Sprague, Wash.
- Repository
-
Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (Eastern Washington State Historical Society)
2316 W. First Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201
archives@northwestmuseum.org - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is not restricted.
- Additional Reference Guides
-
Nolan, Edward W. A Guide to the Manuscript Collections in the Eastern Washington State Historical Society (Spokane, WA: Eastern Washington State Historical Society, 1987).
- Languages
- English
Biographical Note
As the wife of Frederick W. Gilbert, a civil engineer and division superintendent for the Northern Pacific Railroad, Adelaide Gilbert moved to wherever the railroad transferred her husband. Beginning in Brainerd, MN in 1881, they moved westward to Portland, OR in 1883, to Missoula, MT in 1885; to Coeur d’Alene in 1888; to Sprague, WA in 1890; and finally to Spokane in 1891.
Content Description
The collection consists of nearly 300 lengthy letters written by Mrs. Gilbert to her mother and other family members in New York. Her letters detail the daily life of an upper-middle class family; trouble with the hired help, the children, her husband’s job, her preoccupation with clothing and style, and the day to day problems of running a household. However, she also had a great interest in the world around her, and usually commented at some length on business conditions, weather, social life, and daily events in the communities in which she lived.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Use
Publication RightsCopyright has not been assigned to the Eastern Washington State Historical Society. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Museum Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Eastern Washington State Historical Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher
Preferred Citation
Adelaide Sutton Gilbert Correspondence (MsSC 225), Eastern Washington State Historical Society/Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, Spokane, WA.
Administrative Information
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Clothing and dress
- Engineers--Washington (State)
- Household employees--Washington (State)
- Middle class women--Washington (State)
- Middle class--Washington (State)
- Railroad engineers--Washington (State)
- Railroads--Washington (State)
- Weather
- Women--Washington (State)
Personal Names
- Gilbert, Adelaide Sutton, 1849-1932--Archives
- Gilbert, Frederick W.
Corporate Names
- Northern Pacific Railroad Company
Family Names
- Gilbert family
Geographical Names
- Brainerd (Minn.)
- Coeur d'Alene (Idaho)--Social life and customs
- Idaho--Social life and customs
- Minnesota--Social life and customs
- Missoula (Mont.)--Social life and customs
- Montana--Social life and customs
- New York (State)--Family and personal papers--19th century
- Northwestern States--Social life and customs
- Oregon--Social life and customs
- Portland (Or.)--Social life and customs
- Spokane (Wash.)--Transportation--Railroads
- Spokane (Wash.)--Social life and customs
- Sprague (Wash.)--Social life and customs
- Washington (State)--Transportation--Railroads
- Washington (State)--Family and personal papers--19th century
- Washington (State)--Social life and customs
