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Gretchen Hoyt Corbett letters to Celia Gates, 1969 November-December; 2023 October
Overview of the Collection
- Correspondent
- Corbett, Gretchen Hoyt, 1886-1978
- Title
- Gretchen Hoyt Corbett letters to Celia Gates
- Dates
- 1969 November-December; 2023 October (inclusive)1969-112023-10
- Quantity
- 0.1 cubic feet, (1 folder in shared box)
- Collection Number
- Coll 1032
- Summary
- Letters that Gretchen Hoyt Corbett (1886-1978) of Portland, Oregon, wrote to her neighbor Celia Gates (1955-1969) in 1969, while Gates was hospitalized. The letters describe Corbett's childhood and family in the late 19th century and early 20th century. The collection also includes a note written by Gates' sister, Sarah Gates Fitzgerald, in 2023, explaining the context of the letters.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Gretchen Hoyt Corbett was born in 1886 in New York City. After studying music and singing, she married Henry L. Corbett (1881-1957) in 1908, and moved to Portland, Oregon. The couple later had five children. Gretchen Hoyt Corbett helped to reorganize the Oregon Symphony, founded the Junior League of Portland, and served on the board of the Portland Art Museum. She died in 1978.
Sources: Obituary in the Oregonian, February 23, 1978.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists of 37 typewritten letters that Gretchen Hoyt Corbett of Portland, Oregon, wrote to her neighbor, Celia Gates. Many of the letters include handwritten edits. The majority of the letters describe Corbett's childhood and early adulthood, including descriptions of life, fashion, and customs in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She also discusses her family members, what Portland was like when she first moved there, and political developments of the era, including the election of her husband, Henry L. Corbett, to the Oregon State Legislature. The collection also includes a note written in 2023 by Gates' sister, Sarah Gates Fitzgerald, that explains the context in which the letters were written.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Gretchen Hoyt Corbett (1886-1978) was a neighbor and friend of Stuart Gates and Sylvia Gates of Portland, Oregon. Corbett acted as an honorary grandmother to the Gateses' daughters, inviting them over for tea and reading them stories. In late 1969, the eldest Gates daughter, Celia, was hospitalized at Good Samaritan Hospital for a rare childhood cancer, and during this time, Corbett wrote letters to her. Celia Gates died on December 30, 1969.
Sources: Information written by Sarah Gates Fitzgerald in October 2023; vital records on Ancestry.com.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Preferred Citation
Gretchen Hoyt Corbett letters to Celia Gates, Coll 1032, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Personal Names
- Corbett, Gretchen Hoyt, 1886-1978--Childhood and youth
- Corbett, Gretchen Hoyt, 1886-1978--Correspondence
- Gates, Celia, 1955-1969--Correspondence
Family Names
- Corbett family
Geographical Names
- United States--Social life and customs--19th century
- United States--Social life and customs--20th century
Form or Genre Terms
- correspondence
