AHJ_ah00173 Inventory of the Mable Cheney Moudy Papers, circa 1866-1972 Moudy (Mable Cheney) Papers Processed by D.C. Thompson The creation of the EAD-version of this finding aid was made possible through a grant from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission. University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
American Heritage Center Dept. 3924, 1000 E. University Avenue University of Wyoming Laramie, WY 82071 Phone: 307.766.2574 Fax:307.766.5511 Email:ahcref@uwyo.edu URL:http://ahc.uwyo.edu/
2005; 2015

University of Wyoming

 Finding aid encoded by Ann Mulfort December 2005 Finding aid is in English Collection Summary Moudy, Mable Cheney, 1878-1972 Mable Cheney Moudy Papers circa 1866-1972 1947-1972 00173 2 cubic ft. (4 document boxes, 1 slim document box) University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center. English Diaries, manuscripts, and research material of a Wyoming teacher and historian who wrote about her family and her state's history. Biography of Mable Cheney Moudy

Mable Wyoming Cheney Moudy was a teacher, historian, and Wyoming pioneer who researched and wrote about her parents, her own life, and the history of the state from the 1870s. She was born on May 2, 1878, in Atlantic City near South Pass. Her father, Ervin F. Cheney (1844-1922), came west as a soldier after the Civil War and helped to survey the townsite of Laramie in 1868. He moved to the South Pass area shortly afterwards, where he operated a wagon and blacksmith shop. He married Mathilda Jane Henry in 1875, and in November, 1878, the family relocated to Lander, Wyoming. Mable graduated from Lander High School and entered the University of Wyoming at Laramie in 1897. She took a normal (teaching) degree from the university in 1900 and began to teach in Dubois, Wyoming. She married Ross B. Moudy (1878-1949) in 1903, and they settled in Laramie, where Ross Moudy taught chemistry at the university and held the appointment of state chemist. In 1920 he was hired as a chemist by the Midwest Refining Company, and he moved to Casper to work for Standard Oil of Indiana in 1932. The couple were the parents of a son and two daughters. Ross Moudy married Mae Dodge of Casper, Wyoming, in 1936. Mable Cheney Moudy continued to live in Laramie and was active as a historian and lecturer until her death in 1972.

 Scope and Content

The Mable Cheney Moudy papers primarily consist of diaries which detail the daily life of Mable Cheney Moudy from 1947, when she was staying at Lander during her mother’s last illness, until her own final year as a resident of the Ivinson Memorial Home in Laramie. Diary entries for September 12, 1972-December 1, 1972 were written by Moudy’s daughter, Alice Moudy Robbins. The collection also contains writings of Mable Cheney Moudy and others mainly regarding Wyoming history, including a reminiscence of her father, Ervin F. Cheney, who helped to survey the site of Laramie in 1868. Many of these manuscripts and letters were solicited by the Jacques Laramie Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (Laramie, Wyoming). The photographs include views of the University of Wyoming (1898-1908) and of the ruins of Fort Sanders, near Laramie, in the 1930s.

 Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

 Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

 Related Materials

There are no other known archival collections created by Mable Cheney Moudy at the date of processing.

 Acquisition Information

Papers were received from Mable Cheney Moudy between 1951 and 1969. The diaries were received from Alice Moudy Robbins in 1975. Some additional material was received from Alice Moudy Robbins in 1977. The papers were in good condition, but in no order. They have been arranged as seemed most useful for research.

 Processing Information

The collection was processed by D. Claudia Thompson in February 2002. Revised and expanded by D. Claudia Thompson in July 2004 and March 2015.

 Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

 Access Terms Cheney, Ervin F. Moudy, Ross B. Robbins, Alice Moudy, 1908-. University of Wyoming. Laramie (Wyo.)--History. Wyoming--History--To 1889. Wyoming--History--1890-1918. Wyoming--History--1919-1945. Wyoming--History--1946-. Diaries. <?xm-replace_text {Title as Subject}?> Social Life and Customs Home and Family Women Wyoming Container List Series I. Diaries 1947-1972

Arranged chronologically. Daily activities of Mable Cheney Moudy.

 1 Diaries, 10 items 1947-1956 2 Diaries, 10 items 1957-1966 3 Diaries, 6 items 1967-1972 Series II. Manuscripts and Historical Materials circa 1866-1965, undated

Arranged alphabetically by folder title. Includes historical writings by Mable Cheney Moudy and others, news clippings on Laramie and Wyoming history, photographs, and publications.

 4 1 Manuscripts, etc. – Bath Family by Fred Bath undated 2 Manuscripts, etc. – Cheney, Ervin F. 1873-1938

includes manuscripts, legal documents, news clippings, memorial program

 3 Manuscripts, etc. – Cheney, Ervin F. – Correspondence 1913-1915

letters to Mable Cheney Moudy

 4 Manuscripts, etc. – Cheyenne-Deadwood Trail by Isabel M. Willson 1930 5 Manuscripts, etc. – D.A.R. Scrapbook 1951-1954

notes taken from historical sources by Mable Cheney Moudy

 6 Manuscripts, etc. – D.A.R. Scrapbook 1952

notes taken from historical sources by Mable Cheney Moudy

 7 Manuscripts, etc. – Downey, June Etta by Helen M. Eaton 1937 8 Manuscripts, etc. – Dykins, Rhoda Sherman by Erina(?) Dykins 1952 9 Manuscripts, etc. – Episcopal Church by Mable Cheney Moudy undated 10 Manuscripts, etc. – “The Flag Ranch”, unknown author undated 11 Manuscripts, etc. – “Fremont’s Trip Through Southeastern Wyoming”, unknown author 1914 12 Manuscripts, etc. – Garrett Family by T.S. Garrett 1931 13 Manuscripts, etc. – Harris Family by Ida Harris Mondell undated 14 Manuscripts, etc. – “History of a Few Pioneers in Wyoming” by Mable Cheney Moudy 1955 15 Manuscripts, etc. – “Indians of Wyoming” by Mable Cheney Moudy undated 16 Manuscripts, etc. – Laramie History by Mrs. N.E. Corthell 1930 17 Manuscripts, etc. – “Life On the Prairies”, unknown author 1929

regarding employment on W.R. Williams ranch

 18 Manuscripts, etc. – Nelson, Aven by Aven Nelson 1929 19 Manuscripts, etc. – Owen, W.O. – Correspondence 1932-1943

letters of W.O. Owen reflecting on earlier people and events in Wyoming

 20 Manuscripts, etc. – Owen, W.O. – Newspaper Stories by W.O. Owen and others 1928-1933 21 Manuscripts, etc. – Patriotic and Inspirational by Mable Cheney Moudy undated

regarding Martha Ball Washington, signers of Declaration of Independence, national parks, etc.

 22 Manuscripts, etc. – Revolutionary War Stories by Mary Whiting McFarlane, Jane Smith 1929, undated

regarding Elijah Hobart, Charles Wilson Peale

 23 Manuscripts, etc. – Shoshones and Arapahoes by James K. Moore, Jr. 1956 24 Manuscripts, etc. – Simpson (J.B.) Family by Mrs. J.F. Soule 1931 25 Manuscripts, etc. – Sodergren, Oscar, autobiographical letter undated 26 Manuscripts, etc. – Telephone Canyon, various authors 1930 27 Manuscripts, etc. – “Through My Life”, autobiography by Mable Cheney Moudy circa 1960s 28 Manuscripts, etc. – Union Pacific Physician by F.H. Harrison 1925

regarding contract work for railroad

 29 Manuscripts, etc. – Union Pacific Stations in Albany County, Wyoming by Carl R. Gray 1931 30 Manuscripts, etc. – University of Wyoming by Kepler Hoyt and unknown authors 1931, undated 31 Manuscripts, etc. – University of Wyoming by Mary Whiting McFarlane 1928 32 Manuscripts, etc. – University of Wyoming by Mable Cheney Moudy 1960 33 Manuscripts, etc. – University of Wyoming by Jenny Gates Phillips 1928 34 Manuscripts, etc. – Wallis, Noah, unknown author 1931 35 Manuscripts, etc. – “Wells Fargo Stages vs. Sioux” by Lillie M. Dale 1928 36 Maps; western U.S., Wyoming trails 1941, undated 37 Newspaper Clippings – Fort Bridger 1933 38 Newspaper Clippings – Horn, Tom 1927-1930 39 Newspaper Clippings – Lander and Fremont County 1949-1953 40 Newspaper Clippings – Laramie and Albany County by W.E. Chaplin, A.C. Jones, Mary G. Bellamy, and others 1920-1944 41 Newspaper Clippings – Moudy, Mable Cheney 1962-1965

interviews with

 42 Newspaper Clippings – Shoshones and Arapahoes 1900-1953

Washakie Family, music, sun dance, etc.

 43 Newspaper Clippings – Trails in Wyoming 1931-1941 44 Newspaper Clippings – Wyoming Miscellaneous 1934-1950

Colter stone, Alva Brainard Cady, first rural church, etc.

 45 Newspaper Clippings – “Wyoming On Safari,” 1951-1952

travels of Marie Montabe Horton

 46 Notes On Historical Map of Albany County undated

no accompanying map

 47 Photographs – Mannaerchor Hall (Laramie) 1899-1900 48 Photographs – Places 1931-1952

Fort Sanders ruins, Moudy home, South Pass

 49 Photographs – Sand Creek 1898-1899 5 1 Photographs – University of Wyoming – Dramatics 1899

“The Garroters”

 2 Photographs – University of Wyoming – Students and Faculty 1897-1908

Boys Boarding House, Ross Moudy, Irene Morse, William Beach, Chemistry lab, etc.

 3 Postcards; Wind River Reservation, Chief Washakie’s grave, etc. 1916, undated 4 Publications – Fremont County 1924-1952

H.G. Nickerson, Clarence D. Jayne, Lander Pioneer Days program, with notes by Mable Cheney Moudy

 5 Souvenirs undated

Wyoming State Flag

 6 Wood Tile Block 1866 or 1867

carved by Ervin F. Cheney. “It was in the dining room of the house that was brought in from Ft. Sanders where it had been the officers quarters.”