Series: Anna Martindale (1857-1937). Papers, 1868-1953
Biography/History: Anna Martindale, sister of Stephen IV, was born 4 December 1857. She attended Wellesley College in the late 1870s and later, around 1888, studied art in New York City at the Academy of Design. Shortly before the death of her parents Anna moved to the Los Angeles, California, area where she lived close to the home of her aunt, Adella Howard Cantwell, and nephew, George Cantwell, until her death. Anna Martindale never married; she died on 13 February 1937.
Scope and Content Note: Anna Martindale's Personal Correspondence is almost all to family members and relatives, and details the events of her daily life from childhood on. Her letters from Wellesley, New York, and the West Coast are interesting for the portrait they show of an educated and relatively independent young woman of the time and for her descriptions of college life, New York City, and her travels. Anna's Business Papers are somewhat confused as was the state of her affairs. The General business file consists of tax and utility bills for land owned in La Crosse, correspondence relating to shares she owned in a Racine, Wisconsin bank and a few miscellaneous items. J. E. Higbee of La Crosse was Anna's attorney from 1923 on, and the folders labeled with his name are his files which were eventually turned over to Katharine Martindale and kept by her. Higbee handled virtually all of Anna's business affairs including the settlement of her estate. His files, distinguished by two hole punches at the top of each sheet, include the following: correspondence to and from Stephen V, Anna's brother Ned, and others concerning Stephen IV's estate, Higbee's handling of Ned's funeral arrangements, rental payments made to Anna on her share of family property, a 1935 will, and correspondence between Higbee and family members involved in the settlement of Anna's estate. The files of correspondence between Katharine and George Cantwell concern Anna's finances, property holdings, and estate settlement--especially in relationship to Henrietta, her principal heir. Included in Cantwell's file are some letters from his wife, Margaret. The Estate file, which appears to have been assembled by Katharine, includes bills related to funeral expenses, a list of Anna's investments and possessions, correspondence from banks about Anna's holdings, correspondence between Katharine and attorneys in an attempt to reach a final settlement of Anna's estate, a newspaper obituary, and miscellaneous items. Anna's School Papers consist of two composition notebooks from Wellesley and a few small watercolors.

Personal Correspondence, 1868-1936

Stephen and Katharine H. Martindale III (parents), 1868-1888

E. S. H. “Ned” Martindale (brother), 1874-1924

Stephen Martindale IV (brother), 1906-1923

Katharine (niece) and Sophie (sister-in-law) Martindale, 1921-1936

Stephen Martindale V (nephew), 1923-1924

Friends and relatives, 1889-1914

Postcards, 1905-1925

Business papers, 1891-1948

General, 1891-1936

J. E. Higbee, Attorney, 1923-1942

Katharine Martindale to G. Cantwell, 1935-1939

G. Cantwell to Katharine Martindale, 1933-1948

Estate, 1937-1953

School papers, 1878-1879