Title: Erich and Lucia Stern Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1846-1987

Creators:

• Stern, Lucia K. (Lucia Karker), 1895-1987
• Stern, Erich C. (Erich Cramer), 1879-1969

Call Number: Local History Manuscript Collection 348

Quantity:

• 12.6 cubic ft. (29 boxes)
• 1 oversized folder

Repository:

Milwaukee Public Library, Frank P. Zeidler Room

Archival Location:

Milwaukee Public Library (Map)

Abstract:

Erich Cramer and Lucia Karker Stern were prominent natives of Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the early 20th century. Married in 1930, Lucia was an artist and lecturer known for her geometric and modern designs, and Erich was an attorney, professor and local elected official. This collection consists of a wide variety of materials reflecting the professional, family, financial and personal activities of Lucia and Erich Stern.

Note:

To request materials from this collection, create/login to your Special Collections Account.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.mwpl-lhmc0348

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Lucia Karker was born Martha Ida Lucia Karker on December 20, 1895 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Subsequently her name was changed to Lucia Martha Karker. Her parents John and Elizabeth (Rasch) Karker operated a meat market in Milwaukee. Her early lessons in stitchery at the old Notre Dame Convent on North Jefferson Street laid the groundwork for her wide career in geometric and modern design. She specialized in decoupage, collage and stitchery but worked also in wood, enamel and composed mobiles before Alexander Calder was popular. She exhibited her works extensively both in the United States and in Europe. She lectured regularly at the Milwaukee Art Center and elsewhere. She also wrote poetry and stories. She married Erich C. Stern on March 8, 1930 and died March 17, 1987.

Erich Cramer Stern was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on February 8, 1879 to Carl G. and Alma (Cramer) Stern. He attended public elementary schools in Milwaukee and the University School. He received his A.B. and L.L.B. from Harvard University, his doctorate at the University of Paris and studied at the University of Berlin. For most of his career he practiced law in Milwaukee and also taught law at Marquette University from 1910-1920, served as a Milwaukee Alderman 1908-1910 and as a state legislator 1910-1912. He died February 18, 1969.

This collection consists of a wide variety of materials reflecting the professional, family, financial and personal activities of Erich and Lucia Stern. The records include newspaper clippings, correspondence, family histories, photographs, financial and legal documents as well as materials on Lucia’s and Erich’s individual professions. Scattered throughout the collection are some handwritten notes left in place that are either from the donor or a previous collection processor.

More detailed scope and content notes of each series are provided in the contents list.

The collection is arranged into the following series:

1. Family, 1877-1978
2. Miscellaneous, 1898-1978
3. Photographs, 1871-1982
4. Stern, Erich Cramer, 1887-1974
5. Stern, Erich and Lucia, 1924-1981
6. Stern, Lucia Karker, 1895-1987

The series are arranged alphabetically. Within each series, folders are arranged alphabetically and then chronologically within each folder.

Erich and Lucia Stern Papers, 1846-1987, Collection 348. Local History Manuscript Collections, Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Photographs related to the Stern family are available in the Historic Photo Collection. This collection is available to view in the Humanities Department at the Central Library branch. Photos can be retrieved by staff when requesting this subject heading: "Stern (H.) Jr. & Bros.", "Stern, Henry" and "Stern, Carl". Additionally, some of the photos have been digitized and are available online by keyword searching the Milwaukee Public Library Digital Collection.

• Wisconsin Visual Artists Records. Local History Manuscript Collection 332.

Criteria for Modern Art

Lucia Stern, a Reevaluation : Exhibition Dates July 20-October 8, 1989

Basic Criteria for Contemporary Painting and Sculpture; a Gallery-Goer's Guide, and What to Like in Modern Art

"Designer at Work" : One Man Show : October 15th through November 22nd, 1959 Milwaukee Art Center

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials. The collection is open to all in accordance with state law. The public may view Local History Manuscript Collections by appointment at the Central Library. To request an in-person appointment, create/login to your Special Collections Account. If you have any questions, please contact the Archives and Special Collections Department at mplarchives@milwaukee.gov.

Use Restrictions

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

Acquisition Information

The collection was donated over several years after Lucia’s death in 1987 through 1992 by Beatrice B. Scarborough, a relative of Erich and Lucia Stern. Fontaine correspondence was donated by Claudia Fontaine Chidester (daughter of Paul and Virginia Fontaine) in 2017. The materials were accessioned as Local History Manuscripts.

Processing Information

Processed by Casey Lapworth, 2019.

	Series: 1. Family, 1877-1978 Scope and Content Note: Family series contains materials on Erich and Lucia’s extended family members such as family histories, correspondence, journals, memorabilia, certificates and other records. It also includes financial and legal documents regarding family trusts, estates and wills. Erich often worked with or represented family members in regards to their legal and/or financial interests.
	Baumgarten, Hermine – Estate
	Marshall Property
Box   1 Folder   1	1938-1951
Box   1 Folder   2	Correspondence, 1937-1951
Box   1 Folder   3	Receipts, 1938-1950
	Plankinton Property
Box   1 Folder   4	1941-1957
Box   1 Folder   5	Correspondence, 1942-1958
Box   1 Folder   6	Receipts, 1943-1960
Box   1 Folder   7	Cramer, Adolph, 1877-1978
Box   1 Folder   8	Genealogies, 1987
Box   1 Folder   9	Karker, Ella – Hymn book, 1898
	Karker, Elizabeth and John
Box   1 Folder   10	1877-1939, undated
Box   29 Folder   1	1902
Box   29 Folder   2	Karker, John, 1894
Box   1 Folder   11	Karker - Miscellaneous, 1897-1935, undated
Box   2 Folder   1	Miscellaneous, 1898-1972, undated
	Schlesinger, Emily – Estate
Box   2 Folder   2-3	1931-1940, undated
Box   2 Folder   4	Correspondence, 1936-1941
Box   2 Folder   5	Spenner, Ilma Cramer, 1980
Box   2 Folder   6	Stern, Adolphine B., 1919
Box   2 Folder   7	Stern, Alice - Trust, 1919-1971, undated
	Stern, Alma Cramer
Box   2 Folder   8	Consumers League of Wisconsin, 1909-1916
	Journals
Box   2 Folder   9-11	1889-1903
Box   3 Folder   1-4	1904-1925
Box   4 Folder   1	Obituary and Will, 1926-1928
Box   4 Folder   2	Stern, Alma Cramer and Carl G., 1928, undated
	Stern, Carl G.
Box   4 Folder   3	Business, 1868-1928, undated
	Correspondence
Box   4 Folder   4	1891, undated
Box   4 Folder   5	Condolences, 1929, undated
Box   4 Folder   6	Death, 1929, undated
Box   4 Folder   7	Education, 1859-1868, undated
	Estate
Box   4 Folder   8	1936-1957
Box   4 Folder   9-12	Correspondence, 1936-1957
Box   5 Folder   1	Financial – Account books, 1893-1928, undated
Box   5 Folder   2-3	Journals - Travel, 1884-1917
	Stern, Henry, Jr.
Box   5 Folder   4-5	Account books, 1850-1889
	Burial
Box   5 Folder   6	1928-1936, undated
Box   29 Folder   3	1899-1934
Box   5 Folder   7	Contracts, 1876
Box   5 Folder   8	Correspondence, 1883-1910, undated
	H. Stern Jr. & Bros. Co.
Box   5 Folder   9	1868-1934, undated
Box   29 Folder   4	1868-1923
Box   6 Folder   1	Receipts, 1876-1877, undated
Box   6 Folder   2	Stern, Hermann, 1853, 1919
Box   6 Folder   3	Stern, Julia, 1929, undated
Box   6 Folder   4	Summit Mineral Company, 1883-1967
	Series: 2. Miscellaneous, 1898-1978 Scope and Content Note: Miscellaneous series contains some ephemera and memorabilia, a scrapbook and other miscellaneous documents that could not otherwise be assigned to a series. Included are three audio visual recordings of 1978 programs in which Lucia appeared.	⇧
Box   6 Folder   5	Camp Allis, 1929, undated
Box   6 Folder   6	Civic Music Association, 1932-1933
Box   6 Folder   7	Correspondence, 1905-1963, undated
	Ephemera
Box   6 Folder   8	Progressive Party Charter Membership Certificate, 1912
Box   6 Folder   8	World’s Columbian Exposition ticket, 1893
Box   6 Folder   9	General, 1903-1979, undated
Box   9 Folder   10	Scrapbook – Mr. & Mrs. Petit, 1898
	U-matic
Box   25	“Milwaukee, Milwaukee: Love at the Art Center”, 1978
Box   25	“Milwaukee, Milwaukee: Profile of Lucia Stern” (2 parts), 1978
	Series: 3. Photographs, 1871-1982 Scope and Content Note: Photographs series contains mainly snapshots and portraits of Erich, Lucia, family and friends. There are also some images of places and unidentified people. Most photographs are loose but there are also several photo albums. There is a variety photography types represented including cased, tintypes and panoramic.	⇧
	Erich and Lucia
Box   7 Folder   1-2	1930-1965, undated
Box   7 Folder   3	Erich, 1968, undated
Box   27	Erich, undated Physical Description: 1 Daguerreotype
Box   28	Erich, undated Physical Description: 1 Tintype [?]
Box   7 Folder   4	Erich and family, 1962, undated
Box   28	Erich and family, 1895 Physical Description: 1 Tintype
	Erich and Harvard University
Box   7 Folder   5-6	1898-1956, undated
Oversize Folder   1	1926 Physical Description: 2 panoramic
Box   7 Folder   7	Erich and Max Murphy, 1930s, undated
Box   7 Folder   8-9	Erich portraits, 1883-1905, undated
Box   7 Folder   10	Lucia, 1930-1977, undated
Box   7 Folder   11	Lucia and art, 1977, undated
Box   8 Folder   12	Lucia and family, 1940, undated
Box   8 Folder   13	Lucia and others, 1964, undated
Box   8 Folder   14-15	Lucia portraits, 1927, 1930, undated
	Family
Box   26 Folder   5 vols.	Albums, 1892-1966
Box   26 Folder   1	Albums - index, undated
Box   8 Folder   16	Baumgarten, 1941-1985, undated
Box   8 Folder   17	Cramer, 1890-1915, undated
Box   28	Cramer, Adolph, undated Physical Description: 1 Tintype
Box   28	Cramer, Alma, circa 1871, undated Physical Description: 3 Tintypes
Box   28	Cramer, Alma and Johanna, undated Physical Description: 1 Tintype[?]
Box   8 Folder   18	Karker, undated
Box   27	Karker, undated Physical Description: 1 Daguerreotype and matching photographs
Box   9 Folder   1-3	Stern, 1846-1945, undated
Box   29 Folder   5	Stern, 1883, 1898
Box   28	Stern, Julia, undated Physical Description: 2 Tintypes
Box   9 Folder   4	Miscellaneous, 1946-1982, undated
	People
Box   9 Folder   5	1919-1974, undated
Box   27 Folder	Undated Physical Description: 3 Ambrotypes
Box   28	Undated Physical Description: 24 Tintypes
	Places
Box   9 Folder   6	Camp Allis, 1908-1925, undated
Box   9 Folder   7	Europe, 1892, undated
Box   9 Folder   8	General, 1894-1964
	Series: 4. Stern, Erich Cramer, 1887-1974 Scope and Content Note: Erich Cramer Stern series is materials more directly attributed to Erich. This includes correspondence, personal journals and financial and legal documents regarding his work as an attorney as well as in representing personal finances or investments of him and Lucia. There are newspaper clippings, certificates, ephemera, memorabilia, personal records from his childhood, Harvard University, organizations he worked with and a small amount of campaign materials from his time as an elected official.	⇧
	Civil liberties
Box   10 Folder   1	1918-1920, undated
Box   10 Folder   2	Clippings, 1920, undated
Box   10 Folder   3	Publications, 1917-1922, undated
	Clippings
Box   10 Folder   4	1918-1961, undated
Box   10 Folder   5	Erich Stern, 1921-1969, undated
	Correspondence
Box   10 Folder   6	1891-1968, undated
Box   10 Folder   7	Condolences, 1969, undated
Box   10 Folder   7	1969, undated
Box   10 Folder   8	Memorials, 1969, undated
Box   10 Folder   9	Social Concerns, 1915-1921, undated
Box   11 Folder   1	Droochsloot, 1911-1964, undated
	Education
	Harvard University
Box   11 Folder   2	1900-1969, undated
Box   11 Folder   3	Classes, 1898-1901
Box   11 Folder   4	Harvard Album, 1901 Physical Description: 1 volume
Box   11 Folder   5	Harvard Class Book, 1901 Physical Description: 1 volume
Box   24	Parsons Law Club stein, 1901
Box   11 Folder   6	Reunions, 1921-1956
Box   11 Folder   7	High school – German class, circa 1890s
Box   11 Folder   8	L'Universite de Paris, 1904-1905, undated
Box   11 Folder   9	Universitat Berlin, 1905, undated
	Financial
	Cash books
Box   12	1906-1937 Physical Description: 4 volumes
Box   13	1938-1961 Physical Description: 3 volumes
Box   13 Folder   1	Estate, 1960-1974, undated
Box   13 Folder   2	Family, 1918-1966
	Investments
Box   13 Folder   3	1925-1964, undated
Box   14 Folder   1	1929-1968 Physical Description: 1 volume
	Nuzum Farm
Box   14 Folder   2	1926-1953
Box   14 Folder   3-6	Correspondence, 1927-1959
Box   14 Folder   7	United Mineral Land Company, 1887-1968
Box   15 Folder   1-4	Williams & Stern – Cash books, 1921-1966 Physical Description: 4 volumes
	Miscellaneous
Box   15 Folder   5	1898-1940, undated
Box   29 Folder   6	1911
	Organizations
Box   15 Folder   6	City Club of Milwaukee, 1913-1915
Box   15 Folder   7	Committee of Forty-Eight, 1919, undated
Box   15 Folder   8	Community Welfare Council, 1909-1960
Box   15 Folder   9	Milwaukee Orchestral Association, 1915-1916
Box   16 Folder   1	National War Work Council of the YMCA, 1918, undated
Box   16 Folder   2	Other, 1917-1919, undated
Box   16 Folder   3	South Side Community Club, 1906-1919, undated
Box   16 Folder   4	War-Camp Community Service, 1917-1918, undated
	Personal
Box   16 Folder   5	Appointments / elections, 1907-1937, undated
	Attorney
Box   16 Folder   6	1911-1942, undated
Box   29 Folder   7	Certificates, 1904
Box   16 Folder   7	Wills, 1909-1924, undated
Box   16 Folder   8	Biographies and obituaries, 1933-1969, undated
	Journals
Box   17 Folder   1-4	circa 1892-1905 Physical Description: 4 volumes
Box   17 Folder   5	"Readings", 1946-1969
	Travel
Box   17 Folder   6	1892-1914 Physical Description: 5 volumes
Box   16 Folder   9	1888-1927, undated
Box   16 Folder   10	Notary, 1957-1969
Box   16 Folder   11	Records, 1931-1965
	Publications
Box   16 Folder   12	Free speech, 1919, undated
Box   16 Folder   13	Minimum Wage, 1909-1919
Box   18 Folder   1	Prisoners, 1918-1919, undated
Box   18 Folder   2	Woman suffrage, 1906, undated Note: Includes Erich C. Stern notes
Box   18 Folder   3-4	Speeches and writings, 1894-1965, undated
	Series: 5. Stern, Erich and Lucia, 1924-1981 Scope and Content Note: Erich and Lucia Stern series contains mainly correspondence between Erich and Lucia. This includes longer correspondence, postcards, notes and greeting cards. There are also a few financial documents that represent them both along with some miscellaneous materials on art and travel.	⇧
Box   18 Folder   5	Art, 1931-1962, undated
	Correspondence
Box   18 Folder   6	1946-1969, undated
	Between Erich and Lucia
Box   18 Folder   7	1925-1952, undated
Box   18 Folder   8	Cards and postcards, 1924-1969, undated
	Financial
Box   19 Folder   1	Insurance, 1938-1983, undated
Box   19 Folder   2	Miscellaneous, 1936-1960, undated
Box   19 Folder   3	Receipts, 1922-1980, undated
Box   19 Folder   4	Travel, 1948-1981, undated
	Series: 6. Stern, Lucia Karker, 1895-1987 Scope and Content Note: Lucia Karker Stern series contains materials more directly attributed to Lucia. It mainly consists of documents from or relating to her work as an artist and a writer. Exhibition information, programs, lecture notes, sketches, drafts of short stories and work with the Milwaukee Art Center. Some materials are in French. Also included are some personal documents such as certificates, newspaper clippings, records, journals, her will and a few folders of financial papers.	⇧
	Art
Box   19 Folder   5	Artist information, 1942-1965, undated
Box   19 Folder   6	Clippings, 1944-1977, undated
Box   19 Folder   7	Exhibition information, 1944-1985, undated
	Designs and sketches
Box   19 Folder   8	Designs and sketches, undated
Box   29 Folder   8	Designs and sketches, undated
Box   19 Folder   9	Financial, 1959-1963, undated
	Lectures / Seminars
Box   19 Folder   10	1962, undated
Box   19 Folder   11	Henry Matisse, undated
Box   19 Folder   12	Paris, undated
Box   19 Folder   13	Notes, undated
Box   20 Folder   1	Scripts, 1959, undated
Box   20 Folder   2	Miscellaneous, undated
Box   20 Folder   3	Milwaukee Art Institute, 1944-1957, undated
	Milwaukee Art Center
Box   20 Folder   4	1949-1963, undated
Box   29 Folder   9	1963
Box   20 Folder   5	Guide notes, 1961-1964, undated
Box   20 Folder   6	Seminar programs, 1952-1982
	Correspondence
Box   20 Folder   7	1923-1984, undated
Box   20 Folder   8	Art, 1935-1984, undated
Box   20 Folder   9	Fontaine, 1945-1946
	Education
Box   21 Folder   1	1909-1921
Box   29 Folder   10	Certificates, 1896-1913
	Financial
Box   21 Folder   2	1954-1955
Box   21 Folder   3-5	Account books, 1957-1970 Physical Description: 3 volumes
Box   21 Folder   6	Investments, 1929-1935, undated
	Personal
Box   21 Folder   7	Clippings, 1933-1977, undated
Box   21 Folder   8	Journals - Travel, 1953-1971
Box   21 Folder   9	Memberships, 1942, 1955
Box   21 Folder   10	Miscellaneous, undated
	Records
Box   21 Folder   11	1914-1984
Box   29 Folder   11	1895
Box   21 Folder   12	Will and obituary, 1947, 1987
	Writings
	Art
Box   22 Folder   1	Drafts and notes, 1942-1973, undated
Box   22 Folder   2-3	English, 1946-1984, undated
Box   22 Folder   4	French, 1978, undated
Box   22 Folder   5	Publications, 1946-1971
Box   22 Folder   6	Collected Works of Lucia Stern, undated
Box   22 Folder   7	French , undated
	Poetry
Box   22 Folder   8	undated
Box   23 Folder   1-2	undated
	Prose
Box   23 Folder   3	Father of Mary, 1937, undated
Box   23 Folder   4	Life Begins, 1937, undated
Box   23 Folder   5	Life Begins for Eddie, 1937, undated
Box   23 Folder   6	Magical Night, undated
Box   23 Folder   7	Middle West, undated
Box   23 Folder   8	Miscellaneous, 1937-1983, undated
Box   23 Folder   9	Thursdays, 1937, undated
Box   23 Folder   10	Quotations, undated