Summary Information
Grace Garrison Lincoln Papers
1900-1965
- Lincoln, Grace Garrison, 1871-1970
Mss 323
0.4 c.f. (1 archives box)
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Papers, mainly 1900-1924, of Grace Garrison Lincoln, a Richland County, Wisconsin, resident active in the socialist, suffrage, and temperance movements. Present are incoming correspondence, including many letters from officials of the Social-Democratic Party, writings, clippings, and materials pertaining to her music teaching.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss00323 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Grace Garrison Lincoln was born in Green County, Wisconsin, on March 28, 1871. Her family later moved to Lone Rock, Wisconsin, where, in her early teens, Grace Garrison ran a small millinery business. Riding cross-country on horseback selling hats, she earned her way through schools at Platteville and Madison. Graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 1899, she moved to Richland Center where she became the first public school music teacher employed by that city. She also used her musical skills to entertain local social gatherings as “a sort of one woman band.” In that same year, 1899, Grace Garrison married Pearl Lincoln, a local attorney who later became the district attorney and mayor of Richland Center and a county judge of Richland County. They had one child, Garrison.
Grace Lincoln became interested in women's suffrage at the state level, and she worked actively for this movement for some time. Her parents were said to have had socialist leanings which may have led to her involvement in the socialist movements of the time. She joined the Social-Democratic Party of Milwaukee in 1908 and lectured on socialism throughout the Richland County area. She was also a local correspondent for the Capital Times of Madison. Grace Lincoln was active in the Richland Center Women's Club and the Federation of Women's Clubs, and was involved in the development of special projects in Richland Center such as the Carnegie Library, the city auditorium project, and Richland hospital. In 1967, she donated Garrison Park to the city of Richland Center. She was believed to be the oldest living resident of Richland Center at 99, when she died in Madison on May 17, 1970.
Processor's Note: Since the bulk of this collection dates from the years 1899-1924, and covers Grace Lincoln's activities in the socialist, suffrage, and temperance movements, biographical information relating to this period would be helpful. However, this information is lacking because the collection itself does not contain much relevant data on her life during this period. Sources that do mention Grace Lincoln do so cursorily usually failing to mention any early socialist activity. Most of the information for the biography comes from Garrison Lincoln, and from her obituary in the Richland Observer, May 21, 1970.
Scope and Content Note
The bulk of the Grace Garrison Lincoln Papers reflect her early interest and involvement in the social action movements of the early 1900s, e.g.; socialism, women's suffrage, and temperance. The collection is divided into five sections: incoming correspondence, the writings of Grace Lincoln, music materials, newspaper clippings, and receipts for building supplies for a domestic dwelling.
Incoming correspondence, circa 1907-1965 (mainly from 1907-1924), consists primarily of letters received from officials of the Social-Democratic Party (such as W. R. Gaylord, State Senator from the Sixth District, 1908-1911, and State organizer for the Social-Democratic Party). Other letters concern campaign matters of the Social-Democratic Party, lecturing on socialism, and acquiring slides to illustrate her lectures. The correspondence is arranged chronologically.
The writings of Grace Lincoln, circa 1910-1964, pertain to her ideas concerning socialism, suffrage, and temperance. Included are copies of “Basic Principles” (circa 1930), “The Cooperatives and the Socialists” (October 1964), “The Duties and Demands of the New Woman,” “Proposals Concerning Regulations on Wealth,” a draft of a note to William Evjue of the Capital Times (circa 1949) dealing with the development of her socialist philosophy, and sixty Xeroxed pages of writings on socialism. The file is arranged alphabetically by title.
The third division of the Papers relates to Grace Lincoln's work as a public school music teacher and contains handwritten, printed, and Xeroxed copies of various songs. Also included is a Xerox copy of a physiology of speech and singing by John Howard.
Clippings from various newspapers pertaining to socialism, women's suffrage, and temperance constitute the fourth section of the Lincoln Papers. Included are Xeroxed copies of columns on socialism from the Richland Rustic (circa 1905-06), and a scrapbook of editorials and various articles from the newspaper, The Voice (New York, N.Y.?).
The final group of materials in the collection is a sampling of receipts for building supplies for a domestic dwelling built by Grace Lincoln in 1935. These have been arranged chronologically.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by Garrison Lincoln, Monona, Wisconsin, September 12, 1974. Accession Number: M74-379
Processed by G. Thomas Zamaria (FGH Intern) and Joanne Hohler, October 22, 1974.
Contents List
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Box
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Folder
1
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Incoming correspondence, circa 1907-1965
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Box
1
Folder
2
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Writings of Grace Lincoln, circa 1910-1964
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Box
1
Folder
3
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Music materials, circa 1900
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Box
1
Folder
4
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Newspaper clippings, circa 1905-1910
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Box
1
Folder
5
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Receipts for building supplies for domestic dwelling, circa 1935
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