Title: Nettie Fowler McCormick Biographical Association Records
Inclusive Dates: 1802-1949

Creator:

• McCormick, Nettie Fowler, 1835-1923

Call Number: McCormick Mss 8B

Quantity: 17.4 c.f. (30 archives boxes, 4 oversize files, and 5 card file boxes)

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Records of the Nettie Fowler McCormick Biographical Association, formed in 1932 by Mrs. McCormick's children. Virgina Roderick was employed as secretary, and served in this capacity until 1956 when the work of the Association was completed and her biography, Nettie Fowler McCormick, was published. The papers are composed of Miss Roderick's correspondence with individuals, organizations, and institutions in the search for letters and information; recollections and interviews she obtained from hundreds of persons who had known Mrs. McCormick; and both original and copied letters relating to Mrs. McCormick, some of which Harold originally had in his files. Included also are copies of letters from Eldridge M. Fowler to Cyrus H. Jr. concerning Mrs. McCormick, and letters and notes that James G.K. McClure Sr. had collected for a memoir of Mrs. McCormick. In addition, there are copies of manuscripts and correspondence loaned by members of the Fowler, Spicer, Merick, and McCormick families, including Fowler family business papers dating back to 1802. Much genealogical and biographical information is filed, as are many clippings. Miss Roderick's own notes, memoranda, reports, working papers, and manuscript for her book are included.

Note:

Forms part of the McCormick Collection.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mcc0008b

The Nettie Fowler McCormick Biographical Association was a private organization formed on August 1, 1932 by three of Mrs. McCormick's children: Cyrus H. McCormick Jr., Anita McCormick Elaine, and Harold F. McCormick. The purposes of the Association included arranging and studying the vast collection of papers left by Mrs. McCormick, collecting the recollections of persons who knew her, and of assembling as many as possible of her own writings. The McCormick family hoped a biography of Mrs. McCormick would result from this enterprise. Stella Virginia Roderick was the secretary of the Association. The Association concluded its work on January 31, 1956 and thereafter the papers of Mrs. McCormick and the files of the Association were transferred to the State Historical Society of Wisconsin.

Acquisition Information

Accession Number: M90-048

McCormick Mss 8B	Series: Administrative File Physical Description: 9 archives boxes, 1 oversize file box, and 1 card file box  Scope and Content Note Consists of correspondence (handwritten and typescript originals and typescript copies), memoranda, notes, and reports of Stella Virginia Roderick with individuals and institutions in search of Nettie F. McCormick letters. The correspondence contains biographical and genealogical information about numerous persons acquainted with Mrs. McCormick, material about the institutions she was interested in and some recollections about Mrs. McCormick. In addition, there is material relating to Cyrus H. McCormick, lists of Nettie F. McCormick's donations, notes on McCormick descendants, travel itineraries, newspaper clippings and photos, and clippings from magazines and periodicals relating to the McCormick family, their activities and their friends. The material is arranged alphabetically by subject. Following the above alphabetical administrative file is a section titled “Personal Belongings” (boxes 8 and 9), which includes an inventory and appraisal of the personal belongings of Mrs. McCormick, together with correspondence and a record of the distribution of many of these belongings. This section is arranged alphabetically by subject. Finally there are two file boxes of note cards. One is a partial alphabetical listing compiled by the Nettie Fowler McCormick Biographical Association of persons and institutions to whom requests were sent for recollections of Mrs. McCormick. Most of the cards contain biographical and genealogical information. The second file box is a chronological day by day listing of the whereabouts and activities of Mrs. McCormick and her parents for the years 1809 to 1923. This list is not complete. Some of the material is catalogued.
	Correspondence
Box   1	Abbe, Dr. Truman-Cheney, Mrs. Nelson Weaver
Box   2	Chesebrough, Anna-DuPont, Manual Training
Box   3	Easterly, Mrs. L.C.-Hanover College
Box   4	Harrison, Nancy-Loesch, Joseph B.
Box   5	Lowe, Frank D.-McCormick, Robert Rutherford
Box   6	McCormick, Roger S.-Rawson, Emily P.
Box   7	Regina College-Westminster College
Box   8	Wheelock, Mrs. William E.-Ziegler, Miss Anna M.
	Personal Belongings
Box   8	Bill of Appraisement: Recapitulation-Jewelry
Box   9	McCormick, Cyrus H., Jr.-United Charities Clothing
	Card Files
Box   10	Alphabetical listing of persons contacted for recollections of Mrs. McCormick
Box   11	McCormick chronology, 1809-1923
	Series: Administrative File: Virginia Roderick Papers Physical Description: 2 archives boxes, 3 oversize file boxes, and 4 card file boxes  Scope and Content Note File consists of material Virginia Roderick used or accumulated in preparing her biography of Nettie F. McCormick. Includes a carbon copy of the biography, a list of sources, correspondence commenting about the biography in its preparatory stages, typescript copies of Nettie F. McCormick letters to family and friends, correspondence and data regarding James Shields' loan, working papers (chapter outlines and notes), newspaper clippings and corrected drafts. The material is arranged under three headings, “Comment,” “Outlines,” and “Sources,” and alphabetically by subject within each heading. The file also includes 3 oversize file boxes (6 drawers) and 2 card file boxes of notes written by Virginia Roderick. The notes are on half sheets of typing paper and arranged alphabetically by subject. Finally, there are 2 card file boxes of notes. The first contains references to the writings of Nettie F. McCormick found in the letters of others and is arranged chronologically by years, from 1826 to 1923 (and undated). The second contains notes and references to letters in the Cyrus H. McCormick Papers. These notes are arranged alphabetically by subject. None of the material is catalogued.	⇧
	Comment
Box   12	Comment-Tusculum
	Outlines
Box   12	Birthplace-Utica Presbyterian Sunday School
	Sources
Box   12	Date Sequences-Letters Special
Box   13	Letters Special-Roderick, Stella Virginia Nettie Fowler McCormick Note: Carbon copy of biography.
	Card Files
Box   14	A-M
Box   15	M-R
Box   16	R-S
Box   17	S
Box   18	T-Y
Box   19	References to the writings of Nettie F. McCormick on the letters of others, 1826-1923, undated
Box   20	Subject reference to letters of Cyrus H. McCormick
	Series: Acquired Material: Merle-Smith Papers Physical Description: 2 archives boxes  Scope and Content Note Typescript and photostat copies of correspondence between various members of the Fowler, Spicer, Merick and McCormick families. Includes copies of letters written by Nettie F. McCormick (principally to her brother Eldridge M. Fowler and her sister-in-law Mrs. Eldridge M. Fowler) and Cyrus H. McCormick Jr. These papers are copies of papers loaned to the Nettie Fowler Biographical Association by Mrs. Van Santvoord Merle-Smith, a niece of Mrs. McCormick. Also included are typescript biographical notes on Eldridge M. Fowler and some miscellaneous Fowler family business papers. The Fowler family business papers cover the years 1802 to 1876 and the correspondence the years 1820 to 1949 (and undated). The correspondence is arranged chronologically by years and alphabetically by subject. None of the material is catalogued.	⇧
Box   21	Biographical notes on Eldridge M. Fowler
Box   21	Fowler family business papers, 1802-1876
	Correspondence
Box   21	Bartlett, Lois, 1820-Illinois Circuit Court, 1890
Box   22	McCormick, Nettie Fowler, 1890-Tucker, Delia, undated
	Series: Acquired Material: Harold F. McCormick File Physical Description: 1 archives box  Scope and Content Note: Principally original (handwritten and typescript) correspondence between Harold F. McCormick and his mother, Nettie F. McCormick, together with original letters of Harold and Nettie to and from friends and relatives. The material was taken from the papers of Harold F. McCormick and covers the years 1889 to 1930 (and undated). The material is uncatalogued. Arranged chronologically by years and alphabetically within the chronology.	⇧
Box   23	McCormick, Harold F., 1889-1930, undated
	Series: Acquired Material: Letters Pertaining to Nettie F. McCormick Physical Description: 2 archives boxes  Scope and Content Note: Original (handwritten and typescript) and typescript copies of letters about Nettie F. McCormick from friends and members of the family. Also letters to Mrs. McCormick's personal secretary. The material is arranged alphabetically by author and chronologically therein. Items cover the period 1824 to 1939 (and undated) and are uncatalogued.	⇧
Box   24	Adams, Arthur-McClenahan, Wallace
Box   25	McCormick, Alice Holt-Morse, Richard C.
	Series: Acquired Material: Genealogical File Physical Description: 3 archives boxes  Scope and Content Note: Genealogical data (handwritten and typescript originals and typescript copies) relating to various families, including Adams, Chaffee, Fish, Fowler, McCormick, Merick, and Spicer families. Also includes background material (documents, clippings, copies of deeds) on Jefferson County, New York. The items are arranged alphabetically by subject and are uncatalogued. Much of this material was sent to the Nettie F. McCormick Biographical Association or acquired through the work of Virginia Roderick.	⇧
	Genealogy
Box   26	Adams Family-Merick, Maria F.
Box   27	Merick, Maria F.-Wiltse, Marian P.
	Jefferson County, New York
Box   27	Brownville Maps, Jefferson County, New York Tombstones
	Genealogy Additions
Box   27A	Names of Fowler, Hammond, Hubbard, McChesney, McCormick, Spicer, Stone, James McCormick Note: It is possible James McCormick has no connection to Anita McCormick.
	Series: Acquired Material: Alphabetical File Physical Description: 3 archives boxes  Scope and Content Note: Letters (handwritten and typescript originals and typescript and photostat copies), newspaper and magazine clippings, documents, reports, maps, pertaining to Nettie F. McCormick, the McCormick family, the institutions they contributed to or were interested in, and the places they had friends and relatives, material about International Harvester, condolences about Nettie's death and similar items. The material is arranged alphabetically by subject or author and is uncatalogued.	⇧
Box   28	American Harvester Company-McCormick, Cyrus H.
Box   29	McCormick, Cyrus H. and Harriet Bradley Hammond-Richfield Springs
Box   30	Robinson, George Livingston-Zenos, Dr. Andrew C.
	Series: Acquired Material: Reverend James G.A. McClure Papers Physical Description: 1 archives box  Scope and Content Note: Correspondence (handwritten and typescript originals and typescript copies) of the President of the McCormick Theological Seminary, James G.A. McClure. Correspondents include Cyrus H. McCormick Jr., Anita McCormick Blaine, Stanley McCormick and the material pertains to the affairs of the Seminary, McCormick family matters, biographical notes on Nettie F. McCormick, the Interior and similar items. The material about the McCormick family was collected by McClure for use in a memoir of Nettie F. McCormick. Also included is a bound volume of typescript copies of correspondence regarding Nettie F. McCormick including letters of Nettie F. McCormick collected by McClure at the request of Cyrus H. McCormick Jr. Some of the copies of letters written by Nettie F. McCormick are indexed in Nettie F. McCormick's own writings. Much of this material is a copy or duplicate of the original correspondence. The material is arranged alphabetically by author and subject. Most of the material is uncatalogued.	⇧
Box   31	Continent, correspondence concerning Sullivan, George H.
Box   31 Volume   1	Copies of letters received by Reverend James G.A. McClure, regarding Nettie F. McCormick (including some letters of Nettie F. McCormick); letters from Eldridge M. Fowler to Cyrus Jr. concerning Nettie Fowler McCormick
	Series: Interviews and Recollections Pertaining to Nettie F. McCormick Physical Description: 7 archives boxes  Scope and Content Note Typescript copies of interviews and handwritten and typescript originals of recollections of individuals who knew Nettie F. McCormick. This material was collected by the Nettie Fowler McCormick Biographical Association under the direction of Stella Virginia Roderick. The material offers an invaluable appraisal of Mrs. McCormick and her endeavors as seen by her contemporaries and her children. Both the interviews and the recollections are arranged alphabetically by name of author or interviewee, and are catalogued on 3x5 cards located in the last drawer of the Nettie F. McCormick “Subject” catalogue. A few folders contain newspaper clippings and printed material along with the recollections. The contents of each box is listed according to the first and last folder in each box.	⇧
	Interviews
Box   32	Adams, John Beilingham-Dreher, Dr. Julius D.
Box   33	Dunn, Mrs. Morrill-Lyons, John F.
Box   34	McAfee, Dr. Cleland B.-Robinson, Dr. George L.
Box   35	Robinson, Dr. George L.-Zenos, Dr. and Mrs. Andrew C.
	Recollections
Box   36	Adams, Charlotte H.-Hayes, Dr. Watson M.
Box   37	Hieb, Rev. Louis-Scott, H.L.
Box   38	Scoular, Rev. William F.-Zwemer, Samuel M.