Title: Anita McCormick Blaine Office Records
Inclusive Dates: 1889-1952

Creator:

• Blaine, Anita McCormick

Call Number: McCormick Mss 4E

Quantity: 48.0 cubic feet (41 records center cartons and 43 volumes)

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 documenting Anita McCormick Blaine's finances and employment of office staff. Mrs. Blaine spent and gave away so much money, and was involved in so many activities, that her Chicago mansion took on the aspects of an institution as well as a home; and in 1928 she set up an office in the Farwell Building. In these two places causes were initiated, plans were made, and conferences were held, for all of which records were always kept. The collection exhibits in great quantity and detail information concerning office procedure. Written messages constantly flowed between her and her secretaries, and the papers include methods outlined for office management, diaries and reports of secretaries, questions and recommendations, summaries of telephone conversations, gift information with annotations as to Mrs. Blaine's intent, press releases, and financial records including bills, accounts, cash books, and ledgers.

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-mcc0004e

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Diaries, memoranda, and scrapbooks of Anita McCormick Blaine, Chicago philanthropist and wife of the inventor of the reaper, Cyrus Hall McCormick. The diaries cover her three years at female seminaries in New York state, the period from 1856 through 1877, and a trip to Egypt for her son Stanley's health in 1896. They have frequent gaps in time, but entries are long and thoughtful, revealing much of her character, demonstrating her desire to help others, her concern for her children, and the extent to which she served as counselor to her husband. Entries refer to discussions on plant expansion, her attitude toward mine investments, and her writing of business letters at McCormick's dictation. References are made to the Civil War, especially during its opening months while the family lived in Washington, and her later work with the New York Ladies' Southern Relief Society.

In addition, there are two notebooks, 1852-1853, kept while a student at Troy Female Academy in New York; six very small books noting shopping lists and personal expenditures, especially while on trips abroad; and two volumes of diaries, 1851-1860, by her cousin, Ermina G. Merick, making frequent reference to Nettie.

Of the scrapbooks, one records the success of the McCormick reaper at the London exhibition in 1862; one contains clippings of letters by McCormick published in church papers, 1868-1869, concerning a dispute with Willis Lord involving the McCormick Theological Seminary; and two consist of clippings, programs, and photographs, 1909-1912, regarding admission of Cyrus H. McCormick Sr., to the Illinois Farmers' Hall of Fame.

Anita McCormick Blaine Correspondence and Papers (Series 1E and 2E)

Anita McCormick Blaine Operation of Household Papers (Series 3E)

Anita McCormick Blaine Additional Papers, received in 1971 (Series 5E)

McCormick Mss 4E Box   1	Address books, bank account lists, 1947-1948
Box   1	Daily reports, 1938-1939
Box   2	Daily reports, 1940-1946 December
Box   3	Daily reports, 1947-1951
	Diaries
Box   3	1902-1910
Box   4	1910 April-1919 October
Box   5	1919 November-1925 October
Box   6	1925 November-1928 October
Box   7	1928 October-1930 December
Box   8	1931 January-1932 October
Box   9	1932 November-1934 June
Box   10	1934 July-1936 February
Box   11	1936 March-1937 October
Box   12	1937 November-1940 March
Box   13	1940 April-1942 September
Box   14	1942 October-1947 June
Box   15	1947 July-1952 June
Box   16	1952 July-1956
Box   16	Gift information, 1907-1952
	Methods of running the office
Box   16	1915-1916
Box   17	1917-1944
Box   18	1945-1953
	Questions regarding office matters
Box   18	1908-1926 April
Box   19	1926 April-1927 December
Box   20	1928 January-March
Box   21	1928 March-May
Box   22	1928 June-September
Box   23	1928 September-December
Box   24	1930-1939
Box   25	1940-1949
	Recommendations on various matters
Box   25	1915-1949
Box   25	Record books
	Reports
Box   26	Undated-1922 October
Box   27	1922 November-1926 June
Box   28	1926 July-1928 July
Box   29	1928 August-1930 June
Box   30	1930 July-1934 June
Box   31	1934 July-1939 February
Box   32	1939 March-1942 September
Box   33	1942 October-December
	Telephone lists
Box   33	1916-1922
Box   34	1920 May-1932 December
Box   35	1932-1954
	Telegrams
Box   35	1907-1926 April
Box   36	1926 May-1931 February
Box   37	1931 May-1948 December
	Samples and procedures
Box   37	Bank balances, statements, bill lists
Box   38	Bill lists, bond quotations, “dates,” enclosure slips, forms, magazine lists, mail lists, 1922-1942 Note: Also includes mail process, notes continuing, numbered enclosures.
Box   39	Payments, early press clippings
Box   40	Press clippings
Box   41	Press clippings to weekly report on notes
	Volumes
Volume 1	Cash book, 1890-1906
Volume 2	Office journal, 1890-1905
Volume 3	Index to Ledger A, 1890-1905
Volume 4	Index to Ledger A, 1890-1905 (continued)
Volume 5	Ledger A, 1890-1905
Volume 6	Anita Blaine's “Lake Forest” residence
Volume 7	Trial balance, 1902-1920
Volume 8	Cash book, 1890-1912
Volume 9	Cash book, 1912-1917
Volume 10	Ledger A, 1894-1911
Volume 11	Cash journal A, 1906-1911
Volume 12	Daybook, A.B., 1890-1911
Volume 13	Ledger, 1891-1913
Volume 14	Disbursements, 1917-1922
Volume 15	Summary of disbursements, 1917-1921
Volume 16	Ledger, current, 1925-1931
Volume 17	Ledger, current, 1918-1945
Volume 18	Cash book, current, 1932-1951
Volume 19	Cash book, transfer, 1918-1931
Volume 20	Inheritance journal, 1925-1947
Volume 21	Transfer journal, 1918-1925
Volume 22	Insurance, 1942-1952
Volume 23	Bills payable and receivable, 1889-1913
Volume 24	Securities, 1890-1914
Volume 25	Ledger, 1910-1919
Volume 26	Private accounts, 1899-1901
Volume 27	Ledger, 1926-1928
Volume 28-43	Trial balance, 1916-1947