Katherine to Francis Biddle., 07/04/1946-07/29/1946

File — Box: 1, Folder: 25

Identifier: 75087

Collection-level Scope and Content Note

From the Collection:

The Biddle Family letters comprise the third part of the Biddle Family papers and is organised into three series:

1. Francis Biddle and Katherine Biddle correspondence exchanged between 1912 and 1968. Of particular interest are the very early "courtship" letters from Katherine Biddle before her marriage to Francis Biddle; and the correspondence (primarily from her) sent in late 1945 to 1946 when Francis Biddle served on the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg.

2. George Biddle correspondence primarily to his brother Francis Biddle written between 1899 and 1972, with the bulk dating between 1940 and 1970. The letters provide biographical details on his work and rich connections in the art world. (cf. also George Biddle's autobiography, "An American Artist's Story" (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1939).

3. Miscellaneous family correspondence and material relating to other members of the Biddle clan including the families of Coxe, Chapin (note especially the letters of sculptor and artist Cornelia Chapin), McMurtrie, Randolph, and Robinson. Letters by the earlier members of the family provide much historical interest, offering insight into the lives of American nineteenth century men, women and their families.

Husbands and sons often wrote from abroad as necessities of work and education dictated. In particular, letters from William McMurtrie to his wife Elizabeth Coxe McMurtrie offer colorful descriptions of his experiences while serving in the U.S. Navy off the coasts of Italy, Turkey, and in Gibralter. Women's correspondence is typically replete with domestic news of births, deaths, and the general health of various family members. Mothers and aunts advised daughters and nieces on the social graces and especially matters of religion. Well-educated and literate, the women wrote to each other at length, often reporting on books they were reading, as well as the running of their own schools, as did Emily Coxe and her sister Ann Coxe, both married to ministers, the Reverend Charles Pettit McIlvaine and the Reverend Chauncey Colton, respectively. (cf. also the Franklin Sanborne Papers, for nineteenth century American women's correspondence.)

Other substantial correspondence of historical interest includes that of Clement Cornell Biddle (1784-1855), George Biddle (1843-1886), George Washington Biddle (1818-1897), his wife Maria Coxe McMurtrie Biddle, and her sister Elizabeth McMurtrie McColl. The collection is completed by several valuable files of information on the Biddle family genealogy tracing roots back to William Biddle (1630-1712) and wife Sarah Kemp, who arrived in America in 1681, as well as to William Randolph (1650-1711), whose grandson married a granddaughter of Pocahontas.

Dates

07/04/1946-07/29/1946

Collection-level Access Restrictions

Permission of the Biddle Family is required before accessing this collection. The Booth Family Center for Special Collections can provide information on the permission process.

Collections stored off site require a minimum of three days for retrieval. For use of all manuscripts collections, researchers are advised to contact the Booth Family Center for Special Collections in advance of any visit.

Extent

From the Collection: 2.25 Linear Feet (3 Hollinger Document Cases, 1 Record Storage.)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Container Summary

Correspondence from Katherine to Francis Biddle: 10 ALS and 1 telegram. - ALS 7/4/1946, letter #17. Reference to health of Edmund Randolph; receiving old letters written to Charlotte Mason from Cornelia Chapin who was sorting the latter's posthumous effects; friends Jane Ickes, Charlotte Kellogg, Alexis Leger. - 2 ALS 7/6/1946, letter #18; and 7/8/1946, letter #19. Reference to Kenneth Young, Alexis Leger, William Bullitt, and Edmund Randolph Biddle. Also reference to Charlotte Mason's will; Katharine Schuyler Chambers Munoz; Charlton Ogburn; Harold and Jane Ickes. - 2 ALS 7/9/1946, letter #20; and 7/14/1946, letter #22. Reference to progress of Edmund Randolph Biddle; Charlton Ogburn; Alexis Leger; Marion Wasserman; Charlotte Kellogg; and Emilie Amram. - 3 ALS 7/17/1946, letter #23; 7/19/1946, letter #24; and 7/23/1946, letter #25. Reference to Edmund Randolph Biddle; Elwyn Jones; Leila, Paul D., Schuyler, and John Griswold Chapin; Marie ("Nannie") Beale; Justice Hugo Black; Robert Jackson; Harry S. Truman; Drew Pearson; Charlton Ogburn; George Howe. - 2 ALS 7/29/1946, letters #26 and 27. Reference to Sydney Geoffrey and Cornelia Biddle ("Neale"); and to Edmund Randolph Biddle. Also references to Charlotte Kellogg; a meeting between Francis Biddle and Rebecca West; Edward Levi; James and Marie Bennett; Marion and Mark Merrell; Philip and Emilie Amram; Marthe Andre de Fels and Alexis Leger; and news about Biddle family members including Sydney Francis and Dorothea Biddle, Julia Biddle, Oliver Biddle, Peter Biddle, Constance and Alice Biddle.

Subjects and Associated Physical Materials

BIDDLE, KATHERINE - CORRES. TO BIDDLE, FRANCIS 1946 (JULY): Autographed Letter

BIDDLE, FRANCIS - CORRES. FROM BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946 (JULY): Autographed Letter

NUREMBERG WAR TRIALS - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

BIDDLE, EDMUND RANDOLPH - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

MASON, CHARLOTTE - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

CHAPIN, CORNELIA - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

ICKES, HAROLD & JANE - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

KELLOGG, CHARLOTTE - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

LEGER, ALEXIS - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

YOUNG, KENNETH - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

BULLITT, WILLIAM - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

CHAMBERS, KATHARINE SCHUYLER - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

OGBURN, CHARLTON - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

WASSERMAN, MARION - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

AMRAM, EMILIE & PHILIP - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

JONES, ELWYN - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

CHAPIN, LEILA - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

CHAPIN, PAUL D. - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

CHAPIN, SCHUYLER G. - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

CHAPIN, JOHN GRISWOLD - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

BIDDLE, CORNELIA T. ("NEALE") - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

BIDDLE, SYDNEY GEOFFREY - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

WEST, REBECCA - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

LEVI, EDWARD - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

DE FELS, MARTHE ANDRE (COMTESSE) - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

BIDDLE, SYDNEY FRANCIS & DOROTHEA - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, K. 1946: Autographed Letter

BIDDLE, JULIA - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

BIDDLE, OLIVER - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

BIDDLE, PETER - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

BIDDLE, CONSTANCE - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

BIDDLE, ALICE - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

BLACK, HUGO - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

JACKSON, ROBERT - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

TRUMAN, HARRY S. - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

PEARSON, DREW - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

OGBURN, CHARLTON - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

HOWE, GEORGE - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

BENNETT, JAMES & MARIE - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

MERRELL, MARION & MARK - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter

BEALE, MARIE - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1946: Autographed Letter