Edwin F. Jones Papers
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of letters written by Jennie M. Williams concerning everyday matters. She discusses what seem to be mutual friends, including Mary Soper, Lou (Ned's friend), Edith Lawrence, and the Johnson family. She writes longingly of "the Farm," "the woods," and "the mountains," (possibly the same place), likely going there for health reasons. There are short mentions of entertainments of the day including the circus, the pictures, the New York State fair, and live music or theater. She writes of her future plans including working in a store in Syracuse, New York and attending Albany Business College for a stenography course.
The relationship with Jones appears to be a summer romance after spending time together at the John Brown Farm near Lake Placid, New York. She writes uncertainly about her feelings in response to his declarations of love. They discuss the exchange of gifts including a revolver, rings, and handmade balsam pillow. She signed all but one letter simply Jennie and commonly addressed him as Ned or "my dear Little Man."
Jennie writes from sites in New York State including her hometown of Camden, Syracuse, and the Adirondack region. Jones's addresses include Burlington, Vermont and Brooklyn, New York. The letters reflect an uncertainty about his future and a short period living in New York City to pursue business opportunities before returning to Vermont to study medicine.
Dates
- 1901-1902
Creator
- Jones, Edwin F. (Recipient, Person)
- Williams, Jennie M. (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Curator of Manuscripts.
Biographical / Historical
Jennie's full name of Jennie M. Williams is given only once, in a letter dated March 22, 1902, which ends their correspondence. She was born in about 1880 in Camden, New York to John Williams (1837-1885) and Helen (Russell) Williams Rush (1839-1916). Jennie's step father, Jacob Rush (m. 1889, d. 1909) is a part of her life during the period of correspondence present in this collection. Jennie's sister Edith Williams Lewis (d. 1901), two half brothers Frank and Fred (both of DeKalb, New York), and step brother Horace J. Rush are specifically mentioned in the correspondence. Jennie married Charles H. Wunsch, a harness maker, in 1905.
Edwin Francis Jones was born December 11, 1879 in Williston, Vermont to John W. Jones (1845-1915) and Martha "Mattie" Johnson (about 1845-1922). John W. Jones worked as a farmer. In about 1886, he and his business partner started the grain, seed, and animal feed store Jones and Isham, which operated for 28 years on Church Street in Burlington, making it one of the longest running businesses at the time. Martha was the daughter of Anson and Agnes Johnson; she was a descendant of Joseph Johnson (1771-1842), a Vermont surveyor, millwright, master builder, and civil engineer. Martha and John married in about 1876; she had two children from a previous marriage: Anson Hinckley (1865-1879) and Mary Hinckley (born about 1868). Mary Hinckley married John Evans, a Civil Engineer, and they lived in Brooklyn, New York. A portion of the correspondence in this collection uses the Evans family's address for Edwin's letters.
Edwin studied at Amherst College, Cazenovia College, the University of Vermont Medical School (class of 1910 or 1911), and the University of Southern California Medical School. Vague and sparse references to health problems may account for his attending multiple schools and colleges. He worked as a doctor in Pittsfield, Vermont and Hinesburg, Vermont in the period between 1910 and 1913. In 1913, he married May Ethel Campbell. In 1914, the Jones family moved to California where they raised two children, Dorothy and Edwin Francis Jr. They resided in Oakland and Jones retired in 1938 due to poor health. He died in 1942.
Extent
0.2 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Collection consists of the letters written by Jennie M. Williams, of Camden, New York to Edwin "Ned" F. Jones in Burlington, Vermont, concerning their relationship and mutual friends. One letter (August 1901) was written by Ned to his cousin Wilmot "Bill" Spicer.
Physical Location
Library Research Annex; contact uvmsc@uvm.edu for access.
- Title
- Guide to the Edwin F. Jones Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Date
- 2018 July
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the University of Vermont Libraries, Special Collections Repository
Silver Special Collections Library
48 University Place, Room B201
Burlington Vermont 05405 U.S.A. US
(802) 656-2138
(802) 656-4038 (Fax)
uvmsc@uvm.edu
