Ida Blum diaries and historical research, 1804-1978

Series

Identifier: MSS 1891 Series 1

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Contains material collected by Ida Blum. Includes photographs, diaries, and papers. Most of the material is about Nauvoo and the surrounding area. Dated approximately 1804-1978.

Dates

Creation: 1804-1978

Creator

Blum, Ida (collector, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Open to public research.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from the Ida Blum collection must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Coordinating Committee.

Biographical History

From the Collection:

Ida Blum (1889-1980) wrote articles on the people of Nauvoo.

Ida Blum was born September 2, 1889 in Nauvoo, Illinois. Her mother passed away when she was only seven years old. Her family was Lutheran, and her new stepmother, who her father married a year after Ida's mother died, was Catholic. Ida was forced to quit school after two years of high school--her stepmother apprenticed her to a Catholic dressmaker--but she continued to read. She married Carl J. Blum on June 11, 1913. Her husband owned a store, called "Blum, Bechteld and Blum" for forty three years. Ida and Carl had two children: Arlette, born July 14, 1914, and Carl Jr., born August 1, 1916. Ida's husband Carl passed away on December 22, 1958. Ida Blum was an expert on Nauvoo's history. She wrote articles about the Mormons, Icarians (French Economic Unitarians), Germans and Swiss who lived in Nauvoo. She passed away around 1980.