Leah D. Widtsoe papers
Scope and Contents
Contains school notebooks, published works, correspondence, and genealogical information including information on her family history, her education at Pratt Institute and the University of Utah, and her career as an instructor at Brigham Young University. Considering Leah Widtsoe's vast and diverse experiences, both vocationally and avocationally, this collection of her papers is relatively small. It cannot be more than a fragment of the original, complete collection. Included is information on her family history, her education at Pratt Institute and the University of Utah, and her career as a teacher and writer at Brigham Young University.
Dates
- Creation: 1890-1966
Creator
- Widtsoe, Leah D. (Leah Dunford), 1874-1965 (creator, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Open for public research.
Conditions Governing Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from the Leah D. Widtsoe collection must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the Special Collections Board of Curators.
Biographical History
Domestic scientist; instructor, Brigham Young University, wife of John A. Widtsoe; author. Leah Eudora Dunford was born February 24, 1874, to Dr. Alma B. Dunford and Susa Young Dunford Gates, daughter of Brigham Young. Leah graduated from the University of Utah in 1896 and received a B.S. Degree from Brigham Young University in 1899. She was put in charge of the Department of Domestic Science at B.Y.U. in 1897. In 1960 she received an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities Degree from B.Y.U. She married John A. Widtsoe on June 1, 1898, and they were the parents of 7 children. Throughout her life she served as a civic and church worker, lecturer, and author, and she was renowned for her work as a home economist. Leah Widtsoe died June 7, 1965, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Extent
2 boxes (1 linear ft.)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
Arranged in six series: 1. Biographical. 2. Education. 3. Career. 4. Genealogy, temple work, and personal and family history. 5. Photographs. 6. Memorabilia.
Other Finding Aids
File-level inventory available online. http://files.lib.byu.edu/ead/XML/UA155.xml
Custodial History
Mrs. Virginia Cutler, former chairman of the B.Y.U. Home Economics Department, obtained most of the material in the collection from the daughters of Leah D. Widtsoe. She donated it to the College of Family Living after Leah Widtsoe Day in 1965 or 1966, and they in turn transferred it to the University Archives. Some material was also obtained from the Church Historical Department and the B.Y.U. University Archives Biographical File.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated; Widtsoe family; 1965 or 1966.
Appraisal
University history (University Archives collecting policy, February 2010).
Separated Materials
The following material, which was given to Mrs. Virginia Cutler by Bob Smith, secretary to Reed Smoot, has been transferred to the Reed Smoot Collection (Mss 1187): Home Economics Information File; Home Economics Bill File.
General
Index/Finding aid Unpublished short register available with the collection.
Processing Information
Processed; Loretta Trentman; June 1981.
Subject
- Young, Brigham, 1801-1877 -- Family (Person)
- Dunford family -- Genealogy (Family)
- Brigham Young University -- Alumni and alumnae (Organization)
- Brigham Young University -- Faculty (Organization)
- Brigham Young University. Department of Home Economics Education (Organization)
- Title
- Register of Leah D. Widtsoe papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Loretta Trentman
- Date
- 1981
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English in Latin script.
Revision Statements
- 2011 July 14: Entered into Archivists' Toolkit by Rose Frank.
Repository Details
Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives Repository
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo UT 84602 US