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Lillian Foster Larson Simonsen papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 7605

Scope and Contents

The Lillian Foster Larson Simonsen papers include journals, books, correspondence, creative writing samples, and scrapbook materials relating to Lillian Simonsen and her family, primarily her first husband, Clinton Larson, and her son, Clinton Foster Larson. Materials date between 1816 and 1988.

Dates

  • 1816-1988

Creator

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 Lillian Foster Larson Simonsen papers must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Board of Curators.

Biographical History

Lillian Foster Larson Simonsen (1897-1979) was wife to the athlete Clinton Larson and mother to Clinton F. Larson, the poet.

Lillian Foster was born on May 13, 1897 in Manassa, Colorado to Henry Foster and Emily Forbes Foster. She was the oldest of eight children. The Foster family moved to Northern Utah when Lillian was young, and she was raised in Vernal and American Fork, Utah. She attended Brigham Young University where she met Clinton Larson, whom she married on September 26, 1918. The couple was sealed in the Salt Lake temple in December of the same year. Lillian and Clinton had one child together, Clinton Foster Larson, born on September 22, 1919. After a rough, stressful marriage, Lillian and Clinton were officially divorced on October 24, 1946. They made attempts to re-marry, but Clinton remarried other women twice before his death in 1952. Lillian married a longtime friend, Carl M. Simonsen on January 22, 1971, many years after Clinton Larson’s death. Lillian worked for many years as a hospital switchboard operator at both Veteran’s and St. Mark’s hospital. She retired from St. Mark’s after 20 years of work. Lillian passed away on October 3, 1979.

Extent

3 cartons (3 linear ft.)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

Materials are arranged by type; Correspondence is divided by primary correspondent and then arranged in chronological order.

Custodial History

Donated by Diane L. Porter and Sue Booth-Forbes in 2010.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated; Diane L. Porter and Sue Booth-Forbes; 2010.

Appraisal

Utah and the American West and LDS cultural, social, and religious history (20th Century Western and Mormon Manuscripts collection development policy 5.VII, August 2007).

Lillian Foster Larson was a Mormon woman in Utah, the mother of BYU professor Clinton Foster Larson, and the wife of BYU athlete, Clinton Larson.

Processing Information

Audrey Spainhower, student manuscript processor, and John Murphy, curator; 2010.

Title
Register of Lillian Foster Larson Simonsen papers
Status
Completed
Author
John M. Murphy, curator, and Audrey Spainhower, student manuscript processor
Date
November 2010
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.

Repository Details

Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository

Contact:
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo Utah 84602 United States