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Leah D. Widtsoe papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 155

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

  • 1890-1966

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 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.

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

Contact:
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo UT 84602 US