GLENN AND MILDRED SPEIGHT PAPERS, 1824-1982
3 linear feet, 1 linear inch (6 LGA-S, 1 oversize box)
Herbert Hoover Presidential Library
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Glenn Speight was born on May 28, 1895. Mildred Wetherell was born on April 23, 1896. They married in September 1919. They jointly operated a farm outside Oasis and were early growers of hybrid corn and beans. The Speights were interested in local history, writing, and photography. They wrote on John Brown and the Coppock brothers, West Branch history, and the Society of Friends in Cedar County. Glen Speight photographed Cedar County sites and buildings and collected photographs of businesses, streets, and people. Mildred Speight died April 2, 1972 and Glen Speight died April 23, 1986.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The papers provide information on the Speight and Wetherell families, the Speight farm, West Branch, Cedar County, and the development of the Herbert Hoover historic site. The papers are arranged into three series:
The LOCAL HISTORY FILES (1856-1980) series totals nearly ten linear inches of material; these are arranged alphabetically by topic. The Speights’ early interest in family history later branched out to include Cedar County figures (John Brown, Edwin Coppock, and Herbert Hoover) and institutions (schools, and Society of Friends meetings). This series includes files on the West Branch Heritage Committee, a group co-chaired by the Speights.
The PERSONAL FILES (1824-1982) series consists of five linear inches of material; these are arranged alphabetically by type and topic (artifacts, Civil War, correspondence, finances, poetry, etc.). This series contains family letters saved by the Speights. These include the Civil War letters of George Wetherell, surgeon of the 26th Iowa Infantry, and John Archer of the 13th Iowa Infantry. Other interesting items in this series are the literary efforts of Jesse Negus and Ruth Negus as young adults in the mid-nineteenth century.
The AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS (1880s-1960s) series consists of twenty linear inches of photographs, tintypes, and slides; these are arranged alphabetically by type of image and thereunder alphabetically by topic, family name or town. This series was created by and collected by Glen Speight. It reflects his interest in Cedar County institutions (particularly schools), organizations, and towns (particularly West Branch).
FOLDER LIST
Box Contents
LOCAL HISTORY FILES
1 Articles on Gruwell and Worrell Families, undated
Articles on Society of Friends Meetings, 1892-1910
Articles on West Branch and Cedar County, 1917-1970
John Brown and Edwin Coppock
Correspondence, 1856-1896 (copies)
History and Biography, circa 1960
Herbert Hoover Historic Site – Publications, 1948-1960
Herbert Hoover’s Hometown by Maud Stratton, 1948
Hoover, Herbert – West Branch Times, 1927-1954
Programs for Performances, 1912-1918
Property Records – Abstracts, Deeds, Plat Book), 1924-1939
Schools
Miscellaneous records, 1882-1942
Oasis, 1873-1919 (Number 7 Graham Township, 3 folders)
West Branch High School – History and Alumni Records, 1937-1980
West Branch High School – School Play Programs, 1914-1921
West Branch Centennial Days program, 1951
West Branch Heritage Committee
Correspondence, 1963-1970
Minutes, 1963-1966 and undated
2 Scrapbooks on Herbert Hoover, 1928-1929 (oversize box)
PERSONAL FILES
3 Artifacts: County Fair Ribbons, 1915-1932 (5 folders)
Civil War
Archer/Wetherall family, 1863-1864
Financial Records, 1864-1865
Hospital and Medical Records, 1864-1865
Wetherell, George, 1862-1865 (2 folders)
Correspondence
Chryst (Crist), John, 1824-1838
Cook Family, 1866-1871
Jephson, Henry, 1848 (Jepson)
Other Families, 1865-1897
Speight, Glen, 1929-1982
Speight, Henry, 1882-1914
Speight, Mildred, 1963-1972
Speight, W. D., 1928-1929
Wetherell Family, 1860-1914 (Wetherall)
Finances
Corn and Wheat Contracts, 1923-1941
Real Estate – Glen and Mildred Speight, 1947-1965
Real Estate – Henry Speight, 1880-1915
Pleasant Hill Magazine by Jesse Negus and Joseph Coppock, 1857
Poetry Journal by Ruth Negus, 1836-1882
World War II Ration Books and Coupons, 1942-1945
AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS
4 Cedar Valley Quarry and Lime Works, circa 1910
Churches – West Branch, Downey, Oasis, circa 1910-1940s
Hoover Family, 1891-1937
John Brown Home – Springdale, circa 1900-1920
Schools
Buildings, 1890-1950s (primarily West Branch)
Classes – Elementary – Oasis and West Branch, 1900-1931
Classes – Secondary – West Branch, 1887-1941
Indian schools – West Branch and Salem, circa 1880s
West Branch High School
Music, 1910-1950s
Social Events and Dances, 1940-1945
Sports – Baseball and Basketball, 1910-1945
Sports – Football, 1914-1955
Social Clubs – Priscilla Club, Spartan Club, circa 1890-1910
Sports – Hunting and Fishing, 1930-1940s
Transportation – Automobiles, 1914-1940
Travel – Iowa and US, 1920-1950s
Miscellaneous, circa 1930-1950s (includes Hoover’s crib)
5 Portraits – Identified Individuals, circa 1890-1950s (8 folders)
Portraits – Unidentified, 1870s-1900 (2 folders)
Portraits – Family
Albin
Anderson
Cochran
Crowe
Dixon
Enlow
Haight
Klahn
Knease
Phelps
Schiele
Speight
Wetherell
6 Slides
Hoover Funeral, 1964 (2 boxes)
Hoover Birthday, 1954, 1962 (2 boxes)
Hoover Site and Library Construction, 1962-1964 (2 boxes)
Tintypes of people, circa 1860s (4 folders)
7 Towns
Ames, 1914
Atalissa, 1910
Downey, 1909-1950s
Elmira Train Station, circa 1930s
Hale, Missouri – Business Interiors, 1910
Iowa Towns – Early, Hickory Grove, Centerdale, 1910-1913
Lisbon, circa 1880-1910
Oasis, 1900-1950s (includes Speight farm)
Rochester, circa 1920-1940s
West Branch
Business – General, 1890s-1960s
Business – Emmons and Smith Lumber, 1900
Business – Hoover House, 1880-1910
Business Interiors (bank, general store), ca. 1920s
Cemetery, undated
Flood, 1915
Hoover Birth Place, 1930s-1950
Hoover Birth Place Dedication (Shambaugh), 1929
Hoover Funeral, 1964
Hoover Library and Park, 1940s-1960s
Hoover Visit – Campaign Celebration, 1928
Hoover Visit, 1948
Hoover Visit – 80th Birthday, 1954
Main Street, 1900-1940s
Municipal Buildings, 1940s-1960s (city hall, library)
Panoramas, 1880
Parks – Peanut Park, Horseshoe Park, circa 1910-1940s
Presidential Visits to Hoover Library, 1969-1973
Private Homes, circa 1880-1910
Railroad Depot, circa 1890-1930
Social Events - Parade, Centennial, 1928-1951
West Liberty
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