Guide to the Gillette Family Papers,
1876-1922

Collection Number: 4456

Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library

Contact Information:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
2B Carl A. Kroch Library
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
(607) 255-3530
Fax: (607) 255-9524
rareref@cornell.edu
http://rmc.library.cornell.edu
Compiled by:
Alexandra Lipsky
Date completed:
October 9, 1990
EAD encoding:
Julia Lonnberg and Peter Martinez, August 2001

© 2001 Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library


DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
Gillette Family Papers, 1876-1922
Collection Number:
4456
Creator:
Gillette family
Quantity:
1.1 cubic ft.; 1 portrait.
Forms of Material:
Letters, scrapbooks, and 1 painting.
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library
Abstract:
Letters and scrapbooks documenting the lives of Edwin S. and Flora Spence Gillette.
Language:
Collection material in English


BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Edwin S. Gillette graduated from Cornell University in 1873. He married Flora Spence ; their sons were Douglas Graves Gillette (1890-1964), Class of 1912; Edwin "Red" Spence Gillette (1891-1961), Class of 1914; and Paul Gillette (1896-1980), Class of 1918.

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

Travel scrapbooks kept by Edwin S. Gillette from Cuba, 1905, Jamaica, 1906, and Europe and Egypt, 1922; and a scrapbook kept by Flora Spence Gillette commemorating her trips around the United States and abroad with dried flowers, leaves, and other vegetation. World War I letters and memorabilia from Paul Gillette when he served with the Medical Department of the Quartermaster Corps, American Expeditionary Force, to his family, 1917-1918, including letters from the U.S. Army Medical Officers Training Camp, Ft. Oglethorpe, Ga., the Young Men's Christian Association of the United States National War Work Council, the YMCA of the City of New York Army Branch, and Evacuation Hospital #6. Also, portrait of Edwin S. Gillette by Professor I. P. Church.

SUBJECTS

Names:
Gillette family.
Gillette, Edwin S., d. 1926.
Gillette, Flora Spence.
Gillette, Douglas Graves, 1890-1964.
Gillette, Edwin Spence, 1891-1961.
Gillette, Paul, 1896-1980.
United States. Army Medical Dept.
YMCA of the USA. National War Work Council.
Young Men's Christian Association (New York, N.Y.)
United States. Army. Evacuation Hospital, 6th.

Subjects:
World War, 1914-1918--Participation, American.

Places:
Cuba--Description and travel.
Jamaica--Description and travel.
Europe--Description and travel.
Egypt--Description and travel.
Medical Officers' Training Camp (Ga.)


INFORMATION FOR USERS

Cite As:
Gillette Family Papers, #4456. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.

SERIES LIST

Series I. Letters Box 1
Series II. Scrapbooks Boxes 1 and 2
Series III. Portrait Map Case V

CONTAINER LIST

Date
Description
Container
Series I. Letters
Jan. 1917
Letters from Paul Gillette (C.U.'18) to his father, Edwin S. Gillette (C.U. 1873)
Box 1 Folder 1
Aug. 1917
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
Box 1 Folder 2
Sept. 1917
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
Box 1 Folder 3
Oct. 1917
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
Box 1 Folder 4
Nov. 1917
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
Box 1 Folder 5
Dec. 1917
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
Box 1 Folder 6
Jan. 1917
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
Box 1 Folder 7
Feb. 1918
Letters from Paul Gillette
Box 1 Folder 8
To Edwin S. ("Red", C.U.'14), Douglas Graves Gillette, (C.U.'12), and Maude Gillette. (Edwin S. "Red" and Douglas are Paul's brothers; Maude is the wife of Douglas.)
Feb. 1918
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
Box 1 Folder 9
March-April, 1918
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
Box 1 Folder 10
April, 1918
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
Box 1 Folder 11
May-June, 1918
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
Box 1 Folder 12
July-August, 1918
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
Box 1 Folder 13
Series II. Scrapbooks
July, 1876-1887
Flora Spence Gillette's scrapbook
Box 1 Folder 14
Flowers, leaves and other types of vegetation collected from her travels. (Flora was the wife of Edwin S. and the mother of Paul, Douglas and "Red.")
1922
Scrapbook
Box 2 Folder 15
Consisting mainly of postcards, clippings, and other memorabilia of Edwin S. Gillette's Mediterranean and European tour.
Feb. 1906
Scrapbook
Box 2 Folder 16
Kept by Edwin S. Gillette re his trip to Jamaica. He traveled on the United Steamship Company's steamship "Admiral Schley" with William Hazlitt Smith and A.J. Brown of Ithaca, and also many others from around the U.S. The scrapbook consists mainly of photographs, postcards, and magazine clippings. Of particular interest are magazine photographs of George Rodney (Lord Rodney) commander-in-chief at Jamaica from 1771-74; basket, sugar, rum and banana laborers; the hurricane disaster of 1903 and the earthquake of 1907, and various other island scenes.
July, 1905
Scrapbook
Box 2 Folder 17
Kept by Edwin S. Gillette containing postcards, newspaper clippings, photographs and an eight page typed travel journal re his trip to Cuba. Most of the photographs were taken by William Hazlitt Smith dealing with scenes around Havana and Santiago, Cuba. Included in the photos are views of the Cabana fortress, wreck of the battleship Maine, and monuments in honor of Jose Marti, the Cuban patriot, 1853-1895.
1917-1919
Scrapbook
Box 2 Folder 18
Postcards, clippings, telegrams, one page of photographs. The letters contained in this scrapbook are from Sergeant Paul Gillette to his father, Edwin S., and his brothers, Edwin S. ("Red") and Douglas and to Art Dean (Arthur Hobson Dean, (C.U.'19.) Several letters and telegrams were sent from Fort Slocum, N.Y., Camp Greenleaf of Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, but the majority were sent from France before November 18, 1918, probably at Souilly, Meuse, while Gillette was with the Quartermaster Corps, Medical Department, American Expeditionary Force, Evacuation Hospital No.#6. The rest of the letters were sent from Coblenz (on the Rhine River) Germany, while Gillette was with the Quartermaster Corps., Army of the Occupation, Third Army, Evacuation Hospital #27.
Series III. Portrait
Portrait of Edwin S. Gillette, aged 73, by Professor I.P. Church. (Size 23" by 27".)
Mapcase V-17