Gillette family papers, 1876-1922.
Collection Number: 4456

Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library


DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
Gillette family papers, 1876-1922.
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Collection Number:
4456
Abstract:
Letters and scrapbooks documenting the lives of Edwin S. and Flora Spence Gillette.
Creator:
Gillette family.
Quanitities:
1.1 cubic feet.
Language:
Collection material in English

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Edwin S. Gillette, sometimes seen as Edwin Jillett, attended Cornell University with the class of 1873, but left before receiving a degree. 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 (receives degree in 1921).

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

INFORMATION FOR USERS

Cite As:

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

SUBJECTS

Names:
Gillette, Edwin S., -1926.
Gillette, Flora Spence.
Gillette, Douglas Graves, 1890-1964.
Gillette, Edwin Spence, 1891-1961.
Gillette, Paul, 1896-1980.
United States. Army Medical Department
YMCA of the USA. National War Work Council
Young Men\'s Christian Association (New York, N.Y.)
United States. Army. Evacuation Hospital, 6th
Places:
Medical Officers\' Training Camp (Ga.)
Egypt -- Description and travel.
Europe -- Description and travel.
Jamaica -- Description and travel.
Cuba -- Description and travel.
Subjects:
World War, 1914-1918 -- Participation, American.

CONTAINER LIST
Container
Description
Date
Series I. Letters
Box 1 Folder 1
Letters from Paul Gillette (C.U.'18) to his father, Edwin S. Gillette (C.U. 1873)
Jan. 1917
Box 1 Folder 2
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
Aug. 1917
Box 1 Folder 3
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
Sept. 1917
Box 1 Folder 4
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
Oct. 1917
Box 1 Folder 5
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
Nov. 1917
Box 1 Folder 6
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
Dec. 1917
Box 1 Folder 7
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
Jan. 1917
Box 1 Folder 8
Letters from Paul Gillette
Feb. 1918
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.)
Box 1 Folder 9
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
Feb. 1918
Box 1 Folder 10
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
March-April, 1918
Box 1 Folder 11
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
April, 1918
Box 1 Folder 12
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
May-June, 1918
Box 1 Folder 13
Letters from Paul Gillette to Edwin S. Gillette
July-August, 1918
Series II. Scrapbooks
Box 1 Folder 14
Flora Spence Gillette's scrapbook
July, 1876-1887
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.")
Box 2 Folder 15
Scrapbook
1922
Consisting mainly of postcards, clippings, and other memorabilia of Edwin S. Gillette's Mediterranean and European tour.
Box 2 Folder 16
Scrapbook
Feb. 1906
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.
Box 2 Folder 17
Scrapbook
July, 1905
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.
Box 2 Folder 18
Scrapbook
1917-1919
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".)