Description Summary
Woodson Research Center,
Fondren Library, Rice University, Houston, TX
Sewall, Blanche
Harding
Blanche Harding Sewall
Papers
1847-1959
2 linear ft. (4
boxes)
The collection consists of
correspondence, college materials, pamphlets and programs, materials related to
the construction of Sewall residence and the Sewall's Japan trip. The dates for
this collection range from 1847 to 1959 with the bulk of the material ranging
from 1935 to 1948.
MS 431
Biographical Note
Blanche Harding Sewall (Mrs. Cleveland Sewall) was a native of Fort
Worth, Texas and attended Rice Institute with the class of 1917. She was an
artist, philanthropist and, as a patron of the arts, a founding member of the
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. She organized a private foundation, the Library
of Arts. At her husband's death in 1942, she assumed operations of his
wholesale grocery company, Carson Sewall & Co. Marine Division. As a
memorial to her husband, she donated funds for the construction of a building
for the Rice campus, Sewall Hall. Mrs. Sewall died on May 28, 1973, in Houston.
Funds from her estate provided for the Andrew Hays Buchanan Professorship and
the Noah Harding Professorship at Rice. Andrew Hays Buchanan was her maternal
grandfather, and Noah Harding was her paternal grandfather. The Sewall
residence, designed by Ralph Adams Cram in the Mediterranean Renaissance style
in 1925, was left to Rice University. Blanche Harding Sewall was awarded Rice's
Gold Medal posthumously in 1973.
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of correspondence, college materials, pamphlets
and programs, materials related to the construction of the Sewall residence,
and the Sewall's trip to Japan. The dates for this collection range from 1847
to 1959 with the bulk of the material ranging from 1935 to 1948.
Arrangement
The papers are arranged into four series.
- Series I. Correspondence, 1913-1949, n.d.
- Series II. Printed Matter, 1884-1936
- Series III. Japan Trip
- Series IV. Sewall residence
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in four boxes chronologically in Series I
and Series IV, and alphabetically by topic in Series II and III.
Access Restrictions
This material is open for research.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish from the Blanche Harding Sewall Papers must be
obtained from the Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice
University.
Index Terms
Subjects (Persons)
Sewall, Blanche
Harding--Correspondence.
Cram, Ralph Adams,
1863-1942.
Sewall family -
Archives.
Subjects (Organizations)
Sewall House.
Garden Club of
America.
Rice University - Alumni
and Alumnae.
Subjects
Gardening - Societies,
etc.
Clubs - Japan.
Gardening - Japan.
Philanthropists -
Texas.
Places
Texas -- family and
personal papers -- 20th century.
Japan -- Garden Club of
America -- 20th century.
Document Types
Correspondence.
Photographs.
Postcards.
Souvenirs.
Pamphlets.
Drawings,
layout.
Family papers.
Personal papers.
Related Material
Additional information about Blanche Harding Sewall may be found in the
following information files located in the Woodson Research Center: Blanche
Harding Sewall; Sewall Hall; Sewall House; and Cleveland Sewall Hall
dedication, 1971, photo album.
Preferred Citation
Blanche Harding Sewall Papers, MS 431, Woodson Research Center, Fondren
Library, Rice University
Acquisitions Information
The bulk of the materials were received in 1974 from Texas Commerce
Bank, executor of Mrs. Sewall's estate. Additional materials were received in
1988.
Accruals
No future additions are expected for this material.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Series I. Correspondence
1913-1949, n.d.
26 letters arranged in chronological order beginning with the
earliest and ending with the undated letters.
11
G.C. Frakes to Blanche
Jan. 2, 1913
11
Charles A. Lott to Cleveland Sewall
April 9, 1935
11
Mrs. Allen C. Hutchinson to Mrs. Claude Thompson
April 19, 1935
11
Mrs. A.C. Hutchinson to Mrs. James Mercer Blaine
April 19, 1935
11
Nita and Lucille to M/M Cleveland Sewall
April 19, 1935
11
Charlie [CJK] to M/M Eric Brashay
April 21, 1935
11
Dr./Mrs Joseph Mullen to M/M Cleveland Sewall
April 26, 1935
11
Mrs. Campbell Sewall to M/M Cleveland Sewall
May 13, 1935
11
Emily Evans to Blanche
May 13, 1935
11
K. Mikimoto to M/M Cleveland Sewall
May 13, 1935
11
Horton to Mrs. Sewall
May 14, 1935
11
Summer Palace Co. to Mrs. Sewall
June 8, 1935
11
T. Komatsu to M/M Cleveland Sewall
Sept. 10, 1935
11
Douglas L. Dunbar to Mrs. Sewall
Nov.16, 1935
11
Kaoruko Matsunuya to M/M Cleveland Sewall
c. 1935
11
M/M Takashi Komatsu to M/M Cleveland Sewall
Dec. 1937
11
Mrs. Sewall to Dr. Roy Harris
Jan. 19, 1948
11
Paula Mechau to Mrs. Sewall
Feb. 25, 1948
11
Dr. Roy Harris to Mrs. Sewall
March 1, 1948
11
Dr. Roy Harris to Mrs. Sewall (extract)
March 1, 1948
11
Johana Harris to Mrs.Sewall
Dec. 30, 1948
11
Dr. Roy Harris to Mrs. Sewall
June 11, 1949
11
Louise Brown to M/M Cleveland Sewall
n.d.
11
M/M Hardie Robinson to M/M Cleveland Sewall
n.d.
11
Johana Harris to Mrs. Sewall
n.d.
11
H. On- to Mrs. Sewall
n.d.
Series II. Printed Matter,
1884-1936, n.d.
12
College Materials
1884-1886
13
Texas centennial
19363
14
Misc. booklets, notes, etc.
Series III. Japan Trip
15
General Information
16
Travel papers and receipts
17
Garden Club of America bulletins, program
18
Sightseeing, shopping information
19
Sightseeing, shopping information
21
Invitations
12
Souvenir postcards
23
Japanese newsclippings
24
Menus
25
Hotel New Grand, Yokohama
26
Calling cards
27
Photographs
2
Photograph album
3
A Photographic Diary of the Visit of
the Garden Club of America to Japan
3
Gardens in Japan Visited by the
Garden Club of America, May 1935
3
Kyoto, 1934
Series IV. Sewall residence.
1847-1929, n.d.
Copies of plats, correspondence related to the building,
specifications, building contracts, transcripts of a lawsuit, drawings and
photographs. Arranged in chronological order beginning with the earliest and
ending with undated materials.
31
Copies of plats of 3 land surveys in Harris Co., 1847,
1861, 1884
32
Plat of Country Club Estates (River Oaks) [1924?, 1927?]
Original Covenants and Restrictions in Country Club Estates
Additions
41
Correspondence re:building rights in Broadacres, March 10,
1924
42
Specifications for excavation, foundations, cut stone ...
painting, Aug. 18, 1924
43
Specifications for heating, pp. 1-25, Aug. 28,
1924
44
Specifications for plumbing, Sept. 11, 1924
45
Specifications for electrical work, Sept. 16,
1924
46
Specifications for alterations in study room,
n.d.
47
Contract for plumbing and heating, Cleveland Sewall and
Lee Rogerson, Dec. 10, 1924
48
Contract between Cleveland Sewall and Russell Brown Co.,
1924
49
Contract for electrical, Cleveland Sewall and Jacob Bros.,
Jan. 12, 1925
410
Correspondence re:work orders (Russell Brown
Co.)
411
Russell Brown Co. weekly payroll statements,
1925-26
412
Transcripts of Russell Brown Co. vs. Cleveland Sewall,
1929
413
Transcript of Russell Brown Co. vs. Cleveland Sewall,
1929
414
Miscellaneous drawings, n.d.
415
Photographs of bathrooms and kitchen, n.d.
Map case, drawers 31-32
Plot plan of Sewall residence, Aug. 29, 1924
House plans