Overview
Cather, Willa, 1873-1947.
Willa Cather Collection
Mss. 152c
1865-1974
6 folders, 22 items.
Letters to family members containing Cather's opinion on illustrators of children's
books and reactions to favorable and unfavorable publicity, biographical sketch, news clippings and four family photographs.
Also contains a diary written by Cather's father, Charles F. Cather, at age seventeen describing his experiences in rural Frederick County, Virginia,
near the end of the Civil War.
Texas Woman's University, the Woman's Collection
Biographical Note
Willa Sibert Cather was born on December 7, 1873, on a farm in northern Virgina. Ten years later the family moved to the
Nebraska frontier. She was educated at home until high school and later attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.
After college, Cather moved to Pittsburgh where she worked as a journalist. In 1906, she joined the staff of McClure's Magazine in New York City.
Cather began her career as a novelist in 1912 with her works reflecting the Nebraska plains and the people who inhabited them.
She received the Pulitzer Prize in 1922 for One of Ours, a novel concerning World War I.
During her middle-age years, Cather appears to have experienced a spiritual rebirth and wrote four novels concerning the value of
religion in life, including Death Comes for the Archbishop. The last sixteen years of her life she wrote little.
She died on April 24, 1947.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
A small group of (22) collected items brought together by gift and purchase pertaining to Willa Cather and her family. One of the more significant items in the collection is the diary of her father, Charles F. Cather,
written near the end of the Civil War, and five letters written by Willa Cather to her mother and sister.
Arrangement of the Collection
- Folder 1: Correspondence
- Folder 2:Correspondence cont.
- Folder 3: Photographs
- Folder 4: Diary
- Folder 5: Biographical
- Folder 6: Articles
- Folder 7: Willa Cather Memorial Education Foundation
Access to Collection:
This collection is open for research use.
Publication and Copyright Statements:
Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the Coordinator
for Special Collections. All responsibility for questions of copyright that may arise in copying, scanning,
and use of material shall be assumed by the user.
Provenance
The bulk of the collection, including correspondence, new clippings and diary, were purchased ca. 1978. The commemorative stamp was a gift of Dr. Evelyn Blagg-Huey, 1987.
Encoded by:
T.L. MacGowan, 2007
Willa Cather Papers / Letters to Family Members
1
1
Jessica Cather Auld (sister) / 3 items.
(1) December 17, 1908: Cather's opinion of several illustrators of children's books,
including Maxfield Parrish,Howard Pyle, and
Jessie Willcox Smith.
(2) October 27, 19--Cather reacts to an unfavorable review.
(3) Saturday, 19--: Cather describes her ring-worm infection she contracted from a dog in France. The infection was treated with x-rays.
1
2
Virginia Cather (mother) / 2 items.
(1) March 2, 1925 Cather writes to her mother and tries to resolve a family disagreement, She asks, "Now what could I have
done to upset you?" Also comments on unfavorable publicity.
(2) November 26, 29, 19--: Comments on household affairs, describing
the "French woman" [Josephine Bourda] who is keeping house for her.
Photographs
1
3
The Photos - 1920's / 3 items.
(1) Views of Willa Cather with unidentified members of her family, ca.
(2) Willa Cather postcard, 1987 written by Mary Evelyn Blagg-Huey of Texas Woman's University
to Elizabeth Snapp.
(3)Unidentified group of women, undated, possibly dressed in historical clothing.
1
4
Charles F. Cather, Diary / 2 items.
(1) Pocketbook diary, 2-1/2" x 4"; 120 pages. written by Charles F. Cather, 1865-1866.
Cather describes his experiences as a seventeen-year-old in rural Frederick County, Virginia, at the end of the Civil War. The diary includes
references to the surrender of General Robert E. Lee and the Confederacy, "Yankee" and "Rebel" soldiers, school, farm chores, and other local activities and events.
(2) Typed transcript of Charles F. Cather diary, 35-pages.
Biographical Information
1
5
Sketches / 2 items.
(1) Willa Cather, A Biographical Sketch..., Alfred A. Knopf, publisher, New York, n.d. A published biographical sketch of Cather signed
by Jessica Auld; includes obituary news clipping regarding the death of Virginia Cather
(mother).
(2) Biographical sketch of Cather in The National Encyclopedia of American Biography
,n.d.
Articles
1
6
Newsclippings / 2 items.
(1) Mimeographed newsletter, "The Crumb" August 4, 1922,
regarding Cather's visit to Bread Loaf; and the envelope addressed to her mother, April 2, 1923.
(2) News clippings and advertisement for Willa Cather on Writing, and a review of it written by
Katherine Anne Porter.
Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial and Educational Foundation
1
7
Commemorations / 3 items.
(1) Letter, January 3, 1962, to Jessica Auld
from Mildred Bennett, regarding Auld's membership in the foundation.
<emph render="italic">(2) Willa Cather Memorial and Educational Foundation Newsletter</emph>
, 1974-1975.
(3) "Honoring Willa Cather," commemorative stamp, first day of issue, September 20, 1973.
Program of the ceremony in Red Cloud, Nebraska.