DeWitt Family Archive
Scope and Contents
Collection of letters, photographs, and educational materials from the lives of the DeWitt family from Kirksville, Missouri, from the 1890s to 1960s. The archive provides a snapshot of life in Kirksville in the early twentieth century. Most importantly, Dale DeWitt's 1922 correspondence to his mother gives an outsider's perspective of the turmoil in Europe after World War I.
Dates
- 1890-1967
Creator
- DeWitt family (Family)
Notes on Use of Collections
The library reserves the right to restrict access to its collections. Researchers agree to abide by any restrictions placed by the library on its collections. Learn more about our policies and services.
Copyright
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Board of Governors for Truman State University, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.
Researchers further agree to indemnify and hold harmless Truman State University, Pickler Memorial Library, and their officers, employees, and agents from and against all suits, claims, actions, and expenses arising out of use of collections held by the library.
Biographical Note
John C. and Anna DeWitt were married in 1894 and moved from Humphreys, Missouri to Kirksville, Missouri in 1909 with their three sons - James M. DeWitt, Richard H. DeWitt, and Dale DeWitt. Most of the material from the DeWitt family archives surrounds Dale's life experiences and includes material such as report cards, family photos, and his personal correspondence. Dale DeWitt was a member of the YMCA in Kirksville and a student at Northwestern University. Dale became a reverend, married Margaret Lane DeWitt, and they lived out the rest of their lives in New York. Rev. Dale DeWitt was an executive director of the Middle Atlantic States Region of the American Unitarian Association for almost 30 years.
Dale DeWitt's father, John C. DeWitt, worked as a rural school teacher, a real estate agent, an insurance broker, an owner of a ready-to-wear store, a police judge, a deputy state finance commissioner and was a master of the Masons in Kirksville. His son James M. also resided in Kirksville and was the chief engineer at the International Shoe Company for 38 years. James M. DeWitt married Opal Glidewell DeWitt and they had their twins - Madge and Beverly - in 1921. He was also a prominent Freemason and through his position as the Grand Treasurer of the Grand Lodge he became friends with Harry S. Truman. Less is known about Richard H. DeWitt; he attended Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and married Lenna Hall DeWitt. Later, they both would move to West Virginia and have two children together.
Extent
0.2 linear feet
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is organized into 6 series.
- Series 0: Preface File
- Series I: Correspondence (from Dale DeWitt to his mother), 1922
- Series II: Family Correspondence (John C., James M., Dale, Margaret, and Anna), 1936-1949
- Series III: Educational Materials (Dale DeWitt), 1907-1920
- Series IV: Photographs, mostly undated
- Series V: Miscellaneous, 1901-1967
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The DeWitt Family Archive was donated to Truman State University by Dale DeWitt's niece, Judy Van Dyke, in 2011.
Processing Information
This collection is organized by subject.
Creator
- DeWitt family (Family)
- Title
- DeWitt Family Archive, 1890-1967
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Amy Kruse.
- Date
- 2020
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Truman State University, Pickler Memorial Library, Special Collections Manuscripts Repository