Lillian Witmer Papers, 1884-1993
Collection Overview
Title: Lillian Witmer Papers, 1884-1993
ID: OGLMC245
Primary Creator: Witmer, Lillian (1903-1993)
Extent: 10.25 Linear Feet
Date Acquired: 11/04/1993. More info below under Accruals.
Subjects: Organizational Records, University of North Dakota - Alumni, University of North Dakota - Presidents, Women's History
Languages: English
Abstract
Scope and Contents of the Materials
The Lillian Witmer Papers include correspondence, both of a personal nature as well as related to UND. Much of the UND correspondence is from the presidency of Webster Merrifield, 1891-1909. It is unclear how Witmer came into possession of this correspondence, although she did serve as an assistant registrar at UND for a short time.
Also included are materials about a variety of organizations including the North Dakota Dames Club, the Franklin Club, and P.E.O. Chapter D. These are mostly remarks delivered by Witmer for each organization. Miscellaneous materials include scrapbooks kept by Witmer and her eventual husband, R.B., when both were students at UND, a selection of Witmer's personal bookmarks, and subject files.
Collection Historical Note
"Lillian I. Witmer, 90, 739 S. 30th St., died Monday, Sept. 13, 1993, in Deaconess Health Center, Northwood, N.D.
Lillian I. Leith was born Jan. 16, 1903, in Grand Forks, the daughter of Dr. John D. and Isabella (Whitson) Leith. She graduated from Larimore (N.D.) High School and in 1923 from UND. She was assistant registrar of the University until 1930. She married Robert B. Witmer in 1927. He died Feb. 24, 1972. She was active in a number of university, community, and national organizations. She was a member of the UND Alumni Association board. She also was district governor of Alpha Phi International Fraternity and later its treasurer. She was on the public library board and secretary of the Grand Forks County Historical Society, of which she was a charter member. For more than 50 years, she was a member of the Franklin Club, Chapter D of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, the North Dakota Dames Club. the Alpha Phi Alumni Chapter and the UND Faculty Wives and Women's Club, serving as president of each.
Survivors are her daughter, Jean (Mrs. Charles W.) Meline, Macomb, Ill., two grandsons; and two great-granddaughters.
She was preceded in death by a brother, J. Douglas."
Source: Grand Forks Herald, September 19, 1993, p. 2B.
Subject/Index Terms
Organizational Records
University of North Dakota - Alumni
University of North Dakota - Presidents
Women's History
Administrative Information
Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections
Additional material was donated by:
Jean (Witmer) Meline, Macomb, Illinois, on November 4, 1993; 93-1930
Dawn Lykken, UND Medical School, on September 14, 1994; 94-1974
Jean Meline, Macomb, Illinois, and Mary Ellen Caldwell, Grand Forks, North Dakota, in September 1993; 93-1914
Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.
Acquisition Method: Donation; the original acquisition records are unavailable
Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). Lillian Witmer Papers. OGLMC 245, Box #, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.
Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid added to Archon in December 2014.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Box:
[Box 1],
[Box 2],
[Box 3],
[Box 4],
[Box 5],
[Box 6],
[Box 7],
[Box 8],
[Oversize Folder :],
[Photographs :],
[All]
- Box 2
- Folder 1: "An Early Bow to the Bicentennial" Dames Club, February 1976
- Folder 2: "The White Kid Glove Era" by Mrs. J.E. Engstad (Early Grand Forks History), Dames Club, February 1981
- Folder 3: "Little Old Grand Forks" Franklin Club, October 1925
- Folder 4: "UND History Programs" Franklin Club, October 1946 and February 1974, revised for Dames Club, November 1977
- Folder 5: "Prince of Players: Edwin Booth" Franklin Club, February 1954
- Folder 6: "What's Past is Prologue" review of Political Prairie Fire, Franklin Club, February 1967
- Folder 7: P.E.O. Chapter D - anniversaries and membership lists, 1963-1978
- Folder 8: "The Education of an American" P.E.O., April 1939
- Folder 9: "The Houses of Tomorrow" P.E.O., February 1944
- Folder 10: "How Our City Works" P.E.O., February 1951
- Folder 11: "Golden Treasures" (Collecting), P.E.O. and Dames Club, 1962-1963
- Folder 12: "Books in my Baggage" P.E.O. and Dames Club, 1965-1968
- Folder 13: Writings of Robert Witmer - "The Amana Colony", Wranglers Club; "Waterfowl", Franklin Club, 1963; Address at dedication of Witmer Hall, 1969; The Department of Physics, 1970 program
- Folder 14: "John S. Lundy" biography by Jean Witmer, August 1949
- Folder 15: Biographical information, 1959-1979
- Folder 16: Antiques and Collecting, 1962-1969
- Folder 17: North Dakota Mills newspaper clippings, September 1969
- Folder 18: Vilhjalmur Stefansson, 1962-1967
- Folder 19: Belleek information, 1961-1986
- Folder 20: Wild Rice information and newspaper clippings, 1981-1983
- Folder 21: "A Reporter at Large: The Mountain of Names" (Genealogy), 1985
- Folder 22: "The Magnificent Yankee" by Oliver Wendell Holmes, 1985
- Folder 23: Pennsylvania Dutch, undated
- Folder 24: Program ideas and materials, undated
- Folder 25: Miscellaneous programs, undated
- Folder 26: Information regarding publications within the collection
- Folder 27: Correspondence and article - Life of Sir William Osler
- Folder 28: Correspondence - John Silas Lundy-Witmer, 1958-1968
- Folder 29: Magazine and newspaper articles - John Silas Lundy, 1958-1976
- Folder 30: Paper - Life of Dr. Fred G. Lundy in Dakota Territory, 1931
- Folder 31: Speeches by Lillian Witmer - John Lundy and Anesthesia (1956); Dr. James Grassick (1979); Dr. Fred G. Lundy of Dakota Territory (1979)
- Folder 32: Book: Faith is Power for You by Daniel A. Poling
- Folder 33: Correspondence - Example of letters for selection of the first UND president, 1884
- Folder 34: Correspondence - selection of first UND president, 1884 (A-C)
- Folder 35: Correspondence - selection of first UND president, 1884 (D-F)
- Folder 36: Correspondence - selection of first UND president, 1884 (G-H)
- Folder 37: Correspondence - selection of first UND president, 1884 (I-L)
- Folder 38: Correspondence - selection of first UND president, 1884 (M-N)
- Folder 39: Correspondence - selection of first UND president, 1884 (O-S)
- Folder 40: Correspondence - selection of first UND president, 1884 (T-Z)
- Folder 41: Correspondence - selection of first UND president, 1884 (unidentified)
- Folder 42: List of potential first presidents of UND, 1884
- Folder 43: Correspondence of Ludovic Estes, 1887-1894 and undated
- Folder 44: Miscellaneous correspondence and petitions from students to UND administration, 1888-1905
- Folder 45: Correspondence: R.M. Carothers (Board of Trustees), 1889-1890
- Folder 46: Correspondence: J.G. Hamilton (State Auditor's Office)-Board of Trustees, 1889, regarding vouchers
- Folder 47: Correspondence: J.D. Allen-C.C. Gowran, 1890, regarding the sale of biological specimens
- Folder 48: Correspondence to Board of Trustees regarding secretary position, 1890
- Folder 49: Correspondence: J.P. Bray (State Auditor)-W.N. Roach, 1890, regarding salaries
- Folder 50: Correspondence: William Patten, 1890, 1893, undated
- Folder 51: Correspondence to Board of Trustees from newly appointed faculty members, 1893
- Folder 52: Correspondence: William Barrett-President Merrifield, 1893, regarding the planting of forestry on campus
- Folder 53: Correspondence: A.F. Bechdolt-President Merrifield, 1893, regarding botany
- Folder 54: Correspondence: Melvin Brannon -President Merrifield, 1893, regarding biology department
- Folder 55: Correspondence: Alfred Dickey-President Merrifield, 1893, regarding biological specimens
- Folder 56: Correspondence: William Harper-President Merrifield, 1893, regarding convocation exercises
- Folder 57: Correspondence: Joseph Kennedy-President Merrifield, 1893, regarding faculty position and 1904, regarding convocation exercises
- Folder 58: Correspondence: M.V.B. Knox-President Merrifield, 1893, regarding creation of an Academy of Sciences
- Folder 59: Correspondence: Leon Rondiez-President Merrifield, 1893, regarding editorial in Grand Forks Plaindealer newspaper
- Folder 60: Correspondence: George Rygh-W.G. Larimore, 1893, regarding position in Scandinavian Department
- Folder 61: Correspondence: Jno. Staley to unknown at UND, 1893, regarding commencement exercises
- Folder 62: Correspondence: George Thomas-President Merrifield, 1893, regarding position in the Greek and Latin Department
- Folder 63: Correspondence: George Winship-President Merrifield, 1893, regarding coverage of UND in the Grand Forks Herald
- Folder 64: Correspondence: H.B. Woodworth-President Merrifield, 1893, regarding faculty position in Psychology, Ethics and History
- Folder 65: Correspondence regarding land holdings of UND, 1894 and 1906
- Folder 66: Correspondence: G.S. Perrott-E.E. Parsons, 1894, regarding faculty position in Greek and Latin
- Folder 67: Correspondence: Henry Bolley-President Merrifield, 1898, regarding teaching of botany and economics
- Folder 68: Correspondence: E.M. Atwood-President Merrifield, 1899, regarding importance of Christianity
- Folder 69: Correspondence: J.D. Bacon-President Merrifield, 1899, regarding North Dakota legislature
- Folder 70: Correspondence: W.W. Bassett-President Merrifield, 1899, regarding appointment to meet with President Merrifield
- Folder 71: Correspondence: B.F. Brockhoff-President Merrifield, 1899, regarding water certificates
- Folder 72: Correspondence: Stephen Collins-E. Kelley, 1899, regarding shipment of coal
- Folder 73: Correspondence: Herman Fisher-President Merrifield, 1899, regarding sermon of Professor Vernon Squires
- Folder 74: Correspondence: C.H. Mallarian-President Merrifield, 1899, regarding visit to UND
- Folder 75: Correspondence relating to UND and the railroad, 1899 and 1901
- Folder 76: Correspondence: Joseph Rose-William Budge, 1899, regarding construction of sidewalks
- Folder 77: Correspondence: M. Victor Staley and James Vorachek-President Merrifield, 1899, requesting employment at UND
- Folder 1: "An Early Bow to the Bicentennial" Dames Club, February 1976
Browse by Box:
[Box 1],
[Box 2],
[Box 3],
[Box 4],
[Box 5],
[Box 6],
[Box 7],
[Box 8],
[Oversize Folder :],
[Photographs :],
[All]