Reynolds (Howard and Alice) correspondence, 1893-1921

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Summary

Title:
Howard and Alice Reynolds correspondence
Dates:
1893-1921
Creators:
Reynolds, Howard
Abstract:
Correspondence between traveling salesman Howard Reynolds and teacher Alice Reeves Reynolds of Los Angeles (both before and after their marriage in 1903).
Extent:
9 boxes
Language:
The material is in English .
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Howard and Alice Reynolds correspondence, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

The majority of this collection is made up of letters by Howard Reynolds to Alice Reeves Reynolds both before and after their marriage in 1903 (1894-1921), although there is half of a box of letters by Alice to Howard (1901-1911). In these letters, one can follow their courtship and marriage. Howard often talks about his business and his travels (especially throughout the American west) and Alice talks about her life as a teacher, social events, trips, health, etc.

There are a several other letters by various family members and friends including Howard’s father George W. Reynolds, Alice’s sister Carrie Reeves Slaydon, and a fellow traveling salesman working with Howard, Karl H. Vesper.

The collection also contains a few pieces of ephemera, some invoices from the Baker Underwear Company, and many empty envelopes. There are also transcripts of many of the letters, but not all.

Biographical / historical:

Howard Reynolds was born in England in 1863 to George W. Reynolds and Emma Reynolds. The family moved to the United States in 1872. Alice Reeves was born in Illinois in 1865. By 1894, Alice was living on Bunker Hill in Los Angeles, teaching; she and Howard were corresponding by letters on an almost daily basis at that time. Howard was an underwear salesman and traveled around the United States for his job. He worked for the Baker Underwear Company along with his father.

Howard and Alice were married in 1903. In 1927, they were living in La Crescenta, California. Howard died in 1932 in Los Angeles and Alice died in the 1950s, also in Los Angeles.

Acquisition information:
Gift of William R. and Alice B. Granewich, October 2016. This collection of correspondence was given to Katherine Thomson of Upland, California (and preserved by her) by Alice Reeves Reynolds' attorney after her death in the 1950s. It was accepted at the time that there were no remaining heirs or relatives. Katherine Thomson placed the material with Alice Granewich in the early 1990s. Material placed on deposit at The Huntington Library in 2000 and converted to a gift in 2016.
Rules or conventions:
Finding Aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Brooke M. Black, September 24, 2017
Date Prepared:
© 2017
Date Encoded:
Machine readable finding aid encoded by Brooke M. Black in September 2017

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Terms of access:

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Howard and Alice Reynolds correspondence, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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