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https://presidentwilson.org/files/original/4cb7ce059a7567e0e588b722e627ff9c.pdf
57db7d9b91a1f6dfaba37f31ac658f57
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WOODROW WILSON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY
FINDING AID
COLLECTION: Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Collection
ACCESSION NUMBER: FA000085
INCLUSIVE DATES: 1924-1961
DONOR: Edith Bolling Wilson
RESTRICTION: none
DATE OF GIFT: 1962
LOCATION: WWPL&M
SIZE: 1 box, 15 folders
BIOGRAPHY: Edith Bolling Wilson was born in Wytheville, Virginia, on 15 October 1872.
Educated primarily at home and briefly at boarding schools, Edith traveled to Washington, D.C.,
to visit her sister in 1889, and there met her first husband, Norman Galt. After a four year
courtship, the couple was married in 1896 and had one child who died soon after birth. When
Galt died in 1908, Edith, now a wealthy widow, successfully ran the family jewelry business.
Introduced to Woodrow Wilson’s cousin, Helen Woodrow Bones, Edith met the recently
widowed President at the White House. They were married privately at Edith’s house on 18
December 1915. A devoted wife, Edith traveled with her husband on speaking and campaign
tours and encouraged and took part in his recreation and exercise, including golf, motor rides, the
theater, and time with his family. She was deeply involved in the daily routine of the White
House, discussing state papers with Wilson and decoding messages for him. After serving as a
Red Cross volunteer during World War I, Edith accompanied her husband to Paris for the Peace
Conference in 1918 and 1919. Following Wilson’s stroke after a Western speaking tour
promoting the League of Nations, Edith cared for her husband, denying access to some advisors
and officials, which resulted in charges then and today that she had usurped power. After leaving
the White House, Edith cared for her husband at their home on S Street in Washington until his
death in 1924. For the rest of her life, Edith protected Wilson’s legacy and helped to establish the
Woodrow Wilson Birthplace Foundation as a shrine to her deceased husband. She wrote My
Memoir in 1938, aided Wilson’s biographer, Ray Stannard Baker, and remained active in
Democratic politics. She died at her home in Washington, DC on her husband’s birthday, 28
December 1961.
FORMS OF MATERIAL: pdf
AUHTOR/DONOR: Edith Bolling Wilson
�SCOPE AND CONTENT: The Edith Bolling Wilson papers document Edith Bolling Wilson’s
role as honorary President of the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace Foundation. The papers date from
approximately 1924-61, with the bulk of the documents created between 1931 – 40. The
collection consists primarily of correspondence between Edith Bolling Wilson and Mrs. Herbert
McK. Smith, the President of the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace Foundation. There are sympathy
acknowledgements from Mrs. Wilson after the death of Woodrow Wilson as well as a few
newspaper articles written about Mrs. Wilson in her later years. The collection is contained in
one series with a folder designated for each year.
The bulk of the correspondence between Edith Bolling Wilson and Mrs. Herbert McK. Smith is
in reference to the establishment and organization of the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace
Foundation. Mrs. Wilson includes in several letters lists of items she has donated to the
Woodrow Wilson Birthplace Foundation and specific amounts donated by her and others to the
endowment fund for the upkeep of the Presbyterian Manse.
�WOODROW WILSON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY
CONTAINER LIST
FOLDER CORRESPONDENCE
Sympathy
To Margaret W. Daniel
To American Legion and Woman’s Auxilliary
Christmas Cards
To Mrs. Smith
To Unknown
Postcards
White House picture
To Audrey Louise Jones
EBW Calling Card
Edith Bolling Wilson Papers
1920-24
1931
1932-33
1935
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1952
1953
1954
�1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
Undated
Miscellaneous Documents
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Papers
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1924-1961
Description
An account of the resource
This collection documents the campaign by Woodrow Wilson's widow to preserve his legacy. It includes 179 handwritten and typed letters among members of the Wilson and Bolling families. Most were written from Edith Bolling Wilson to Emily Smith. Almost all of the letters are professional in nature. There are several letters written to Mrs. Wilson from other people, which are all regarding professional matters instead of personal. Mrs. Wilson also wrote a letter to Judge Groner concerning the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum staff
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
1 box plus 15 folders scanned documents, 74 pdfs
Language
A language of the resource
English
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Birthplace Manuscript Collection
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
B000085
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library
Subject
The topic of the resource
Woodrow Wilson Birthplace (Staunton, Va.)
Wilson, Edith Bolling Galt, 1872-1961
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Wilson, Edith Bolling Galt, 1872-1961
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Archival Finding Aid
A catalog of documents or an inventory of pieces of archive that summarizes their content and organization to facilitate their access.
Numeric
Date
99999999
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Papers Finding Aid
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
FA000085
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1924-1961
Description
An account of the resource
Mostly documents including letters, newspaper clippings, and postcards.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Edith Bolling Wilson
Donated 1962
Subject
The topic of the resource
Cataloging of archival materials
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum staff
Language
A language of the resource
English
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Archival Finding Aid
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924 Presidential Library & Museum staff
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
pdf file
EAD Archive
The Encoded Archival Description is a common standard used to describe collections of small pieces and to create hierarchical and structured finding aids.
Arrangement
Information on how the described materials have been subdivided into smaller units.
37 folders, all contents are arranged chronologically with any undated materials at the back of the folders.
Biography or History
A concise essay or chronology that places the archival materials in context by providing information about their creator(s).
Edith Bolling Wilson was born in Wytheville, Virginia, on 1872 October 15. Educated primarily at home and briefly at boarding schools, Edith traveled to Washington, D.C., to visit her sister in 1889, and there met her first husband, Norman Galt. After a four year courtship, the couple was married in 1896 and had one child who died soon after birth. When Galt died in 1908, Edith, now a wealthy widow, successfully ran the family jewelry business. Introduced to Woodrow Wilson’s cousin, Helen Woodrow Bones, Edith met the recently widowed President at the White House. They were married privately at Edith’s house on 18 December 1915. A devoted wife, Edith traveled with her husband on speaking and campaign tours and encouraged and took part in his recreation and exercise, including golf, motor rides, the theater, and time with his family. She was deeply involved in the daily routine of the White House, discussing state papers with Wilson and decoding messages for him. After serving as a Red Cross volunteer during World War I, Edith accompanied her husband to Paris for the Peace Conference in 1918 and 1919. Following Wilson’s stroke after a Western speaking tour promoting the League of Nations, Edith cared for her husband, denying access to some advisors and officials, which resulted in charges then and today that she had usurped power. After leaving the White House, Edith cared for her husband at their home on S Street in Washington until his death in 1924. For the rest of her life, Edith protected Wilson’s legacy and helped to establish the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace Foundation as a shrine to her deceased husband. She wrote My Memoir in 1938, aided Wilson’s biographer, Ray Stannard Baker, and remained active in Democratic politics. She died at her home in Washington, DC on her husband’s birthday, 28 1961 December 28.
Level
The hierarchical level of the materials being described by the element (may be other level too).
Folder
Other Descriptive Data
An element for information about the described materials that is not easily incorporated into one of the other named elements within archival description and components.
CONTAINER LIST
FOLDER CORRESPONDENCE
Sympathy
To Margaret W. Daniel
To American Legion and Woman’s Auxilliary
Christmas Cards
To Mrs. Smith
To Unknown
Postcards
White House picture
To Audrey Louise Jones
EBW Calling Card
Edith Bolling Wilson Papers
1920-24
1931
1932-33
1935
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
Undated
Miscellaneous Documents
Scope and Content
A prose statement summarizing the range and topical coverage of the described materials.
The Edith Bolling Wilson papers document Edith Bolling Wilson’s role as honorary President of the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace Foundation. The papers date from approximately 1924-61, with the bulk of the documents created between 1931 – 40. The collection consists primarily of correspondence between Edith Bolling Wilson and Mrs. Herbert McK. Smith, the President of the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace Foundation. There are sympathy acknowledgements from Mrs. Wilson after the death of Woodrow Wilson as well as a few newspaper articles written about Mrs. Wilson in her later years. The collection is contained in one series with a folder designated for each year.
The bulk of the correspondence between Edith Bolling Wilson and Mrs. Herbert McK. Smith is in reference to the establishment and organization of the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace Foundation. Mrs. Wilson includes in several letters lists of items she has donated to the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace Foundation and specific amounts donated by her and others to the endowment fund for the upkeep of the Presbyterian Manse.