Search Results - Research Collections - Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies

Mary (Molly) Wright Adams fonds

https://archives.whyte.org/en/permalink/descriptions56758

Part Of: Mary (Molly) Wright Adams fonds

Scope & Content: Fonds consists of textual records, postcards, drawings and one photograph album pertaining to Mary (Molly) Wright Adams (1868-1909); transcripts of Molly's original letters which were compiled by Molly's sister, Catharine Elkin (nee Adams) between ca.1939 and 1941; and transcriptions of letters sen…

Date Range: [ca.1844 - 1909]; [ca.1939 - 1944]; 1980 - 1981; 2014

Reference Code: M555 / V777

Description Level: 1 / Fonds

GMD: Photograph; Album; Photograph print; Textual record; Diary; Drawing; Postcard; Private record

Part Of: Mary (Molly) Wright Adams fonds

Description Level: 1 / Fonds

Fonds Number: M555; V777

Sous-Fonds: M555; V777

Accession Number: 2018.8685

Reference Code: M555 / V777

GMD: Photograph; Album; Photograph print; Textual record; Diary; Drawing; Postcard; Private record

Responsibility: Some materials produced by Catharine (Adams) Elkin

Date Range: [ca.1844 - 1909]; [ca.1939 - 1944]; 1980 - 1981; 2014

Physical Description: 21 cm of textual records -- 16 postcards -- 3 drawings -- 1 photograph album : 107 b&w photographs

History / Biographical: Mary Wright (Molly) Adams was born on 15 October 1868. in Ridgefield Connecticut. She was the third of five children born to Cornelia Ann Cook (1830-1902) and Daniel Lucius Adams (1814 - 1899) She died in Kobe, Japan on 23 January 1909 and was buried there.

Scope & Content: Fonds consists of textual records, postcards, drawings and one photograph album pertaining to Mary (Molly) Wright Adams (1868-1909); transcripts of Molly's original letters which were compiled by Molly's sister, Catharine Elkin (nee Adams) between ca.1939 and 1941; and transcriptions of letters sent between Molly's extended family members [including members of the Adams, Cook and Wright families], ca.1844 and 1866. Textual records primarily consist of correspondence sent between Molly Adams and various friends and family members [ca.1891-1909].

Notes: Fonds consists of two series: Series I : Correspondence [contains two sub-series: I / A : Molly Wright Adams ; I / B : Extended family] Series II : Personal and collected records

Name Access: Adams, Molly; Schaffer, Mary

Subject Access: Family and personal life; Family; Correspondence; Travel; Exploration

Geographic Access: United States of America; Connecticut; New York; Europe

Language: English

Creator: Mary (Molly) Wright Adams fonds

Category: Family and personal life; Exploration and travel

Biographical Source Notes: Searching for Mary Schaffer: Women Wilderness Photography by Colleen Skidmore

Title Source: Title based on contents of fonds

Processing Status: Processed

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Tom Wilson family fonds

https://archives.whyte.org/en/permalink/descriptions38

Part Of: Tom Wilson family fonds

Scope & Content: Fonds includes textual records and photographs generated and collected by the Wilson family and pertaining to Tom Wilson, son Ed Wilson, daughter Ada Wilson and other family members. Textual records include: Ed Wilson's scrapbook, 1881-1968, which includes mainly items pertaining to Tom Wilson, Ed …

Date Range: 1861-1982

Reference Code: M10 / V701

Description Level: 1 / Fonds

GMD: Photograph; Negative; Photograph print; Textual record; Diary; Private record; Published record; Scrapbook

Part Of: Tom Wilson family fonds

Description Level: 1 / Fonds

Fonds Number: M 10; V 701

Sous-Fonds: M 10; V 701

Accession Number: 551, 981, 1234, 1578, 1634, 2097, 3039, 7750 (unproc)

Reference Code: M10 / V701

GMD: Photograph; Negative; Photograph print; Textual record; Diary; Private record; Published record; Scrapbook

Date Range: 1861-1982

Physical Description: 2 v. and 2 cm of textual records. -- ca.400 photographs : prints, copy negatives. -- 1 cm of print material

History / Biographical: The Wilson family were guides, outfitters and ranchers at Morley, Kootenay Plains, Banff and Nordegg, Alberta, Canada. Thomas Edmonds (Tom) Wilson, 1859- 1933, and Minnie McDougall Wilson, 1865-1936, had six children, including sons John Clark Wilson, 1888-1932, and Thomas Edmonds (Ed) Wilson, 1892-1973. Daughters were Ada, 1886-1967?, Rene, Bessie and Dora. Tom Wilson is credited with the discovery of Lake Louise in July of 1882, while working as a packer on the Canadian Pacific Railway survey through the mountains. In 1883, Wilson established his own business at Banff, Lake Louise and Field, British Columbia. After selling the business in 1904, Tom Wilson operated a horse ranch at Kootenay Plains. He later retired to Banff. Ed Wilson was born at Morley and raised in Banff. Around 1910 he began working for Brewster Trading Company at Banff and, later, Lake Louise. Just before the First World War, he moved to Nordegg, where he worked for the Bighorn Trading Company for many years.

Scope & Content: Fonds includes textual records and photographs generated and collected by the Wilson family and pertaining to Tom Wilson, son Ed Wilson, daughter Ada Wilson and other family members.; Textual records include: Ed Wilson's scrapbook, 1881-1968, which includes mainly items pertaining to Tom Wilson, Ed Wilson, the Wilson family, and early guiding and exploration in the Canadian Rockies (photocopy in two volumes); miscellaneous papers, 1905-1929, including a holograph speech by D. D. Galletly on the cave at Banff; letter and note re sale of horses to Frank Wellman, 1920; letters to Catharine Whyte from Ada Wilson re personal matters and Wilson family history, 1964-1965; transcripts of manuscripts by Tom Wilson and B. M. (Bess) Wilson re the CPR and tourism and 1916 pack trip Lake Louise to Kootenay Plains; letters of Col. Robert O'Hara to Tom Wilson, 1895- 1914, re Mount Assiniboine and Lake O'Hara; letter by Catharine Robb Whyte to Tom Link, 1965, re Lake O'Hara history based partly upon above material; diary, Trip to ranch by B. M. Wilson; essay, The last of the pathfinders by Dorie (Wilson) Legit; programmes, articles, clippings re Tom Wilson, 1924-1982; Eliza Edmonds certificate, 1845, and later clipping.; Photographs pertain to outfitting and guiding activities of Tom, John and Ed Wilson, including clients, associates and trips throughout the Rocky Mountains; Wilson family, friends and associates; Stoney Indians; Kootenay Plains; Banff people and events; Banff townsite and surrounding area; Canadian Pacific Railway; Nordegg area; 1861-1930. Includes photograph of Tom Wilson at Lake Louise inscribed to A. O. Wheeler, 1932. Many of the early photographs were taken by clients of Tom Wilson. Later, after settling at Kootenay Plains, Wilson was apparently given a camera by Mary Vaux and likely took many of the Stoney Indians views. Ed Wilson was an amateur photographer and likely took most of the views of staff at Lake Louise and of Nordegg.