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Caroline L. Bowes Kennedy Collection

 Collection
Identifier: A3098

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of two letters, an account statement, and a travel journal written by Caroline L. Bowes Kennedy (Carrie). Items date from 1859, 1864, and 1878 to 1879, and are arranged chronologically. The 1879 travel journal comprises the largest portion of the collection.

The two earliest items relate to Carrie’s parents. The first is an account of the estate of Daniel Bowes with Charles Eberle for services rendered at the funeral of Daniel Bowes dated 9 September 1859. On 16 September 1864, F. M. Colburn, ticket agent for the St. Louis, Alton & Terre Haute Railroad, wrote a letter of introduction for Mrs. Bowes as she travelled to Middletown via Cincinnati and Cleveland. He addressed the note to ticket agents and conductors informing them that she was the widow of a railroad conductor and requesting that they be of assistance to her.

On 16 April 1878, Nathan J. Morrison, the first president of Drury College (Springfield, Missouri), provided a letter of reference for Carrie to use as she sought employment as a teacher. In the summer of 1879, Carrie travelled from Springfield, Missouri, to Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, to visit her paternal grandmother. She described her trip in detail, from June 8 to June 19, and mailed the journal to her family in July. Carrie visited aunts, cousins, and friends in St. Louis. Several of her outings in the city included attending a kindergarten exercise, a moonlight picnic in a garden illuminated by gaslight, and visiting the Fair Grounds and Zoological Gardens. Carrie left St. Louis by train on June 16th for Stroudsburg and described scenes in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. After changing trains in Toledo and the cars being switched to boats for the river crossing into Canada, she toured Niagara Falls and the town. Carrie described her tour of the area in much detail.

Dates

  • 1859-1879

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, quote from, or reproduce material in this collection, please contact the Archives Reference Desk at archives@mohistory.org. Copyright restrictions may apply. The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming to the laws of copyright.

Biographical Sketch

Caroline L. Kennedy (Carrie) was born on 7 December 1857 to Daniel and Adeline (Bouchard) Bowes. Carrie’s parents were married two years before Daniel’s death in 1859. He was a conductor for the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad. Adeline married Louis F. Beland in 1866 and had two children: Adelaide (Adele) Beland (1867-1938) and Benjamin Alson Beland (1870-1911). Adeline died on 20 September 1871 in Pacific, Missouri. In 1879, Carrie lived with her step-father and siblings in Springfield, Missouri, where she attended Drury College.

Carrie married Joseph Charles Kennedy (1855-1925) in 1884. The couple had four children: Mary A. (1885-1967), Adele M. (1887-?), Caroline H. (1891-1984), and Joseph L. (1894-1959). The family resided in Missouri. The 1900 and 1910 census records reveal that Joseph was an ice dealer. Carrie died on 11 September 1937 at age 79.

Extent

0.04 Cubic Feet ( (2 folders))

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

The collection is arranged chronologically.

Physical and Technical Requirements

There are no physical or technical restrictions.

Donor Information

The collection was donated by Judith E. Meador in 2019 (acc. no. 2019-076).

Processing Information

Processed with funding from The Stuart Foundation, Inc. by Kristina Perez, 2020.

Title
Caroline L. Bowes Kennedy Collection
Status
Completed
Author
EAD by Kristina Perez using ArchivesSpace
Date
2020
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Missouri Historical Society Library and Research Center Repository

Contact:
225 S. Skinker Blvd.
St. Louis MO 63105 United States
314-746-4510