ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202

ORIN G. LIBBY PAPERS

COLLECTION: OGL #49 (addition)

DATES: 1885-1941

SIZE: 3.75 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

ACQUISITION: This addition to the Orin G. Libby Papers was deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by Margaret Libby Barr, Grand Forks, North Dakota in January 1986 and by Robert Barr, Bismarck, North Dakota, on March 10, July 1, and July 15, 1987 (Acc.# 86-1429, 87- 1508, 87-1521, 87-1573).

ACCESS: Available for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The addition to the Orin G. Libby Papers consists primarily of correspondence and diaries. The bulk of the correspondence is that of Orin G. Libby to his wife Eva Cory Libby, 1895-1916 and Libby family correspondence, 1849-1920. The majority of the diaries are those of Orin G. Libby written from 1880-1887, and 1929-1945.

The letters of Orin G. Libby to Eva Cory Libby can be separated into two periods, the five years of courtship before 1900 and the years of marriage after 1900, each reflecting different concerns.

The courtship correspondence reveals the personalities of both Orin and Eva Libby and describes social conventions of the late nineteenth century. arm’s letters also recount his teaching experience at the University of Wisconsin and his problems working under Frederick Jackson Turner. His correspondence relates Eva’s teaching activities at Central School in Harriman, Tennessee, her music endeavors, and woman’s place in society in general.

Libby’s correspondence after their marriage comments on family matters and describes his work with the North Dakota Historical Society. He spent many summers on archaeological expeditions in an attempt to document the history and lifestyle of North Dakota’s Indian population and to increase the Society’s collection of Indian artifacts. Although the addition to the Libby Papers contains only a handful of letters from Eva, it does contain several important ones which describe her feelings regarding the Kane affair at the University of North Dakota and Libby’s role in the attempted ouster of President Kane in 1920.

Libby family correspondence revolves around letters to and from Asa Libby, Orin Libby’s father. Some describe Asa’s trip west from Richmond, Maine in 1855 in search of land which he secured in Hammond, Wisconsin. Others describe family matters, health problems, and everyday concerns. Correspondents are Mary S. Webster, Asa’s first wife who died in 1862; Julia Barrows Tidd, Asa’s second wife, who died in 1872; brothers Lyman, Warren and Charles; children, Orin and William, and step-children Charles, Lillian, and Julia. There is also correspondence from various Webster, Barrows, and Tidd relatives.

Libby’s early diaries, 1880-1887, record his school days at the River Falls Normal School and daily family affairs, including the work of his father, Asa at the saw-mill. Lottie and Lillain (?) also recorded their school experience in diaries, 1881-1888. Libby’s latter diaries, 1929-1945 recount family matters in addition to activities and affairs of the University of North Dakota and the history department in particular. Included also are the financial records dealing with Asa Libby’s estate and correspondence and news clippings documenting the New Richmond, Wisconsin cyclone of 1899. New Richmond was the site of the Libby family home from 1855 to 1870.

3 photographs were separated and added to the Orin G. Libby Photograph Collection.

BOX AND FOLDER LISTING

Box 7
Folder

  1. Correspondence - To Eva April 24, 1895
  2. Correspondence - To Eva January 12 - February 28, 1896
  3. Correspondence - To Eva March 6 - April 28, 1896
  4. Correspondence - To Eva May 3 - December 2, 1896
    Correspondence - From Eva April 24, 1896
  5. Correspondence - To Eva January 2 - June 6, 1897
  6. Correspondence - To Eva July 2 - December 19, 1897
  7. Correspondence - To Eva January 4 - May 29, 1898
  8. Correspondence - To Eva June 3 - December 18, 1898
  9. Correspondence - To Eva January 5 - May 28, 1899
  10. Correspondence - To June 3 - December 27, 1899
  11. Correspondence - To January 5 - May 29, 1900
  12. Correspondence - To June 4 - September 9, 1900
    Wedding Invitation September 12, 1900
  13. Correspondence - To May 21 - August 20, 1901
  14. Correspondence - To August 30 - October 19, 1902
  15. Correspondence - To September 1903
  16. Correspondence - To June 9 - August 4, 1904
  17. Correspondence - To September 22 - November 7, 1904
  18. Correspondence - To June - August, 1905, February -March, June, September 1906
  19. Correspondence - To January - December 1907, January - December 1908
  20. Correspondence - To May - August, December 1909
  21. Correspondence - To 1910, 1912, 1914-1916
  22. Correspondence - To Orin from Eva September 14, 1895 - January 10, 1900; 1902, 1908
  23. Correspondence -To Orin from Eva Spring 1920
  24. Correspondence - To Eva Cory Libby 1892-1950
  25. Correspondence - To Eva Cory Libby from Dr. Charles T. Cory, Eva’s father 1897-1921
  26. Correspondence - To Eva from Bonnie and Harry Cory Eva’s brother 1927-1932
  27. Correspondence - To Eva regarding Indian Head Coal Co., Harriman, Tennessee 1935-1936
  28. Correspondence - Dr. Charles T. Cory to Orin G. Libby 1896
  29. Correspondence - Jessie Libby Parslow to Orin G. Libby, Orin's sister 1903, 1932-1933
  30. Correspondence - To Orin G. Libby 1886-1899
  31. Correspondence - To Orin G. Libby 1901-1921
  32. Correspondence - To Orin G. Libby 1933-1952
  33. Letters of recommendation and School Contracts, Orin G. Libby 1884-1899
  34. Letters for Job Applications, Certificates, and Appointment letters to UND, 1887- 1913
  35. Correspondence - Applications for Curator of Exposition Museum of Los Angeles 1920
  36. Correspondence - Controversy with President Kane, UND 1920
  37. Correspondence - Rental and Disposal of Asa Libby’s Home, New Richmond, Wisconsin 1901-1914
  38. Financial Records - Asa Libby Estate and Home, New Richmond, Wisconsin 1888-1904
  39. Correspondence - Land owned by Orin G. and William S. Libby, River Falls, Wisconsin (Asa Libby Estate) 1903 - 1911
  40. Correspondence - Orin G. Libby, Miscellaneous Financial Records, 1885-1953
  41. Correspondence - 1985 Reminiscences of Charles Libby to Margaret Barr Libby regarding their Father Orin G. Libby
  42. Diary - Orin G. Libby January 1 - December 31, 1880
  43. Diary - Orin G. Libby January 1 - September 20, 1881

Box 8
Folder

  1. Diary - Orin G. Libby August 17, 1882 - October 20, 1883; October 21, 1883 - July 10, 1884
  2. Diary - Orin G. Libby August 16, 1929 - September 1, 1930
  3. Diary - Orin G. Libby September 10, 1931 - July 13, 1933
  4. Diary - Orin G. Libby July 14, 1933 - May 15, 1935
  5. Diary - Orin G. Libby May 16, 1935 - April 14, 1937
  6. Diary - Orin G. Libby April 20, 1937 - November 17, 1938
  7. Diary - Orin G. Libby November 18, 1938 - August 23, 1940
  8. Diary - Orin G. Libby August 24, 1940 - September 29, 1942
  9. Diary - Orin G. Libby September 30, 1942 - October 18, 1945
  10. Travel Journal - Orin G. Libby 1920, 1925
  11. Essay Book - Orin G. Libby September 1884 - August 1888
  12. Tower Hill, Wisconsin - 1894-1895 Research into History of Buckshot Manufacture in Early Wisconsin
  13. New Richmond, Wisconsin Cyclone, June 12, 1899 - Overview by Libby
  14. New Richmond, Wisconsin Cyclone, 1899 news clippings
  15. New Richmond, Wisconsin Cyclone - Passes Issued
  16. New Richmond, Wisconsin Cyclone - Miscellaneous Materials
  17. Publication - “One Hundred Years of Peace,” 1916; “Background of the Great War,” 1917
  18. Publication - “The Verendrye Routes In North and South Dakota”
  19. Miscellaneous Articles Including Correspondence Regarding “The Little Big Horn Battle,” 1949
  20. Convocation Address, October 19, 1939
  21. Record of Distribution of Volumes of Collections of State Historical Society of North Dakota
  22. Orin G. Libby’s Library - Listing of books
  23. Marriage Certificate of Orin and Eva Libby and Miscellaneous Certificates and News Clippings
  24. Address Book - Orin G. Libby’s Family, Friends and Businesses
  25. Retirement and Death Notices - Orin G. Libby 1946, 1952

Box 9
Folder

  1. Libby-Tidd Genealogy - Notebook
  2. Family History - Alanson Tidd and Julia Barrows Tidd, second wife of Asa Libby; Solomon and Charles Pluniner Tidd, 1854-1888
  3. Asa Libby, Orin’s Father - Biographical material
  4. Correspondence - Asa Libby, 1849-1894
  5. Correspondence - Between Asa Libby and Mary Webster Libby, 1850’s
  6. Correspondence - To Mary Webster Libby from Webster and Libby Family in Maine, 1855-1862
  7. School Notebook - Practice Letters and Numbers - Mary S. Webster, Gray, Maine, 1834 (and enclosures)
  8. Correspondence - Charles Libby to Asa Libby, Asa’s brother, and legal papers, 1864-1885.
  9. Correspondence - Lyman Libby to Asa Libby, Asa’s brother, 1837-1888
  10. Correspondence - Warren Libby to Asa Libby, Asa’s brother,1853-1899
  11. Correspondence - Charles Libby to Asa Libby, Father, 1889-1898
  12. Correspondence - Julia Libby to Asa Libby, Father, 1872-1875; Edith Libby to Asa Libby, Father, 1894
  13. Correspondence - Lillian Libby to Asa Libby, Father, 1873- 1874
  14. Correspondence - Lillian Libby, 1863-1872 and Teaching Certificates, 1869-1870
  15. Diary - Lillian (?), September 21, 1881-August 14, 1882 (Age 17); July 17, 1884- August 10, 1887
  16. Diary - Lottie Libby, Asa’s Daughter, Hillside School, Spring Green, Wisconsin, September 4, 1888 - August 6, 1889
  17. Correspondence - Orin G. Libby to Asa Libby, Father, 1888-1900
  18. Correspondence - Asa Libby to Orin G. Libby, Son, 1889-1900
  19. Correspondence - William S. Libby to Asa Libby, Father, 1888-1901; and to Orin G. Libby, Brother 1894; to Eva Libby, 1920
  20. Land and Financial Records, Asa Libby, 1838-1892
  21. District School Records - Asa Libby, 1860-1869
  22. Notebooks - Asa Libby, 1871-1872
  23. Correspondence - Julia Barrows Tidd Libby to Asa Libby, Husband, and to Children, 1867
  24. Correspondence - To Julia Barrows Tidd Libby from Family in Massachusetts, 1862-1867
  25. Correspondence - To Julia Barrows Tidd Libby from Elizabeth Tidd, 1867-1869
  26. Correspondence - To Julia Barrows Tidd Libby from Herbert Barrows, Brother, 1868-1870
  27. Correspondence - To Julia Barrows Tidd Libby, Amanda Tidd Potter, Niece, 1862-1877
  28. Deposition - Julia Barrows Tidd Libby Against Alanson L. Tidd, First Husband, and Mrs. M. Flagg, 1868
  29. Correspondence - Solomon Tidd, 1863-1890 and Financial Records
  30. Webster Family Methodist Hymnal, Gray, Maine, 1833
  31. Miscellaneous Family Correspondence
  32. Samuel Baker, Mineral Point, Iowa Co., Wisconsin, Financial Records, 1838- 1861
  33. School Notebook - S.F. Crane, 1845; Hammond, Wisconsin School District Recordings, 1867
  34. “The Hammond Star” Published by the Hammond Temperance Society, 1860
  35. “In Memory of Mary Reynolds, M.D.” Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1888

SEPARATIONS RECORDS

3 photographs were separated and added to the Orin G. Libby Photograph Collection.

OGL 49-34 Eva Libby, August 1909 and (?)
OGL 49-35 M.B. Searle, Family Friend, May 1916
OGL 49-36 John Lindsay, undated

 Original Donation  First Addition: 1894-1901
 Second Addition: 1978  Third Addition: 1885-1941
 Fourth Addition: undated  Fifth Addition: 1885-1941
 Sixth Addition: 1915-1969, Bulk Dates 1917-1924  Seventh Addition: 1900

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