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

SISTER ELLEN MURPHY PAPERS

COLLECTION: OGL#512 (addition)

DATES: 1968-1995

SIZE: 2.0 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

ACQUISITION: This addition to the Sister Ellen Murphy Papers was deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by Sister Ellen Murphy, St. Paul, Minnesota, May 1995 (Acc.#95- 2001).

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

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This addition to the Sister Ellen Murphy Papers dates from 1968 to 1995 and is divided into two sections: Personal and Correspondence. The personal information contains such things as: some of her poetry, weekly and monthly planners, and an honorary retirement award from the College of Saint Catherine. Also included in this section is an invitation, a guest book, mass program, dinner guest list, announcements, and congratulatory cards from Sister Ellen's 1985 50th Golden Jubilee celebration of entering the convent. There is also a pamphlet from the 450th Anniversary celebration of Saint Thomas More's death at Westminster Cathedral that Sister Ellen attended while she was in London.

The second section is correspondence from 1968-1995. This section contains three folders regarding the publishing of Sister Ellen's poetry. The rest of the correspondence contains letters from Sister Ellen's family and friends and is arranged alphabetically. Correspondents include William Abraham and family, Alice Marks, Jeremiah Murphy and his children, Jim and Robin Murphy, and miscellaneous correspondence. A variety of topics are included in the letters, but mostly discuss family events.

The majority of the correspondence is to and from Mary and Charlie McNeill, Sister Ellen's close friends. The McNeill correspondence discusses topics such as: Sister Ellen's Boston and Maine sabbatical where she visited a Montessori School to discuss making a Montessori religious education program, convent changes, visits to Colleen (Sister Ellen's youngest sister), teaching at the College of Saint Catherine, and Sister Ellen's trip to London. Sister Ellen also discusses her mother's illness and death in June 1973. In 1994, Mary McNeill passed away and the correspondence from Fr. Bob Barry as well as Sharon McGlymm, the McNeill's daughter, address the last few days of Mary's life and the funeral.

There is one folder containing poems given to her by someone that are written by Maxine. At the end of this collection is a scrapbook of Sister Ellen's. There are pictures from her childhood as well as pictures from when she was in the convent. The majority of the scrapbook has photos and newspaper clippings of Sister Ellen's 50th and 60th Jubilees.

12 photographs have been separated and placed in the Orin G. Libby Photograph Collection.

BOX AND FOLDER INVENTORY

Box 6
Folder
PERSONAL

  1. Sister Ellen's poetry Bulbs: March 1979
  2. Weekly and Monthly Planners: 1969-1982
  3. Weekly and Monthly Planners: 1983-1987
  4. Weekly and Monthly Planners: 1988-1994
  5. Honorary Retirement Award from College of Saint Catherine
  6. Letters about retirement: 1983
  7. Announcements of 50th Jubilee, invitation to reception: 1985
  8. Mass programs, prayers of the faithful, reception jobs, dinner guest list for 50th Anniversary: 1985

Box 7
Folder

  1. Golden Jubilee Guest book: 1985
  2. Golden Jubilee cards: 1985
  3. Thank you cards from Sister Ellen for her 50th Anniversary: 1985
  4. 60th Jubilee Congratulatory cards: 1995
  5. 450th Anniversary celebration of Saint Thomas More's death at Westminster Cathedral

CORRESPONDENCE

  1. Letters about publishing an article written by Sister Ellen: 1985
  2. Correspondence concerning Sister Ellen's poetry publishing: 1983, 1984, 1991
  3. Letters and cards about Sister Ellen's poetry: 1976-1991
  4. Correspondence regarding St. James Academy all school reunion June 3-5, 1988
  5. From William Abraham and family: 1979, 1980, 1989-1991
  6. From Fr. Bob Barry: 1994
  7. From Alice Marks: 1990-1991
  8. Sister Ellen to Mary and Charlie McNeill: 1968-1969
  9. Sister Ellen to Mary and Charlie McNeill: 1970-1979
  10. Sister Ellen to Mary and Charlie McNeill: 1980-1982, 1985, 1987, 1989
  11. Sister Ellen to Mary and Charlie McNeill: 1994
  12. Sister Ellen to Mary and Charlie McNeill: undated
  13. Sister Ellen to Mary McNeill: 1973, 1981-1982
  14. From Mary McNeill: 1992, undated
  15. From Charlie McNeill after Mary's death: 1994-1995
  16. From Sharon (McNeill) McGlymm: 1994-1995
  17. From Jeremiah Murphy: 1980, 1995
  18. Correspondence to and from Jim & Robin Murphy: 1984, 1989-1990, undated
  19. Thanks yous to Sister Ellen: 1980, 1987-1991, undated
  20. Miscellaneous thank yous
  21. Miscellaneous Correspondence: 1968, 1980, 1985, 1987-1988, 1990-1991, 1995, undated
  22. Poetry by Maxine: undated

Box 8

  1. Scrapbook: many years

SEPARATIONS RECORD

12 photographs have been separated and placed in the Orin G. Libby Photograph Collection.

 OGL# 512-121  Mary and Charlie McNeill 1490 S. Columbine, Denver Colorado, 1940
 OGL# 512-122  Sharon (McNeill) McGlymm at 17 years
 OGL# 512-123  Sharon McGlymm and father, Charlie McNeill in Holland, 1962
 OGL# 512-124  Sheds behind some trees from McNeill's, July 1973
 OGL# 512-125  Saint Cecilia Catholic Church, Velva, North Dakota, from Father Senger, July 1988
 OGL# 512-126  Morgan Leanne Marks (granddaughter of Alice Marks), July 26, 1990
 OGL# 512-127  Picture of child and kitten statue from Sister Ellen to Mary McNeill
 OGL# 512-128  Statue of Dame Julian of Norwich with her cat
 OGL# 512-129  Nathaniel and Mark playing on the indoor playground
 OGL# 512-130  Nathaniel
 OGL# 512-131  Nathaniel and Mark playing in the snow
 OGL# 512-132  Two boys holding kites

 Original Donation  First Addition: 1966-1982
 Second Addition: 1972-1993  Third Addition: 1968-1995
 Fourth Addition: 1967-1996  Fifth Addition: 1912-1996
 Sixth Addition: 1904-1996  Seventh Addition: 1947-2002

Return to: Literary
Return to: Women's Papers

Special Collections Home Page Contact Special Collections Chester Fritz Library Home Page