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Mary Lucetta Shumway Thompson Diaries

 Collection
Identifier: UUS_COLL MSS 52

Scope and Contents

Exemplifying a senior woman's life in rural Utah from the 1930s to the 1970s, the Shumway Thompson collection focuses on the daily activities of Mary Lucetta Shumway Thompson, including what she termed in her diaries as “Mormon handicraft,” or netting and sewing, and her daily interactions with her family members, particularly her daughters. Mrs. Thompson was constantly surrounded by family, and she noted in her 1958 journal that until her husband's death that year, she had spent only a few nights alone. The collection also contains routine events Thompson encountered as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, including her weekly attendance of Sunday School, and her interactions with local ecclesiastical leaders.

Dates

  • Creation: 1933-1972

Language of Materials

Material in English

Conditions Governing Access

No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the Mary Lucetta Shumway Thompson Diaries must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Biographical Note

Mary Lucetta Shumway Thompson was born on November 13, 1883 in Clarkston, Utah, to Charles M. and Agnes Jardine Shumway. She was raised and educated in Cache County, Utah. On February 4, 1902, she was married to James J. Thompson in the Logan LDS Temple. Mrs. Thompson was a practicing member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and with her husband, raised eight children in Garland, Utah. The children, three boys (J. Delos, Odell S., and W. Blaine Thompson) and five girls (Agnes, Blanche, Melba, Laura, and Lola Ruth) remained close to their mother until her death on February 29, 1976 at the age of 92. (Biographical information obtained through obituary contained in the March 4, 1976 issue of the Tremonton Leader/Garland Times.)

Extent

4 boxes (1.75 linear feet)

Abstract

This collection contains the diaries of Mary Lucetta Shumway Thompson.

Arrangement

Diaries arranged by date.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Received from the James Joseph Thompson Family Organizations in 1979.

Related Materials

The burgs on the Bear : reflections on two small town relief societies 1900-1978 (Item MSS 116)

A digital copy can be found in the Digital Library CollectionsCache Valley Diaries

Processing Information

Processed in January of 2003.

Title
Guide to the Mary Lucetta Shumway Thompson Diaries 1933-1972
Author
Finding aid/Register created by Alisha Tolman
Date
©2011
Description rules
Finding Aid Based On Dacs (Describing Archives: A Content Standard)
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid encoded in English.

Revision Statements

  • 2009: Template information was updated to reflect Archives West best practice guidelines.

Repository Details

Part of the Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives Repository

Contact:
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan Utah 84322-3000 United States
435 797-8248
435 797-2880 (Fax)