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Caley Family Papers

 Collection
Identifier: Mss. Acc. 2012.192

  • Staff Only
  • No requestable containers

Scope and Contents

The collection is mostly personal correspondence and diaries, chiefly 1895-1968, collected and written by Mary Davidson Caley, her two daughters, Maybelle Caley Barker and Hilda Caley Noble, and Hilda’s daughter, Nadine Noble Sondergard. The Caley’s were white middle class women who lived in Sierra Madre, California for the majority of their lives.  The personal letters and diaries of three generations of women contain topics related to the household operations, Spanish Flu 1918, farm operations in Ohio 1918, family finances, health concerns, local and national issues (Kennedy Assassination (1963), Watts Riots (1965) as well as social and religious activities.

Maybelle’s, Hilda’s and Nadine’s diary entries and letters on Nadine and Ray Sondergard’s courtship and early years together reflect the different perspectives of the women and their family interpersonal relationships and dynamics.  Nadine married late in life for the time (36 years old) and it was her husband Ray's (45 years old) second marriage. He had an uneven employment history. They had at least one son. The Caley women lived and traveled up and down the US northwest coast from California to Oregon and frequently visited Ohio for extended periods. The women's diaries span from 1951-1966 while the letters are from 1895-1968.  Mary Davidson Caley and Maybelle Caley Barker have a few individual diaries and notebooks from earlier years. Correspondence from over 80 friends and relatives of the Caley’s addressed to the women is included as well as 87 photographs of family, friends and landscapes.  The correspondence is filed and organized by receipent rather than sender.

Dates

  • Creation: circa 1895-1968

Creator

Language of Materials

English

Conditions Governing Access:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Conditions Governing Use:

Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Biographical / Historical

Mary Davidson Caley, (1861-1962) married (1887) William Paul Caley (1859-1943) and moved from Ohio to South Pasadena, California with her two daughters, Maybelle Caley Barker (1889-1967) and Hilda Caley Noble (1888 - 1972). Mary Davidson Caley was told to move to California from Ohio due to her health. The Caley's eventually settled in Sierra Madre in 1895 where William was the first Street Superintendent and Tax Collector. Maybelle Caley Barker married former Army Captain Clyde (Clinton) Barker (1889-1936) in 1918. Maybelle and Clinton did not have any children. When Clinton died (1936), Maybelle never remarried and remained in Sierra Madre. Hilda Caley Noble (1888 - 1972) married John Noble and their daughter Nadine Noble Sondergard (1928- 2008) married (1965) Ray Sondergard (1920-1998).

Administrative History: Mary Davidson Caley, (1861-1962) married (1887) William Paul Caley (1859-1943) and moved from Ohio to South Pasadena, California with her two daughters, Maybelle Caley Barker (1889-1967) and Hilda Caley Noble (1888 - 1972).  Mary Davidson Caley was told to move to California from Ohio due to her health.  The Caley's eventually settled in Sierra Madre in 1895 where William was the first Street Superintendent and Tax Collector. Maybelle Caley Barker married former Army Captain Clyde (Clinton) Barker (1889-1936) in 1918.  Maybelle and Clinton did not have any children. When Clinton died (1936), Maybelle never remarried and remained in Sierra Madre. Hilda Caley Noble (1888 - 1972) married John Noble and their daughter Nadine Noble Sondergard (1928- 2008) married (1965) Ray Sondergard (1920-1998).

Family History:

Mary Davidson Caley, (1861-1962) married (1887) William Paul Caley (1859-1943) and moved from Ohio to South Pasadena, California with her two daughters, Maybelle Caley Barker (1889-1967) and Hilda Caley Noble (1888 - 1972). Mary Davidson Caley was told to move to California from Ohio due to her health. The Caley's eventually settled in Sierra Madre in 1895 where William was the first Street Superintendent and Tax Collector. Maybelle Caley Barker married former Army Captain Clyde (Clinton) Barker (1889-1936) in 1918. Maybelle and Clinton did not have any children. When Clinton died (1936), Maybelle never remarried and remained in Sierra Madre. Hilda Caley Noble (1888 - 1972) married John Noble and their daughter Nadine Noble Sondergard (1928- 2008) married (1965) Ray Sondergard (1920-1998).

Administrative History:

Mary Davidson Caley, (1861-1962) married (1887) William Paul Caley (1859-1943) and moved from Ohio to South Pasadena, California with her two daughters, Maybelle Caley Barker (1889-1967) and Hilda Caley Noble (1888 - 1972).  Mary Davidson Caley was told to move to California from Ohio due to her health.  The Caley's eventually settled in Sierra Madre in 1895 where William was the first Street Superintendent and Tax Collector. Maybelle Caley Barker married former Army Captain Clyde (Clinton) Barker (1889-1936) in 1918.  Maybelle and Clinton did not have any children. When Clinton died (1936), Maybelle never remarried and remained in Sierra Madre. Hilda Caley Noble (1888 - 1972) married John Noble and their daughter Nadine Noble Sondergard (1928- 2008) married (1965) Ray Sondergard (1920-1998).

Extent

2.33 Linear Feet

Arrangement of Materials:

This collection is arranged into four series: Series 1: Mary Davidson Caley, 1895-1962; Series 2: Maybelle Caley Barker, 1897-1969; Series 3: Hilda Caley Noble, 1917-1968; Series 4: Nadine Noble Sondergard, 1957-1967.

Related Materials:

Artifacts were transferred upon receipt to the Manuscripts Artifact Collection (Mss. 1.03): Green leather clutch with metal letters MC (2012.192.01) and pair of nylon white elbow length gloves (2012.192.02ab).

Information about related materials is available at http://guides.swem.wm.edu/scrc-women

Separated Materials:

Artifacts were transferred upon receipt to the Manuscripts Artifact Collection (Mss. 1.03): Green leather clutch with metal letters MC (2012.192.01) and pair of nylon white elbow length gloves (2012.192.02ab)

Title
Guide to the Caley Family Papers
Author
Finding Aid Authors: David L. Ward, Special Collections Staff.
Date
2012-05-18
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
The collection description/finding aid is written in English

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Research Center Repository

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