Mabel Newton Betticher papers
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Creator
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Abstract
Diaries and poetry written by Mabel Newton Betticher.
Biographical Note
Mabel Newton Betticher was born on June 3, 1878, and worked as a public school teacher in East Orange, New Jersey.
Arrangement
The collection is organized into the following three series:
Series I. "Her Own Trip Book," 1903-1948
Series II. Poems, 1907-1944
Series III. Diaries, 1930-1945
The materials are arranged chronologically within each series.
Scope and Contents
The papers of Mabel Newton Betticher consist of three sets of diaries: a diary of daily activities, a diary of poems, and a diary of spiritual meditations. None of the diaries contain much personal information, focusing instead on largely spiritual and religious matters. They are extremely well-organized. Most volumes are numbered (although there are gaps in the sequence), and all entries are dated. The three diaries were kept contemporaneously, and entries are frequently cross-referenced. Mabel kept track of the flowers and birds she saw, often recording this information in more than one diary. All of the diaries are illustrated with a number of different types of materials, including photographs, newspaper clippings, holiday cards, postage stamps, stickers, pictures of flowers and birds, pamphlets, brochures, and church programs.
Subjects
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Access Restrictions
Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.
Use Restrictions
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.
Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.
Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions
Preferred Citation
This collection should be cited as the Mabel Newton Betticher Papers, MS 937, The New-York Historical Society.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donation, 1956.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Processed by Gabrielle Sanchez, circa 2000.
Repository
Series I: "Her Own Trip Book", 1903-1948, inclusive
Scope and Contents note
Mabel's personal diary (1903-1948), which she labeled "Her Own Trip Book," seems to have begun as a travel diary and expanded over the years to record her daily activities. The earliest diaries in this series contain notes of Mabel's trips to New York City, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. These diaries are minutely detailed and report on the details of the places she visited more than on her or her companions' own personal thoughts and experiences . For example, Mabel faithfully copied the inscriptions on each monument, church, or other building she visited. While the early diaries in this set describe trips taken to visit family and friends, the later diaries describe her frequent trips to New York City for the purpose of sightseeing, attending services at Trinity Church and St. Paul's Chapel, and visiting the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Mabel was a devout Episcopalian, and these diaries contain detailed notes (often in outline form) on sermons she attended. The very last diaries contain clippings from The New York Times and other newspapers. Many of these clippings are on the subject of global politics.
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 1, December 1903 - July 1917
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 2, July 1917 - April 1918
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 4, circa 1920
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 5, October 1918 - May 1919
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 13, May 1932 - August 1932, inclusive
General
Volume found in the stacks in April 2022, separated from the collection. Reunited and added to the finding aid, April 14, 2022.
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 14, August - December 1932
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 15, December 1932 - April 1933
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 17, August 1933 - September 1934
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 18, April - November 1934
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 19, February - September 1935
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 20, September 1935 - December 1936
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 21, February 1937 - March 1938
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 22, April 1938 - March 1939
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 23, October 1938 - March 1939
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 24, March 1939 - May 1939
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 25, September 1939 - October 1939
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 26, October - November 1939
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 27, February - July 1940
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 28, August - October 1940
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume --, November 1940 - March 1941
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 30, April 1941 - August 1941
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 31, August 1931 - November 1941
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume --, December 1941 - January 1942
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 33, February 1942 - October 1942
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume --, May 1942 - October 1942
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume --, October 1942 - April 1943
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 36, July 1943 - April 1944
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume --, May 1944 - September 1944
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume --, October 1944 - June 1943
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 40, August 1945 - September 1945
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 41, September 1945 - October 1945
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume --, November 1945 - February 1946
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 43, March 1946 - April 1946
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 44, May 1946 - June 1946
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 46, June 1946 - July 1946
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 47, August 1946
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 48, September 1946 - October 1946
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 49, October 1946 - December 1946
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 50, December 1946 - February 1947
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 51, March 1947- April 1947
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 52, April 1947 - May 1947
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 53, June 1947 - July 1947
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 54, August 1947 - October 1947
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 55, November 1947 - June 1948
"Her Own Trip Book" Volume 56, August 1948
Series II: Poems, 1907-1944, inclusive
Scope and Contents note
The poetry diaries (1907-1944) contain Mabel's poetry, written almost exclusively on the themes of nature and religion.
Poems Volume 2, August 1907 - August 1910
Poems Volume 3, August 1910 - August 1912
Poems Volume 4, August 1912 - September 1925
Poems Volume 5, October 1925 - August 1929
Poems Volume 6, August 1929 - November 1930
Poems Volume 18, April 1938 - September 1938
Poems Volume 26, August 1941 - December 1941
Poems Volume 27, December 1941 - April 1942
Poems Volume --, February 1943
Poems Volume --, June 1943 - November 1943
Poems Volume --, December 1943 - February 1944
Poems Volume --, June 1944 - September 1944
Poems Volume 34, October 1944 - February 1945
Series III: Diaries, 1930-1945, inclusive
Scope and Contents note
The final set of diaries (1930-1944) record Mabel's religious and spiritual thoughts.