Introduction | Biographical Sketch | Scope and Content | Series Description | Inventory

Introduction

The papers of Wilbert E. Harp comprise one linear feet of family correspondence, mostly between Wilbert and his wife, Dora, who resided in Cleveland and Sandusky, Ohio at the turn of the century. Harp was a traveling fence salesman, and the letters are from the time he spent on the road. The letters give a good indication of what life was like for a traveling salesman in the midwest at the turn of the century.

The collection was acquired by the Center of Archival Collections through a gift from Jim and Roberta Pettit from Winston-Salem, North Carolina in January 2002. No restrictions exist on the use of this collection. Duplication is permitted for the purposes of preservation and research. The collection was processed by Marilyn Levinson, Curator of Manuscripts in May 2002, with the aid of BGSU graduate student Becky Dutton.

Biographical Sketch

Wilbert (Bert) E. Harp was born in New York in October, 1876. He spent the majority of his life in Ohio, primarily in Cleveland and Sandusky. In early 1900 (perhaps January) Harp married Dora Spangler, and they had five children, four daughters and one son. Harp was a traveling fence salesman/installer and his business took him to all parts of Ohio, into Michigan, Indiana, and as far west as Chicago, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri. Harp worked as an independent dealer and with two fence businesses. Harp had his own company in 1902 (although he may have had it prior to that time) called the "Harp Coop Company" in Sandusky, Ohio. It manufactured and sold folding steel shipping coops and baskets, among other products. Harp also worked for the Boley Wire Fence Company, which manufactured heavy woven wire fencing. By 1904, Harp was working for the Anchor Fence and Manufacturing Company. By 1906, it appears that his travels no longer took him from home as often, and very little is known about his life after that point. Wilbert Harp died on October 26, 1914.

Scope and Content

Bert and Dora corresponded regularly during Wilbert's travels, often as frequently as every day. The letters detail Wilbert's experiences on the road, including the means of transportation he used (streetcar, horse, train), the hotels in which he stayed, and the people he encountered along the way.

Harp's letters home reveal not only his business travels, but his personal life as well. He writes of how much he misses Dora, and occasionally sends her a stick of chewing gum or pressed flowers. Both individuals include sketches in their letters and express endearing affection for each other. After their first child is born in 1905, Wilbert addresses his letters to wife and baby, or wife and daughter. After 1906, he appears to have found a non-traveling occupation, and only a few letters from family members exist after 1906.

Letters in the collection are arranged chronologically, then subdivided by correspondent, so the letters for a single year from each individual are grouped.

Series Description

CORRESPONDENCE

CORRESPONDENCE - WILBERT E. HARP
1899-1906
Arranged chronologically
Letters and postcards written to wife Dora while on the road as a traveling salesman. Content of the letters range from descriptions of his work, impressions of the towns and people he encounters, and personal topics related to the operation of the household in his absence and expressions of affection. Letters occasionally include sketches and during 1902, single sticks of chewing gum are enclosed with some letters as small tokens (marked with a "g" in the item inventory)

CORRESPONDENCE - DORA SPANGLER HARP
1902-1904
Arranged chronologically
Letters written to husband Wilbert while he was away from home for extended periods on sales trips. Topics include general household activities, personal events, and family news, as well as responses to information and questions in Wilbert's letters

CORRESPONDENCE - MISCELLANEOUS
1899-1934
Arranged chronologically
Miscellaneous notes and letters, including a one letter written from Wilbert to Dora before they were married, a letter from Wilbert's mother to him, and several letters from family and friends to Dora, after Wilbert's death

PRINTED MATERIAL

BUSINESS CARDS
n.d.
Business cards for Boley Wire Fence Company and other promotional cards from restaurants and other businesses

ARTIFACTS

PACKETS OF GUM
circa 1902
Sticks of White's Yucatan Chewing Gum, found in several of the letters Wilbert sent to Dora

Inventory

Box 1

1. "Ma" to Wilbert E. Harp, Aug 3, 1899
2. Wilbert E. Harp to Dora Spangler, Aug 8, 1899
3. Cleveland Dry Goods to Wilbert E. Harp (ref to marriage), Feb 1, 1900

1. May 2, 1902
2. May 3, 1902
3. May 12, 1902
4. May 13, 1902
5. May 14, 1902
6. May 30, 1902
7. May 31, 1902
8. June 1, 1902
9. June 5, 1902
10. June 12, 1902
11. June 27, 1902
12. June 28, 1902

1. July 8, 1902
2. July 9, 1902
3. July 10, 1902
4. July 11, 1902 (a.m.)
5. July 11-12, 1902
6. July 13, 1902
7. July 14, 1902 (a.m.)
8. July 14, 1902 (p.m.)
9. July 15, 1902
10. July 15-16, 1902
11. July 17, 1902
12. July 18, 1902 (a.m.)
13. July 18, 1902 (p.m.)
14. July 19, 1902
15. Aug 11, 1902
16. Aug 13, 1902
17. Oct 18, 1902
18. Oct 29, 1902
19. Dec 3, 1902
20. (missing pages), n.d. [1902?]

1. (postcard), Mar 31, 1902
2. Mar 31, 1902
3. (postcard), Apr 4, 1902
4. May 1, 1902
5. May 4, 1902
6. May 5, 1902
7. May 6, 1902
8. May 7, 1902
9. May 8, 1902
10. May 12, 1902
11. May 12-13, 1902
12. May 14, 1902
13. (postcard), May 15, 1902
14. (postcard), May 29, 1902
15. (g), May 30, 1902
16. May 30, 1902 (p.m.)
17. June 1, 1902
18. June 3, 1902
19. (g), June 3, 1902
20. (postcard), June 11, 1902
21. June 11, 1902
22. June 12, 1902
23. (postcard), June 26, 1902
24. June 27, 1902
25. June 29, 1902

1. (postcard), July 7, 1902
2. (postcard), July 8, 1902
3. (g), July 8, 1902
4. July 9, 1902
5. (postcard), July 11, 1902
6. (postcard), July 14, 1902
7. July 14, 1902
8. July 15, 1902
9. July 16, 1902
10. July 18, 1902
11. (postcard), July 22, 1902
12. (g), July 22, 1902
13. (g), July 23, 1902
14. (postcard), Aug 7, 1902
15. Aug 7, 1902
16. Aug 11, 1902
17. Sept 8-9, 1902
18. (postcard), Sept 8, 1902
19. Sept 11, 1902
20. Sept 12, 1902
21. Sept 23, 1902
22. Sept 24, 1902
23. (postcard), Sept 26, 1902
24. Sept 26, 1902
25. Sept 28, 1902
26. Sept 29, 1902
27. Oct 1, 1902
28. Oct 1, 1902 (p.m.)
29. Oct 15, 1902
30. Oct 16, 1902
31. Oct 17, 1902
32. Oct 20, 1902
33. (postcard), Oct 29, 1902
34. (postcard), Nov 18, 1902

1. Feb 12, 1903
2. Mar 16, 1903
3. May 19, 1903
4. June 17, 1903
5. June 25, 1903
6. July 14, 1903
7. July 17, 1903
8. Aug 5, 1903
9. Aug 18, 1903
10. Sept 13-14, 1903
11. Sept 19, 1903
12. Sept 20, 1903
13. Sept 22, 1903
14. Sept 25, 1903
15. Sept 29, 1903
16. Oct 16, 1903
17. Oct 18, 1903
18. Oct 19, 1903
19. Oct 21, 1903
20. Oct 23, 1903
21. Oct 28-29, 1903

Box 2

1. (telegram), Jan 10, 1903
2. (postcard), Feb 10, 1903
3. Feb 11, 1903
4. Feb 24, 1903
5. Feb 27, 1903 (a.m.)
6. (with sketch), Feb 27, 1903 (p.m.)
7. Mar 4, 1903
8. (with sketch), Mar 5, 1903
9. Mar 11, 1903 (a.m.)
10. Mar 11, 1903 (p.m.)
11. Mar 12, 1903
12. Mar 16, 1903
13. Mar 17, 1903
14. Mar 18, 1903
15. Mar 24, 1903
16. Mar 25, 1903
17. Mar 27, 1903

1. [Apr] 4, 1903
2. Apr 9, 1903
3. Apr 13, 1903
4. Apr 21, 1903
5. Apr 22, 1903
6. Apr 23, 1903
7. Apr 30, 1903
8. May 4, 1903
9. May 7, 1903
10. May 19, 1903
11. May 26, 1903
12. May 27, 1903
13. June 18, 1903
14. June 23, 1903
15. June 24, 1903
16. June 26, 1903
17. June 28, 1903
18. June 30, 1903

1. July 8, 1903
2. July 16, 1903
3. July 17, 1903
4. Aug 3, 1903
5. Aug 4, 1903
6. Aug 5, 1903
7. Aug 6, 1903
8. Aug 12, 1903 (a.m.)
9. Aug 12, 1903 (p.m.)
10. (postcard), Aug 19, 1903
11. Aug 25, 1903
12. (postcard), Aug 28, 1903
13. Aug 29-30, 1903
14. Sept 10, 1903 (a.m.)
15. Sept 10, 1903 (p.m.)
16. Sept 11, 1903
17. Sept 13, 1903
18. Sept 15, 1903 (a.m.)
19. (postcard), Sept 15,1903 (p.m.)
20. Sept 16, 1903
21. Sept 17, 1903
22. Sept 18, 1903
23. Sept 19, 1903
24. Sept 20, 1903 (a.m.)
25. Sept 20, 1903 (p.m.)
26. Sept 21, 1903
27. Sept 22, 1903
28. Sept 24, 1903
29. Sept 25, 1903
30. Sept 27, 1903
31. Sept 29, 1903
32. Sept 30, 1903

1. Oct 1, 1903 (a.m.)
2. Oct 1, 1903 (p.m.)
3. Oct 2, 1903
4. Oct 3, 1903
5. Oct 7, 1903
6. Oct 9, 1903
7. Oct 14, 1903
8. Oct 15, 1903 (a.m.)
9. Oct 15, 1903 (p.m.)
10. (postcard), Oct 17, 1903
11. Oct 17, 1903
12. Oct 18, 1903
13. Oct 19, 1903
14. Oct 21, 1903
15. Oct 22, 1903 (a.m.)
16. Oct 22, 1903 (p.m.)
17. (page missing), Oct 23, 1903
18. (coal), Oct 25, 1903
19. Oct 26, 1903
20. Oct 28, 1903
21. Oct 29, 1903
22. Oct 30, 1903

1. Nov 4, 1903
2. Nov 5, 1903
3. Nov 9, 1903
4. Nov 19, 1903
5. Nov 21, 1903
6. Nov 23, 1903
7. (3 postcards enroute), Dec 8, 1903
8. Dec 8, 1903 (p.m.)
9. Dec 10, 1903
10. (postcard), Dec 11, 1903
11. Dec 30, 1903

1. Jan 6, 1904
2. Jan 26, 1904
3. Mar 9, 1904
4. Mar 9, 1904
5. Mar 10, 1904
6. Oct 31, 1904

1. Jan 6, 1904
2. Jan 7, 1904
3. (telegram), Jan 9, 1904
4. Jan 26, 1904
5. Jan 27-28, 1904
6. Feb 2, 1904
7. Feb 3, 1904
8. Mar 1, 1904
9. Mar 7, 1904
10. Mar 8, 1904
11. Mar 9, 1904
12. Mar 10, 1904
13. Mar 15, 1904
14. Mar 16, 1904
15. Mar 17, 1904
16. Mar 28, 1904
17. Mar 30, 1904
18. (misdated as 5/13), Apr 13,1904
19. (misdated as 5/16), Apr 16,1904

Box 3

Folder 1--Wilbert E. Harp to Dora Harp

1. May 3, 1904
2. May 10, 1904
3. (postcard), May 12, 1904
4. May 14, 1904
5. May 17, 1904
6. (postcard), May 26, 1904
7. May 31, 1904
8. June 1, 1904
9. June 7, 1904
10. June 9, 1904
11. June 27, 1904
12. June 28, 1904

Folder 2--Wilbert E. Harp to Dora Harp

1. July 7, 1904
2. July 8, 1904
3. July 12, 1904
4. July 27, 1904
5. July 28, 1904
6. (postcard), Aug 3, 1904
7. (postcard), Aug 5, 1904
8. (postcard), Aug 6, 1904 (a.m.)
9. (postcard), Aug 6, 1904 (p.m.)
10. Aug 16, 1904
11. Oct 11,1904
12. (now with Anchor Fence), Oct 13, 1904
13. Oct 25, 1904
14. (postcard), Nov 1, 1904

Folder 3--Wilbert E. Harp to Dora Harp

1. Aug 6, 1905
2. Oct 24, 1905

Folder 4--Wilbert E. Harp to Dora Harp

1. Aug 26, 1906
2. (postcard), Aug 27, 1906
3. Aug 29, 1906
4. Aug 30, 1906
5. Sept 2, 1906
6. Sept 3, 1906
7. Sept 4, 1906
8. Sept 6, 1906
9. Sept 10, 1906 (a.m.)
10. Sept 10, 1906 (p.m.)
11. (postcard), Sept 12, 1906
12. Sept 12, 1906
13. (postcard), Sept 18, 1906
14. Sept 18, 1906
15. Sept 20, 1906
16. (postcard), Sept 22, 1906
17. Sept 24, 1906
18. (postcard), Sept 25, 1906
19. Sept 26, 1906
20. (postcard), Sept 27, 1906

Folder 5--Wilbert E. Harp to Dora Harp

1. Oct 2, 1906
2. Oct 4, 1906
3. Oct 7, 1906
4. Oct 9, 1906
5. Oct 12, 1906
6. Oct 13, 1906
7. (postcard), Oct 16, 1906
8. (postcard), Nov 1, 1906
9. (postcard), Nov 12, 1906
10. Nov 12, 1906
11. (postcard), Nov 19, 1906
12. Nov 20, 1906
13. (postcard), Nov 24, 1906

Folder 6 (Misc family letters to Dora)

1. Sister (unnamed) to Dora Harp, Feb 5, 1904
2. May to Mother and Daddy, Dec 9, 1909
3. Ella and George Watters to Dora Harp and Family, Mar 13, 1929
4. Ella and George Watters to Dora Harp and Family, Feb 26, 1931
5. Ella and George Watters to Dora Harp and Family, Feb 16, 1932
6. Ella and George Watters to Dora Harp and Family, July 6, 1932
7. Ella and George Watters to Dora Harp and Family, Oct 19, 1932
8. Pearl F. Watters to Dear Friends, Mar 24, 1934

Folder 7--Unmatched sheets, undated, or empty envelopes

Folder 8--Miscellaneous business cards

Folder 9--Sticks of gum

Manuscripts by Subject | Business & Commerce | Family Collections | Women's Studies Collections | MS 754: List of Transcripts