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Stokes-Woodruff Family papers

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Held at: Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections [Contact Us]370 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

This collection contains a wide variety of documents pertaining to both the Stokes and Woodruff families. One prominently featured family member is Francis Joseph Stokes, who was born on December 24, 1873 to Francis Stokes and Katharine Wistar Evans. He died on August 1, 1955. Stokes attended Haverford College and graduated in 1894. He then became an apprentice mechanist to Robert Shoemaker in Philadelphia. He bought Shoemaker's company the following year and renamed it the F.J. Stokes Machine Company. The company produced a wide number of tools and technologies related to engineering and chemical manufacturing. Its first product was the eureka tablet machine. Stokes served as president of the company for 53 years and was appointed chairman of the board in 1948. He was actively involved in education as a trustee of Bryn Mawr College, an overseer of the William Penn Charter School, a committee member of the Germantown Friends School, and president of the Haverford College Campus Club. Additionally, Stokes was a member of the Coulter Street Meeting of the Society of Friends.

On June 28, 1912, Francis married Lelia Woodruff Stokes. Lelia was born on September 1, 1885 and died on June 28, 1973. Her parents were Clarence S. Woodruff and Susan M. Bullock. Leila graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 1907. She was a math teacher at the Rosemary School in Connecticut and at the Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia. In 1955, she became the first female overseer of the William Penn Charter School. Leila also served as a director of the F.J. Stokes Company from 1947 to 1963. Although she was born Presbyterian, she converted to Quakerism after her marriage to Francis Stokes. Leila and Francis had five children together: Francis, Allen, Henry, Alison, and David. Alison Stokes MacLean is of particular note, as a number of her papers and albums are found in this collection.

Leila's relatives, the Woodruffs, are also prominently featured in these materials. One key family member is Leila's father, Clarence Woodruff. Born in 1855, Clarence served for many years as an attorney in Pennsylvania. He and his first wife, Susan, had five children together: Clara, Leila, Margaret, Asa, and Lewis. Leila's brother, Lewis Harlow Woodruff, plays a noteworthy role in the collection as well; his experiences with mental illness and institutionalization are prominent in a number of letters and documents.

The Stokes-Woodruff Family papers span a wide range of topics and material types, all related to the lives of the Stokes and Woodruff families. The collection is divided into four series: F.J. Stokes Company Papers, Stokes Family Papers, Woodruff Family Papers, and Other Family Histories.

The first series, F.J. Stokes Company Papers, is comprised of documents related to the organization and administration of the F.J. Stokes Machine Company including publicity materials, company records, and patents.

The second series, Stokes Family Papers, focuses on the Stokes' personal lives and relationships. There is a section here dedicated to the correspondence of Alison Stokes MacLean, the daughter of Leila and Francis Joseph Stokes. Alison was deeply involved in the study of her family's history, so many of her documents reflect an effort to discover and record ancestral details. There is also a set of papers and letters related to Joseph Francis Stokes and another for Leila Woodruff Stokes, his wife. These sections include interpersonal correspondence, financial papers, wills, obituaries, and various other documents. There is also an assortment of travel materials, including travel journals created by Alison Stokes about trips to Italy and Africa. Leila and Francis were frequent travelers as well, and there are various itineraries, letters, and records highlighting the various places they visited. One folder of particular significance contains materials related to the Stokes' trip to Africa. These documents are interesting because they convey both explicit and implicit colonialist attitudes.

The third series features a wide array of letters and papers pertaining to Woodruff family members. For the most part, the letters are written by the individual named on the folder label. There are a number of particularly compelling documents in this series, such as the letters related to Lewis Harlow Woodruff's experiences with mental illness. Also of note is the Clay Club Constitution, which was written in 1844 by a group of individuals supporting Henry Clay's bid for presidency.

The fourth series comprises a brief span of documents related to the histories of other families, including the Bullocks, Sweets, and Wistars.

Collection materials are sorted into four series and a number of corresponding subseries based on subject matter. Folders labelled with specific topics or material types are organized by content such that similar items are grouped togther. Folders identifying individual people are arranged alphabtically by first name. Within each folder, the materials are sorted chronologically, with undated materials at the back of each folder.

The labelling and composition of many folders and files has been preserved from the original donotation.

The Stokes Family papers were donated to Special Collections, Haverford College in October, 2015 by Alison Cassidy.

Processed by Emily Kingsley; completed May, 2016.

Publisher
Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections
Finding Aid Author
Emily Kingsley
Finding Aid Date
May, 2016
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research use.

Use Restrictions

Standard Federal Copyright Laws Apply (U.S. Title 17).

Collection Inventory

Company History , 1944-1945, n.d. .
Box 1 Folder 1
Operations Review, 1960.
Box 1 Folder 3
Company Patents , 1894-1939.
Box 1 Folder 2
Publicity Materials , 1940-1974, n.d.
Box 1 Folder 4
Reports to Stockholders , 1954-1963.
Box 1 Folder 5
Stokes Foundation Letters and Records , 1959-2001, n.d. .
Box 1 Folder 6

Letters By Alison , 1942-84, n.d. .
Box 2 Folder 1
Letters To Alison , 1942-1996, n.d. .
Box 2 Folder 2
Personal History , 1955, n.d. .
Box 2 Folder 3
Obituaries and Rememberances , 1955, n.d.
Box 2 Folder 4
Stokes Pictures, n.d.
Box 2 Folder 5
Will and Estate Papers , 1947-1958, n.d. .
Box 2 Folder 6
Germantown Friends School , 1944.
Box 2 Folder 7
Francis Joseph Stokes's 80th Birthday Celebration , 1953.
Box 2 Folder 8
Letters by Francis Joseph Stokes , 1894-1955.
Box 2 Folder 9
Letters by Francis Joseph Stokes to Leila Woodruff Stokes, 1910-1954, n.d. .
Box 2 Folder 10
Letters to Francis Joseph Stokes, 1909-1945.
Box 2 Folder 11
General

The origianl folder for these materials notes that the letter was written by Francis Joseph Stokes Sr. on board the S.S. Cretic.

Letters Sent at Death of Francis Stokes Sr. , 1916-1919, n.d. .
Box 2 Folder 12
Biographical and Career Papers; Obituaries , 1949-1978, n.d. .
Box 2 Folder 13
Estate Papers , 1976.
Box 2 Folder 14
Income Tax Returns, 1921-1966.
Box 2 Folder 15
Trust for Children, 1938-1939.
Box 2 Folder 16
Trust for Grandchildren-- Legal and Tax Papers, 1950-1965.
Box 2 Folder 17
Bryn Mawr College Papers , 1902-1963, n.d. .
Box 3 Folder 1
Gifts and Other Papers For Germantown Friends School, Bryn Mawr College, and Haverford College , 1941-1972.
Box 3 Folder 2
Penn Charter School Letters and Papers , 1955-1973, n.d. .
Box 3 Folder 3
Health Records , 1930-1973, n.d. .
Box 3 Folder 4
Letters by Leila Woodruff Stokes and Related Family Correspondence , 1938-1971, n.d. .
Box 3 Folder 5
Letters by Leila Woodruff Stokes to Francis Joseph Stokes, 1882-1950, n.d. .
Box 3 Folder 6
Letters to Leila Woodruff Stokes from College Friends , 1909-1932, n.d. .
Box 3 Folder 7
Letters to Leila Woodruff Stokes after death of Carola Woerishoffer , 1907-1959, n.d. .
Box 3 Folder 8
Letters to Leila Woodruff Stokes on Announcement of Engagement, 1912-1918, n.d.
Box 3 Folder 9
Letters Relating to Leila Woodruff Stokes Illness , 1969-1973.
Box 3 Folder 10
Letters to Leila Woodruff Stokes (Other), 1894-1868, n.d.
Box 3 Folder 11
Esther Newlin Stokes Letters and Papers, n.d. .
Box 3 Folder 12
Letters Between Francis Stokes Sr. and wife, Kate, 1875-1902, n.d. .
Box 3 Folder 13
General

Letters from 1875 were exchanged during Francis Stokes Sr.'s lumber buying trip. One of the letters from 1902 mentions plans for a "receivership."

Travel Journal-Africa Vol. 1, 1939.
Box 4 Folder 1
Travel Journal-Africa Vol. 2, 1939.
Box 4 Folder 2
Travel Journal-Italy , 1939.
Box 4 Folder 3
Francis and Leila Passport, 1924 .
Box 5 Folder 1
Africa Trip, 1938-1957, n.d. .
Box 5 Folder 2
Guatemala Trip (With Morris and Hadassah Leeds and Edith Silver) , 1936, n.d. .
Box 5 Folder 3
Haiti Trip and Accident; Francis Joseph and Leila Woodruff Stokes, Allen and Alice Stokes , 1949-1950, n.d. .
Box 5 Folder 4
Mexico Trip, 1929.
Box 5 Folder 5
Portugal-Spain Trip; Letters Written by Francis Joseph and Leila Woodruff Stokes , 1952.
Box 5 Folder 6
Francis and Leila Stokes Car Trip to Seattle and Back , 1946.
Box 5 Folder 7
Francis and Leila Sierra Trip Letters, 1921, n.d. .
Box 5 Folder 8
Sweden Trip With Jewell Simpson , 1951.
Box 5 Folder 9
Trip Around the World With Jewell Simpson and Others , 1956.
Box 5 Folder 10
Itineraries for Other Trips, 1949-1960.
Box 5 Folder 11
Francis Joseph and Leila Woodruff Stokes 40th Wedding Anniversary , 1952, n.d. .
Box 5 Folder 12
Papers and Letters of Francis Joseph Stokes Sr. , 1913, n.d. .
Box 5 Folder 13
Marriage Certificate of John Stokes and Hannah Smith , 1823.
Box 5 Folder 14
Obituaries and letters About Death of Close Friends and Relatives, 1905-1975, n.d. .
Box 5 Folder 15
Scope and Contents

These obituaries include members of the Evans and Woodruff families. In addition to obituaries, this folder also includes a list of graves in the Coulter Street Burial Ground.

Stokes Genealogy , n.d.
Box 5 Folder 16
Stokes Family News and Events , 1912-1972, n.d. .
Box 5 Folder 17
Christmas Records and Letters, 1921-1963, n.d. .
Box 5 Folder 18
Garden Pilgrimage--The Mill , 1952-1957.
Box 5 Folder 19
History of Furniture , 1930-1979, n.d. .
Box 5 Folder 20
Mill History , 1824-1962, n.d. .
Box 6 Folder 1
Parties Given by Francis and Leila Stokes , 1934-1937, n.d. .
Box 6 Folder 2
Taft Memorabilia--Yale Class of 1878, 1909-1913, n.d. .
Box 6 Folder 3
Miscellaneous Family Materials , 1905-1964, n.d. .
Box 6 Folder 4

General

For the most part,the letters in this series are written by the individual whose name is on the folder label.

A. Allen Woodruff Letters from Yale , 1909-1912, n.d. .
Box 6 Folder 5
Alice Woodruff Allen Letters, 1941-1954, n.d. .
Box 6 Folder 6
Almeda Hutchinson Woodruff Letters, 1858-1865.
Box 6 Folder 7
Amy L. Woodruff Letters and papers, 1936-1957, n.d. .
Box 6 Folder 8
Andrew Woodruff Mortgage and Bills , 1809-1842.
Box 6 Folder 9
Andrew Woodruff Jr. Letter, 1859.
Box 6 Folder 10
Asa Allen Bullock Letters , 1885-1888.
Box 6 Folder 11
Clara Woodruff Hull Letters (Letters By), 1888-1935, n.d. .
Box 6 Folder 12
Clara Woodruff Hull Letters (Letters To) , 1886-1926, n.d. .
Box 6 Folder 13
Clarence S. Woodruff Letters and papers (Letters By) , 1873-1974, n.d. .
Box 6 Folder 14
Clarence S. Woodruff Letters (Letters To) , 1871-1893, n.d. .
Box 6 Folder 15
Clarissa (Clara) S. Woodruff Watt Letters to Brother Clarence , 1876-1878.
Box 6 Folder 16
General

The original folders for these materials note that Clarence was Clara's twin brother. Additionally, the 1876-77 letters were written to Clarence while he was at Yale.

Clarissa (Clara) S. Woodruff Watt Letters (Other) , 1879-1884.
Box 6 Folder 17
Dora Woodruff Goodrich Letters, 1865-1890, n.d. .
Box 7 Folder 1
Dorothy Woodruff Letters, 1938-1954, n.d. .
Box 7 Folder 2
Eleanor Woodruff Shirley Letters and College Bills , 1929-1943.
Box 7 Folder 3
General

These letters relate specifically to the question of Warren going to boarding school.

Elisha Woodruff Letters, 1836-1859.
Box 7 Folder 4
General

The original folder for these documents notes that Elisha Woodruff was the son of Andrew Woodruff.

Fanny Maranda Woodruff Letters, 1860-1865, n.d. .
Box 7 Folder 5
Fanny Woodruff Norton Letters , 1819-1865.
Box 7 Folder 6
Florence Woodruff Letters, 1938-1954.
Box 7 Folder 7
Frank W. Wheaton Chess Game by Post Cards With Clarence S. Woodruff , 1882-1925.
Box 7 Folder 8
George W. Woodruff Papers , 1878-1934, n.d. .
Box 7 Folder 9
Herbert W. Beecher Letter, 1882.
Box 7 Folder 10
Jerimiah Letters to Brother Lewis Harlow Woodruff Sr. , 1847.
Box 7 Folder 11
Jessie H. Barnum Letters, 1881, n.d. .
Box 7 Folder 12
John E. Nixon Letters, 1827-1843.
Box 7 Folder 13
General

The original folder for these materials notes in its title that the letter by John E. Nixon was written to William Woodruff.

John Silver Letters, 1937-1938, n.d. .
Box 7 Folder 14
Laura C. Copeland Letters, 1883-1893.
Box 7 Folder 15
Laura and Marta Doane Letters, 1885-1889, n.d. .
Box 7 Folder 16
Leila Bullock Coveney Letters, 1882-1891, n.d. .
Box 7 Folder 17
Lewis Harlow Woodruff Letters (Letters By), 1910-1962, n.d. .
Box 7 Folder 18
General

The letters sent by Lewis to his sister, Leila, between 1910 and 1912 were written during his time at Yale.

Lewis Harlow Woodruff--Letters Relating to Illness , 1949-1966, n.d.
Box 7 Folder 19
Lewis Harlow Woodruff Sr. Letters (Letters To), 1829-1831.
Box 7 Folder 20
General

The original folder for the 1831 letter from William Woodruff notes that it was sent on the death of their mother, Miranda Orton Woodruff.

Lillian McDonald Letters, 1884-1887.
Box 7 Folder 21
General

The original folder for these materials notes that they were written by Lillian McDonald to Susan Bullock Woodruff.

Lottie C. Allen Letters, 1884-1885.
Box 7 Folder 22
Lucelia Sweet Bullock Letters, 1886-1900.
Box 8 Folder 1
Lyman Bostwick Letters , 1831, n.d. .
Box 8 Folder 2
Margaret Woodruff Thomforde Letter (Letter to), 1935 .
Box 8 Folder 3
General

This is a letter to Margaret Woodruff Thomforde about Clarence Woodruff.

Maria Theresa Woodruff Wheaton Letters, 1875-1882, n.d. .
Box 8 Folder 4
Melinda M. Bullock Letters, 1882-1890.
Box 8 Folder 5
Minnie Bullock Kimball Letters, 1882-1892, n.d. .
Box 8 Folder 6
General

The original folder for these materials notes that the letters are from Minnie Bullock to Susan Bullock Woodruff and her parents.

Nellie Byrnes Letters , 1885-1886.
Box 8 Folder 7
Pauline True Letters , 1884-1885, n.d. .
Box 8 Folder 8
Rollin S. Woodruff Letters , 1881, n.d. .
Box 8 Folder 9
Sarah A. Woodruff Papers , 1865-1866, n.d. .
Box 8 Folder 10
Susan Bullock Woodruff Letters and Papers (Letters By) , 1852-1892, n.d. .
Box 8 Folder 11
Susan Bullock Woodruff Letters (Letters To), 1882-1891, n.d. .
Box 8 Folder 12
Truman W. Woodruff Letter, 1859.
Box 8 Folder 13
William Hutchinson Woodruff Letters and Papers , 1820-1867, n.d. .
Box 8 Folder 14
W.J. Baker Letters , 1882-1889. n.d. .
Box 9 Folder 1
Wrexie Sweet Van Ness Letter, 1889.
Box 9 Folder 2
Letters about death of A. Allen Woodruf, 1949-1954, n.d. .
Box 9 Folder 3
Letters about mental illness of Frances Woodruff, 1949, n.d. .
Box 9 Folder 4
Letters and papers from time of Samuel Woodruff's death (July 1951) , 1945-1955, n.d. .
Box 9 Folder 5
Family News and History, 1845-1992, n.d. .
Box 9 Folder 6
Woodruff and Bullock Family Obituaries , 1934-1975, n.d. .
Box 9 Folder 7
Woodruff Genealogy , 1982, n.d. .
Box 9 Folder 8
Constitution of the Clay Club , 1844.
Box 9 Folder 9
General

The Clay Club was comprised of a number of citizens from Dimock Township who organized in 1844 in support of Henry Clay's presidential bid. Lewis H. Woodruff was one of the leaders of this group.

Miscellaneous Woodruff Papers and Materials , 1829-1896, n.d. .
Box 9 Folder 10
General

The majority of these letters are written to indviduals already found in this collection. However, the letters are written by people who do not appear in other places in these materials. In other cases, author of the letters is simply unknown.

Bullock Family History , 1957-1974, n.d. .
Box 9 Folder 11
History of Nicholas and Nathaniel Newlin, n.d. .
Box 9 Folder 12
General

Some of this history pertains specifically to a ladder back chair.

Sweet Family History , 1825.
Box 9 Folder 13
Wistar Family History , n.d. .
Box 9 Folder 14

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