1826-2016
Guide to the Collection
Restrictions on Access
The Wesselhoeft-Hoffmann family papers are stored offsite and must be requested at least two business days in advance via Portal1791. Researchers needing more than six items from offsite storage should provide additional advance notice. If you have questions about requesting materials from offsite storage, please contact the reference desk at 617-646-0532 or reference@masshist.org.
Abstract
This collection contains papers of the Wesselhoeft and Hoffmann families of Massachusetts and California, primarily those of actress Gertrude Wesselhoeft Hoffmann and her daughter, writer Eleanor Hoffmann. It includes correspondence, personal and professional papers, diaries, genealogical records, family histories, and biographical material.
Biographical Sketches
(Eliza) Gertrude Wesselhoeft Hoffmann (1871-1968) was born on 17 May 1871 in Heidelberg, Germany, the daughter of Walter Wesselhoeft and Mary Sarah Fraser Wesselhoeft. She grew up in Cambridge and attended Radcliffe College. On 23 June 1894, she married Ralph Hoffmann (1870-1932), a noted ornithologist, and the couple moved from St. Louis, Mo. to Santa Barbara, where Ralph became the director of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and Gertrude became active in civic and cultural affairs. Their children were Eleanor Hoffmann (1895-1990), Walter W. Hoffmann (1897-1977), and Gertrude "Trudy" Hoffmann Bliss (1904-2008). Upon her husband's death in 1932, Gertrude went to Hollywood and established a career in films, lecturing, and television, including a regular role as Mrs. Odetts in the television series "My Little Margie." Her most well-known film was Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent. She was a successful public speaker at women's luncheons and clubs, with stories of her movie career and "crashing Hollywood" in her sixties. She retired in 1957 at the age of 86 and died on 12 Feb. 1968 at age 97 in Santa Barbara.
Eleanor Hoffmann (1895-1990) was born in Belmont, Mass. on 21 Dec. 1895, the daughter of Ralph Hoffmann and Gertrude Wesselhoeft Hoffmann. After attending boarding school in Germany, she graduated from Radcliffe College with an A.B. in German Literature and History in 1917. She worked in farming in Vermont, as a landscape designer in North Carolina, and taught biology and Latin at Hampton Institute in Virginia, before studying art in Paris in 1924. She spent much of the rest of her life traveling and writing about Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, and in particular Morocco, where she became a merchant of Moroccan rugs and artwork to help finance her travels. She was the author of numerous children's articles and seventeen books, notably Mischief in Fez (1941), as well as many adult travel and culture articles and books including Realm of the Evening Star: A History of Morocco and the Lands of the Moors (1965). Although suffering from debilitating arthritis, she continued to travel in later life. She died in Santa Barbara on 20 Dec. 1990.
Sources
Williams, Caroline H. Lives in Letters: A New England Family, 1870-2000. [United States]: Caroline H. Williams, 2015.
Collection Description
The Wesselhoeft-Hoffmann family papers consist of ten cartons, one document box, and one oversize box of manuscripts and printed material spanning the years 1826 to 2016. The collection has been divided into seven series: Family correspondence; Wesselhoeft family papers; Hoffmann family papers; Gertrude Wesselhoeft Hoffmann papers; Eleanor Hoffmann papers; Walter Wesselhoeft Hoffmann papers; and Gertrude Hoffmann Bliss papers. Materials in the collection consist of family, personal, and professional correspondence; personal and professional papers; writings; diaries; genealogical records; family histories; and biographical material.
The collection primarily consists of the papers of actress Gertrude Wesselhoeft Hoffmann and her daughter, writer Eleanor Hoffmann. Gertrude's papers reflect her work as a television and motion picture actress and public speaker who began her career in her sixties; her life in Santa Barbara and Hollywood; and her travels throughout the United States, Germany, and England. The papers of Eleanor Hoffmann, including her family correspondence, document her extensive travels to Europe, Morocco, Mexico, Egypt, Polynesia, the Caribbean, and other destinations throughout her lifetime; and her career as an author of travel books and juvenile literature.
A small amount of papers are those of Eleanor Hoffmann's siblings. Walter Wesselhoeft Hoffmann's papers are reflective of his career as a career foreign service officer with postings in Costa Rica, New Zealand, Honduras, El Salvador, Hong Kong, Brazil, Germany, Columbia, and England from 1931 to 1957; and his confinement during the siege of Hong Kong by Japan in 1941. The papers of Gertrude Hoffmann Bliss illustrate her life in England as the wife of British musician and composer, Sir Arthur Bliss.
Earlier papers of the Wesselhoeft and Hoffmann families largely consist of biographical material and secondary sources, including material related to the families' German ancestors and the careers of William, Robert, Conrad, and Walter Wesselhoeft as homeopathic physicians in Massachusetts and Vermont. Of note are two original letters from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe to printer Johann Carl Wesselhoeft and the 1886 diary of Mary Fraser Wesselhoeft and her husband, Walter Wesselhoeft, describing their trip to England and Mary's accidental death from an ether overdose. In addition to those of Mary and Walter's daughter Gertrude Wesselhoeft Hoffmann, the collection also includes the papers of their children Ferdinanda Wesselhoeft Reed, Mary "Polly" Fraser Wesselhoeft, Amy Wesselhoeft von Erdberg, Eleanor Wesselhoeft, Robert Alexander Wesselhoeft, and Conrad Wesselhoeft, as well as some of their descendants.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Caroline Hoffmann Williams, 2016-2018, and of Conrad Wesselhoeft, 2017.
Restrictions on Access
The Wesselhoeft-Hoffmann family papers are stored offsite and must be requested at least two business days in advance via Portal1791. Researchers needing more than six items from offsite storage should provide additional advance notice. If you have questions about requesting materials from offsite storage, please contact the reference desk at 617-646-0532 or reference@masshist.org.
Detailed Description of the Collection
I. Family correspondence, 1868-2015
Arranged chronologically.
Early correspondence largely consists of the letters of Walter Wesselhoeft (1839-1920), his first wife Mary Fraser Wesselhoeft (1840-1886), and their children Ferdinanda "Ferdie" Wesselhoeft Reed (1870-1952), Eliza "Lidie" Gertrude Wesselhoeft Hoffmann (1871-1986), Mary "Polly" Fraser Wesselhoeft (1873-1971), Amy Wesselhoeft von Erdberg (1876-1972), Elinor "Eleanor" Wesselhoeft (1877-1945), Robert Alexander Wesselhoeft (1882-1970), and Conrad Wesselhoeft (1884-1962).
Of note are Walter Wesselhoeft's 1868 letter to his sister Selma discussing his engagement to Mary Fraser; 1886 letters from Walter to his children and his sister-in-law Eliza Fraser Clinch, describing the death of his wife Mary from an accidental overdose of ether. (See also Mary and Walter's diary in Series II.C., describing Mary's death.) Many letters surrounding Mary's death are that of Eliza Fraser Clinch and a cousin in London, Mary Gray.
A large amount of correspondence is from Walter in Cambridge to his daughter Amy in Berlin, to his other children in Germany and the United States, and between siblings at school and during travel. Beginning in 1907, correspondence includes the letters of Ralph and Gertrude Wesselhoeft Hoffmann's children: Eleanor Hoffmann (1895-1990); Walter Wesselhoeft Hoffmann (1897-1977); and Gertrude "Trudy" Hoffmann Bliss (1904-2008).
Eleanor Hoffmann's letters include a few from her German boarding school from 1907 to 1909. Her correspondence to her mother and siblings documents her travels from 1923 to 1930 in Europe, including England, Paris, Berlin, Venice, Rome, Morocco, and Tunisia; Columbia in 1950; England in 1957; Mexico in 1959; Senegal, Mali, and Morocco in 1962; Morocco in 1965; Egypt in 1968; and the South Pacific in 1973 and 1975. In other correspondence, Eleanor discusses her writing and receives advice from her mother, sister Trudy, and brother-in-law Arthur, who are trying to help her publish in England. Eleanor also receives a large amount of family correspondence after the death of her mother in 1968.
Walter Wesselhoeft Hoffmann's family letters chronicle his life and career in a German boarding school (1908-1909); at Harvard University and with the Harvard Regiment, an officer's training corps (1915-1917), in the Army Signal Corps and Aviation School in Texas; from Wesselhoeft and Poor in Columbia and Venezuela (1920); working in Alaska as a salmon packer (1922); as an agent for the Panama Mail Steamship Co. (1930), and as a career foreign service officer from 1931 to 1957, including postings at Costa Rica; New Zealand, Honduras, El Salvador, Hong Kong, Brazil, Columbia, Germany, and England. (See also Walter's diary, written in the form of letters to his family during the fall of Hong Kong in 1942, in Series VI. Walter Wesselhoeft Hoffmann papers.) Letters between Walter and his aunt Amy discuss helping her daughters escape East Germany in 1949.
The letters of Gertrude "Trudy" Hoffmann Bliss consist of childhood correspondence with her parents; with her mother and sister while living in England with her husband, musician Arthur Bliss; and with her niece Caroline Williams, mostly in the 1990s. Other family correspondents include Mary Leavitt Wesselhoeft, Walter Wesselhoeft's second wife; Gertrude Wesselhoeft Hoffmann's father in law, Ferdinand Hoffmann, and her brother and sister-in-law, Bernhard Hoffmann and Irene Botsford Hoffmann; Frances Kittredge Wesselhoeft, Conrad Wesselhoeft's wife; Eleanor "Beata" von Erdberg Constens, Amy W. von Erdberg's daughter; and Pauline Pilgrim Hoffmann, Walter W. Hoffmann's wife.
By the mid 1970s, correspondence includes that of many Wesselhoeft and Hoffmann descendants, including Caroline Hoffmann Williams, Cornelia Roetcher Levine, Lyle and Caroline Witte, Conrad "Pete" Wesselhoeft, Frances Bush-Brown, and Elizabeth Hoffmann Longstreet. Letters include those related to the health and care of Eleanor Hoffmann; the 90th birthday of Gertrude "Trudy" Bliss in 1994; and family marriages, deaths, and reunions. In the 1990s and 2000s, family correspondence includes numerous Christmas newsletters from more distantly related cousins.
A few letters, particularly those of Walter Wesselhoeft, are written in German. Some correspondence includes transcriptions provided by the donor. Some letters were mildewed or otherwise in poor condition and have been replaced with photocopies.
1868-1949
1950-2015
II. Wesselhoeft family papers, 1821-2016
This series contains papers and biographical material related to Boston homeopathic physician Walter Wesselhoeft; his first wife Mary Sarah Fraser Wesselhoeft; and their children Ferdinanda Wesselhoeft Reed, Mary "Polly" Fraser Wesselhoeft, Amy Wesselhoeft von Erdberg, Robert Alexander Wesselhoeft, and Conrad Wesselhoeft. (For the papers of Walter's daughter, Gertrude Wesselhoeft Hoffmann, see Series III.) Early family papers contain original manuscripts and biographical material related to Walter's grandfather Johann Carl Wesselhoeft; his father Robert Wesselhoeft; his uncle William Wesselhoeft; and his siblings Conrad Wesselhoeft and Selma Wesselhoeft.
Papers include correspondence, reminiscences, essays, speeches, financial papers, sketchbooks, obituaries, memorials, and biographical sketches.
A. Early family papers and biographical material, 1821-2015
Arranged chronologically and by individual.
This subseries is largely comprised of biographical and photocopied material related to Wesselhoeft family ancestors. Original material has been highlighted in this description where present.
The papers of printer Johann Carl Wesselhoeft (1767-1847) of Jena, Germany include two letters (9 Mar. 1821 and 20 Dec. 1823) in German from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in Weimar. Biographical information is related to Wesselhoeft's relationship with Goethe, as well as the Oct. 1806 Battle of Jena and Auerstedt, part of the Napoleonic Wars. Also included is a printed copy of "Grandfather's Diary" describing Jena during the 1806 battle based on Johann's writings.
Additional biographical material illustrates the lives of Johann's sons, Boston homeopathic physicians William Wesselhoeft (1794-1858) and Robert Wesselhoeft (1796-1852). Included is a copy of Elizabeth Peabody's 1859 memorial to William. Robert Wesselhoeft was a German revolutionary leader and later founder and director of the first Brattleboro Water Cure Clinic in Vermont. Material includes transcriptions of correspondence describing Robert's 1831 imprisonment in Magdeburg, Germany and his 1833 wedding, as well as biographies and articles about his water cure and homeopathic practice.
Biographical material related to physician Conrad Wesselhoeft (1834-1904), Robert's oldest son, contains transcribed excerpts of letters from the family of William Lloyd Garrison mentioning Conrad, biographical sketches, and a copy of Louisa May Alcott's dedication to Conrad, her doctor, in Jo's Boys.
The papers of Selma Wesselhoeft, Robert's daughter, contain a typescript of her essay "Southern Experiences, 1865-1866" describing her travels to Georgia plantations to teach formerly enslaved African Americans, including descriptions of Savannah and Hilton Head. Also included are photocopies of advertisements for Miss Selma W. School for Girls in Boston and photocopies of Selma's lists of her possessions to be distributed at her death.
Johann Carl Wesselhoeft papers, 1821-2003
William Wesselhoeft biographical material, 1859-2007
Robert Wesselhoeft biographical material, 1833-2015
Conrad Wesselhoeft biographical material, 1892-1925
Selma Wesselhoeft papers, 1865-1924
B. Walter Wesselhoeft papers, 1893-1920
Arranged chronologically and by record type.
The papers of Walter Wesselhoeft (1839-1920), a Boston homeopathic physician and son of Robert Wesselhoeft, contain a brief original letter from William Dean Howells (1893). Other papers include newspaper clippings and a typescript of Walter's autobiography, "A Psychological Study of an Untutored Unpsychological Man" (1917).
Papers, 1893-1920
Autobiography (typescript), 1917
C. Mary Fraser Wesselhoeft papers, 1874-1911
Arranged chronologically.
Mary Sarah Fraser Wesselhoeft (1840-1886) was the first wife of Walter Wesselhoeft and the mother of Ferdinanda, Gertrude, Mary (Polly), Amy, Elinor, Robert, and Conrad. Her papers contain a photocopy and typed transcription of her diary from June 1874 to 1885, describing births and milestones of her children, family illnesses, and other events. An original 1886 diary chronicles Mary's trip to England with her husband and her illness from asthma. The diary is continued by Walter, describing Mary's accidental death by an overdose of ether and his return to the United States. Also included is an undated notebook of Mary's sister, Eliza Fraser Clinch, containing notes on readings, excerpts from newspaper articles, and prayers.
Diary (photocopy and transcription), 1874-1885
Diary (with Walter Wesselhoeft), 1886
Eliza Fraser Clinch notebook, 1909-1911
D. Ferdinanda Wesselhoeft Reed papers, 1912-2013
Arranged chronologically.
Ferdinanda Wesselhoeft Reed (1870-1952) was the eldest daughter of Walter and Mary Wesselhoeft. Papers include photocopies of her article "Going to School in Russia," in The Nation (1930), and an undated article, "A Soviet Schoolboy." Biographical material includes newspaper clippings related to her purchase of the Communist paper Daily Worker in 1946, obituaries, biographical essays, and a life timeline. A small amount of photocopies and printed material is related to Ferdinanda's husband, Willard Reed, and his career at the Browne and Nichols school, and to their children, Nancy and Willard, Jr.
E. Mary "Polly" Fraser Wesselhoeft papers, 1885-2015
Arranged chronologically and by record type.
This series contains the papers of Mary "Polly" Fraser Wesselhoeft (1873-1971), daughter of Walter and Mary Wesselhoeft and a noted stained-glass artist. They include correspondence and financial papers, many related to the sale and management of her house in Waldheim, Germany in 1941, a list of financial assets, and a photocopy of her 1918 will. Also included is an original 1885-1886 diary containing a few entries describing childhood activities. Loose sketches and sketchbooks, created in Dunstable, Mass. ca. 1900, Paris ca. 1909, and Waldheim, Germany ca. 1970, include landscapes, portraits, design details, and abstract compositions. Biographical material includes research and correspondence related to Polly's life, a timeline, and a list of her paintings. A ca. 2014 scrapbook compiled by Caroline Williams contains photographs of artwork, research notes on her career, excerpts from letters, and other supporting material.
Correspondence, 1909-1941
Diary, 1885-1886
Sketches, 1963-1965
Biographical material, 1963-2015
F. Amy Wesselhoeft von Erdberg family papers, 1882-2015
Arranged chronologically and by record type.
Amy Wesselhoeft von Erdberg (1876-1972) was the daughter of Walter and Mary Wesselhoeft. She married Robert von Erdberg (1866-1929), a German minister of culture, in 1905 and lived in Waldheim, Germany. Original papers include correspondence and receipts related to her piano instruction with Charles Martin Loeffler, a German-born American composer with whom she studied in Boston from 1892 to 1897. Also included is personal correspondence with friends in Germany, Paris, and the United States (some written in German); correspondence with the American Association for Adult Education about writing articles for their publication, 1931-1937; as well as financial records and correspondence related to her financial situation in Germany, 1937-1938. Many of Amy's papers are in poor condition due to their storage conditions at Waldheim, and some have been photocopied because of mildew.
Amy's writings include childhood reminiscences, short stories, talks about her work with adult education in 1930s Berlin, and undated poetry, including a memorial to her father. Original material also includes a fragment of an account book from 1921 to 1929. Biographical material consists of a biographical sketch, correspondence about Amy, and 2013 interview notes with Johanna Smith, Amy's granddaughter.
Von Erdberg family papers include articles by and about Lawrence Levine, the husband of Amy's granddaughter Cornelia Roettcher; 1996 interview notes with Eleanor "Beata" von Erdberg, Amy's daughter; as well as poetry written by Eleanor and her funeral service program. Also included are papers related to the Levine and Smith families.
Personal papers, 1892-1939
Writings, 1882-1939
Account book (fragment), 1921-1929
Biographical material, 1998-2015
Von Erdberg family papers, 1983-2006
G. Robert Alexander Wesselhoeft family papers, 1882-2007
Arranged chronologically and by record type.
Robert Alexander Wesselhoeft (1882-1970), the son of Walter and Mary Wesselhoeft, was an entrepreneur in China and South America. His papers include a small original book of poetry and autographs from family members welcoming Robert's birth. Also included is a photocopy of Robert's 1959 reminiscences and a biography written by Robert's nephew, Conrad Wesselhoeft, in 1996. Newspaper and journal articles about Robert's son Robert Wesselhoeft (1917-1977) describe his rescue from southwest China in 1944 after contracting polio. Numerous articles and obituaries of other family members are also included.
Robert Wesselhoeft papers, 1882-1959
Family papers, 1944-2007
H. Conrad Wesselhoeft family papers, 1919-2016
Arranged chronologically and by individual.
Conrad Wesselhoeft (1884-1962), the son of Walter and Mary Wesselhoeft, was a Boston physician, specialist in infectious diseases, and doctor to Sen. Leverett Saltonstall. Printed material containing his writing includes a speech at the 100th anniversary of the Allentown Academy of Homeopathic Healing Arts and an article in the Harvard Medical Alumni Bulletin (Oct. 1950) on the privilege of practicing medicine. Biographical material includes newspaper clippings related to his WWI military service, his obituary, eulogy, a biographical sketch, and correspondence about Conrad's life.
Family papers include biographical material about George Lyman Kittredge, Conrad's father-in-law; Gertrude Kittredge Eaton; William Wesselhoeft (1920-2007); Conrad Wesselhoeft (1922-2011); and Frances Wesselhoeft Bush-Brown (1925-2005).
Conrad Wesselhoeft papers, 1919-2014
Family papers, 1951-2016
I. Family history and genealogy, 1879-2015
Arranged chronologically and by subject.
Material related to Wesselhoeft family genealogy includes numerous family charts, pedigrees, notes, and correspondence; a binder of information about the Wesselhoeft family in Hamburg (in German, 1996); Die Familie Wesselhoeft (2005) by Peter Y. Wrench, and correspondence related to the volume; and an undated notebook of genealogical information by Minna Wesselhoeft (d. 1913) in German script. Fraser family genealogy includes several publications related to the "the clan and castle Fraser," as well as manuscript copies of genealogical information, general correspondence, charts, pedigrees, and notes, including those collected by Eliza Fraser Clinch.
Additional family history includes notes by Selma Wesselhoeft (1929), "Christmas in Hamburg" by Walter Williamson (1938); a memoir of Mary Burnett Wesselhoeft (1957); "Buxtehude to Boston and Beyond: a Chronicle of the Wesselhoeft Family" by Walter W. Hoffmann (1969); articles related to the Wesselhoeft family in Sandwich, Mass.; a print of the Wesselhoeft house in Hamburg (1996); Die Familie Wesselhoeft in Hamburg by Dietert Fischer-Zernin (2001); and miscellaneous printed material.
Material related to Wesselhoeft family reunions includes invitations, programs, correspondence, transcripts of historical talks, and participant lists for gatherings in Hamburg (1996 and 2013), Boston (1998), Weimar and Jenna (2003), and Williamsburg, Va. (2010). Also included is Caroline Hoffmann Williams's research correspondence and notes on the collection.
Wesselhoeft genealogy, 1879-2013
Fraser genealogy, 1886-1997
Wesselhoeft family history, 1929-2015
Wesselhoeft family reunions, 1996-2013
Caroline Hoffmann Williams research, 2009-2015
III. Hoffmann family papers, 1867-2016
Arranged chronologically and by family member.
This series is largely comprised of biographical and photocopied material related to Christian August Hoffmann of Suhl, Germany; Christian's son, educator Ferdinand Hoffmann (1827-1906) of Stockbridge, Mass.; and Ferdinand's children, Walter Hoffmann (1868-1907), Ralph Hoffmann (1870-1932), Friede Hoffmann Ohle (1873-1957), and Bernhard Hoffmann (1874-1949). Original family correspondence includes that of Ferdinand Hoffmann with his wife Caroline and his son Ralph; and Friede Hoffmann to her brothers from Germany in the summer of 1887, with a detailed description of her trip. Some family correspondence is written in German.
Biographical materials for family members include marriage announcements and certificates, obituaries, memorials, and biographical sketches. In addition, the papers of Christian August Hoffmann include a transcript of an 1811 letter to his father, with an English translation, as well as a copy and translation of "Anecdotes and Episodes" of his life. Ferdinand Hoffmann's papers include ephemera related to his teaching in Stockbridge, including the Edwards Place School which he co-founded, and a transcript of his "Reminiscences." Ralph Hoffmann, the husband of Gertrude Wesselhoeft Hoffmann, was a Cambridge, Mass. educator and ornithologist who later founded the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. His papers include copies of his newspaper articles on ornithology and nature written for the Boston Evening Transcript from 1905 to 1907 and a 1939 sketch written by Gertrude, "Ralph Hoffmann as I Knew Him." Biographical material related to Bernhard Hoffmann describes his civic contributions and his architecturally significant home in Santa Barbara, as well as the contributions of his wife, Irene Botsford Hoffmann, to the Berkshire Garden Center.
Genealogical papers includes correspondence, charts, and pedigrees of the Hoffmann and Bullard families.
Early family correspondence, 1882-1908
Family papers and biographical material, 1867-2015
Family genealogy, 1995-2016
IV. Gertrude Wesselhoeft Hoffmann papers, 1894-1968
The papers of Gertrude Wesselhoeft Hoffmann include personal correspondence; professional papers related to her acting, musical, and public speaking career; various writings, including scripts of her women's club talks about her Hollywood experiences; diaries chronicling her children's childhood milestones, everyday activities, and travels throughout Germany, the United States, and England; printed material primarily related to her acting career; and biographical material.
A. Personal and professional papers, 1913-1968
Arranged chronologically.
Personal correspondence includes letters from several prisoners at Leavenworth Prison in Kansas (1913); Maine writer Rachel Field Pederson; Noreen Barraclough Allen Hill, Marchioness of Downshire; and sympathy letters upon the death of Gertrude's husband Ralph in 1932. Papers related to her acting, music, and speaking career include music arrangements and lyrics (1916-1920), copyright agreements, correspondence related to her women's club talks, letters to her agent, "fan mail," and letters of recommendation. Papers about her Oct. 1957 appearance on the "Garry Moore Show" in New York include travel arrangements and letters of congratulation, including a letter from Fess Parker, who appeared with her in the television series "Little Margie." Also included is a Santa Barbara proclamation of "Mrs. Gertrude Hoffmann Appreciation Day" (17 May 1966) and a July 1968 estate inventory and appraisal.
B. Writings and talks, 1905-1948
Arranged chronologically.
Writings consist of a few fictional short stories, historical essays, and reminiscences, including "The Wesselhoefts in Cambridge" (1905), "The Santa Barbara Earthquake" (1926), "Ralph Hoffmann as I Knew Him" (1939), and numerous iterations of "Crashing Hollywood at the Age of Sixty-Two" (1937). Scripts from her many women's club talks in the 1940s focus on her Hollywood experiences. Also included are several musical arrangements, essays, and poetry.
C. Volumes, 1895-1962
Arranged chronologically and by size.
Volumes primarily consist of diaries in which Gertrude recorded daily events and activities, notations about her family, and letters sent and received, including five year "line-a-day" diaries from 1919 to 1958. Three "baby diaries" record the milestones in the infancy and childhood of her children Eleanor and Walter with sporadic entries. Travel diaries chronicle her trips to Germany in 1908, to St. Louis and Boston in 1919, to New York in 1924 and 1958, and to England in 1958. Other volumes contain memoranda, poetry, extracts from writings, records of Gertrude's correspondence, and details of her women's club talks.
"Baby diary" (Eleanor), 1895-1900
"Baby diary" (Walter), 1897-1934
Diary, 1900
Eleanor diary, 1901-1913
Travel diary (Germany), 14 Aug. 1908
Travel diary (Germany), 24 Aug. 1908
Commonplace book, 1916-1935
Travel diary (St. Louis and Boston), 1919
Diary, 1919-1924
Travel diary (New York), 1924-1958
Diary, 1925-1929
Diary, 1930-1934
Memo book and diary, 1931-1961
Diary, 1935-1939
Diary, 1940-1944
Correspondence notebook, 1942-1962
Memo book, 1943
"Talks" notebook, 1944-1949
Diary, 1945-1949
Diary, 1950-1954
Diary, 1955-1958
Travel diary (England), June 1958
Travel diary (England), July-Sep. 1958
Diary, 1959
Diary, 1960
Diary, 1961
Diary, 1962
D. Printed material, 1894-1968
Arranged chronologically.
Printed material consists of Gertrude's 1894 wedding invitation, programs, and newspaper clippings describing Gertrude's performances as a church soloist and actress in Santa Barbara's Lobero Theater, including Wappin' Wharf (1925), Dr. Knock (1930), and Escape. Beginning in 1933, material includes press clippings for Gertrude's Hollywood performances and feature articles about her career, including mentions in the columns of Hedda Hopper and Variety's "Hollywood Insider." Included is material related to her part in Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent (1940) and her part as Mrs. Odetts in the television series "My Little Margie." Some clippings are related to her women's club talks, including promotional material. Also included is a copy of her May 1940 Saturday Evening Post article "Crashing Hollywood at Sixty" and her 1968 obituary.
Printed material, 1894-1968
Oversize printed material, 1915-1940
Stored onsite at Ms. N-2563 (OS).E. Biographical material, 1950, undated
Biographical material includes typescripts of articles and sketches about Gertrude.
V. Eleanor Hoffmann papers, 1903-2013
The papers of Eleanor Hoffmann consist of personal correspondence, largely pertaining to her writing and foreign travel; correspondence, contracts, and copyright records related to her adult and juvenile publications; legal records; published and unpublished works; diaries and notebooks that chronicle Eleanor's extensive travel, including to New York, San Francisco, Mexico, Morocco, Egypt, Europe, the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Polynesia; printed material related to her writings and travels; and biographical material. Much of Eleanor's travel and subsequent writing focused on Morocco and North Africa.
A. Personal correspondence, 1917-1990
Arranged chronologically.
Eleanor's wide-ranging personal correspondence includes letters from Adrian von Szemza of Hungary, Henry J. Doermann, headmaster of the Hampton Institute and later president of the University of Toledo; American poet and literary critic Leonard Bacon; Maine writer Rachel Lyman Field Pederson; New York drama critic and Yale professor Walter P. Eaton; Ethel John Lindgren; champion horse breeder Sara Farley Lokem; British-American anthropologist Ashley Montague; Ivan T. Sanderson, a Scottish-American writer and naturalist; inventor and actor Otis Barton; and many others. Also included are letters from Julia Child (Nov. 1968), Fess Parker (1972), and U.S. cabinet secretary Caspar Weinberger (1973, 1974).
Topics include family and social activities; her teaching position at Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute; travel arrangements and experiences in Europe, North Africa, Hawaii, and the Caribbean; writing and publishing advice; congratulations on her publications of various articles and books, including Mischief in Fez (1944) and Realm of the Evening Star (1968); condolences upon the death of her mother Gertrude in 1968; the attempted publication of her manuscript "Obelisks"; and her research and writing about the voyages of Capt. Cook.
B. Publishing records, 1924-2005
Arranged chronologically.
Publishing records consist of correspondence and personalized rejection notices from children's literature publications and periodicals. Also included is correspondence with literary agents, correspondence related to the publication of Mischief in Fez, The Lion of Barbary, The Mystery of the Lion Ring, The Charm Stone, and Realm of the Evening Star, as well as contracts, royalty statements, third-party correspondence related to her writings, notes, and letters of appreciation. Papers from 1968 to 1973 largely concern Eleanor's manuscript "Obelisks." Papers after Eleanor's death in 1990 are primarily those of Gertrude Hoffmann Bliss and Caroline Williams, including copyright inquiries, legal correspondence, 1993 copyright renewal registrations for Realm of the Evening Star, and correspondence related to the development of a children's play from Eleanor's book, Mischief in Fez.
1924-1962
1963-2005
C. Legal records, 1928-1992
Arranged chronologically.
Legal records include Eleanor's birth certificate, papers related to her Santa Barbara home (previously owned by her parents), Eleanor's 1979 and 1981 wills, an inventory of her estate, and papers documenting the bequest of her library.
D. Writings, 1903-1983
i. Published articles, 1924-1983
Arranged chronologically.
A scrapbook of Eleanor's published work (1924-1927) includes article clippings and poems from various publications, handwritten and typed poetry, and a draft of "The Amazing Animal Alphabet," a children's book of drawings and poems. Also in this series are periodical clippings of Eleanor's articles on nature and travel (largely Morocco), including multi-part juvenile fiction and non-fiction.
ii. Unpublished works, 1903-1980
Arranged chronologically.
Eleanor's unpublished work includes her childhood writings; numerous travel articles focusing largely on North Africa and Hawaii; juvenile travel and animal stories; poetry; and unpublished manuscripts of fiction and nonfiction.
Childhood writings, 1903
Articles and short stories, 1927-1979
Moroccan drawings, 1929-1930
Stored onsite at Ms. N-2563 (OS)."Kitty," 1939
"Of Men and Obelisks," [1969]
"The Captain, the Gentleman, and the Endeavor: Capt. Cook's First Voyage around the World," 1980
"This Forbidden Wine," undated
"Murder in Fez," undated
"House in Morocco," undated
Miscellaneous articles, undated
Poetry, 1919-1970
E. Diaries and notebooks, 1933-1986
Arranged chronologically.
Eleanor used her diaries and notebooks for a variety of purposes, including expenses and accounts, appointments, addresses and telephone numbers, lists of books and reference material, records of manuscripts sent to publishers, and autobiographical material. Many of her notes are related to her travels - some are simple financial accounts and addresses, others are diary entries describing her experiences in more detail, including her trips to Europe, Morocco, Egypt, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Polynesia.
Accounts and memos notebook, 1933-1974
Autobiographical notes, ca. 1944-1986
Diary and notes (New York, London), 1957-1958
Diary and notes (Mexico), 1959
Diary and notes (San Francisco), 1962
Diary and notes (Morocco), 1962
Diary and notes (Washington, Morocco), 1965
Notes and memos (Egypt), 1966
Notes and memos (San Francisco, Vancouver), 1967
Diary and notes (Europe, Cairo, Istanbul), 1968
Notes and memos, 1968
Notes and memos (New York, St. Croix), 1968
Notes and memos, 1968-1978
Notes and memos, 1969
Notes and memos (St. Croix), 1970
Monthly accounts, 1970-1972
Diary and notes (London), 1971
Notes and memos (Hawaii), 1971
Diary and notes (Hawaii), 1971
Notes and memos (Florida, New England, New York, California), 1972-1973
Diary and notes (Lindblad and Cook), 1973
Diary and notes (Lindblad and Fiji), 1973
Notes and memos (La Jolla, London), 1974
Diary and notes (London, Cook), 1974
Notes and memos, 1974-1976
Diary and notes, 1975
Notes and memos (Tahiti, Samoa, Hawaii), 1975
Notes and memos (London, San Francisco), 1975
Diary and notes, 1976
Notes and memos (Far East), 1976
Notes and memos, 1977-1979
Address books, undated
Notes and memos, undated
Sketches and artwork, undated
F. Printed material, 1929-1991
i. Loose material, 1929-1991
Arranged chronologically.
Printed material largely consists of press service clippings about Eleanor's books from newspapers throughout the country. Many local Santa Barbara clippings pertain to Eleanor, her mother, and her larger family, including society page listings, biographical articles, and news of Eleanor's talks and book signings. This series also contains a few publicity mailings and materials for her books, copies of book reviews, and the book jackets of The Charmstone and Realm of the Evening Star. Also included are several travel articles and brochures about Africa, Istanbul, Timbuktu, and other international destinations; an Arabian language primer; and newspaper clippings related to family and friends, particularly Walter P. Eaton, Rachel Field, and Henry Doermann.
Loose material
Oversize loose material
Stored onsite at Ms. N-2563 (OS).ii. Scrapbook (photocopied), 1930-1950
Arranged chronologically.
This scrapbook of newsclippings contains book reviews, several letters from publishers, articles about Eleanor, and a few of her newspaper and magazine articles. It has been photocopied due to the poor condition of the original.
iii. Maps, 1932-1964
Arranged chronologically.
This subseries contains several travel maps of Morocco, including a 1932 National Geographic edition, and a set of 1946 Air Force aeronautical charts of Saudi Arabia.
G. Biographical material, 1940-2013
Arranged chronologically.
Biographical material includes printed biographical sketches and correspondence of family members about Eleanor's life.
VI. Walter Wesselhoeft Hoffmann papers, 1923-1977
Arranged chronologically and by record type.
American diplomat Walter Wesselhoeft Hoffmann was the son of Ralph Hoffmann and Gertrude Wesselhoeft Hoffmann, the brother of Eleanor Hoffmann, and the husband of Pauline Pilgrim Hoffmann. Walter's writings consist of typewritten articles submitted to various publications with cover letters and editorial correspondence, including a draft of "To Alaska with the Salmon Fleet" (1923); "Internment by the Japanese at Hong Kong," published in American Foreign Service Journal in 1945; the undated manuscript "Catching Crabs, Hong Kong Style"; and other stories related to his experiences in the U.S. Foreign Service. Some articles, including his book reviews for Saturday Review, include a printed copy. Also included is Walter's unpublished novel for young adults, "The Glorious Adventure: A Tale of Dunkirk."
Diplomatic papers include Walter's diplomatic passport (1941-1951) and certificates of appointment to the U.S. Foreign Service as vice-consul or consul in Brazil, Germany, Columbia, and England, from 1940 to 1953. Walter's Hong Kong diary, dated from 14 Dec. 1941 to 5 Feb. 1942, contains transcripts of his daily letters to his wife describing the Japanese bombardment of Hong Kong and his house confinement. Speeches include a 1944 Memorial Day address in Brazil and a ca. 1956 United Nations garden party address.
Printed material includes newspaper clippings, his wedding announcement, World War II-related articles, articles about Walter and his consular service, biographical articles describing the family life of a diplomat, and articles featuring the diplomatic role of his wife Pauline Hoffmann. Biographical material includes several chronologies of his life, a copy of his birth certificate, and a biographical sketch.
Writings, 1923-1966
Diplomatic papers, 1940-1953
Foreign service appointments, 1940-1949
Stored onsite at Ms. N-2563 (OS).Hong Kong diary, 1941-1942
Speeches, 1944-1946
Printed material, 1934-1977
Biographical material, undated
VII. Gertrude Hoffmann Bliss family papers, 1912-2009
Arranged chronologically and by record type.
Gertrude Hoffmann Bliss, known as "Trudy" to her family and friends, was the youngest child of Ralph Hoffmann and Gertrude Wesselhoeft Hoffmann, and the wife of British composer and conductor Arthur Bliss. Gertrude's papers include personal correspondence, invitations, charitable gift acknowledgements, a confirmation of her renunciation of American citizenship in 1992, and an undated transcript of a radio address. A commonplace-book that she created for her mother in 1936 contains letters, poems, and prose extracts, along with a photograph of Trudy.
Printed material contains newspaper clippings and an auction catalog illustrating the sale of art from the Bliss estate. Biographical material includes Trudy's 1994 and 1996 oral history transcripts, as well as several biographical sketches, obituaries, and memorials. Also included are articles about Arthur Bliss and his musical career and a small amount of biographical material for Gertrude's granddaughters, Caroline Bliss and Patricia Sellick.
Personal papers, 1912-1992
Commonplace book for her mother, 1936
Printed material, 1934-1977
Biographical material, 1975-2009
Preferred Citation
Wesselhoeft-Hoffmann family papers, Massachusetts Historical Society.
Access Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.
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Materials Removed from the Collection
Photographs from this collection have been removed to the Wesselhoeft-Hoffmann family photographs (Photo. Coll. 363).