Collection Summary
Barnum, Charlotte Cynthia, 1860-1934
Barnum, Clara Louisa, 1866-1953
Charlotte and Clara Barnum
Papers
circa
1870-2001
1877-1951
1.1 cubic feet (4 boxes)
Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College
Libraries
The collection contains
correspondence, ephemera, and photographs, mostly relating to Charlotte and Clara
Barnum's education and continued association with Vassar College. Also included are
materials related to Clarine Warner Curtis (VC 1888), a life-long friend and
correspondent of Clara Barnum, whose daughter, Virginia H. Curtis Milburn Robertson
(VC 1930), continued correspondence with Clara after Clarine's death in
1945.
Biographical Note
Born to lexicographer Samuel Weed Barnum (1820-1891) and his wife, Charlotte Betts
Barnum (1823-1899), Charlotte Cynthia Barnum (1860-1934) grew up in New Haven,
Connecticut, and graduated from Vassar College in 1881. In 1895, she become one of
the first three women to receive a Ph.D. in Mathematics from Yale University. She
worked as an editor, an actuary, and a professor of astronomy and mathematics.
Clara Louisa Barnum (1866-1953) followed her older sister to Vassar and graduated in
1888. After leaving Vassar, she received her Master's in Education from Yale
University and taught Latin at New Haven High School for 25 years. She assisted her
father as a proofreader on the first edition of Noah Webster's dictionary, and later
worked at the Yale University Library as a genealogist.
Scope and Content Note
The collection contains correspondence, ephemera, and photographs, mostly relating to
Charlotte and Clara Barnum's education and continued association with Vassar
College. Also included are materials related to Clarine Warner Curtis (VC 1888), a
life-long friend and correspondent of Clara Barnum, whose daughter, Virginia H.
Curtis Milburn Robertson (VC 1930), continued correspondence with Clara after
Clarine's death in 1945. Includes photographs and other material relating to the
Vassar College Classes of 1881 and 1888. One letter describes Mark Twain's 1885
visit to the college.
Access
This collection is open for research according to the regulations of the Vassar College Archives and Special Collections
Library without any additional restrictions.
Restrictions on Use
Permission to quote (publish) from unpublished or previously published material must
be obtained as described in the regulations of the Vassar College Archives and Special Collections
Library.
Subject Headings
Names:
Barnum, Charlotte Cynthia,
1860-1934
Barnum, Clara L., 1866-1953
Curtis, Clarine Warner,
1866-1945
Robertson, Virginia H. Curtis Milburn,
1908-
Organizations:
Vassar College. Class of
1881
Vassar College. Class of
1888
Vassar College--Students
Subjects:
Women--Education
Women mathematicians
Women's colleges--New York
(State)--Poughkeepsie
Document Types:
Correspondence
Ephemera
Financial records
Photographs
VCL Categories:
Family
Vassar College
Women's History
Encoding Information
Encoded by Laura Streett and Elizabeth Clarke, November 2006. Updated February 2009.
Updated by Emma Gronbeck, June 2023.
Processing Information
Processed by Laura Streett, April 2005. Additions processed and integrated by Emma
Gronbeck, June 2023.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Charlotte Barnum (granddaughter of Samuel Horace Barnum, Clara and Charlotte's
brother), 2005-2021. [M2005-007, M2009-002, M2016-009, M2019-030, M2020-002,
M2021-005]
Other Formats
An electronic version of the correspondence transcripts is available. See the
Archives and Special Collections staff for more details.
Preferred Citation
Charlotte and Clara Barnum Papers, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar
College Libraries.
Container List
Correspondence
1.01
Barnum, Charlotte C. to family,
1879-1889
[originals and transcripts]
1.02
Barnum, Clara L. to family and friends,
1884-1885
[originals]
1.03
Barnum, Clara L. to family and friends,
1886
[originals]
1.04
Barnum, Clara L. to family and friends,
1887
[originals]
1.05
Barnum, Clara L. to family and friends,
1888
[originals]
1.06
Barnum, Clara L. to family and friends,
1884-1888
[transcripts]
1.07
Barnum, Clara L. to others,
1913, 1945
1.08
Barnum, Clara L. to the VC Class of 1888,
1936
1.09
To Barnum, Clara L. from others,
1940-1946
1.10
Curtis, Clarine Warner to Clara L. Barnum,
1880-1886
1.11
Curtis, Clarine Warner to Clara L. Barnum,
1889-1909
1.12
Curtis, Clarine Warner to Clara L. Barnum,
1930-1939, undated
1.13
Curtis, Clarine Warner to others,
1936-1945
1.14
To Curtis, Clarine Warner from others,
1945-1948
1.15
Raymond, John H. to Samuel W. Barnum,
1876-1877
1.16
Robertson, Virginia H. Curtis to Clara L. Barnum,
1939-1952
1.17
Robertson, Virginia H. Curtis to Harriette P. Marsh,
1947
Personal Papers and Ephemera
1.18
Barnum, Charlotte C. - Biographical information,
2001, undated
1.19
Barnum, Charlotte C. - Letter of recommendation from Maria
Mitchell,
1883 Jul 4
1.20
Barnum, Charlotte C. - Letters of recommendation, certification,
and appointment,
1883-1923
1.21
Barnum, Charlotte C. - Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association
membership certificate,
1902
1.22
Barnum, Charlotte C. - U.S. Civil Service Commission exam scores,
1899-1918
1.23
Barnum, Charlotte C. - Vassar College ephemera,
circa 1878-1881
1.24
Barnum, Charlotte C. - Vassar College receipts and invoices,
1877-1880
1.25
Barnum, Clara L. - Biographical information,
2001
1.26
Barnum, Clara L. - Vassar College badge, Class of 1888,
undated
2.01
Barnum, Clara L. - Vassar College ephemera,
1884-1899
4.01
Barnum, Clara L. - Vassar College ephemera,
1884-1887
2.02
Barnum, Clara L. - Vassar College tuition receipts and invoices,
1884-1887
2.03
Belmont School ephemera,
circa 1940
2.04
Clippings,
1919, 1934
2.05
Curtis, Clarine Warner - Biographical information,
undated
2.06
Curtis, Clarine Warner - Obituary,
1945 Jul 29
2.07
Curtis, Virginia Hubbard - Obituary,
1918
2.08
Vassar College ephemera,
undated
Photographs
2.09
Barnum, Charlotte C.,
1881-1891
2.10
Barnum, Charlotte C.,
1902-1917
2.11
Barnum, Charlotte C.,
undated
2.12
Barnum, Clara L.,
circa 1870-1896
2.13
Barnum, Clara L.,
1951, undated
2.14
Barnum, Clara L. and the Vassar College Class of 1888,
1922-1938
2.15
Curtis, Clarine Warner,
1913-1935, undated
2.16
Curtis, Clarine Warner and Virginia H. Curtis,
1910-1912
2.17
Curtis, Virginia Hubbard (1831-1918),
1925, undated
2.18
Milburn, Elizabeth and Joseph (Virginia Robertson's children),
1935-1943
2.19
Robertson, Virginia H. Curtis Milburn and family,
1908-1942
2.20
Vassar College campus,
circa 1880-1890
4.02
Vassar College Class of 1888,
1888
2.21-2.22
Vassar College faculty,
circa 1881-1888
3.01-3.02
Vassar College students,
1880-1895
3.03
Vassar College students (unidentified),
circa 1880-1888
3.04
Warner family,
1923, undated
3.05
Unidentified students (The Notman Photographic Co., Albany, NY),
circa 1880-1888