IOWA WOMEN’S ARCHIVES
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES
IOWA CITY, IOWA
MARIA MARGARETHA KROMMINGA
(1874-1937)
PAPERS,
1897-1921
6 linear inches
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ACQUISITION: |
The papers (donor no.211) were donated
by Nedra Hanken,
granddaughter of Maria Kromminga, in 1994. |
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ACCESS: |
The papers are open for research. |
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»COPYRIGHT: |
»Copyright has been retained by the donor and her heirs. |
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PHOTOGRAPHS: |
In box 1. |
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PROCESSED
BY: |
Your name, year»Randel W. Lackore, 1994. |
Biography
Maria
(Mary) Kromminga, the second child of Folkert Kromminga and his wife
Margaretha, was born on February 3, 1874, in Castle Grove Township, Jones
County, Iowa. She received eight years
of education in a rural school.
Kromminga lived her whole life with her parents on a farm
near Monticello, Iowa. She never
married but had a son, Raymond Kromminga, whom she raised alone. After working on the farm each day Maria
Kromminga wrote in her diary by lamplight.
She seldom wrote about her feelings but kept a record of her daily
activities. Maria Kromminga died in
January 1937 after catching bronchial pneumonia on New Year's Day.
Scope and Content Note
The
Maria Margaretha Kromminga
papers date from 1897 to 1921
and measure 6 linear
inches. The papers are
arranged in three series: Obituary,
Diaries and Photographs. The papers
document Kromminga's daily life in rural eastern Iowa at the turn of the
twentieth century.
The six volumes of Diaries (1897-1921) describe
Kromminga's and other family members' routine activities. Most entries give accounts of the visits of
family and friends as well as accounts of the weather and its effect on
Kromminga's mood. At the end of the
second volume is a tally of egg production and sales for the years 1900 and
1902. The sixth volume lists items
received from the Sears and Roebuck catalog.
There are also various farm records, many from 1920 to 1921.
There are four Photographs (1902-1921 and undated)
the collection, one of Maria Kromminga ca. 1915 and two of her son, Raymond
Oscar Kromminga, from 1902 and ca. 1921. Also included is a photocopy of an
undated family photograph of Maria Kromminga, her parents, two brothers, sister
and brother-in-law.
Box no. Description
Box 1
Obituary [1937]
Diaries
August 31, 1897-April 31,
1899 [map case: drawer 4]
May 1, 1899-November 11,
1901
January 1, 1902-October 31,
1903
November 1, 1903-January 20,
1906
January 21, 1906-October 16,
1912 [oversize: in box 2]
October 17, 1912-Febuary 21,
1921 [oversize: in
box 3]
Family photographs, 1902-1921 and undated
Box 2
Oversize:
Diaries
August 31, 1897-April 31,
1899 [map case: drawer 4]
January 21, 1906-October 16,
1912
October 17, 1912-Febuary 21,
1921 [oversize: in box 3]