IOWA WOMEN’S ARCHIVES
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES
IOWA CITY, IOWA
MAGDALEN MEADE (1913- )
PAPERS, 1891-1992
7 linear inches
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ACQUISITION: |
The Magdalen Meade papers (donor no. 697) were donated by
Magdalen Meade in 2000 and 2002. |
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ACCESS: |
The papers are open for research. |
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COPYRIGHT: |
Copyright held by the donor has been transferred to the University of Iowa. |
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PHOTOGRAPHS: |
In Box 1. |
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AUDIO VISUAL: |
Seven audiocassettes shelved in audiocassette collection [AC826-832]. |
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PROCESSED BY: |
Stacy Ross, 2002 [MeadeMagdalen.doc] |
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Biography
Magdalen Walsh Meade, farmwoman and political organizer, was born January 12, 1913 in Riverside, Iowa. Her parents were Cornelius W. Walsh (1874-1947) and Pellagia A. Birrer Walsh (1878-1959). Magdalen Walsh attended St. Mary’s Grade School and graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Riverside, Iowa in 1930. She also attended Clarke College in Dubuque, Iowa from 1931 to 1932. On January 2, 1936 Magdalen Walsh married Ralph James Meade. The couple farmed in southeast Iowa, and eventually resided in Mount Pleasant, Iowa with their children. Along with the responsibilities of being a farmwoman, Magdalen Meade was also active in politics, serving as Henry County Democratic Party chairman, and continued to be active in Democratic Party activities and campaigns through the 1980s. Meade also served as secretary of the Mount Pleasant Historic Preservation Commission for twelve years during the late 1980s and 1990s.
Scope and
Content Note
The Magdalen Meade papers date from 1891 to 1992 and measure 7 linear inches plus artifacts and
audiocassettes. The papers are arranged in four series: Biographical, Politics, Farm Accounts,
and Artifacts.
The Biographical series contains information
about Magdalen Meade as well as members of her family, including her mother
Pellagia Birrer Walsh. The family
history information includes a family tree with detailed birth and death
information, as well as occupation, education, and religious affiliations of
family members. In the oral history
interview with Magdalen Meade conducted by her son-in-law Andor Skotnes in
1992, Meade discusses her childhood in rural southeast Iowa and her family,
education, marriage and children. The
series also contains Meade’s wedding diary and her recipe notebook.
The Politics series concerns Magdalen Meade’s
political activism and includes information about the Iowa Constitutional Convention
of 1980, the Iowa Democratic Party, news clippings, and correspondence. Also included is detailed information on the
1982 gubernatorial campaign of Roxanne Conlin for which Meade was Henry County
Democratic Party coordinator.
The Farm Accounts series consists of farm
record books of the Meade farm from 1962-1973.
The accounts contain detailed information on insurance, livestock,
crops, and taxes.
The Artifacts series contains Democratic
political campaign buttons, and other paraphernalia associated with Meade’s
political activities.
Related Collections
Roxanne Conlin Papers, Iowa Women’s
Archives
Rita Meade Dohrmann Papers, Iowa
Women’s Archives
Dohrmann was Meade’s daughter.
Box no. Description
Box 1
Biographical
Family history
information
L’Envoi
yearbook, Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa, 1932
Memoir of farm
life, 1936-1986
“Memories of 1917”
Mount Pleasant
Historic Preservation Committee, 1988, 1993,
1996-1997,
2000
Newspaper
clippings
Oral history
audiocassettes [AC826-AC832]
Oral history
transcript: Magdalen Meade interviewed by Andor
Skotnes (son-in-law of Meade), 1991-1992 (2 folders)
Synopsis of
political career, 1956-1974
Pellagia Bivver
Walsh (mother of Magdalen Meade)
Recipe notebook,
1936
Wedding notebook,
1935-1936
Politics
Constitutional
Convention, 1980
Constitution of
the Iowa Democratic Party, 1978
Correspondence,
1956-1974 (scattered)
First District
Limerick Contest, 1967
The Hawkeye
Democratic Leader, April and July 1969
McGovern/Eagleton
campaign sticker and notes, 1972 election
Newspaper
clippings
Photographs
Iowa Democratic
Convention booklet, 1982
Roxanne Conlin for
Governor Campaign, 1982
Collage
Henry County
Coordinator information
Campaign
notebook
Conlin for
Governor Committee
Campaign
contribution letters
Box
2
Campaign
letters and flyers
Newspaper
clippings
Statements
and resume
“Thank You”
poster [original print stored with oversized materials]
Farm Records
Farm account
books, 1962-1973 (3 folders)
Box
3
Artifacts
Political buttons
and pins
Stone carved
donkeys
Stuffed donkey