IOWA WOMEN’S ARCHIVES
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES
IOWA
CITY, IOWA
ALMIRA SAFELY RUTLEDGE
(1869-1950)
SUBTITLE:»
PAPERS, 1885-1950
1 linear foot
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ACQUISITION: |
The papers
(donor no. 122), consisting of photocopies, were donated by the Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance
Company Archives in 1992. The
originals are held by Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company Archives and by
Carolyn Rutledge Woodke. |
|
ACCESS: |
The
papers are open for research.
Permission to quote must be requested from Farmers Mutual Hail
Insurance Company Archives, 2323 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50312. |
|
COPYRIGHT: |
Copyright has been retained by Farmers Mutual Hail
Insurance Company Archives. |
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PHOTOGRAPHS: |
Box 3. |
|
PROCESSED BY: |
Michelle Galvin, 1993. |
Biography
Almira Margaret Safely was
born March 21, 1869. She grew up in
Lohrville, Iowa, living there until her marriage to Thomas Scott Rutledge on
October 24, 1894, when she relocated to Early, Iowa. Prior to her marriage Almira was known to her family members as
"May" but afterwards she assumed the nickname of "Mamie,"
possibly as a distinguishing device because her husband's brother was married
to a woman named May. To the people in
the Early community she became known either as Almira or Grandma Rutledge.
Prior to beginning his work at Farmers Mutual Hail
Insurance Company in the mid-1890s Scott Rutledge experimented with well
digging, farming, and owning property.
He then served as Vice President of Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance
Company from 1902 to 1904 and as President from 1904 until his death in
1932. Working in all aspects of the
insurance business, he was often on the road around Iowa and Nebraska opening
service accounts. While her husband was
away Almira Rutledge took care of the family, ran a household, sewed, and
attended to some business matters. Oral
tradition says that the furniture for the newlyweds' first home was paid for
with money Almira Rutledge earned by sewing.
Almira and Scott Rutledge had three children: Mabel
Fern (August 16, 1895-February 22, 1972), John Wesley (August 3, 1900-October
1, 1963), and Helen Alberta (March 13, 1904-February 10, 1985). Like their father, John and Helen were
employed by Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company.
Almira Margaret Safely Rutledge died December 21,
1950 at the age of 81.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Almira Safely Rutledge
measure 1 linear foot and date from 1885 to 1950. The collection consists of photocopies of diaries and
photographs. The diaries were written
by Almira Safely Rutledge from 1885 to 1950 and a few photographs. There are no diaries for the years 1886,
1889 to 1893, 1900 to 1901, and 1933.
The first entry was written when Almira Safely was fifteen years old,
the last the day before her death.
The entries of Almira Rutledge
remained over the years very brief and factual, without much mention of her
personal feelings. Themes include the
weather; her daily chores, which usually included sewing; the families'
callers; where her husband's business had taken him; and her visits to Sunday
school and church. On Sundays Almira
usually attended church twice and Sunday school once. At the end of her first diary she kept a log of the number of
times she attended during the year 1885, the results being over 80 visits to
church and 36 to Sunday school.
The third diary, which dates from
January 15, 1888 to March 21, 1888 was written in a complimentary appointment
book distributed by the World's Dispensary Medical Association in which Dr.
R.V. Pierce advertises his "Golden Medical Discovery" and
"Pleasant Purgative Pellets."
The book includes testimonials of persons claiming that Dr. Pierce's
remedies have cured asthma, boils, liver disease, chronic diarrhea, and
malarial fevers, among other aliments.
Dr. Pierce also advertises his "Favorite Prescription,"
claiming it as a cure for "woman's peculiar maladies."
The diary entries from April 16 to
June 5, 1931 include a short bank statement from the Merchant's Bank of
Canada. At the end of the entries for
this period is a log of expenses, probably business.
The photographs consist of the
Rutledge family and their home in Early, Iowa and date from the early
1900s. A few of the photographs are
undated.
The diaries and photographs of
Almira Rutledge are photocopies; the originals are held by the Farmers Mutual
Hail Insurance Company Archives located in Des Moines. Permission to quote from the diaries must be
obtained from the Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company Archives.
Box no. Description
Box 1
Diaries
January 1, 1885 - December
31, 1885
June 2, 1887 - July 25, 1887
January 15, 1888 - March 21,
1888
October 21, 1894 - November
31, 1897
December 1, 1897 - September
11, 1899
January 1, 1902 - November
10, 1904
November 11, 1904 - August
31, 1907
September 1, 1907 - November
30, 1911
December 1, 1911 - December
10, 1913
December 11, 1913 - June 22,
1916
Box 2
June 23, 1916 - October 31,
1919
November 1, 1919 - November
19, 1923
November 20, 1923 - August
25, 1926
August 26, 1926 - August 19,
1929
August 20, 1929 - May 31,
1932
April 16, 1931 - June 5,
1931
June 1, 1932 - April 30,
1934
May 1, 1934 - December 31,
1934
Box 3
January 1, 1935 - December
31, 1939
January 1, 1940 - December
31, 1944
January 1, 1945 - December
31, 1949
January 1, 1950 - December 20,
1950
Photographs, 1900s and undated