Caley Family Papers Guide to the Caley Family Papers Mss. Acc. 2012.192

Guide to the Caley Family Papers Mss. Acc. 2012.192


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Special Collections Research Center

William & Mary Special Collections Research Center
Earl Gregg Swem Library
400 Landrum Dr
Williamsburg, Virginia
Business Number: 757-221-3090
spcoll@wm.edu
URL: https://libraries.wm.edu/libraries-spaces/special-collections

Finding Aid Authors: David L. Ward, Special Collections Staff.

Repository
Special Collections Research Center
Identification
Mss. Acc. 2012.192
Title
Caley Family Papers circa 1895-1968
Quantity
2.33 Linear Feet
Creator
Caley family
Creator
Hilda Caley Noble, 1917-1968
Creator
Mary Davidson Caley, 1895-1962
Creator
Maybelle Caley Barker, 1897-1968
Creator
Nadine Noble Sondergard (1952-1967), 1952-1967
Language
English

Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Use:

Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Conditions Governing Access:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Preferred Citation:

Caley Family Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, at the College of William and Mary.


Biographical / Historical

Mary Davidson Caley, (1861-1962) married (1887) William Paul Caley (1859-1943) and moved from Ohio to South Pasadena, California with her two daughters, Maybelle Caley Barker (1889-1967) and Hilda Caley Noble (1888 - 1972). Mary Davidson Caley was told to move to California from Ohio due to her health. The Caley's eventually settled in Sierra Madre in 1895 where William was the first Street Superintendent and Tax Collector. Maybelle Caley Barker married former Army Captain Clyde (Clinton) Barker (1889-1936) in 1918. Maybelle and Clinton did not have any children. When Clinton died (1936), Maybelle never remarried and remained in Sierra Madre. Hilda Caley Noble (1888 - 1972) married John Noble and their daughter Nadine Noble Sondergard (1928- 2008) married (1965) Ray Sondergard (1920-1998).

Administrative History:

Mary Davidson Caley, (1861-1962) married (1887) William Paul Caley (1859-1943) and moved from Ohio to South Pasadena, California with her two daughters, Maybelle Caley Barker (1889-1967) and Hilda Caley Noble (1888 - 1972).  Mary Davidson Caley was told to move to California from Ohio due to her health.  The Caley's eventually settled in Sierra Madre in 1895 where William was the first Street Superintendent and Tax Collector. Maybelle Caley Barker married former Army Captain Clyde (Clinton) Barker (1889-1936) in 1918.  Maybelle and Clinton did not have any children. When Clinton died (1936), Maybelle never remarried and remained in Sierra Madre. Hilda Caley Noble (1888 - 1972) married John Noble and their daughter Nadine Noble Sondergard (1928- 2008) married (1965) Ray Sondergard (1920-1998).

Family History:

Mary Davidson Caley, (1861-1962) married (1887) William Paul Caley (1859-1943) and moved from Ohio to South Pasadena, California with her two daughters, Maybelle Caley Barker (1889-1967) and Hilda Caley Noble (1888 - 1972). Mary Davidson Caley was told to move to California from Ohio due to her health. The Caley's eventually settled in Sierra Madre in 1895 where William was the first Street Superintendent and Tax Collector. Maybelle Caley Barker married former Army Captain Clyde (Clinton) Barker (1889-1936) in 1918. Maybelle and Clinton did not have any children. When Clinton died (1936), Maybelle never remarried and remained in Sierra Madre. Hilda Caley Noble (1888 - 1972) married John Noble and their daughter Nadine Noble Sondergard (1928- 2008) married (1965) Ray Sondergard (1920-1998).

Administrative History:

Mary Davidson Caley, (1861-1962) married (1887) William Paul Caley (1859-1943) and moved from Ohio to South Pasadena, California with her two daughters, Maybelle Caley Barker (1889-1967) and Hilda Caley Noble (1888 - 1972).  Mary Davidson Caley was told to move to California from Ohio due to her health.  The Caley's eventually settled in Sierra Madre in 1895 where William was the first Street Superintendent and Tax Collector. Maybelle Caley Barker married former Army Captain Clyde (Clinton) Barker (1889-1936) in 1918.  Maybelle and Clinton did not have any children. When Clinton died (1936), Maybelle never remarried and remained in Sierra Madre. Hilda Caley Noble (1888 - 1972) married John Noble and their daughter Nadine Noble Sondergard (1928- 2008) married (1965) Ray Sondergard (1920-1998).

Scope and Contents

The collection is mostly personal correspondence and diaries, chiefly 1895-1968, collected and written by Mary Davidson Caley, her two daughters, Maybelle Caley Barker and Hilda Caley Noble, and Hilda's daughter, Nadine Noble Sondergard. The Caley's were white middle class women who lived in Sierra Madre, California for the majority of their lives.  The personal letters and diaries of three generations of women contain topics related to the household operations, Spanish Flu 1918, farm operations in Ohio 1918, family finances, health concerns, local and national issues (Kennedy Assassination (1963), Watts Riots (1965) as well as social and religious activities.

Maybelle's, Hilda's and Nadine's diary entries and letters on Nadine and Ray Sondergard's courtship and early years together reflect the different perspectives of the women and their family interpersonal relationships and dynamics.  Nadine married late in life for the time (36 years old) and it was her husband Ray's (45 years old) second marriage. He had an uneven employment history. They had at least one son. The Caley women lived and traveled up and down the US northwest coast from California to Oregon and frequently visited Ohio for extended periods. The women's diaries span from 1951-1966 while the letters are from 1895-1968.  Mary Davidson Caley and Maybelle Caley Barker have a few individual diaries and notebooks from earlier years. Correspondence from over 80 friends and relatives of the Caley's addressed to the women is included as well as 87 photographs of family, friends and landscapes.  The correspondence is filed and organized by receipent rather than sender.

Arrangement of Materials:

This collection is arranged into four series: Series 1: Mary Davidson Caley, 1895-1962; Series 2: Maybelle Caley Barker, 1897-1969; Series 3: Hilda Caley Noble, 1917-1968; Series 4: Nadine Noble Sondergard, 1957-1967.

Related Material

Artifacts were transferred upon receipt to the Manuscripts Artifact Collection (Mss. 1.03): Green leather clutch with metal letters MC (2012.192.01) and pair of nylon white elbow length gloves (2012.192.02ab).

Information about related materials is available at http://guides.swem.wm.edu/scrc-women

Separated Material

Artifacts were transferred upon receipt to the Manuscripts Artifact Collection (Mss. 1.03): Green leather clutch with metal letters MC (2012.192.01) and pair of nylon white elbow length gloves (2012.192.02ab)


Subjects and Indexing Terms


Significant Persons Associated With the Collection

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Significant Places Associated With the Collection

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Container List

id213596
Series 1: Mary Davidson Caley
1895-1962
Scope and Contents

Correspondence included in the series was recieved by Mary Davidson Caley and William P. Caley. Correspondence is between Mary Davidson Caley, her two daughters Hilda Caley Noble and Maybelle Caley Barker and numerous friends along with several photographs of family, friends and landscapes scenes.

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id213597
Series 2: Maybelle Caley Barker
1897-1969
Scope and Contents

Correspondence included in the series was recieved by Maybelle Caley Barker. Correspondence is between Maybelle Caley Barker, her sister Hilda Caley Noble, her neice Nadine Noble Sondergard, and numerous friends. Nine diaries from the 1950s and 1960s along with one diary from 1915 are in the series. Several photographs of Maybelle Caley Barker with family and friends are also included.

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id213598
Series 3: Hilda Caley Noble
1917-1968
Scope and Contents

Correspondence included in the series was recieved by Hilda Caley Noble. Correspondence is between her daughter, Nadine Noble Sondergard, her sister, Maybelle Caley Barker, and numerous friends. Ten diaries from the 1950s and 1960s with daily full page entries are in the series. Photographs of Hilda Caley Noble with family and friends are also included.

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id213599
Series 4: Nadine Noble Sondergard
1957-1967
Scope and Contents

Correspondence included in the series was recieved by Nadine Noble Sondergard. Correspondence is between her mother, Hilda Caley Noble, her aunt, Maybelle Caley Barker, and friends. Four diaries from the 1950s and 1960s are also in the series.

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