Special Collections Research Center
William & Mary Special Collections Research CenterSCRC staff.
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.
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.
Rathbun Family Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.
Accessioned and minimally processed by Benjamin Bromley in September 2011. Fully processed by Anne Johnson in August 2015.
Walter James Rathburn was a ship captain on vessels associated with the navy and with shipping. He spent time in the Panama Canal Zone during World War II. His father was also associated with ships and his brother, too. Ella-May Abbot is a woman who works and enjoys her family then must adjust to marriage with a man whose time is more often on ships than at home.
The collection consists mostly of love letters between Ella-May Abbott of New Orleans, Louisiana and Walter James Rathbun who is based in ship ports in the United States, Europe, Nicaragua and the Panama Canal Zone. Letters from Walter Rathbun's Mother, Mrs. J. Baird of Floral Park, New Jersey and other family members are included.
Ella-May and Walter begin a correspondence courtship in 1916, then breakup in 1919. They begin writing to each other again in 1926 and finally marry in 1930, after Walter was able to obtain a divorce from his wife in Brazil.
In their almost daily letters, Ella writes about her day's activities and Walter writes about his ship duties and his experiences while in port. His World War II letters from the Panama Canal Zone are marked by a censor and have few details about his work but contain many comments about the culture among the Navy families, particularly the wives. A running thread through the years is the inability of Charles Rathbun, Walter's brother, to hold a job.
Walter has many titles while working on ships including 2nd Officer and Captain. In World War II he is a Lt. Commander in the United States Naval Reserves stationed in the Canal Zone. Ella-May is a window designer for a large department store in New Orleans, but gives up her job when the couple gets married and moves to New Jersey. They later move to Pasadena, California where Ella-May's mother and sisters live.
Chronological order.
Walter Rathbun writes from the S.S. Matanzas of the Ward Line and Ella-May writes from her home in New Orleans, Louisiana. Walter relates some of his onboard duties and says he wants to enter the U.S. Coast Guard School. He tells of his past relationships and of his past wild ways. These letters are the beginning of his courtship of Ella-May.
Scope and Contents Walter remembers saying goodbye to Ella-May seven years ago in 1909. He is transferred to the S.S. Pamco of the Ward LIne as a 2nd Officer, then returns to the S.S. Saratoga doing military duty since the ship is being turned into a hospital ship. He's taking an exam for chief mate, but needs to decide whether to take an officer job of "navigating Lieutenant" on an auxiliary cruiser. Ella-May writes about her job, family and friends.
Very few letters between Walter and Ella-May since they ended their relationship during this time. There are letters from Walter's father and brother, Charlie, both associated with ships. Walter is in Norfolk, Virginia, Newport News, Virginia and Woodstock, New York and works on ships S.S. Oglethorpe and S.S. San Pasqual.
Correspondence with family and one post card from Ella-May.
Walter works on the S.S. Lorraine Cross in Argentina, Texas and Brazil. He marries sometime in 1922. Correspondence is with family members. Ella-May sends him a Christmas card on December 12, 1923.
On March 3, 1926 Ella-May writes Walter and asks what has he been doing for the past 4 years. She also asks about his wife. He answers on March 25 that he came back to his Mother's house in New Jersey without his wife. Later letters imply that the marriage is over. By May 18, Ella-May tells Walter that she loves him. They continue writing love letters to each other, interspersed with news of their daily activities and the problem of annulling his marriage. Walter's Mother writes to him regularly.
Walter and Ella-May continue writing love letters to each other, interspersed with news of their daily activities and the problem of annulling his marriage. Walter's Mother writes to him regularly.
Walter is still working from Puerto Cabezas in Nicaragua.
Walter becomes a Free Mason. Ella-May asks Walter to either keep her letters in his desk or destroy them "because things I say to you sound very silly..."
Walter is still working from Puerto Cabezas in Nicaragua.
Ella-May writes about the murder of the negro foreman at the Logging Camp by Supt. Roy Byrd and how frightened her mother is. Walter's Mother visits him in Nicaragua.
Walter works from Rotterdam, Holland and is Captain of the S.S. Sacandego. He travels to and from the United States, mainly to Northeast ports. Walter and Ella-May continue writing their daily letters when apart, but they have more opportunities to see each other. They spend the months of June - September with each other. Walter is talking to a lawyer about the possibility that his first divorce wasn't final before he married the Brazilian wife, which means the 2nd marriage wasn't legal.
Walter still works from Rotterdam, Holland and is Captain of the S.S. Sacandego.
Ella-May gives her opinion on race as a reaction to the book "Africa-Slave or Free." She moves into her own apartment in New Orleans. The last time she saw Walter was on October 21, 1928. She's going to New Jersey to meet him and stay with his Mother.
Walter talks of his two marriages.
Ella-May visits Walter in New Jersey and later writes him about an incident with his Mother and states "never, never ask me to see her again..." She writes about the rail strike and the police, scabs and people killed.
Ella-May tells her boss, Mr. Heckert, that she is leaving and getting married. After Walter and Ella-May marry, they rent an apartment in Newark, New Jersey. Walter is still traveling between New Jersey and Rotterdam. Ella-May writes that she is homesick and lonely.
Walter's port of call keeps changing from Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Norfolk.
Walter is home for 52 days from December to January 1931.
Walter was relieved of command of the S.S. Sacandego. He is home and there are no letters between June 1931 and May 1932.
Walter's port is in the Soloman Islands and Ella-May lives in Pasadena, California. She writes Walter almost every day, but only one letter from Walter has survived.
Walter and Ella-May have moved to Long Beach, California where they continue to live until the 1940's. They are living frugally. Ella-May's family live nearby. Walter works on the George Washington and the America in August 1934. Walter's Mother writes in 1937 that she is sorry Walter is going to lose his job. She also informs him that Charles' ship blew up and he lost his job.
Scope and Contents Walter's Mother talks about moving from New Jersey and regrets time spent with "that man" but decides she is too old to move. There are very few letters between Walter and Ella-May since his port is near their home.
Ella-May writes to Walter while he is in San Jose, Costa Rica, Central America, La Paz, Baja California and Mexico.
In May, Walter is in Vancouver, Canada but by October he is a Lt. Commander of the USNR in San Francisco, California.
In April, Ella-May joins Walter in the Canal Zone for a month. In May, Walter is stationed on the USS Bullfinch in Yorktown while at the Mine Warfare School. Ella-May is very ill from a tooth extraction and uses a Christian Science member to heal her.
Scope and Contents Walter's address is "Lt. Commander of the USS Parakeet" Balboa, Canal Zone, but later he is with the USS Magpie Section Base in Cristabal, Canal Zone.
Ella-May orders a new white uniform and cap for Walter. She prepares for her trip to the Canal Zone by buying luggage, clothes and getting shots.
On August 18, Walter writes "If you find it necessary to throw away a lot of old letters why do so dearest because there is no use leaving them around for other people to read." She replies "All afternoon I have been tearing up letters so I can burn them in the incinerator...it is awful to lose and to throw any of the beautiful letters you have written to me." In Ella-May's August 18 letter, she relates the situation across the hall from her where a step-dad beats his step-daughter and makes her do menial work. Walter's address changes to SS Magpie.
Ella-May has a reaction to the shots required to go to the Canal Zone. Ella-May completes her ship plans for her trip, but Walter wants her to fly. Walter berates her for not letting him initially help since he is more experienced with travelling.
Ella-May has moved out of her apartment and flies to the Canal Zone to live with Walter. Walter's brother, Charlie, has also arrived in the Canal Zone needing a job and money. Many details about the process to get from California to the Canal Zone.
Ella-May writes that she plans to join Walter for a month in Yorktown, Virginia.
Walter is stationed on the USS Bullfinch in the Canal Zone and Ella-May is living in Pasadena, California.
On January 1, 1943, Walter writes from the U.S. Naval Hospital in Balboa, Canal Zone, that he has been in the hospital for two weeks and has been told that he needs six months rest. On January 8, he says he is leaving Panama and hopes he can stay in the Navy. Other letters during these years are either from or to Ella-May's sister, Lydia Vaughan of Orange, New Jersey or from George and Clara Potts of Los Angeles, California. These families are relatives of Ella-May.
Letters to Ella-May Rathbun in Pasadena, California from family and friends.