Summary Information
Thomas and Wentworth Family Papers 1861-1940
- Thomas, Winfield Wentworth, b. 1879
UWM Manuscript Collection 74
1.6 cubic ft. (4 boxes)
UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)
Collection consists almost entirely of correspondence among
the Wentworth family members, particularly that of William Wentworth Thomas and his wife,
Minnie Pearl Higley Thomas. For the most part, these deal with personal family matters such
as the children and day-to-day domestic events. Travel diaries and personal journals of his
aunt, Kate Thomas, are also included, which relate her travels to Europe and Asia and
provide brief daily entries from 1870-1900 with few gaps. The collection also contains
miscellaneous business records including invoices, bills of lading, and contractual
agreements of The Thomas Brass & Iron Company which was founded by William's father,
Richard J. Thomas. The remainder of the collection consists of genealogical histories of the
Wentworth and Pike families. English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-mil-uwmmss0074 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Both the Thomas and Wentworth families represented made important contributions to the
history of Wisconsin in the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Winfield Wentworth Thomas was born in Milwaukee, in 1879, to Richard J. and Florence
Wentworth Thomas. W. W. Thomas' father helped establish Bebb, Thomas & Co. in 1872.
The company's name was modified several times over the next twenty years and was also known
as the Thomas, Badgley & Wentworth Mfg. Co., The Thomas & Wentworth Mfg.
Co., and finally, The Thomas Brass & Iron Co. The company was, according to its
stationary, a manufacturer of "steam goods; gas fitters', brewers', and plumbers' supplies;
and dealers of wrought iron pipe fittings." The company was incorporated in 1882.
Florence Wentworth Thomas' father was Robert B. Wentworth, supposedly a direct descendant
of Reginald Wentworth, owner of the lordship of Wentworth, Yorkshire at the time of the
Norman Conquest in 1066. He was born in Buxton, Maine in 1827. In 1848 he moved to Madison,
Wisconsin, and was the state printer through 1850-1852. After that, he moved to Juneau and
founded the Dodge County Gazette, one of the first newspapers
printed in that county. In 1857, he moved to Portage, Wisconsin and purchased the Independent, which he changed to the Portage City Record. In the meantime he helped to organize the Wisconsin Press
Association in 1853 and served as secretary at its first meeting.
Later, Robert B. Wentworth went into the grain business, constructing a large grain
elevator on the bank of the ship canal connecting the Fox and Wisconsin rivers. He also
helped to organize the Portage & Green Bay Transportation Co., which for many years
operated a line of steamboats and barges between Portage and Green Bay. In addition he was
involved in organizing the Portage Hosiery Co., which manufactured socks for the lumber
industry, and the City Bank of Portage.
Florence Wentworth Thomas' mother was Lydia Pike, a direct descendant of Major Robert Pike
who was in charge of the forces east of the Merrimac river at the time of the French and
Indian war.
Scope and Content Note
The collection consists of family and business records of a family in Milwaukee and a
related family in Portage, Wisconsin, covering the years 1861-1940. The bulk of the
collection is personal correspondence among the Thomas and Wentworth families, primarily
that of Winfield Wentworth Thomas and his wife Minnie Pearl Higley Thomas. The
correspondence largely deals with the everyday happenings and concerns of the Thomas and
Wentworth families. There are numerous family photographs, including some early processes
such as albumen prints, cyanotypes, and a tintype.
Winfield W. Thomas was an avid book collector and there are two folders which contain
correspondence, invoices, and notes pertaining to the books and authors which he collected.
There are several folders which contain the travel journals of Kate Thomas, William's aunt,
and her diaries from 1870-1917. Collection also contains genealogical information on Thomas'
mother's side of the family, the Wentworths and the Pikes. It includes pedigree charts in
the form of lists; information from the Pike Family Association of America; and various
newspaper clippings and correspondence relevant to the families involved. Two folders
contain photographs taken of the Thomas and Wentworth family members which generally include
notations indicating name or relationship of persons represented. There are also two folders
of memorabilia, among which there is a well-preserved, full-color banner from the centennial
celebration at the international exhibition in Philadelphia. Also included is a journal
which had belonged to Lydia Pike, grandmother of Winfield W. Thomas, containing poems
written for Lydia between 1846-1851.
Winfield Wentworth Thomas' father, Richard J. Thomas, founded the Thomas Brass &
Iron Co. The collection contains one folder of the firm's business records, mostly contract
agreements, receipts, and catalogs listing the goods which the company manufactured or
distributed. No information in regard to the company's size or annual production is
included.
Arrangement of the Materials
The files are organized alphabetically by personal name or by subject, then
chronologically.
Preferred Citation
Citation Guide for
Primary Sources
Administrative/Restriction Information
There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all
members of the public in accordance with state law.
The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel,
privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin
Statutes 19.21-19.39).
An unknown donor donated the collection to the Milwaukee Public Library at an unknown
date. The Milwaukee Public Library transferred the collection to the Archives in April
1991 (accession 95-050).
Mike Klawitter and Kyle Krause processed the collection at the Archives in May-October
1991. In February 2012, Bob Jaeger rehoused the photographs and put the collection into
new boxes.
Contents List
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Photographs
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|
Box
1
Folder
1
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Homes, undated
|
|
Box
1
Folder
2
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Miscellaneous, 1890s-1920s, undated
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|
Box
1
Folder
3-4
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Outdoor Scenes, undated
|
|
Box
1
Folder
5
|
Party, undated
|
|
Box
1
Folder
6
|
"Photographs for Winfield", 1920, undated
|
|
Box
1
Folder
7
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Portraits, 1860s-1870s 13 cartes de visite
|
|
Box
1
Folder
8
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Portraits, 1870s-1900s 14 card photographs
|
|
Box
1
Folder
9
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Portraits, 1880s-1910s
|
|
Box
1
Folder
10
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Winfield, Thomas, 1906 2 cyanotypes
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|
Box
1
Folder
11
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Trips, undated
|
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Box
1
Folder
12
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Unidentified Woman, 1873 1 tintype
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|
Box
1
Folder
13
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Wentworth Home in Maine and Surrounding Area, undated
|
|
Box
1
Folder
14
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Wisconsin Scenes and Persons, undated
|
|
Box
2
Folder
1
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Pike, Lydia, 1847
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|
Box
2
Folder
2
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Thomas Brass & Iron Co., 1861-1917
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|
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Thomas, Kate
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Box
2
Folder
3
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Correspondence and Travel, 1899-1940
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Box
2
Folder
4-6
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Diaries, 1870-1890
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|
Box
3
Folder
1-2
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Diaries, 1891-1917, undated
|
|
Box
3
Folder
3-4
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Thomas, Minnie Pearl Higley, 1902-1917
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|
Box
3
Folder
5
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Thomas, Richard J. and Florence W., 1879-1909
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|
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Thomas, Winfield Wentworth
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Box
3
Folder
6
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Correspondence, 1885-1938
|
|
Box
4
Folder
1-2
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Correspondence, 1904-1925
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|
Box
4
Folder
3
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Book Collection, Correspondence, 1901-1960
|
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Box
4
Folder
4
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Book Collection, Notes, 1917-1951
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Box
4
Folder
5-6
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Memorabilia, undated
|
|
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Wentworth Family
|
|
Box
4
Folder
7
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Correspondence, 1871-1927
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Box
4
Folder
8
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Histories and Genealogies, undated
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