MS 754 - Wilbert E. Harp Family Correspondence (Sandusky, Ohio)
MLA Citation
Tags
| Title | MS 754 - Wilbert E. Harp Family Correspondence (Sandusky, Ohio) |
|---|---|
| Subject | Business & Commerce |
| Introduction | The papers of Wilbert E. Harp comprise one linear feet of family correspondence, mostly between Wilbert and his wife, Dora, who resided in Cleveland and Sandusky, Ohio at the turn of the century. Harp was a traveling fence salesman, and the letters are from the time he spent on the road. The letters give a good indication of what life was like for a traveling salesman in the midwest at the turn of the century. The collection was acquired by the Center of Archival Collections through a gift from Jim and Roberta Pettit from Winston-Salem, North Carolina in January 2002. No restrictions exist on the use of this collection. Duplication is permitted for the purposes of preservation and research. The collection was processed by Marilyn Levinson, Curator of Manuscripts in May 2002, with the aid of BGSU graduate student Becky Dutton. Additional biographical information was added in April 2011 through the cooperation of Gail Harp and Dorothy Harp-Weber. |
| Biographical Sketch | Wilbert (Bert) E. Harp was born in New York in October, 1876. He spent the majority of his life in Ohio, primarily in Cleveland, and Sandusky. Harp married Dora Spangler on February 1, 1900 in Cleveland, Ohio, and they had six children, three boys and three girls. Harp was a traveling fence salesman/installer and his business took him to all parts of Ohio, into Michigan, Indiana, and as far west as Chicago, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri. Harp worked as an independent dealer and with two fence businesses. During the period of the correspondence in the collection Harp had his own company in 1902 called the “Harp Coop Company” in Sandusky, Ohio, which manufactured and sold folding steel shipping coops and baskets among other products. Harp also worked for the Boley Wire Fence Company, which manufactured heavy woven wire fencing. By 1904, Harp is working for the Anchor Fence and Manufacturing Company. After 1906, it appears that his travels no longer took him from home as often, and some time before 1916 he had a business "W.E. Harp General Hardware", located in Cleveland, Ohio. Due to concerns for his health, he sold the company and moved his family to Wellington, Ohio in 1928. After moving to Wellington, Wilbert was retired. Information from the family indicated that Wilbert had come up with the idea of the "Cyclone Fence". He gave his invention to the company he was working for at the time, and as a result, received no credit, or any royalties. After Dora's death in November 1951, Wilbert sold their home and stayed with his youngest son Bob, and family for a short time while preparing for his next relocation to Florida, where two daughters along with their families were living. He remained in Florida until his death in May 1961. Wilbert, Dora and infant son Wilbert (who died October 26, 1914) are buried at Alger Cemetery in Cleveland. |
| Scope and Content | Bert and Dora corresponded regularly during Wilbert's travels, often as frequently as every day. The letters detail Wilbert's experiences on the road, including the means of transportation he used (streetcar, horse, train), the hotels in which he stayed, and the people he encountered along the way. Harp's letters home reveal not only his business travels, but his personal life as well. He writes of how much he misses Dora, and occasionally sends her a stick of chewing gum or pressed flowers. Both individuals include sketches in their letters and express endearing affection for each other. After their first child is born in 1905, Wilbert addresses his letters to wife and baby, or wife and daughter. After 1906, he appears to have found a non-traveling occupation, and only a few letters from family members exist after 1906. Letters in the collection are arranged chronologically, then subdivided by correspondent, so the letters for a single year from each individual are grouped. |
| Series Description | CORRESPONDENCE CORRESPONDENCE - WILBERT E. HARP CORRESPONDENCE - DORA SPANGLER HARP CORRESPONDENCE - MISCELLANEOUS PRINTED MATERIAL BUSINESS CARDS ARTIFACTS PACKETS OF GUM |
| Inventory | Box 1 Folder 1
Folder 2--Dora Harp to Wilbert E. Harp
Folder 3--Dora Harp to Wilbert E. Harp
Folder 4--Wilbert E. Harp to Dora Harp
Folder 5--Wilbert E. Harp to Dora Harp
Folder 6--Dora Harp to Wilbert E. Harp
Box 2 Folder 1--Wilbert E. Harp to Dora Harp
Box 3 Folder 1--Wilbert E. Harp to Dora Harp
Folder 2--Wilbert E. Harp to Dora Harp
Folder 3--Wilbert E. Harp to Dora Harp
Folder 4--Wilbert E. Harp to Dora Harp
Folder 5--Wilbert E. Harp to Dora Harp
Folder 6 (Misc family letters to Dora)
Folder 7--Unmatched sheets, undated, or empty envelopes Folder 8--Miscellaneous business cards Folder 9--Sticks of gum |