Collection #

M 0470

 

 

Frances O. Patterson
Papers, 1862–1969

Collection Information

Biographical Sketch

Scope and Content Note

Series Contents

Cataloging Information

 

 

 

Processed by
Anna Marie Lamberti
1 July 1988

Updated by
Emily Scott
January 17, 2007

Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269

www.indianahistory.org

 

COLLECTION INFORMATION

VOLUME OF
COLLECTION:

Manuscript Materials: 1 box
Visual Materials: 1 box of photographs, 1 box OVB photographs, 1 folder of color photographs, 1 box of tintypes
Artifacts: 15 artifacts

COLLECTION
DATES:

1862–1969

PROVENANCE:

Gift of Frances Patterson, Indianapolis, IN, 1986, 1989

RESTRICTIONS:

None

COPYRIGHT:

 

REPRODUCTION
RIGHTS:

Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society.

ALTERNATE
FORMATS:

None

RELATED
HOLDINGS:

 

ACCESSION
NUMBER:

1986.0548, 1989.0434

NOTES:

 

BIOGRAPHiCAL SKETCH

In 1916, Jennie Tyree married Jesse Fowlkes and moved to Muskegon, Michigan. Three children, Frances, Jesse Jr. and Paul were born of this union. When the marriage ended in divorce in 1923, Jennie returned with her children to live in Indianapolis at her family home on 421 Hiawatha. Later her family obtained a small house, located on Boulevard Place, which they shared with Jennie's sister, Sarah D. Tyree. Except for a few early years that Paul spent in Chicago with his maternal uncle and his wife, Jennie's children grew up and attended school in Indianapolis. Frances graduated from Crispus Attucks in 1936; Jesse in 1937 and Paul in 1940.

Jessie Jr. spent time in France with the U.S. Army during World War II. About 1945, he settled in Cleveland, OH. Frances attended Tennessee State College in the forties and later graduated from a nursing certification program through the Indianapolis Public School System. During the 1960's she spent time in Cleveland with her brother, Jesse. Paul, who attended Alabama State Teachers College, moved to Washington D.C. in the late 1940's, where he married and became a professional photographer.

 

Sources:

Materials in collection.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

Series 1: The Frances O. Patterson Papers contain many letters written over the generations by the members of her extensive family. The correspondence spans the years from 1896 to 1968. The central figure in the collection is Jennie Tyree Fowlkes, the mother of Frances O. Fowlkes Patterson. Jennie Tyree Fowlkes was born in 1890. The birth and death records in the collection place the individual family members into historical perspective. Letters sent to Paul Fowlkes and his Mother between 1930 and into the 1940's discuss his possible scholarship to the State Teachers College of Alabama. The Patterson Papers also include pension papers and a military release for Charles Tyree who had served in the U.S. Colored Infantry in the U.S. Civil War. Other family business contracts, receipts and bills from the years 1909 to 1945 are included in the papers. Items such as graduation announcements, divorce papers, and religious pamphlets also form a part of the Patterson collection.

Series 2: The Frances O. Patterson Collection contains photographs of both family members and clients of the Fowlkes Photography Studio. Most of the photographs are formal portraits. One section contains photographs taken by Jasper Tyree while in the Philippines fighting the Spanish-American war. Many of the photographs are unused post cards. There are also photographs of Jesse Tyree’s home on 2532 Boulevard Place and of the Fowlkes Photography Studio. Thirteen formal tintypes are included in the collection; most are identified as family members.

series CONTENTS

Series 1: Correspondence; Family Business and Family Records

CONTENTS

CONTAINER

Letters to Charles and Lucy Tyree, 1869–1923

Box 1, Folder 1

Letters to Jennie Tyree Fowlkes; 1900–1929

Box 1, Folder 2

Letters to Jennie Tyree Fowlkes; 1931–1959

Box 1, Folder 3

Letters to Jennie Tyree Fowlkes; 1960–1969

Box 1, Folder 4

Letters to Sarah D. Tyree; 1922–1951

Box 1, Folder 5

Letters to and from Paul Fowlkes; 1928–1934

Box 1, Folder 6

Letters to and from Paul Fowlkes; 1940–1944

Box 1, Folder 7

Letters from Paul and Margaret Fowlkes; 1946–1969, n.d.

Box 1, Folder 8

Letters from Jess Fowlkes; 1929–1944

Box 1, Folder 9

Letters from Jesse and Ethel Fowlkes; 1945–1963

Box 1, Folder 10

Letters to and from Frances Fowlkes Patterson; 1930–1955

Box 1, Folder 11

Letters from Frances Fowlkes Patterson; 1962–1965

Box 1, Folder 12

Miscellaneous Correspondence; 1922–1968

Box 1, Folder 13

Unidentified Correspondence

Box 1, Folder 14

Postcards and other miscellaneous cards

Box 1, Folder 15

Family business letters; 1903–1961

Box 1, Folder 16

Bills, receipts, and contracts; 1909–1952

Box 1, Folder 17

Military documents; 1865–1939

Box 1, Folder 18

Documents other than military; 1891–1941

Box 1, Folder 19

Birth records

Box 1, Folder 20

Obituaries

Box 1, Folder 21

Programs, 1914–1959

Box 1, Folder 22

Letters from transmittal

Box 1, Folder 23

Religious material

Box 1, Folder 24

Original writing

Box 1, Folder 25

Clippings

Box 1, Folder 26

Fowlkes Photography Order Forms

Box 1, Folder 27

Series 2: Photographs, Tintypes, and Artifacts

CONTENTS

CONTAINER

Family Group Portraits
Contains children and adult portraits of family members, includes photograph of the 100th Anniversary of the Second Baptist Church in 1946.

Photographs:
Box 1, Folder 1

Portraits of Patsy, Jane (Jennie), Sarah, and Ocea Tyree; Frances Fowlkes.
One portrait contains Frances Fowlkes as a young child with her grandmother Ida Walker.  Portrait of Jennie and Sarah standing together,

Photographs:
Box 1, Folder 2

Portraits of Francis, Jessie, and Paul Fowlkes
Includes high school graduation portraits of Frances, Paul, and Jessie.

Photographs:
Box 1, Folder 3

Portraits of Francis, Jessie, and Paul Fowlkes as Older Adults (Color Photos)
Includes headstone of Chas. Tyree

Color Photographs:
Folder 1

Miscellaneous Portraits of Friends and Distant Relatives
Includes portrait of nurses on Senate Ave. in Michigan, portrait of IPS principal Kathryn Stafford Ervin.

Photographs:
Box 1, Folder 4

Portrait of Thomas Covington Johnson, from Bowling Green, Ky. taught history and civics at Crispus Attucks H.S.

OVB Photographs:
Box 1, Folder 1

Portrait of Olivia Rodman, receptionist at Phyllis Wheatley Y.W.C.A., taken by Fowlkes Photography

OVB Photographs:
Box 1, Folder 2

Portrait of the pastor at Simpson United Methodist Church

OVB Photographs:
Box 1, Folder 3

Group portrait of men and women on stage area of an auditorium, some in group are holding “Gradale” and “Phalanx” shields

OVB Photographs:
Box 1, Folder 4

Family Home, 2532 Boulevard Place
Hand-tinted and black and white photographs of the home, photos of Jesse making home improvements.

Photographs:
Box 1, Folder 5

Wedding Photographs
All photographs of same unidentified couple on their wedding day.

Photographs:
Box 1, Folder 6

Philippines, Spanish-American War
Photographs of people, places, and military events.

Photographs:
Box 1, Folder 7

Philippines, Spanish-American War
Photograph of the execution of a “Chinese halfbreed” for leading a conspiracy, photograph of a headhunting tribe, photograph of a Filipino boy with deformed hand.

Photographs:
Box 1, Folder 8

Steps in Front of Blind School
Photograph of the front steps of the School for the Blind at College and 75th St. Indianapolis, IN

Photographs
Box 1, Folder 9

Fowlkes Photography Studio

Photographs:
Box 1, Folder 10

“Curfew” pictorial view of Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., photograph by Paul M. Fowlkes

OVB Photographs:
Box 1, Folder 5

“Swing!” pictorial photograph of workman swinging a pickax, photograph by Paul M. Fowlkes

OVB Photographs:
Box 1, Folder 6

Portraits of Jasper, Charles, Lewis, Myron, Oscar, and John Tyree
Most are professional photographs, some are unused postcards.

Photographs:
Box 1, Folder 11

Charles A. Tyree on boat with group on the Water Company Canal, Tyree appears to be one of the crew

OVB Photographs:
Box 1, Folder 7

Loose Tintypes

1. [Jasper Tyree] in military uniform
2. Ocea Mace Tyree as a child
3. Miss Mace sister of Lucy Jane Mace Tyree
4. Ocean Mace Tyree as a child
5. Miss Mace sister of Lucy Jane Mace
6. African Princess Missionary
7. Unidentified young boy
8. Lucy Jane Tyree and Chas. Wm. Tyree Jr.
9. Jasper Tyree as a baby
10. Jasper Tyree in christening dress
11. Chas. Wm. Tyree and Jasper Tyree as children
12. Unidentified man
13. Unidentified boy

Loose Tintypes:
Box 1

Artifacts: Medals, pins and, ribbons from the Civil War, Spanish American War, and WWI
Two brass stencil name plates for Lucy J. and Jeremiah A. Tyree

Artifacts:
R1112–1124,
1986.0548

CATALOGING INFORMATION

For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:

1.      Go to the Indiana Historical Society's online catalog:  http://opac.indianahistory.org/

2.      Click on the "Basic Search" icon.

3.      Select  "Call Number" from the "Search In:" box.

4.      Search for the collection by its basic call number (in this case, M0470).

5.      When you find the collection, go to the "Full Record" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.