Collection: Dawkins Family papers | Archival Collections

Dates

1883-1931
Majority of material found within 1912-1923

Conditions governing access

This collection is open to the public and must be used in the Special Collections Reading Room. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.

Conditions governing use

Photocopies or digital surrogates may be provided in accordance with Special Collections and University Archives duplication policy.

Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs unless otherwise specified. It is the researcher's responsibility to secure permission to publish materials from the appropriate copyright holder.

Archival materials may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal and/or state right to privacy laws or other regulations. While we make a good faith effort to identify and remove such materials, some may be missed during our processing. If a researcher finds sensitive personal information in a collection, please bring it to the attention of the special collections reading room staff.

Extent

2.00 Linear Feet (2.00 linear feet and 12 items)

2.00 Linear Feet

12 Items (2 diaries and 10 photographs)

Additional Description

Scope and Content of Collection

The Dawkins Family papers cover the period 1883 to 1931 with most of the material dated between 1912 and 1923. The collection consists of correspondence, diaries, newspaper clippings, and photographs. This collection consists primarily of correspondence from Young Parran Dawkins and Althea Elizabeth Dorsey and their five children: James, Mary, Young Parran, Walter, and Eva, and the children of James and Mary Dawkins.

Family History

Young Parran Dawkins (1820-1883) married Althea Elizabeth Dorsey (1824-1878) in 1842. Both were from well-known families in St. Mary's and Calvert counties, Maryland. They had five children: James Alexander Dawkins (1845-1920), Mary (1849-1850), Young Parran (1856-1899), Walter Ireland (1858-1936), and Eva (1864-1917). This collection consists primarily of correspondence from this generation of the Dawins family and the children of James and Mary Dawkins.

James Dawkins lived in Baltimore, where he was a partner in a tobacco sales business. For a few years before his death he was also a police magistrate. A life-long Democrat, he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1903 and was re-elected to an unprecedented sixth term in 1913. He married twice. Following the death of his first wife, Melissa Polk Bryant (1845-1875), and their son, James (1875-1876), he married Mary Lizzie Deming (1857-1923) of Norfolk, Virginia, in 1881. She was the daughter of Edward C. and Frances Deming and had seven siblings, five of whom survived her: Joseph, Portius, Anna, Lucy, and Walter Burrell.

James and Mary had three children: Francis Althea (1884-1965), Young Parran (1887-?), and Mary Deming (1889-1967). Frances was a school teacher; she never married. Young married Betty ? (1887-1973) in 1914 and they had one son, Young Parran (1916-1988). Mary married Herbert S. Michael (1881-1967) in 1909. They had two children: Mary Francis (1914-?) and Herbert Jr. (1921-1923).

Walter Ireland Dawkins was an associate judge of the Supreme Bench, Baltimore City, 1911-1934; he never married. Eva married James Steed Edelen (1858-?) of Prince George’s County, Maryland; they had no children.

Arrangement

The collection is organized into four series.

Series 1: Correspondence
Series 2: Diaries
Series 3: Newspaper Clippings
Series 4: Photographs

Custodial History and Acquisition Information

The University of Maryland Libraries acquired this collection in 1972.

Processing Information

The collection was originally processed by D.M.M. The papers were placed in acid-free folders and stored in acid-free boxes.

Topics

Administrative Information

Title: Guide to the Dawkins Family papers
Status: Completed
Author: Unknown.
Date: 1974-09-20
Description rules: Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description: English
Script of description: Code for undetermined script
Language of description note: Finding aid written in English.

Revision Statements

2007-04-15: EAD markup checked and verified using JEdit software by Jennie A. Levine.
2011-10: Reprocessed by Terry Ann Sayler.
2012-09-18: EAD markup checked and verified using Oxygen software by Joanne Archer.
2017-07-17: Finding aid checked and verified following ArchivesSpace migration by Nancy Harrison Gage.
2018-03-30: Finding aid reviewed and minor updates made by Caitlin Rizzo.
2021-05-18: Hannah Frisch revised the collection by expanding the Conditions Governing Use and Access, and Processing Information and editing the Scope and Contents and series level description. She also made changes to the language regarding race.

Library Details

Part of the Special Collections and University Archives

http://www.lib.umd.edu/special

Contact:
University of Maryland Libraries
Hornbake Library
4130 Campus Drive
College Park Maryland 20742
301-405-9212
askhornbake@umd.edu

Dawkins Family papers

Dates

Conditions governing access

Conditions governing use

Extent

Additional Description

Scope and Content of Collection

Family History

Arrangement

Custodial History and Acquisition Information

Processing Information

Topics

Administrative Information

Revision Statements

Library Details

Library Details

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