Winifred Ruth O'Rear Diaries

Collection

Identifier: MSS-4133

No requestable containers

Scope and Contents

The collection contains two diaries written in 1936 and 1937 by Winifred Ruth O'Rear of Mentone, Alabama. The diaries have entries for each day listing chores done, visitors, going to church, sewing, cooking, etc.

Dates

Creation: 1936-1937

Creator

O'Rear, Winifred Ruth (Person)

Biographical / Historical

Winifred Ruth O'Rear, youngest daughter of Samuel A. and Alice Mason O'Rear, was born on February 23, 1900, probably in Mentone, Alabama. Never marrying, she lived with her parents and after her father's death in 1911, remained with her mother. In the 1930 United States census, Alice O'Rear is listed as the head of the household but by the time these diaries were written in 1936 and 1937, she was apparently suffering from some type of debilitating illness as Winifred writes in them about her mother's health and having to care for her. The 1940 census shows Winifred as the head of the household and indicates that her sister Jessie Whitehead, along with Jessie's husband Paul O. and son James B. Whitehead, were living with her. Alice is not listed as she died in 1939. Winifred died on September 1, 1984, in Mentone.

Extent

0.1 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Mid-1930s diaries of a northeast Alabama woman

Provenance

purchased from Benjamin Katz, 2015

General

To provide faster access to our materials, this finding aid was published without formal and final review. Email us at archives@ua.edu if you find mistakes or have suggestions to make this finding aid more useful for your research.