Guide to Reading Letter Transcriptions
Some of these features are only visible when "plain text" is off.
| Textual Feature | Appearance |
|---|---|
| passage deleted with a strikethrough mark | |
| passage deleted by overwritten added letters | |
| passage added above the line | passage with added text above |
| passage added on the line | passage with added text inline |
| passage added in the margin | passage with text added in margin |
| handwritten addition to a typewritten letter | typed passage with added handwritten text |
| missing or unreadable text | missing text noted with "[illegible]" |
| uncertain transcriptions | word[?] |
| notes written by someone other than Willa Cather | Note in another's hand |
| printed letterhead text | printed text |
| text printed on postcards, envelopes, etc. | printed text |
| text of date and place stamps | stamped text |
| passage written by Cather on separate enclosure. | written text |
I certainly had nothing to do with the "biographical sketch5. I didn't even live it!
The only correct biographical
sketch6 ever printed was written by a young professor7 in the university of Lyons8, P
for his Ph.D. degree. It was written in french, of course, and there was not one mis-statement in it. He ven
even spelled Father's9 middle name right. (It is a french proper name, Fectigue.) The young professor came to this country10, but where and how he got his
material is a mystery. He certainly did not bother me.
I am allowed to take off my brace11 for one hour a day to practice pen-man-ship!!
Please thank Meta12 for writing to me. I was so pleased to get her letter.
Lovingly Willie February 1st FROM CATHER 570 PARK AVE.3, NEW YORK CITY2 Mr. R. C. Cather1, First Savings Bank of Colusa, Colusa,4 California. NEW YORK N.Y.2 FEB 2[illegible] 1 PMInformation about this letter:
- Source File:
- cat.let2239.xml
- Letter identifier
- 2239
- Contents
- Document is one leaf, handwritten on recto only. Includes one envelope, typewritten.
- Person to whom letter was written
- Roscoe Cather1
- Date letter was written
- February 1 [1944]
- Explanation of conjectured date
-
Though the year is not completely discernible on the postmark, there appears to be a final "4" which, combined with context clues, tells us this was written in 1944.
- Place letter was written
- New York, New York, United States2
- Location of original letter
- Roscoe and Meta Cather Collection (MS316), University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Archives & Special Collections, Lincoln, NE
Individual Annotations
570 Park Avenue (New York City): The apartment Cather shared with Edith Lewis from December 11, 1932, until her death, located in the Manhattan borough of New York City, near Central Park. They had apartment 7D. Lewis continued to live there until her own death.
Cather is likely referencing a biographical sketch published in a periodical. In early 1944 there were many articles about Cather published in a variety of newspapers in recognition of the gold medal Cather received from the National Institute of Arts and Letters.
Cather may be referring to Albert Feuillerat's article "Romancières américaines: Willa Cather," published in Le Figaro on May 16, 1930. Though the article is a broad appreciation of her works, it begins with a traditional biographical sketch.
Though elements of Cather's description of the professor overlap with Albert Feuillerat's life--he was a scholar who left France to teach in the United States--Feuillerat did not get his PhD at Lyons and published his sketch of Cather when he was 56 years old. Additionally, Cather corresponded at least twice with Feuillerat before his sketch was published and shared some information with him. Cather's awareness and approval of Feuillerat's work, however, suggests he is possibly the person she is referencing, despite the inconsistencies.
A brace built specifically for her injured right hand by Dr. Frank Ober of Boston in 1941 (#2179).
Person Annotations
Cather, Roscoe (1877-1945) (“Ross”). Cather’s brother.
Roscoe was born in Virginia, the second child and oldest son of
Charles and Virginia Cather. After graduating from Red Cloud (NE) High
School in 1895, he taught country school for two years, attended the
University of Nebraska in Lincoln for one year (1897-1898), taught high
school in Carlton, NE, and Oxford, NE, and finally became superintendent of
schools in Fullerton, NE. There he met fellow teacher Meta Schaper, whom he
married in 1907. They relocated to Lander, WY, in 1909, where he opened an
abstract office and where their three children, Virginia and twins Margaret
and Elizabeth, were born. In 1921, they moved to Casper, WY, where Roscoe
became president of the Wyoming Trust Company, and in 1937 to Colusa, CA,
where Roscoe and his brother Douglass had acquired a controlling interest in
the First Savings Bank of Colusa. Roscoe served as president of the bank
until his death. Willa visited Roscoe and his family in Wyoming several
times and shared important travel experiences with them, including a 1926
trip to New Mexico with Roscoe, Meta, and their children and a 1941 San
Francisco vacation with Roscoe and Meta. She also relied on him to handle
family-related business as well as personal financial matters, and he was
one of her chief correspondents throughout her life. Roscoe served as a
prototype for one of the twin brothers in the Templeton family in “Old Mrs.
Harris” (1932).
Cather, Charles Fectigue (1848-1928). Cather’s father.
Charles Fectigue (possibly Fectique) Cather was born in the Back
Creek Valley of Virginia, north of Winchester. His family were sheep raisers
who were largely, but not entirely, Union supporters during the Civil War.
He married Mary Virginia Seibert Boak, daughter of Confederate supporters,
in 1872. In 1883 he and his family followed his parents, William and
Caroline Cather, and brother George to Webster County in Nebraska, where
various cousins and uncles had also settled. Initially he ran a ranch in the
county but soon moved his family into the town of Red Cloud, where he had an
insurance and real estate business. Four of his children, Willa, Roscoe,
Charles, and Jessica, were born in Virginia, while three, James, Elsie, and
John, were born in Nebraska. Cather’s relationship with her father was very
warm: she made regular visits to her parents in Red Cloud and especially
enjoyed her father’s letters expressing appreciation of her novels. A week
after she concluded a visit to her ailing father in Red Cloud, he died of
heart disease. He served as the prototype for Hillary Templeton in “Old Mrs.
Harris” (1932).
Cather, Meta Schaper (1884-1973). Cather’s sister-in-law.
Meta Schaper was born in Plattsmouth, NE, the second daughter of
Robert and Julia Ramke Schaper. After graduating from the University of
Nebraska in Lincoln 1903, Meta Schaper taught at Havelock High School in her
hometown of Havelock, NE (now part of Lincoln). She met Roscoe Cather when
teaching in Fullerton, NE, and they married in 1907. They moved to Lander,
WY, in 1909, where she gave birth to three daughters, Virginia and twins
Margaret and Elizabeth. The family moved to Casper, WY, in 1921 and Colusa,
CA, in 1937. Willa visited Meta and Roscoe’s family in Wyoming several times
and shared important travel experiences with them, including a 1926 trip to
New Mexico with Meta, Roscoe, and their children and a 1941 San Francisco
vacation with Roscoe and Meta. Meta and Willa remained friends until Willa’s
death.
Place Annotations
