Eli M. Oboler Library
Edna M. Dubois-Table of Contents
Scope and Content
The Dubois Collection, as originally received by the Historical Museum (University of Idaho Southern Branch, now Idaho State University) in the 1930s, contained the papers of Fred and Edna Dubois, their daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret (Toussaint), and the papers of C. E. Arney(the senator's personal secretary). After close examination of the papers it was decided that the papers of each of the above individuals would be treated as separate collections.
The Edna M. Dubois Collection contains the equivalent of approximately 12 five-inch wide boxes of her family and business correspondence, speeches, subject files, newspaper clippings, and memorabilia. Individual photographs are maintained in a separate photograph collection.
The collection mainly covers the period after her husband's return to the Senate in 1901 until her death in 1931. The collection focuses on Mrs. Dubois' work with many women's groups, her activities concerning child welfare, the family's financial affairs, and politics. Scholars will find this collection especially useful for information on women's organizations, child welfare, the George Washington Bi-Centennial Commission, and as a supplement to the Fred T. Dubois Collection.
A new filing order was established to replace the original order which has been lost over the years. The correspondence files have been arranged chronologically. Items with incomplete dates have been filed at the end of each month, or year, if that part of the date is reasonably certain. Undated material is located at the end of the correspondence file. Fragments of letters, and letters between other people, have been filed in the main correspondence file, when possible.
The subject headings reflect some, though not all, of Mrs. Dubois' interests, and are representative of what topics might be found in the correspondence files. A great deal of the material relating to the George Washington Bi-Centennial Commission is located in the correspondence files.
Most of the financial records for the Dubois family appear to have have been handled by Mrs. Dubois. So, with few exceptions the financial records have been consolidated and maintained in the Edna M. Dubois Collection. The cancelled checks distort the number of items in the collection, since they account for 3,723 of the 5,970 items in the collection.
For the most part news clippings do not include the source or date. Among the few miscellaneous items at the end of the collection is a scrapbook of newspaper articles by Edna Whited (ca. 1896) which pre-date most of the other materials in the collection.
Edna M. Dubois(1875-1931)
Chronology
| 1875 | Edna Maxfield Whited was born in Morrison, Illinois, May 31. |
| ca.1896-1898 | She was president of the South Dakota State Federation of Women's Clubs. Organized new groups in several cities. Gave welcome address at the 1st Annual Convention of the South Dakota Mothers Clubs(Feb. 4-5, 1897). She was employed as a school teacher, and was an organizer of the kindergarten movement in South Dakota. |
| 1899 | Married Fred T. Dubois, January 11, in Chicago. |
| 1900 | First child, Elizabeth Mary, was born May 17, in Blackfoot, Idaho. |
| Fred was re-elected as Idaho's U.S. Senator. | |
| 1903 | Edna Margaret (Toussaint) Dubois was born December 23, in Washington, D.C. |
| 1905 | Accompanied Fred on a trip to the Orient and the Philippines with a senatorial commission led by William Howard Taft. Edna served as the official chaperone for Alice Roosevelt and two companions. |
| 1906 | Fred was defeated for re-election to the Senate. |
| 1911-1914 | President of the Dubois Lateral Ditch Company, Limited. |
| ca.1913-1914 | Served as Treasurer for the District of Columbia Big Sister Organization, Chairman of the Red Light District Visiting Committee. Was Publicity Chairman and Vice-President of the National Congress of Mothers & Parent-Teacher Association. |
| 1928 | President of the Georgetown Progressive Citizens Assn. |
| 1930 |
Fred T. Dubois died, Feb. 14, in Washington, D.C..
Edna was appointed director of the Juvenile Division of the George Washington Bi-Centennial Commission by President Hoover in August. |
| 1931 |
Was a delegate for the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs to the Sixth Conference on the Cause and Cure of War, held in Washington, D.C., January 19-22.
Edna Dubois died August 18, in Chicago, Illinois. She was buried in Morrison, Illinois. |
Manuscript Collection (MC003)
Processed by: Gary Domitz
Completed: August,1985
Collection size: 4 linear feet item count = 5,980
Located: Eli Oboler Library - Archives; Idaho State University
This register is the final product of a grant funded by the Association for the Humanities in Idaho and sponsored by Idaho State University, Eli M. Oboler Library.
Related Collections:
Fred T. Dubois Collection (MC 004)
Toussaint Dubois Collection (MC 005)
Charles E. Arney Collection (MC 006)
PMC 004 Photographs...