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Claridge family photograph collection,

 Collection
Identifier: UUS_P0143

Scope and Contents

The Claridge Family photograph collection consists of around 290 photographs (mainly portraits), 10" x 14" and smaller, which include some historic formats such as cartes-de-visite and cabinet card portraits. Most of the photos are copy prints and there are a handful of color prints. Collectively these images chronicle the Claridge family from the 1870's until the 1980's.

Several of the photographs have corresponding glass plate negatives. Due to their fragility, these negatives have been removed and placed in a separate box listed in this inventory as Box 3. The negatives are listed under their original item number in Box 3. For example, item 1:06:01 has 3 prints and 2 regular negatives located in Folder 6 of Box 1, as well as 1 glass plate negative filed as 1:06:01 in Box 3. Seven glass plate images did not have corresponding photographs and so have been inventoried as Box 3 items, (e.g. 3:01 - 3:07). In most cases, a copy print of the glass plate negatives has been included with the negative in Box 3 in order to facilitate locating the item.

The photographs 2:19:08 - 2:19:14 were sent in a letter written by M. L. Abbott to Samuel Joy Claridge in 1948. The photographs and envelope were removed from Samuel Claridge Collection MS228c Part I, Box 4, Fd. 14, although the letter remained in the file. M.L. Abbott was presumably a great-grandson of John and Sarah Claridge Abbott. All information included in quotations (" ") are taken from inscriptions written on the back of the photographs. Photos in Box 2, Folder 22 were removed from the Samuel Claridge Collection MS228c, Part I, Box 5, Fd. 10, and are part of a memoir written by Samuel Joy Claridge entitled "A Visit to Arizona and Points South." The text is included in the folder.

Photographs in Box 2, Folder 23 are a set of "Photographic Views of Oregon," which have been removed from the Samuel Claridge Collection MS228c Part I, Box 6, Fd. 3. Accompanying each of these photographs is part of a text entitled "The Charms of Oregon, Being an Invitation to President Coolidge to Spend His 1927 Vacation in Oregon." This text is also available in the Samuel Claridge Collection MS228c in Part I, Box 6, Fd. 2. Descriptions included in quotation marks (" ") are taken directly from the photograph captions.

Dates

  • 1807-1989
  • Majority of material found within 1870-1949

Language of Materials

Collection materials are in English.

Restrictions

Open to public research.

Copyright

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Utah State University Libraries, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.

Permission to publish material from the Claridge family photograph collection must be obtained from the Special Collections Photograph Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Biographical note

Samuel Claridge was born on 5 December 1828 in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshaire, England. As a young man he ran a bakery in Hemel Hempstead. On 9 December 1849 he married Charlotte Joy (born 28 September 1819). Claridge joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in June 1851 and emigrated to Utah in 1853. He established a farm and home in Nephi, Utah. He married his second wife, Rebecca Hughes, in 1865. At a conference in 1868 he was called by Brigham Young to settle the Moapa Valley in Nevada. He and some of his family lived there from 1868 until February 1871 but returned to Utah following prosecution for polygamy. They lived in Mount Carmel before joining the United Order at Orderville. He was an officer, a leader, and supporting member for nearly ten years. During those years he went to England on a proselyting mission for the LDS Church. During the fall of 1883 he moved his family to the Gila Valley, Graham County, Arizona. His tent was one of the first staked at the site of the village of Thatcher. At Thatcher he continued farming and raised his numerous children. Claridge served as bishop of Thatcher for thirteen years before he was ordained a patriarch, a position he held until his death twenty-two years later.

Extent

3 boxes (1.5 linear ft.)

Abstract

Around 290 photographs (mainly portraits), 10" x 14" and smaller, which include some historic formats such as cartes-de-visite and cabinet card portraits. Most of the photos are copy prints and there are a handful of color prints. Collectively these images chronicle the Claridge family from the 1870's until the 1980's.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

These photographs were donated to Special Collections in 1996 by S. George Ellsworth. Mr. Ellsworth was the son of Julia Claridge and the grandson of Samuel Claridge.

Related Materials

S. George Ellsworth papers, 1916-1997 (COLL MSS 228)

Samuel Claridge research papers (COLL MSS 228c)

Separated Materials

Photographs removed from Samuel Claridge research papers (MS 228c) and S. George Ellsworth papers (MS 228).

Processing Information

Guide completed by Liz Woolcott, May 2004.

Title
Guide to the Claridge family photograph collection, 1807-1989
Author
Finding aid created by Liz Woolcott, May 2004.
Date
©2008
Description rules
Finding Aid Based On Dacs (Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition)
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding guide is in English in Latin script.
Sponsor
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008

Revision Statements

  • June 29, 2008: Template information was updated to reflect Utah Manuscript Association best practices.
  • 2009: Template information was updated to reflect Archives West best practice guidelines.

Repository Details

Part of the Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives Repository

Contact:
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan Utah 84322-3000 United States
435 797-8248
435 797-2880 (Fax)