Guide to the Atwater Family Papers, 1843


Descriptive Summary
Repository	Special Collections & Archives, Wesleyan University
Creator	Atwater family.
Title	Atwater Family Papers,
Dates	1843 - 1943
Linear Feet	3.5
Archival Boxes	7
Abstract	The Atwater family included Wilbur O. Atwater, Wesleyan alumnus and professor, and his wife, Marcia Woodard Atwater. They had two children: Helen Woodard Atwater, a home economist and Charles Woodard Atwater, a lawyer.
	The Atwater Family Papers contain the publications, personal papers and letters of members of Wilbur Olin Atwater's family. The collection centers around Wilbur Olin Atwater, Marcia Atwater (his wife), William Atwater (his father), Helen Atwater (his daughter) and Charles Atwater (his son). The majority of the collection is composed of letters written and received by the aforementioned people. They primarily discuss familial, financial or personal matters; with the exception of the papers of Helen Atwater, for whom there is a significant collection of papers and publications relating to her work in the field of Home Economics. The correspondence centers on family topics; current events are rarely discussed in the letters.
Call Number	1000-145
Location	For current information on the location of these materials, please consult Special Collections & Archives staff.
Language of Material	Material in English

Biographical Note

Wilbur O. Atwater (May 3, 1844-Sept. 22, 1907) was born the son of Minister William Atwater and Eliza Barnes Atwater in the small town of Johnsburg, New York. After growing up in Vermont and spending his first two years of college at the University of Vermont, he transferred to Wesleyan University and received his BA in 1865. He went on to receive his M.A. (1868) and Ph.D. (1869) from Yale University, studying agricultural chemistry; he later obtained his LL. D. from the University of Vermont (1904). A world-renowned chemist, particularly in agricultural chemistry, he is best known for his role in the development of the Calorimeter, which enabled the calculation of caloric content in food items. In 1874 he married Marcia Woodard; they had two children, Helen Woodard and Charles Woodard. He became a Professor at Wesleyan University in 1873 and he remained at the post until his death in 1907.

Helen Woodard Atwater (May 29, 1876-1947) was born in Somerville, Massachusetts to Wilbur Olin Atwater and Marcia Woodard Atwater. She received her B.A. from Smith College, a graduate of the class of 1897. She then became an editorial assistant to her father, which entailed preparing his material for publications. The experience provided her with an expansive knowledge of issues of nutrition as well as the opportunity to publish some of her own popular work on the subject. In 1909 she went on to spend the next fourteen years working as a scientific consultant for the Office of Home Economics in the United State Department of Agriculture; she wrote and edited bulletins relating to food, nutrition and other issues of home economics. During World War I she was placed on the Women's Committee of the Council of National Defense as the Executive Chairman of Food Production and Home Economics. When she left the Department in 1923, she joined the American Home Economics Association in Washington, D.C., becoming the first full-time editor of their official publication, The Journal of Home Economics. The Journal was a prestigious publication dealing with issues in the growing field of Home Economics. Through her position in the Association she was able to shape the organization's policies and image. She remained with the Association for 18 years; during that time she held various positions, including secretary of the International Committee and alternate for the Women's Joint Congressional Committee, of which she was Chairman for two years. Furthermore, as a member of the White House Conference on Child Health and Protection, she worked with the President's Conference on Home Building and Home Ownership. She was a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and was extended honorary membership to Phi Upsilon Omicron and Omicron Nu. She passed away in 1947 having never married.

Charles Woodard Atwater (April 23, 1885-March 24, 1946) was the son of Wilbur Olin Atwater and Marcia Woodard Atwater, born nine years junior to his sister Helen Woodard. He graduated from Wesleyan University in 1906 with a Ph. B. and Honors for general scholarship. He then went on to spend the next three years getting his law degree at Harvard Law School. In 1910 he moved to New York and began his law career; three years later he established his own law firm, Atwater and Clarke. From 1918-1919 he served as the Attorney General for the Southern District of New York. He also served as honorary consul and honorary consul general for Siam (Thailand) beginning in 1924. Charles married Alice Caroline Merriam on October 7, 1911. Together they had three children, Catherine Merriam (b. 1913), Robert Merriam (b. 1916) and Charles Woodard (b. 1920).

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Collection Overview

The Atwater Family Papers contain the publications, personal papers and letters of members of Wilbur Olin Atwater's family. The collection centers around Wilbur Olin Atwater, Marcia Atwater (his wife), William Atwater (his father), Helen Atwater (his daughter) and Charles Atwater (his son). The majority of the collection is composed of letters written and received by the aforementioned people. They primarily discuss familial, financial or personal matters; with the exception of the papers of Helen Atwater, for whom there are is significant collection of papers and publications relating to her work in the field of Home Economics. The correspondence centers on family topics; current events are rarely discussed in the letters.

Collection Arrangement

Materials are arranged alphabetically by name.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

No restrictions

Copyright Notice

Copyright for Official University records is held by Wesleyan University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

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Related Material

Wilbur Olin Atwater Papers, 1876-1903, Special Collections & Archives, Wesleyan University

Vertical File on Wilbur Olin Atwater, Special Collections & Archives, Wesleyan University

Wilbur Olin Atwater Papers, 1869 - [circa 1914], Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library: http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/EAD/htmldocs/RMM02223.html

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Online Catalog Headings

These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs.

Atwater family.

Atwater, Charles Woodard, 1885-1946.

Atwater, Helen W.

Atwater, Marcia Woodard.

Atwater, W. O. (Wilbur Olin), 1844-1907.

Home economics--United States--History--20th century.

Wesleyan University (Middletown, Conn.) --Alumni and alumnae.

Wesleyan University (Middletown, Conn.)--Faculty.

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Detailed Description of the Collection


Betsy Atwater
Grandmother of Wilbur O. Atwater.
Box	Folder
1	1	Letters from her to son William, 1843, 1849


Charles Atwater
Box	Folder
1	2	Letters from him to his parents, 1891-1900
	3	Letters from him to his parents, 1901-1902
	4	Letters from him to his parents, 1903-1905
	5	Letters from him to Alice Merriam, 1905-1906
	6	Letters from him to family (summer and law school at Harvard), 1906
	7	Letters from him to Mother and Helen, 1907-1908
	8	Letters from him to Alice Merriam, 1908
	9	Letters from him to Alice Merriam, January 1909 - December 1909
	10	Letters from him to Alice Merriam from Europe, June 1909 - July 1909
	11	Letters from him re: law practice in NY, 1909
Box	Folder
2	1	Letters from him to Alice Merriam, 1910
	2	Letters from him to Alice Merriam, 1911 (later his wife)
	3	Letters from him to family, 1910-1915
	4	Letters from him to daughter, Catherine, 1915-1922
	5	Letters from him to wife, 1916-1922
	6	Letters to him from various people, 1898-1923
	7	Letters from him to others, 1925-1938


Cousins, Aunts, Uncles, and Brother-in-law
Box	Folder
3	1	Letters from them to WOA


Eliza Barnes Atwater
Mother of Wilbur O. Atwater.
Box	Folder
3	2	Letters to WOA, 1864-1868
	2	Letters to Eliza Barnes Atwater, 1865 - 1868


Florence Atwater
Sister of Wilbur O. Atwater.
Box	Folder
3	3	Letters from Florance Atwater to WOA


Aunt Harriet
Aunt of Wilbur O. Atwater.
Box	Folder
3	4	Letters from Aunt Harriet to WOA, 1882 - 1893


Helen Atwater
Box	Folder
3	5	Letters from Helen Atwater to her parents, 1903
	6	Letters from Helen Atwater to brother, Charles Atwater, 1908-1916
	7	Letters to Helen Atwater, 1904-1943
	8	Biography
	9	Journal of Home Economics and Smith College Alumnae
	10	Notes on the evolution of table manners
Box	Folder
4	1-4	Helen Atwater - Speeches and Articles


L. R. Atwater
Uncle of Willbur O. Atwater.
Box	Folder
5	1	Letters from him to WOA, 1881-1891


Marcia Woodard Atwater
Wife of Willbur O. Atwater.
Box	Folder
5	2	Letters to her husband, 1874-1904
	3	Letters to her from her friends on engagement to WOA, 1874
	4	Letters to her from Father, Abram Woodard, 1869
	4	1875 copy of will of Sarah Woodward Sargent (Sister of Marcia)
	4	Letters from nephew of niece
	5	Letters from her to her parents from Europe, 1882-1883
	6	Letters to her from Professor Francis G. Benedict, 1904 - 1905
	7	Letter from her to Mr. True regarding her husband's illness, 1905
	8	Letters to her about illness of her husband, 1904-1907
	9	Letters of condolence on death of WOA, 1907
	10	Letters and cards of condolence on death of WOA, 1907
	11	Recipe book, 1909
Box	Folder
6	1	Letters from her to her children 1895, 1906 - 1922


Wilbur O. Atwater
Box	Folder
6	2	Pocket diary, 1867
	3	Letters to him from friends and classmates, 1860-1869
	4	Correspondence regarding first jobs, 1871-1873
	5	Pocket diary, 1875
	6	Pocket diary, 1876
	7	Pocket diary and pocket notebook, 1877
	8	Two pocket notebooks, 1877
	9	Letters to his wife, Marcia, 1892
	10	Letters to his children, 1892-1898, 1904
	11	Letters from him to various people, 1873-1901
	12	Letters to his wife, Marcia 1893-1901
	13	Letters from and to him during illness, 1904-1907
Box	Folder
7	1	1907 obituaries
	2	Papers concerning disposal of his library, 1907-1908
	3	Family correspondence, 1875-1909
	4	Financial records, etc., 1870-1911
	5	Correspondence and notes about biography of WOA, 1915


William Atwater
Father of Wilbur O. Atwater.
Box	Folder
7	6	Letters to his father and mother, Thomas and Betsy Atwater, 1844
	6	Will
	6	Temperance papers
	7	Textbook, 1850-1852
	8	Original poems and clippings, 1836-1869
	9	Account book, 1851-1882
	10	Letters to WOA, 1863 - 1875
	11	Letters to and from others regarding WOA invention of substitute for slate pencils, 1871-1877
	12	Estate - Difficulty of settlement 1891-1909
	12	Letter to Lawyer from WOA's sister Florence


Mary Barnes
Maternal grandmother of Wilbur O. Atwater.
Box	Folder
7	13	Letters from her to WOA, 1863


Laura Arabella Waldo
"Belle" - Sister of Wilbur O. Atwater
Box	Folder
7	14	Letters from her to WOA, 1862-1863

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