Mary Boyce Temple Papers
This collection was broken up into the following four series:
Series I: Mary B. Temple Correspondence, 1876-1916. This series contains letters to Mary Boyce's father, mother, and other local dignitaries.
Series II: Daughters of the American Revolution, 1890-1920. This series contains programs, letters, and minutes from the Daughters of the American Revolution meetings.
Series III: Correspondence by Others, 1895-1909. This series contains letters of James W. Harle to Mrs. Sam McKinney and letters to O. P. Temple from his wife Scotia.
Series IV: Oversize materials, 1816-1909. This series contains an old bible, a book of Psalms, and writings of Mary B. Temple.
Dates
- 1879-1920
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Conditions Governing Use
The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Extent
1.25 Linear Feet (1 full box, 1 oversize box)
Abstract
This collection contains correspondence and letters relating to the Daughters of the American Revolution from 1876-1920. Also in this collection are letters of James W. Harle to Mrs. Sam McKinney, letters to O. P. Temple from his wife, and the correspondences of Mary B. Temple. The ephemera file contains an old Bible, a book of Psalms, and the writings of Mary B. Temple.
Biographical/Historical Note
Mary Boyce Temple was the only child of Judge O.P. Temple and Scotia Caledonia Hume. Temple was born on July 6, 1856, in Knoxville. Temple was educated by her father's personal library and graduated from Vassar with a Bachelor of Arts in 1877. In 1885, she was elected the first president of the Women's Club in Knoxville, TN, Ossoli Circle. In addition, she was the first secretary of the General Federated Women's Club of Knoxville. In 1893, Temple organized the Bonny Kate Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and remained regent in the organization until her death in 1929.
In 1900, Governor Benton McMillin appointed Temple to represent Tennessee at the Paris Exposition of that year. She also represented the state at international expositions in Stockholm and Rio de Janeiro, and at the opening of the Panama Canal in 1903. She was the only woman on the Jury of Higher Education at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904, and helped organize Knoxville's National Conservation Exposition in 1913. In the early 1920s, Temple continued to entertain guest at home in Knoxville until her death in 1929.
Arrangement
This collection consists of one full box and one oversized box. It is arranged into four topical series.
Series List
- Mary B. Temple Correspondence, 1876-1916
- Daughters of the American Revolution Correspondence, 1890-1920
- Correspondence by Others, 1895 May 4-1909
- Oversize Materials, 1816-1909
Acquisition Note
This collection was donated by the Mary Boyce Estate in 1930.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository