McMahon Family [RG1404.AM]

HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID

RG1404.AM:  McMahon Family

Papers:  1882-1957, and undated
Blair, Washington County; Norfolk, Madison County; and Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska
Size:  1.5 cu.ft.; 2 boxes + oversize

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

John H. McMahon was born in New York in 1866 to James McMahon.  John married Maggie Foley in 1891 and they had six children:  Gracie, born, January 1892; Clara, born November 1895; Harold, born January 1897; and Bryon, born October 1898; two of their children died at young ages.  John and Maggie resided in Blair Township, Washington County, Nebraska.

John and his family lived on a farm and taught school in Blair, Norfolk and Lincoln schools.  John and Gracie were involved in local politics.  Correspondence to Gracie shows that John died in February of 1905.  The papers following his death, relate mainly to Gracie McMahon’s life.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection of the records of the McMahon Family is arranged in four main series:

Series 1 – Correspondence, 1882-1952, & undated
Subseries 1: Grace McMahon Correspondence, 1910-1952, & undated
Subseries 2: John McMahon Correspondence, 1885-1889
Subseries 3: Clara McMahon Correspondence, 1918, 1923, 1945
Subseries 4: Maggie McMahon Correspondence, 1905
Subseries 5: Miscellany, 1882-1942 Correspondence, & undated

Series 2 – Business records, 1894-1920, & undated

Series 3 – Teaching records, 1884-1957, & undated
Subseries 1: Teaching Certificates, 1885-1887, 1889, 1891
Subseries 2: Teacher’s Institute Materials, 1884-1917
Subseries 3: Contracts, 1914, 1917
Subseries 4: Notebooks, 1888, & undated
Subseries 5: Papers, 1919, & undated
Subseries 6: Rules, 1918, 1921, & undated
Subseries 7: Miscellany, 1899-1957, & undated

Series 4 – Politics, 1916, 1922, 1934, & undated

The collection relates to the lives, activities and interests of McMahon Family, who were involved in farming, teaching and local politics in Blair, Lincoln, and Norfolk, Nebraska.  The collection is comprised mostly of correspondence from family and friends received by members of the McMahon Family.  Business records for the family, mostly maintained in Blair, Washington County, Nebraska, and a few records from their teaching and political lives are also included.

Acc.  1990.816

INVENTORY

Series 1 – Correspondence, 1882-1952 & undated
Subseries 1: Grace McMahon Correspondence, 1910-1952 & undated
Box 1
Folder

  1. Personal, 1910, 1914-1916, 1918-1920, 1923-1924 & undated
  2. School, 1919, 1923, 1927, 1930, 1952 & undated

Subseries 2: John McMahon Correspondence, 1885-1889

  1. Personal, 1885-1889

Subseries 3: Clara McMahon Correspondence, 1918, 1923, 1945

  1. Personal, 1918, 1923, 1945

Subseries 4: Maggie McMahon Correspondence, 1905

  1. Personal, 1905

Subseries 5: Miscellany, 1882-1942 & undated

  1. Church, 1904, & undated
  2. Weddings, 1890, 1892, 1913-1914, 1918, 1921 & undated
  3. Graduations, 1909, 1911, 1914-1915
  4. Anniversary, 1882, 1909
  5. Parties, 1893, 1919, & undated
  6. Sympathy, 1912
  7. Christmas Cards, 1913-1918, 1942 & undated

Series 2 – Business records, 1894-1920 & undated

  1. Ledger Books, 1890, & undated
    Cattle Mortgage, 1898 (see OB033)
  2. Farm Lease, 1903
  3. Tax Receipt, 1911
  4. Account Books, 1894, 1909, & undated
  5. Check Receipts, 1894-1901

Box 2
Folder

  1. Expenditure Receipts, 1898, 1903, 1905, 1912, 1919-1920 & undated
    Ditch Construction (see oversize)
  2. Miscellany, 1911

Series 3 – Teaching records, 1884-1947 & undated
Subseries 1: Teaching Certificates, 1885-1887, 1889, 1891

  1. John McMahon, 1885-1887, 1889, 1891

Subseries 2: Teacher’s Institute Materials, 1884-1917

  1. John McMahon, 1884, 1886-1889, 1894
  2. Maggie Foley (McMahon), 1888
  3. Brochure, 1917

Subseries 3: Contracts, 1914, 1917

  1. Grace McMahon, 1914
  2. Notification, 1917

Subseries 4: Notebooks, 1888 & undated

  1. John McMahon, 1888 & undated
  2. Grace McMahon, undated

Subseries 5: Papers, 1919, & undated

  1. John McMahon, undated
  2. Grace McMahon, 1919 & undated
  3. Students, undated
  4. Unknown Authorship, undated

Subseries 6: Rules, 1918, 1921 & undated

  1. Students, 1921 & undated
  2. Teachers, 1918
    Code of Ethics, undated (see OB033)

Subseries 7: Miscellany, 1899-1957 & undated

  1. Programs, 1899-1900, 1918, 1928, 1932, 1957
    Programs of Study, undated (see OB033)

Series 4 – Politics, 1916, 1922, 1934 & undated

  1. Broadcast Release – Senator Norris, 1934
  2. Speech Against Women’s Suffrage, undated
  3. Elections, 1916, 1922, & undated

Subject headings:

Blair (Neb.) — History
McMahon family
McMahon, Clara, 1894-1991
McMahon, Grace, 1893-1984
McMahon, John Henry, 1866-1905
McMahon, Margaret “Maggie” (Foley), 1868-1958
Politics — Nebraska
Teachers — Nebraska
Washington County (Neb.) — History


PJE/ksa                    06-1991
Revised kfk               07-17-2003
Revised TMM          05-27-2020

 

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