HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID
RG1403.AM: Queen Victoria Wilkinson Wager, 1890-1976
Papers: 1899, 1965, and undated
Lakeside, Sheridan County; Beatrice, Gage County; and Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska: Daughter of a homesteader; teacher
Size: Six items
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Queen Victoria Wilkinson was born in rural Pawnee County, Nebraska in 1890. She was one of six children. In 1899 the Wilkinson family relocated to a one-room sod house at Lakeside, Sheridan County, Nebraska. Mr. Wilkinson eventually built a two-story sod house that became a show place of the area. Victoria spent summers there, while finishing her schooling during the rest of the year in Beatrice.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
This collection consists of manuscript material in four series: 1) Correspondence, 1899 and 1965; 2) Reminiscence, undated; 3) Drawing, undated; and 4) Diary. The collection relates to Victoria Wilkinson Wager’s childhood experiences as a sod house resident in Sheridan County, Nebraska.
The Correspondence of Series 1 includes a typescript letter written by Victoria’s sister, Natolie (Wilkinson) Clifford to a friend describing life in her new sod home, 1899; and a letter written by Victoria (Wilkinson) Wager, 1965, describing her family’s sod homes and providing information on how to build a sod house.
Series 2 consists of an undated Reminiscence, titled “Prairie Fire.” This is in typescript form and includes a drawing of such a fire.
The Drawing of Series 3 is titled “Water System and a 2 Story Sod Home Built by W. N. Wilkinson in 1899 in Sheridan County, Nebraska.” Signed by Q. V. Wager, this item is undated.
Series 4 contains a Diary, c.1898 or 1899, and 1907. A transcript of the diary is included. The original diary was written by Queen Victoria Wilkinson Wager and Lillian Dale Wilkinson Higgins during childhood trips from Beatrice to Lakeside. Due to the fragile condition of the original diary, it is restricted. Patrons must use the transcript.
(Accession 1990.0812)
INVENTORY
Series 1 – Correspondence
Item
- Letter, 1899, from Natolie (Wilkinson) Clifford
- Letter, 1965, from Victoria (Wilkinson) Wager
Series 2 – Reminiscence
- Reminiscence, undated, entitled “Prairie Fire” [with drawing]
Series 3 – Drawing, undated
- Drawing, undated, titled “Water System and a 2 Story Sod Home Built by W. N. Wilkinson in 1899 in Sheridan County, Nebraska.”
Series 4 – Diary, c.1898 or 1899; 1907
- Diary, c.1898 or 1899; 1907. Entries written by Queen Victoria Wilkinson Wager and Lillian Dale Wilkinson Higgins during childhood trips from Beatrice to Lakeside, Nebraska. [RESTRICTED]
- Diary Transcript.
Subject headings:
Children — Nebraska
Frontier and pioneer life — Nebraska
Grassland fires — Nebraska
Homesteading — Nebraska
Lakeside (Neb.) — History
Sheridan County (Neb.) — History
Sod houses — Nebraska
Wager, Queen Victoria Wilkinson, 1890-1976
AIP/ksa 12-1990
Rev. KFK 03-08-1999
Kfk/dco 04-18-2003
Revised TMM 05-07-2007
