Queen Victoria Wilkinson Wager, 1890-1976 [RG1403.AM]

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




    1. Letter, 1899, from Natolie (Wilkinson) Clifford

    1. Letter, 1965, from Victoria (Wilkinson) Wager



Series 2 – Reminiscence




    1. Reminiscence, undated, entitled “Prairie Fire” [with drawing]



Series 3 – Drawing, undated




    1. 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




    1. 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]

    1. Diary Transcript.



 



Subject headings:



Children — Nebraska

Frontier and pioneer life — Nebraska

Grassland fires — Nebraska

Homesteading — Nebraska

Lakeside (Nebraska) — History

Sheridan County (Nebraska) — 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

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