Barre History Collection Partridge Family Papers, 1903-1951 BHC 257-258 Volume:.75 linear feet Inclusive Dates: 1903-1951 Record Types: Photographs, cabinet cards, studio portraits, printed materials, postcards, certificates, correspondence, receipts, ledgers, cards, sign-boards, and a memorial book Introduction The Partridge Family Papers contains the documents, ephemera, and photographs accrued by the Partridge family during their residence in Bethel, Vermont, and the Upper Graniteville section of Barre, Vermont, from 1903-1951. The collection is largely focused on Bessie Gertrude Spencer Sullivan Partridge (1886-1951). The collection is housed in 1 ½ archival flip boxes and occupies.75 linear shelf space. Biographical Note Bessie Spencer was born to Alfred Cogswell and Emma Cogswell in1886. She attended school until 8 th Grade in the Upper Graniteville and Lower Graniteville area of Barre, Vermont. The Cogswell family, under Emma Cogswell, ran a boarding house in Upper Graniteville that was built by Alfred Cogswell. On February 15, 1904, Bessie married Michael P. Sullivan (1877-?) in Barre, Vt. The couple ran a general store in Upper Graniteville and had two children. Their son, Frank (1905-1918), died of appendicitis and their daughter, Gertrude, died in infancy. After Michael P. Sullivan s death, Bessie married again, in 1938, Frank H. Partridge a former boarder of the Cogswell boarding house and a bus conductor for the Barre-Burlington bus. He later became the owner of Fred H. Partridge Garage. Bessie Partridge passed away on July 29, 1951, in Barre, Vermont. Scope and Content The collection documents the lives of the Partridge family members during their residence in Bethel, Vermont, and the Upper Graniteville section of Barre, Vermont, from 1903-1951. The bulk of the collection is focused on Bessie Spencer Sullivan Partridge during her married life, from 1905-1951. The collection documents Bessie s legal and financial transactions, including a marriage license to Frank Horne Partridge, and receipts for the lease of a Singer sewing machine. The collection contains Bessie s accumulated ephemera, such as wedding invitations, holiday cards, and individual photographs of her and her husband.
Partridge Family Papers Page 2 The collection is also divided into materials pertaining to the Cogswell family, including a photograph of Laura Cogswell and a photograph of Emma and Alfred Cogswell. The collection contains correspondence between Laura Cogswell and her grandmother (unnamed), as well as between Laura Cogswell and Bessie s son, Frank, dated 1913. A miscellaneous file includes correspondence and postcards from an individual, signed Bill, concerning his 1918 military service in Chickamauga National Military Park, possibly written by a Cogswell boarder, William Edwin Bedell. The collection contains a large number of unidentified photographs that were likely accumulated by Bessie Spencer Sullivan Partridge and Laura Cogswell. Related Collections: The Leahy Library collections include genealogical information and photographs of the Cogswell family and Cogswell Street in East Barre in the Lavin Rousse Graniteville Genealogy Collection (Doc 637, folders 29, 30 and 31. Inventory: I. Bessie Spencer Sullivan Partridge BHC 257:01 Bessie Spencer Sullivan Partridge Photographs, c. 1900s, c.1930s 2 childhood photographs, Bessie Sullivan Partridge 3 adult photographs, Bessie Sullivan Partridge 2 photographs, Bessie Sullivan Partridge with Laura Cogswell 1 photograph Bessie Sullivan Partridge son, Frank Sullivan :02 Bessie (Sullivan) Partridge, Holiday and Special Events, 1910-1926 mourning card for Grace E. Keefe (1910) Grade 6 Certificate for Frank Sullivan Wedding invitation from the Maxwells (1913) Spaulding High School graduation (1926) card from Herbert F. Bowens 3 blank Christmas cards :03 Bessie (Sullivan) Partridge, Correspondence, 1912, 1918 :04, Funeral Memorabilia, Bethel, Vermont, 1951 funeral program, funeral record book, possible guest list II. Bessie Spencer Sullivan Partridge, Married Life BHC 257:05 Michael P. Sullivan and Bessie Sullivan? Wedding Photograph, Early 20 th century :06, Financial Receipts, 1903-1915 :07, Singer Sewing Machine Lease and Receipts, 1906-1908
Partridge Family Papers Page 3 BHC 257:08 Fred Horn Partridge and Bessie (Sullivan) Partridge, Correspondence, Marriage Certificate, 1938, 1946 III. Fred Horne Partridge BHC 257:09 Fred Horne Partridge, Workplaces, Burlington Vt., and Barre, Vt. 6 Photographs of F.H. Partridge as Barre-to-Burlington bus conductor 8 Photographs of the Partridge Garage 2 sign boards for Partridge Garage :10, Aircraft Warning Service Certificate, 1944 :11, Financial Receipts, 1942, 1951 Receipts for newspaper, hospital and funeral receipts for Bessie Partridge :12, Sympathy Correspondence Re: Bessie Partridge Death, 1951 :13, Florist Sympathy Cards Re: Bessie Partridge Death, 1951 IV. Cogswell Family BHC 257:14 Laura Cogswell, Correspondence, 1906-1913 :15 George Cogswell, Financial Ledgers, 1907 :16 Cogswell Photographs, n.d. 1 postcard photograph of Laura Cogswell 1 cabinet card of Alfred B. Cogswell and Emma L. Cogswell 1 cabinet card of their niece, Allie 1 photograph of Laura Cogswell 1 cabinet card of George Cogswell daughter, Laura R. Cogswell 1 cabinet card of George Cogswell daughter, Anna M. Cogswell V. Miscellaneous BHC 257:17 Correspondence of Bill (William Edwin Bedell?), Chickamauga National Military Park, Georgia, 1918 Letter addressed to Ma and all, 3 military postcards, 2 postcards of Burlington, Vt., and 1 postcard Cliff Haven, N.Y. :18 Misc. Postcards, Photographs, 1924, n.d. Cabinet card of child wearing a suit, cabinet card and postcard of World s Tallest Man, four postcards of Vermont towns, postcard of A.F.O.L., 2 postcards of unidentified families, oversized photograph of 2 cats, n.d.
Partridge Family Papers Page 4 VI. Studio Photographs, Individuals BHC 257:19 Studio Portraits of Individuals, Barre, Vermont and Bethel, Vt., n.d. 2 individual portraits, 2 unidentified men, Barre, Vt. 1 individual portrait, 1 unidentified child, Barre, Vt. 5 large-sized individual portraits, 5 unidentified men, Barre, Vt. 2 individual portraits, 1 unidentified woman, 1 unidentified man, Bethel, Vt. :20 Studio Portraits of Individuals, Massachusetts, Maine, New York, n.d. 3 individual portraits, 3 unidentified men, Massachusetts 2 individual portraits, 2 unidentified babies, Massachusetts 4 individual portraits, 1 unidentified woman, Lewiston, Maine 1 individual portrait, 1 unidentified woman with gift tag, To Uncle + Aunt and Laura +Bessi, New York VII. Photographs of Groups, Organizations BHC 258:01 Portraits of Groups, Organizations,??, 1911-? 1 group photographs, The American Federation of Labor Council, Bethel, Vt., 1911 1 town group photograph, Peacham, Vt, 6 family/friend group photographs, Barre, Vt., and Old Orchard, Maine 1 class photograph, unidentified school VIII. Studio Photographs, Weddings BHC 258:02 Unidentified Wedding Photographs, Barre, Vermont, & Springfield, Massachusetts, n.d. 1 wedding couple photograph, Barre, Vt. 1 wedding couple photograph, Springfield, Mass. 1 wedding couple photograph IX. Photographs Identified Individuals and Groups BHC 258:03 Photographs of Identified Individuals, Barre, Vermont,??, n.d. 1 individual photograph, Agnes, Barre, Vt. 1 individual photograph, John G. Linke? Barre, Vt. 1 individual photograph, Mary C McCue Barre, Vt.
Partridge Family Papers Page 5 BHC 258:03 1 postcard photograph, Arthur J. Anderson Barre, Vt. 2 family photographs Verna & Family X. Photographs Unidentified Individuals and Groups BHC 258:04 Photographs of Unidentified Individuals and Groups,??, n.d. 2 photographs of children, mounted on cardboard 1 studio portrait of unidentified man 1 studio photograph of middle aged man and boy 1 postcard photographs, 1 unidentified older couple :05 Rural Family Photographs, Laura Cogswell?, n.d. 11 family/friend photographs, some of Cogswell home/boarding house 1 postcard photograph of Cogswell boarding house :06 Family/Friend Photographs, Laura Cogswell?, n.d. 9 family/friend photographs in urban/rural settings, possibly Laura Cogswell or Bessie Sullivan family and boarders. Mary Catherine Shea July 2016 PartridgeFamily.docx