Manuscripts Collection
Gratia A. Countryman was born in Hastings, Minnesota, November 29, 1866, the daughter of Levi N. and Alta Chamberlain Countryman. She graduated from Hastings High School in 1882 and from the University of Minnesota in 1889. Shortly after graduating from the University she joined the staff of the Minneapolis Public Library. In 1890 she was head cataloger, and in 1903 she was made head librarian, succeeding James K. Hosmer. In 1918, Gratia Countryman adopted a son, Wellington. Aside from her work as a librarian, Gratia Countryman was active in many civic and social organizations, including the University of Minnesota Alumni Association. In 1932 she received an honorary M.A. degree from the University of Minnesota. She was president of the American Library Association in 1934. She retired from the Minneapolis Public Library in 1936 and died in Duluth, Minnesota, in August 1953.
The papers provide information on Gratia Countryman's school years at Hastings High School and the University of Minnesota, her career at the Minneapolis Public Library, her efforts to establish a State Library Commission (1899), and her service as council member and president (1934) of the American Library Association which she then represented at a meeting of the International Federation of Library Associations in Madrid, Spain (1935). There is information on her travels, her farm at Lake Mille Lacs, her participation in Minneapolis community affairs and events, and issues including adult education, school libraries, women's suffrage, and world peace. Correspondents include Herbert Putnam, J. Paul Goode, Lotus D. Coffman, James K. Hosmer, and Cyrus Northrop.
Also includes some correspondence between her parents Levi and Alta Countryman and memoirs and biographical materials relating to her brother Theophilus R. Countryman, a civil and mining engineer.
These documents are organized into the following sections:
Many photographs were transferred to the Minnesota Historical Society sound and visual collection.
The Levi N. Countryman and Family Papers are also in the Minnesota Historical Society manuscripts collection. These papers include extensive correspondence from Levi Countryman to his daughter Gratia (ca. 1881-1890).
Jane Pejsa's biography of Gratia Countryman, based in part on these
papers, is available in the Minnesota Historical Society book collection as:
Pejsa, Jane.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should
Accession numbers: 10,039; 10,160; 16,011
Processed by: Anne Levin, December 2004
Catalog ID number: 1718133
The early correspondence and papers (1871-1900) include letters written by her parents to one another and to other family members, graduation programs from Hastings High School and the University of Minnesota, school report cards, and letters from University friends and from scholars such as Herbert Putnam and J. Paul Goode who was a University classmate of Gratia Countryman and later a prominent geographer.
The correspondence and papers from 1900 to 1953 are varied. There are letters relating to activities of the American Library Association, congratulatory letters to Countryman written at various times in her career, invitations to address library and other civic groups throughout the United States, letters written to her on the occasion of her retirement in 1936, and letters written on her death in 1953.
Countryman's correspondence from Europe (1926 and 1935) is fairly detailed. The 1926 letters were written to her sister Lana. The 1935 letters were written to "her family" and contain much information on her visit to France, Spain, and England, and include some photographs. At the time, Countryman was a representative of the American Library Association at the International Federation of Library Associations, which met in Madrid, Spain.
Letter writers of interest in the 1900 to 1935 period include: James K. Hosmer, J. Paul Goode, Cyrus Northrop, and Lotus D. Coffman.
Typed and handwritten transcripts of speeches delivered by Gratia Countryman.
A speech given in Madrid, Spain.
For each date in the calendar, Countryman has handwritten a verse from poems of various poets.
A book of poetry by Emma Belle Yourdon, presented to Gratia Countryman.
Poetry written by members of the Minneapolis Public Library Poetry Class.
Typed transcripts of letters written by Gratia Countryman primarily to her family while on a bicycling trip to England with friends (June 19-September 22, 1896).
The transcripts may have been prepared by Jane Pejsa for her
publication,
Gratia Countryman's diary for this trip is also in her papers (see Diaries). Handwritten transcripts of her talks on her trip are also in the collection (see Miscellaneous Materials, Talks re: European Trip).
Wetoco Lodge was Gratia Countryman's farm on Lake Mille Lacs.
In Latin.
In Latin.
Lana Countryman is Gratia's sister.
A photocopy of his handwritten memoirs (40 p.) with a photocopy of a typed transcript of his memoirs (20 p.). Theophilus Countryman was Gratia Countryman's brother. His memoirs start with family genealogy from around 1720, continuing with his parent's arrival in Minnesota in 1855, his birth in 1857, and his youth, schooling, and family life in Spring Lake Township, Nininger, and Hastings, Dakota County, Minnesota until about 1872.
The memoirs are accompanied by a letter (1 p., April 15, 1966) by his niece, Constance Conger Buffington giving contextual information for the memoirs.
A photocopy of Theophilus Countryman's typed memoirs in which he describes his mining and civil engineering career and his relationship with his family.
Information on his education, work experiences, family, and his return to Minnesota after his retirement from his engineering career in Colorado in 1926.
Correspondence (1981 and 1987) by various relatives of Theophilus Countryman with information on his life, accompanied by photocopied pages from books with information on T. R. Countryman, photocopies of his "Papers in Surveying" from Hastings High School (1873?, 3 p.), and photocopies of Cripple Creek city directory entries for him (1896, 1900, and 1905). Correspondence from Lorraine Countryman (July 10, 1987) includes biographical information on David Countryman, a grandson of Theophilus Countryman. There are also three brief handwritten portions of letters with no signatures (1883 and 1891).