Genevieve Thompson Smith papers
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of papers of Genevieve Thompson Smith, an author, playwright, and attorney of Portland, Oregon. Materials include a diploma from Portland Academy (1901); manuscripts for stories and plays; a scrapbook; ephemera; and correspondence. Also of note in the collection are letters written by Genevieve Thompson Smith's father, David P. Thompson, while he was serving in the U.S. Legation in Istanbul, Turkey, 1892-1893.
Dates
- Creation: 1892-1957
Creator
- Smith, Genevieve Thompson, 1883-1974 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Biographical note
Genevieve Thompson Smith was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1883. Her father, David P. Thompson (1834-1901), was a Portland businessman and political figure who served twice as the city’s mayor and was appointed in 1892 to a diplomatic post in Istanbul. In 1861, he married Mary R. Meldrum, and the couple had three children: Ralph, Bessie, and Genevieve. Genevieve Thompson was educated at Portland Academy and Bryn Mawr College. She studied law at the University of Oregon Law School and received her degree in 1913. In Washington, D.C., she worked in the Russian section of U.S. Army Intelligence during World War I and later ran the Oregon chapter of the organization Fatherless Children in France. She was married to naval officer Norman Murray Smith in 1921 and lived for a time in San Diego, California. She was also a published author of plays and stories. Genevieve Thompson Smith died in 1974.
Extent
0.9 Cubic Feet (2 document cases, 1 oversize folder)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Papers of Genevieve Thompson Smith (1883-1974), an author, playwright, and attorney of Portland, Oregon. Collection includes correspondence, manuscripts for stories and plays, a scrapbook, ephemera, and other materials.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in three series: Series 1. Correspondence; Series 2. Writings; Series 3. General files.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of the estate of Genevieve Thompson Smith, May 1974.
Subject
- Smith, Genevieve Thompson, 1883-1974 (Person)
- Thompson family -- Correspondence (Family)
- Title
- Guide to the Genevieve Thompson Smith papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Geoffrey B. Wexler
- Date
- 2007; revised 2023
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240
libreference@ohs.org