Genevieve Thompson Smith papers

Collection

Identifier: Mss 1537

Staff Only

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

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

Additional Description

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.