Skip to main content

Edith E. Caldwell Papers

2011-138-0

 Collection
Identifier: 2011-138-0

Scope and Contents

The Edith E. Caldwell Papers (2011-138-0) consist of personal papers of Edith E. Caldwell and her parents William A. Caldwell and Mary R. Caldwell, as well as legal correspondence and filings pertaining to a lawsuit between Edith E. Caldwell and Joseph Peszensky. Edith E. Caldwell was born in 1885, the daughter of William A. and Mary R. Caldwell.  She was raised in Litchfield and attended the Eastman National Business College in Poughkeepsie, New York around 1904.  She held various jobs in offices and stores in Hartford, Washington, D.C., Florida and Colonial Beach, Virginia.  Her father took work out-of-town and her mother entered into a verbal arrangement with Joseph Peszenski, a Russian immigrant.  This verbal arrangement became the basis for a drawn out legal battle between Edith E. Caldwell and Joseph Peszensky which endured from 1925-1934(?).  The stress of the trial caused Edith Caldwell to have a nervous breakdown and she was hospitalized in the state hospital in Middletown, CT for several months in 1933.  During that time, a conservator was appointed to her estate and settled the case. By 1940, Edith E. Caldwell is involved with a dairy farm where she is assisted by farm hands and sells her milk and other products in New Milford. Edith E. Caldwell died July 19, 1968.

Dates

  • created: 1898-1940
  • Other: Majority of material found in 1925-1932
  • Other: Date acquired: 12/07/2010

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of this collection are in the public domain. There are no restrictions on use. Copyright status for other collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Biographical or Historical Information

Edith E. Caldwell was born in 1885, the daughter of William A. and Mary R. Caldwell.  She was raised in Litchfield and attended the Eastman National Business College in Poughkeepsie, New York around 1904.  She held various jobs in offices and stores in Hartford, Washington, D.C., Florida and Colonial Beach, Virginia.  Her father took work out-of-town and her mother entered into a verbal arrangement with Joseph Peszenski, a Russian immigrant.  This verbal arrangement became the basis for a drawn out legal battle between Edith E. Caldwell and Joseph Peszenski which endured from 1925-1934(?).  The stress of the trial caused Edith Caldwell to have a nervous breakdown and she was hospitalized in the state hospital in Middletown, CT for several months in 1933.  During that time, a conservator was appointed to her estate and settled the case. By 1940, Edith E. Caldwell is involved with a dairy farm where she is assisted by farm hands and sells her milk and other products in New Milford. Edith E. Caldwell died July 19, 1968.

Note written by

Extent

3.00 boxes

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement Note

This collection is divided into 14 series: Series 1: Photographs Series 2: Autograph Album, Edith E. Caldwell, 1904 Series 3: Correspondence/Papers Series 4: Law Suit Papers, Joseph Peszensky vs. Edith E. Caldwell Series 5: Financial Records/Receipts Series 6: Ephemera Series 7: Diaries/Bible

Source of Acquisition

Sherman Historical Society

Method of Acquisition

Transfer

Existence and Location of Originals

multi-part note content

Related Materials

multi-part note content

Title
Edith E. Caldwell Papers
Author
Kathy Craughwell-Varda
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Litchfield Historical Society Repository

Contact:
7 South Street
P.O. Box 385
Litchfield CT 06759
860-567-4501
860-567-3565 (Fax)