The digital collection consists of letters written by Katharine Wright Haskell ranging from 1922 to 1926. They contain a variety of details from her personal life, from major historical moments to minor details of her daily life and interpersonal connections. Throughout her life, Katharine assisted her brothers in their engineering and business ventures, was an activist in the first-wave feminist movement, taught high school, and was an Oberlin College Board of Trustees member.
These letters illustrate her life in her later years, allowing us a glimpse of who she was as a private person. She writes of her thoughts on a variety of topics and her daily life. Among other topics and events, we get insight into her life as companion and assistant to her brother Orville, her work on the Oberlin College Board of Trustees, her romantic relationship with Henry, and the many friendships she fostered throughout her life.
These letters were written prior to Katharine's marriage to Henry Haskell. We have chosen to refer to her as Katharine Wright in descriptions to reflect the time in her life when she was writing them.
The Wright State University Archives would like to make a special acknowledgment to Lois E. Walker for sharing her transcriptions of these letters.
For more information on this collection, please view the collection finding aid or visit Wright State University Special Collections and Archives.
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Letter, February 27, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell reacting to the news of Mrs. Kirkwood's death and consoling Henry. Mrs. Laura Kirkwood owned the Kansas City Star, her father having been the founder of the paper.
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Letter, February 26, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about his home, their individual investments, Henry's religion, and her calling out Henry for fibbing about the cost of train fare to Dayton, assumedly to see her.
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Letter, February, 25 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about her mistake on her income tax, the birthday present she got for him, and how young Henry looked in college compared to her.
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Letter, Evening of February 24, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
Katharine Wright pens a love letter to Henry Haskell.
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Letter, February 24, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about homemaking, particularly about beds, her thoughts on Joel Hayden's bid for President of Oberlin College, a request Orv had from an acquaintance, and other aspects of her daily life.
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Letter, February 23, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about the future of his career, her culinary adventures and her new cook, real estate, income taxes, and other aspects of her daily life.
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Letter, February 22, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about the future of his career.
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Letter, February 21, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about the couple who bought the lot next to the Wright's home, Orville's work on his car, homemaking, friends, and other aspects of her daily life.
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Letter, February 20, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about his work and the seeming unstable situation at The Star, finances and the cost of running their home, and other aspects of their daily life.
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Letter, February 19, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about some Oberlin College news and other thoughts and aspects of her daily life.
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Letter, February 18, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about his life and job a the Kansas City Star.
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Letter, February 17 to 18, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, written over two day, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about his life in Kansas City, Marion Talley, and other aspects of her daily life.
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Letter, Undated #29, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
This letter is undated and unattached to any other letter, but is believed to have been written on February 17, 1926. In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about the ownership change happening at The Kansas City Star in addition to aspects of her daily life.
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Letter, February 16, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell discussing Henry's job at the Kansas City Star and the possibility of new ownership at the paper. She also mentions some a friend's politics and other aspects of her daily life.
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Letter, February 15, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell thanking him for photos of the inside of his home and continues musing about homemaking, including what pieces of furniture she may bring with her from Dayton to Kansas City and recounts the time the Wrights had a butler.
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Letter, February 14, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about a visit from friends and their children to deliver valentines, Oriental rugs, their rising cost, and how excited she is for homemaking with him.
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Letter, February 13, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes Henry Haskell a love letter. She also talks about Henry's son and continues talking about rugs and homemaking with him.
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Letter, February 12, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about attending a funeral of a family she is friendly with, talks about Henry's late mother, and other aspects of her daily life.
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Letter, February 11, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about photographs she found from their college years and the recommendations her professors wrote for her as well as other thoughts and aspects of her daily life.
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Letter, February 10 to 11, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, written over two days, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about rugs and decorating Henry's home once she moves in. She mentions the death of her maid's, Carrie's, father and Carrie's time away from the household, as well as other aspects of her daily life.
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Letter, Evening of February 9, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about her day, including dress shopping, and talks about making friends if she moves to Kansas City along with other thoughts and feelings regarding her relationship with Henry.
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Letter, February 9, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about her daily life, including the travel plans of a friend, the yearly rug sales, and a business proposition that Orville rejected.
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Letter, February 8, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about a debate between Dr. Nager and Mencken, reacting to Henry's opinion to the debate and expressing her own.
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Letter, Evening of February 6, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
Katharine Wright pens a love letter to Henry Haskell. She also includes information on her brother's general disposition and some information on the Smithsonian conflict, including the declining health of Walcott.
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Letter, February 6, 1926, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes a short love letter to Henry Haskell. She also include information on meetings Orville attends.
