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, December 16, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell to discuss some plans for his Christmas visit, to express her thoughts and feelings on events happening in his life, and to talk about things happening in her daily life.
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Letter, December 14, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell to go into more detail of the events of the Gridiron Dinner, particularly nice things Orville overheard other attendees say about Henry.
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Letter, December 13, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell to discuss Christmas presents, a dinner Henry attended, a potential trip to New York, her enjoyment of dishware, wedding plans, and other aspects of her daily life.
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Letter, Evening of December 13 to 14, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
On the evening of December 13th, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell while waiting for friends to arrive so they may go to the Gridiron Dinner together. She suggests to Henry that they must talk about his home when he visits for Christmas so they can start considering decorations and furniture that would fit. The next day, Katharine recounts the dinner in her letter. She talks of who was in attendance, and some of the discussion at the table. After the dinner, Orville speaks to some of the guests privately about the Smithsonian affair
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Letter, December 12, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell apologizing for not sending a letter that day due to a funeral she attended and a subsequent dinner. She expresses how she would like to go to dinner with Henry, to travel Europe with him, and for him to visit during Christmas. She responds to his question of what she would like for Christmas and then discusses Oberlin College and its deanship.
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Letter, November 30, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about a variety of topics from her daily affairs to Oberlin College business. She discusses the situation with western bound mail, her continued difficulty with learning French, and discusses Oberlin College business, particularly some bit of the college's financial situation. She peppers the letter with thoughts of her and Henry's future and aspects of her daily life.
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Letter, November 24, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
Katharine Wright pens a love letter to Henry Haskell mentioning a dream she had of him, her desire to ease his loneliness and anxiety, and fantasizing creating a home together.
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Letter, November 23, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell to tell him of her drive back from Detroit, and confirm she will join him at his Unitarian church in-between expressing her love for him.
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Letter, November 17, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell to talk about the lack of social prestige that Oberlin College carries and the college's president. She mentions Orville's invitation to the Indiana Society of Chicago, her opinion on Unitarians, her travel plans to Detroit, and other aspects of her daily life.
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Letter, Evening of November 16, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell. While the majority of the letter is her passionate expressions of love to Henry, she also mentions the cost of some daily items and duty and import fees of a friend's tea set and other aspects of her daily life.
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Letter, November 16, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell after her return to Dayton from Oberlin. It is a brief letter to let Henry know she will be writing later in the evening because her housemaid, Carrie, had to attend to her sick father. She mentions aspects of her daily life and upcoming travel plans to Detroit.
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Letter, November 14, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell from Oberlin, Ohio. She describes a missed appointment with President King, and plans for the day.
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Letter, Evening of November 13, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell from Oberlin, Ohio after a dinner with classmates at the Faculty Club. She described gifts one of her classmates received for her birthday and aspects of her daily life among passionate expressions of her love for Henry.
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![Letter, November 13, 1925, Katharine Wright to Dearest [Henry J. Haskell] by Katharine Wright Haskell](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms700_correspondence/1125/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, November 13, 1925, Katharine Wright to Dearest [Henry J. Haskell] by Katharine Wright Haskell")
Letter, November 13, 1925, Katharine Wright to Dearest [Henry J. Haskell]
Katharine Wright Haskell
Katharine Wright pens a very short letter to Henry Haskell to very briefly summarize the Oberlin College Trustee Meeting shortly before she must leave for a dinner at the Faculty Club.
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Letter, November 12, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell from Oberlin, Ohio. She tells him about a variety of interactions with faculty and trustee members, a story by Roy Roberts, and encourages Henry to submit his work for a publishing house. She talks about the cost of coal for a year and how much she paid for her automobile, along with other aspects of her daily life.
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Letter, Evening of November 10, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
Katharine Wright pens a love letter to Henry Haskell. Among her expressions of love, are details of her daily life, including a dinner that evening with Major and Mrs. Milling.
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Letter, November 10 and 11, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about a miscommunication on her travel plans and aspects of her daily life. She continues the letter the next morning, November 11, detailing her travel plans for the next two weeks.
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Letter, November 8, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell, having just returned from Oberlin College. She recounts her time there and her trip home. She particularly focuses on the election of Grove Patterson. She writes a passionate paragraph of her feelings for Henry as well as including other details of her daily life throughout the letter.
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Letter, November 5, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about old classmates, their financial future, and other aspects of their relationship and her daily life.
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Letter, November 4, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about a new dress she is getting, some upcoming dinners with friends and acquaintances, and contents of the Oberlin College Alumni Magazine. Later in the evening, she discusses her dinner with the McCormicks and other aspects of her daily life.
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Letter, Evening of November 2, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
Katharine Wright pens a love letter to Henry Haskell that includes a potential plan to visit Denver together. She also talks about a friend of Henry's, some Oberlin College business, and other aspects of her daily life.
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Letter, November 2, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
Katharine Wright sends Henry Haskell a very short love letter.
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Letter, October 25, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
In this letter, Katharine Wright writes to Henry Haskell about Orville's return from Baltimore and his plans to set up the 1903 machine to send off to England. She gives Henry an overview of the Oberlin College Advisory Committee meeting, and then describes Orville and Griffith's time in Baltimore after "Stef" [Vilhjalmur Stefansson] joined them.
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Letter, Evening of October 24, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
Katharine Wright writes a love letter to Henry Haskell. In between her expressions of love and her excitement for their future, she writes him about her friends' home renovation and updates about other friends and acquaintances, and her and Orville's plans for Oberlin College's Homecoming among other aspects of her daily life.
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Letter, October 24, 1925, Katharine Wright to Henry J. Haskell
Katharine Wright Haskell
Katharine Wright writes a love letter to Henry Haskell. In between her expressions of love, she writes him about her recent illness, his confidence in doctors and her lack there of. She touches on their possible wedding, his disinterest in dancing, and a lecture given by a friend. She mentions a crashed English plane, how Orville and Griffith's time in Baltimore is going, and other updates regarding friends and acquaintances among aspects of her daily life.
