Papers of the Palache family, 1839-2004 (inclusive), 1895-1988 (bulk)

The collection contains correspondence, scrapbooks, diaries, appointment books, sketch books, watercolor paintings, etc., documenting the lives of two generations of the Palache family. Materials arrived at the library unfoldered. Many letters had been tied into bundles and labeled with rough dates by an unknown member of the Palache family. Several items were identified through notes provided by Judith Palache Gregory. While there are no letters from Katharine Hepburn, the progression of her career is documented throughout the correspondence between members of the Palache family and many of their friends, most of whom seem to have known Hepburn. Folder titles were created by the archivist.

Series I, Genealogies and photographs (#1.1-1.8, PD.1-PD.2, T-325.5-9), contains two Palache family genealogies with brief family histories, family trees, and photographs. The Markham family material includes several folders of notes, correspondence, and partial family trees. A brief Markham family tree can be found in "The Palache Years: Cambridge Years" (#1.2). Also included in this series is a correspondence index created by Judith Palache Gregory identifying people she thought were likely to appear in the collection. The index identifies which family member the individual was connected to and the nature of their relationship.

Series II, Charles and Helen (Markham) Palache (#1.9-10.13), contains clippings, sketch books, correspondence, etc. Additional materials relating to Charles Palache were donated to the Harvard Archives by Mary (Palache) Gregory. This series is arranged in three subseries.

Subseries A, Biographical and personal (#1.9-1.15), contains clippings about Charles and Helen, Helen's sketch books, passports, writings by Charles, and a list of some expressions Helen's children remember her saying often. Materials are arranged chronologically.

Subseries B, Family correspondence (#1.16-10.4), mainly contains letters from family members, although there are occasional copies of outgoing letters from Charles and Helen. Letters from their daughters include accounts of visits with family members in California, trips abroad, their time as students at Bryn Mawr College, and their respective professional experiences. Letters from Mary and Jeannette also detail their experiences as wives and as mothers of small children. Other family members write about life in California; vacations in locations throughout the United States and abroad; and relate general family news, such as births, marriages, illnesses, and deaths. Letters from Charles' nephews, James and John Garber Palache include accounts of fighting in World War I. Letters following James' death on May 15, 1918, include accounts from John of going to James' grave in France and letters from their father, Whitney, detailing his attempts to learn details of James' death. Folders are arranged alphabetically by author.

Subseries C, Friends correspondence (#10.5-10.13.), contains a small amount of correspondence to Helen and Charles from non-family members. Folders are arranged chronologically.

Series III, Russell H. and Jeannette (Palache) Barker (#10.14-21.18), includes correspondence, diaries, scrapbooks, sketch books, watercolor paintings, school workbooks, address books, etc. It is arranged in three subseries.

Subseries A, Biographical and personal (#10.14-13.6), includes diaries, scrapbooks, sketch books, watercolor paintings, school workbooks, address books, etc., mainly relating to Jeannette. Jeannette's early diaries, scrapbooks, and baby book contain information about her sister Mary's infancy and childhood.

Subseries B, Family correspondence (#13.7-16.14), includes letters from family members, as well as occasional letters from Jeannette and Russell. Most of the letters are from members of Jeannette's family, especially her parents and sisters. Her parents' letters include news about various family members as well as friends in Cambridge. Letters from Mary and Alice include accounts of trips they have taken, their time at Bryn Mawr College, their professional lives, books they have read, and news about common friends. Mary's letters also contain news about her children and her husband, Charles. Alice's letters often contain information about the "Palache family trust," and offer financial advice. Letters from Russell to Jeannette include a small number of courtship letters and accounts of his work during World War II for the Office of War Information. Letters from other family members detail life in California. Folders are arranged alphabetically by author.

Subseries C, Friends correspondence (#16.15-21.18), contains correspondence with Jeannette and Russell's friends and acquaintances. Virginia Vitzthum, a friend of Jeannette, details life in Haiti in the 1930s; the disappearance of her husband, possibly involving Nazis; and her difficulties in adapting to life in Vermont as a single mother. Paul Dozier, a doctor in Philadelphia, writes of his struggles with alcoholism. Storer B. Lunt recounts his travels around the world. Charles T. Caddock writes detailed accounts of his various jobs as an educator, including his time as a mentor for the Saudi Arabian princes Mohamed and Saud Faisal and Abdullah Thaneyan. He writes of his experiences while working for the War Division of the U.S. Department of Justice during World War II. As they got older, Jeannette and Russell exchanged accounts of failing health, deaths, and reminiscences of the past with their friends. Folders are arranged alphabetically. Letters from correspondents represented only by a small number of letters have been filed under the last name of the correspondent in general alphabetical files at the end of this subseries. Letters from correspondents whose last names are not known have been filed as "unknown."

Series IV, Charles O. and Mary (Palache) Gregory (#22.1-40.15, FD.1, F+D.1-F+D.2, OD.1, T-324.1-4), contains correspondence, diaries, clippings, sketch books, appointment books, watercolor paintings, etc. It is arranged in three subseries.

Subseries A, Biographical and personal (#22.1-28.9, 44.1-44.9, FD.1, F+D.1-F+D.2, OD.1, T-324.1-4), contains clippings; Mary's diaries, sketch books, appointment books, watercolor paintings, etc. Sketches by Mary include architectural drawings as well as artistic sketches. While most of the material in this subseries relates to Mary, there are also some of Charles' writings, and school notebooks, as well as clippings and articles about him at the end of the series. Also included are notes, photographs, audio recordings, and a partial transcript from Mary and Charles's 50th wedding anniversary, at which their grandchildren performed a musical and dance interpretation of "The Owl and the Pussycat," by Edward Lear.

Subseries B, Family correspondence (#28.10-34.3), includes letters from family members, as well as occasional letters from Mary and Charles. Letters from Mary's parents provide news about Jeannette and Alice, life in Cambridge, and details about their failing health. The correspondence also recounts the details of Charles' decision in 1952 to move Charlottesville, Virginia to be near Mary and Charles. Letters from Jeannette recount visits with relatives in California; trips to Europe, Mexico, and Haiti; her experiences at Bryn Mawr College; her experiences as a wife and mother; and the year she lived in Switzerland with Russell and Susan while Russell helped establish an American library. Alice's letters detail her visits with relatives in California; her experiences at Bryn Mawr College; her trip to Europe with Katharine Hepburn; the challenges she faced in her professional life; and family financial business. Letters with Charles' family detail his mother's, and later his sister's, failing health. One of the most frequent correspondents in the 1970s and 1980s is Probyn Gregory, Mary and Charles' oldest grandchild. He recounts his years studying at Oberlin College and the years spent trying to establish himself in the music industry in Los Angeles. Folders are arranged alphabetically by author.

Subseries C, Friends correspondence (#34.4-40.15), contains correspondence from all phases of Mary and Charles' lives. Particularly prolific correspondents include Storer B. Lunt and Charles T. Caddock. Lunt was a close friend of Charles from Yale University and wrote often of his travels, books he had read, plays and movies he had seen, and news of common friends. Caddock's letters include detailed accounts of his various jobs as an educator and bureaucrat for the War Division of the U.S. Department of Justice during World War II. Other friends include professional colleagues of Charles who provide accounts of life in academia, including institutional politics. Later correspondence often contains exchanges of failing health, deaths, and reminiscences of the past. Folders are arranged alphabetically by author. Correspondence with individuals represented only by a small number of letters have been filed under the last name of the correspondent in general alphabetical files at the end of this subseries. Letters from correspondents whose last names are not known have been filed as "unknown."

Series V, Russell K. and Alice (Palache) Jones (#41.1-41.19), contains correspondence, clippings, notes, etc., relating primarily to Alice's early life. Letters from Jeannette and Mary document trips they took and their experiences at Bryn Mawr. Letters from other relatives contain news of family in California. There are also a few letters from John Garber and James Palache recounting their experiences fighting in World War I. Materials are arranged chronologically.

Series VI, Other family and friends (#41.20-43.10), contains sketches, diaries, letters, etc. Materials in this series were probably either inherited by or left behind while visiting to the family. It is also possible the letters were sent to members of the family to share news contained within them and were separated from the letters they were sent with. Materials are arranged in three subseries.

Subseries A, Jeannette (Markham) Scudder (#41.20-42.3), contains correspondence, diaries, sketches of a house the Scudders planned, etc. Folders are arranged chronologically.

Subseries B, Other family letters (#42.4-43.6), contains letters written to members of the extended Palache family not included in any other series in this collection. The letters are written mainly by other members of the family, including those who are the focus of another series in the collection. Letters are generally filled with information about the activities of members of the family. Folders are arranged alphabetically by recipient.

Subseries C, Charles T. Caddock and unidentified correspondence (#43.7-43.10), contains correspondence, a journal, and a sketchbook. Caddock was a student at the University of Wisconsin where he became friends with Russell Barker and Charles and Mary Gregory. Eventually, he became a friend of the entire Palache family. Included in this collection is a small amount of correspondence, a journal of his time spent house sitting in Jaffrey, New Hampshire, for the Gregorys, and book of sketches of Cape Cod possibly drawn by Caddock. Also included is a folder of fragmented letters with unidentifiable recipients and often unidentifiable authors. Folders are arranged chronologically.