Papers of Amy Otis Earhart, 1884-1987

This collection had been used extensively for research both before and after its arrival at the Schlesinger Library, and was given a preliminary sorting by SL staff assistants in 1983; Amy Otis Earhart's original order, if any, was no longer apparent when final processing began.

Most of the papers in this collection are letters to Amy Otis Earhart from relatives (including Amelia Earhart, George Palmer Putnam, and Muriel Earhart Morrissey), friends, and Amelia Earhart fans, while the rest consists of clippings, a few photographs, and some memorabilia. With the exception of Amelia Earhart's early letters (1901-1928), and a few other items, the collection is chronologically focused on the period 1928-1937, when Amelia Earhart's aviation career was at its height, and 1937-1941, the years immediately following her disappearance; the location of Amy Otis Earhart papers for 1941-1962 is unknown. Respect, admiration, and love for Amelia Earhart are reflected in many of the letters; several writers mention keeping scrapbooks of clippings about her, and many letters comment upon the importance of Amelia Earhart's courage, integrity, honesty, and femininity as qualities for other women to be proud of, and to emulate.

Amy Otis Earhart was a prolific correspondent, often writing between ten and forty letters per day. Unfortunately, this collection contains only a few copies of her letters (most are in #26-27), described by her correspondents as thoughtful and richly descriptive. Amelia Earhart and George Palmer Putnam frequently passed letters from others on to Amy Otis Earhart; these are scattered throughout the correspondence. Series I, Photographs and family papers (#1-5), contains a few photographs of Amy Otis Earhart and of Amelia Earhart; visiting cards, wedding invitations, certificates, etc., of the Otis family (ca.1897-1939, n.d.); notes and questionnaire responses about Amelia Earhart and Earhart family life by Amy Otis Earhart and Muriel Earhart Morrissey; and papers by and about Edwin Stanton Earhart.

Series II, Correspondence (#6-150), is divided into three subseries:

Subseries A, Correspondence from Amelia Earhart, George Palmer Putnam and Muriel Earhart Morrissey (#6-45), contains numerous letters to Amy Otis Earhart, many discussing family news and problems. Amelia Earhart's letters fall into two groupings: 1901-1920 and 1928-1937. Amelia Earhart and her mother were together much of the time during the gap. Many of the early letters describe Amelia Earhart's doings while attending the Ogontz School (Greenfield, Pennsylvania) and war work as a volunteer nurse in Canada; many of the later ones offer her mother advice on what clothes to wear, when and where to vacation, how to spend the money Amelia Earhart is sending her, and so forth. The letters have been published, though not in their entirety, by Jean Backus. Jean Backus assigned dates to Amelia Earhart's letters, probably using the original envelopes, most of which are no longer in the collection. Amelia Earhart noted only the day of the week; using these days, the years provided by Jean Backus, and a perpetual calendar, the processor found that Jean Backus's dates are often those of the postmarks, many of which vary by several days from the dates on which the letters were written. Discrepancies are noted on individual letters, with the processor's dates given first and Jean Backus's second: e.g., [10/11/1935, published as 10/12/1935, Jean Backus]. Where the processor was unable to determine exact dates, letters were filmed in their published order; postmark dates are preceded by the initials "pm".

Most of George Palmer Putnam's letters were written after Amelia Earhart's disappearance and concern Amy Otis Earhart's financial support, various schemes for a search for Amelia Earhart, movie rights for Amelia Earhart's life, the administration of Amelia Earhart's estate, and other such practical, external topics. There is little discussion of George Palmer Putnam's own personal life or his feelings. Included in this section are one folder each of letters to Amy Otis Earhart from George Palmer Putnam's longtime secretary, Josephine (Berger) Greer, and from his third wife, Jean-Marie Consigny Putnam.

Muriel Earhart Morrissey's letters are closed to research during her lifetime. Topics discussed include her marriage and children, financial situation, attempts to run a private school for young children, importance of Amy Otis Earhart in her life, and family news.

Subseries B, Correspondence, arranged alphabetically (#46-150), contains a folder for each writer of three or more letters. Amy Otis Earhart established long-distance friendships with many erstwhile strangers who wrote to offer sympathy when Amelia Earhart disappeared; she also maintained contacts with relatives, former friends and neighbors, and Amelia Earhart's friends. Most of the correspondence about the difficulties of organizing various searches for Amelia Earhart is also here (see especially #48, 93, 142-149). Physical problems of aging, including impaired hearing, broken bones, and illness are discussed by elderly friends and relatives. The relationship of the writer to Amy Otis Earhart has been noted in brackets, where known; the designation "friend" has been assigned to friends of long standing, but not to new correspondents.

Subseries C, Correspondence, arranged chronologically (#151-165), contains no more than two letters from each correspondent, and is divided into three groups: 1) letters from family, friends, former neighbors, etc., offering congratulations, family news, condolences on Amelia Earhart's disappearance, etc.; 2) letters from the general public conveying congratulations; condolences; requests for information on Amelia Earhart, favors, souvenirs, etc.; tributes to Amelia Earhart, especially in verse; and genealogical questions; 3) letters from psychics, spiritualists, and other clairvoyants claiming knowledge of Amelia Earhart (circumstances of her demise, or of her continuing life on various islands or reefs) through visions, dreams, mediums, Ouija boards, etc. For more extensive correspondence with particularly persistent psychics with whom Amy Otis Earhart apparently corresponded, see #71-74, 103, 126.

Series III, Amelia Earhart miscellany (#166f+-185f), contains a few writings by and lecture itineraries of Amelia Earhart; a small collection of memorabilia (awards, programs, brochures, sheet music, etc.); notes on radio broadcasts during the search for Amelia Earhart; and clippings. The clippings have been integrated with those from the Amelia Earhart Papers, A-129, mounted where necessary, and filmed chronologically within various categories (e.g., Amelia Earhart; women and aviation; etc.). Most are about Amelia Earhart, with a few about Amy Otis Earhart, Muriel Earhart Morrissey, and others. The scrapbook (#177f+) kept by Amy Otis Earhart as a record of Amelia Earhart's last flight and the search for her was dismantled for preservation and filming.

An Index of Selected Correspondents follows the inventory and, with a few exceptions, lists friends and family represented in Series IIC. Researchers should use this index in conjunction with the names in Series IIB.