A Guide to the Margaret Dreier Robins Collection
Finding aid prepared by Carl Van Ness
University of Florida Smathers Libraries - Special and Area Studies Collections
August 2005
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Provenance: |
Robins, Margaret Dreier |
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Title: |
Margaret Dreier Robins Collection |
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Dates: |
1876-1950 |
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Bulk dates: |
1905-1945 |
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Abstract: |
Women's Trade Union League, social work, suffrage, anti-war, personal papers, photos, correspondence, and biographical material
on Robins family members.
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Extent: |
40 linear feet. (97 Boxes) |
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Identification: |
Ms Group 15 |
Women's rights leader and social activist. Margaret Dreier Robins was born in 1868 in Brooklyn, New York. She left New York
in 1925 and moved to Florida with her husband Raymond Robins. The Robins' resided at a large estate called Chinsegut Hill
near the town of Brooksville. Margaret was a founder and leader of the National Women's Trade Union League and an outspoken
crusader for equal rights for women in the workplace. She and her husband were also active in politics and campaigned for
candidates in both major parties as well as the National Progressive Party. She died in 1945.
The collection contains records related to the life of Margaret Dreier Robins. Her involvement with the women's movement and
trade unions is extensively documented. Additionally, the collection contains documents and correspondence regarding such
specific topics as: prohibition, China, Florida, public health, social welfare, religious groups, the 'Peace Movement', political
parties and campaigns, and women's suffrage. The collection also contains biographical material related to both her and her
husband as well as correspondence between the two and records related to the Chinsegut Hill estate. Raymond Robins' life is
also documented through several scrapbooks and photo albums and many of the clippings and publications reflect his activities
as well as those of his wife. There are also records of Raymond Robins' father, Charles E. Robins.
Addendum: Correspondence to Lilly Brummerhoff, a resident of Chinsegut Hill who was employed by the Robins family, was added
in August 2005. It includes letters from both Raymond Robins and Margaret Dreier Robbins. In 2007, letters from Margaret
Dreier Robins and Raymond Robins to Mary Dreier and Katherine Dreier, sisters of Margaret, were added. The correspondence
in the addendum was not microfilmed and is not indexed in the register.
The collection is divided into nine series: (1) Biographical and personal records, (2) Organizational and topical materials,
and (3) Correspondence, (4) Publications, (5) Photographs, (6) Albums, (7) Clippings, (8) Scrapbooks, and (9) Miscellany.
Access
Collection is open for research.
The remainder of Raymond Robins papers are located at the Wisconsin Historical Society and at New York University.
Additional materials related to Chinsegut Hill can be found in the Lisa von Borowsky papers, University of Florida.
Series 1-3 are included in the microfilm edition entitled Papers of the Women's Trade Union League and Its Principal Leaders.
[Identification of item], Margaret Dreier Robins Collection, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries,
University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
The collection was gifted to the University of Florida after the death of Raymond Robins in 1954.
A typewritten register for the Dreier correspondence is available in the Special Collections Research Room. The register is
organized alphabetically by the correspondents' names.
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Biographical and Personal Records
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This series contains personal effects and memorabilia, family documents, and biographical information. The series also contains
speeches of both Margaret and Raymond Robins. Much of the series is taken up with the operations and social activities of
Chinsegut Hill as well as a coastal property named Bimini's Isle also owned by the Robins. (Bimini was Margaret's nickname.)
The series contains a survey map of Chinsegut Hill.
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Box 1 |
Drier family: Margaret Dreier Robins.
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Drier family: General Biographical Material. |
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Drier family: Miscellaneous Personal Items. |
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Drier family: Memberships and Contributions. |
Box 2 |
Margaret Dreier Robins: Autograph Books.
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Margaret Dreier Robins: Retirement Letters. |
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Margaret Dreier Robins: Silver Wedding Anniversary. |
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Margaret Dreier Robins: Programs of Speaking Engagements. |
Box 3 |
Margaret Dreier Robins speeches: Fragments.
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Margaret Dreier Robins speeches: Notes. |
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Margaret Dreier Robins speeches: Addresses and Lists of Names. |
Box 4 |
Margaret Dreier Robins: Investments and Business Records
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Box 5 |
Margaret Dreier Robins's Death: Letters of Sympathy.
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Margaret Dreier Robins's Death: Memorial Services |
Box 6 |
Mary Dreier Biography of Margaret Dreier Robins.
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Box 7 |
Robins Family: Raymond Robins.
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Robins Family: General Material. |
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Material on Particular Aspects of her career. |
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Speaking Engagements. |
Box 8 |
Raymond Robins: Speeches and Writings.
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Raymond Robins: Business Records. |
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Raymond Robins: Miscellaneous. |
Box 9 |
Chinsegut Hill: General Material.
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Chinsegut Hill: Correspondence, 1906-1929. |
Box 10 |
Chinsegut Hill: Correspondence, 1930-1931.
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Chinsegut Hill: Records and Accounts. |
Box 11 |
Guests and Social Occasions: Invitations and Acknowledgements.
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Robins Entertainments. |
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Guest Books |
Box 12 |
Guest Books (cont.).
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Verses for Family Occasions. |
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Verses for Chinsegut Hill. |
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Biographical Material on Other Persons. |
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Writings by Others |
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Organizational and Topical Materials
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This series contains reports, newsletters, memoranda, minutes and other records related to the organizations and causes that
Margaret Dreier Robins was active in. The series contains very little correspondence.
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Box 13 |
Woman's Municipal League and Related Groups.
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Box 14 |
NWTUL, 1924-1928.
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Box 15 |
NWTUL, 1929-1935.
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Box 16 |
NWTUL, and Miscellaneous. 1936-1950, undated.
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Box 17 |
WTUL: Local Activities.
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Box 18 |
International Federation of Working Women (1919-1925).
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Industrial Committee, Illinois Federation of Women's Clubs, (1906-1908). |
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American Federation of Labor (1909). |
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Chicago and Illinois Federations of Labor (1907-1914). |
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Council of National Defense, World War I. |
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YWCA War Work Council. |
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Other Wartime Labor Matters. |
Box 19 |
Committee on Women in Industry, League of Women.
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Voters (1919-1925). |
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Women's Bureau, US Department of Labor (1918-1938). |
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Mary Macarthur Memorial Committee (1921-1923). |
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YWCA Industrial Department (1919-1926, 1940). |
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White House Conference on Child Health and Protection (1929-1930). |
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Southern Organizations and Conferences (1927-1941). |
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Unemployment (1930-1933) |
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Child Labor Amendment (1933-1938). |
Box 20 |
Labor Legislation
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Labor and Social Welfare Groups and Interests: Miscellaneous |
Box 21 |
Woman Suffrage.
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Political Parties and Campaigns. |
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Peace Movement. |
Box 22 |
Prohibition.
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Religious Groups. |
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Committee on Public Relations, Motion Picture. |
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Producers and Distributors of America. 1922-1924 |
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International Women's Conferences. |
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China. |
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Florida Groups and Activities: Social Welfare, Public |
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Health, Observation. |
Box 23 |
Florida Groups and Activities: Miscellaneous.
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Miscellaneous (National). |
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Correspondence
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This series is arranged chronologically and consists of letters received by Margaret Dreier Robins. It also includes some
19th century Dreier family correspondence in German and third party correspondence of Margaret's family including her sisters,
Mary and Dorothea. Letters between Margaret and Raymond are filed separately within the series. The series also contains two
boxes of letters written to Raymond Robins by people other than Margaret. It is unclear why these letters, some written after
Margaret's death, were not transferred to Wisconsin with the remainder of the Raymond Robins papers.
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Box 24 |
Dreier Family Correspondence, 1885-1889.
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Box 25 |
Dreier Family Correspondence, 1890-1893; Margaret Dreier Robins Correspondence, 1876-1905.
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Box 26 |
January 1906-December 1908.
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Box 27 |
January 1909-December 1910.
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Box 28 |
January 1911-April 1913.
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Box 29 |
May 1913-December 1915.
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Box 30 |
January 1916-December 1917.
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Box 31 |
January 1918-April 1920.
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Box 32 |
May 1920-October 1921.
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Box 33 |
November 1921-May 1923.
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Box 34 |
June 1923-February 1924.
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Box 35 |
March 1924-June 1925.
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Box 36 |
July 1925-February 1927.
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Box 37 |
March 1927-April 1928.
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Box 38 |
May 1928-May 1929.
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Box 39 |
June 1929-March 1930.
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Box 40 |
April-December 1930.
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Box 41 |
January-July 1931.
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Box 42 |
August 1931-February 1932.
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Box 43 |
March-September 1932.
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Box 44 |
October 1932-February 1933.
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Box 45 |
March-December 1933.
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Box 46 |
January-December 1934.
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Box 47 |
January-October 1935.
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Box 48 |
November 1935-April 1936.
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Box 49 |
May 1936-February 1937.
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Box 50 |
March 1937-August 1938.
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Box 51 |
September 1938-December 1939.
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Box 52 |
January-December 1940.
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Box 53 |
January 1941-May 1942.
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Box 54 |
June 1942-September 1943.
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Box 55 |
October 1943-June 1945.
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Box 56 |
Undated correspondence: (A-F).
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Box 57 |
Undated correspondence: (G-P).
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Box 58 |
Undated correspondence: (R-Z), Unidentified, and Miscellaneous.
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Box 59 |
Margaret Drier Robins to Raymond Robins. April 1905-September 1911
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Box 60 |
Margaret Drier Robins to Raymond Robins. October 1911-March 1915
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Box 61 |
Margaret Drier Robins to Raymond Robins. April 1915-August 1916
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Box 62 |
Margaret Drier Robins to Raymond Robins. September 1916-April 1920
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Box 63 |
Margaret Drier Robins to Raymond Robins. 1920-August 1922
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Box 64 |
Margaret Drier Robins to Raymond Robins. September 1922-March 1923
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Box 65 |
Margaret Drier Robins to Raymond Robins. April 1923-April 1924
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Box 66 |
Margaret Drier Robins to Raymond Robins. May 1924-December 1928
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Box 67 |
Margaret Drier Robins to Raymond Robins. January 1929-March 1930
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Box 68 |
Margaret Drier Robins to Raymond Robins. April 1930-January 1931
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Box 69 |
Margaret Drier Robins to Raymond Robins. February-September 1931
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Box 70 |
Margaret Drier Robins to Raymond Robins. October 1931-March 1932
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Box 71 |
Margaret Drier Robins to Raymond Robins. April 1932-March 1933
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Box 72 |
Margaret Drier Robins to Raymond Robins. April 1933-April 1934
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Box 73 |
Margaret Drier Robins to Raymond Robins. May 1934-August 1936
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Box 74 |
Margaret Drier Robins to Raymond Robins. September 1936-September 1938
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Box 75 |
Margaret Drier Robins to Raymond Robins. October 1938-December 1944 and Undated
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Box 76 |
Raymond Robins Correspondence. 1903-1931
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Box 77 |
Raymond Robins Correspondence. 1932-1948 and undated
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Box 78 |
Mary E. Dreier, Dorothea A. Dreier, Leonora O'Reilly and other third-party correspondence.
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Box 79 |
Addendum: Letters to Lilly Brummerhoff. 1926-1947
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Publications
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This series reflects Raymond Robins' career as well as Margaret Dreier Robins'. It is arranged primarily by the authors' or
publishers' names. There are also a few subject headings. The series includes labor publications, publications related to
child labor and women in the workforce, and political pamphlets, including literature of the National Progressive Party. There
is an incomplete run of convention proceedings for the Women's Trade Union League.
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Box 80 |
A.
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American Federation of Labor. |
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B-C. |
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Charities. |
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Children (3 folders). |
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China. |
Box 81 |
D-F.
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Fight for Freedom Committee. |
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G-H. |
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Household economy. |
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I. |
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International Federation of Trade Unions. |
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J-M. |
Box 82 |
McNamara Case.
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N. |
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National Progressive Party. |
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O-P. |
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Prohibition. |
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R-S. |
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Schools for women workers. |
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T. |
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Unemployment. |
Box 83 |
W.
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Women. |
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Women's Bureau, Dept. of Labor. |
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Women workers. |
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WTUL Conventions. 1905-1919 |
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WTUL Conventions. 1923-1929 |
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WTUL Miscellaneous (1). |
Box 84 |
WTUL Miscellaneous (2-3).
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WTUL - United Kingdom. |
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Workers movement. |
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Photographs
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This series contains images of the Dreier and Robins families, photographs of WTUL meetings, and political rallies and campaigns.
Of special note are the photographs from the Women's Campaign Train for Hughes and Social Justice Day in Marion, Ohio, with
then Senator Warren G. Harding in attendance. There are also photographs of people and activities in Chinsegut Hill, but this
is depicted much more extensively in the albums. Finally, there is a small folder of photographs from Raymond Robins' participation
in Red Cross efforts in Soviet Russia in 1918. Both Bolsheviks and anti-Bolsheviks are depicted and there are several photographs
of Yekaterina Konstantinova Breshko-Breshkovskaya, a member of the Social Revolutionaries known as the Grandmother of the
Russian Revolution.
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Box 85 |
Dreier family and friends.
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Margaret Dreier Robins. |
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Warren G. Harding, Social Justice Day, Marion, Ohio. |
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Hughes Campaign. 1916 |
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Immigrants and youth workers. |
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Labor meetings. |
Box 86 |
Raymond Robins, friends, family, collaborators.
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Russia. 1918 |
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Chinsegut Hill. |
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Unidentified photos. |
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Albums
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This series consists primarily of photograph albums related to Chinsegut Hill and Bimini's Isle as well as the surrounding
area. Of particular note in this regard are the photographs of local residents in Brooksville and Bayport and other areas
of Hernando County, Florida. There are many photographs of people employed at Chinsegut Hill including African-American laborers.
There are also albums depicting Margaret Dreier Robins' youth and an album from Raymond Robins' days as a gold miner in the
Yukon.
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Box 87 |
Chinsegut Hill and its people (6 albums).
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Box 88 |
Chinsegut Hill and its people (4 albums).
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Box 89 |
Chinsegut Hill .
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Unidentified location. |
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Raymond Robins, Yukon mining. |
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Clippings
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These are arranged alphabetically by subject and reflect the interests of both Raymond and Margaret. |
Box 90 |
Alaska. 1900
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Amalgamated Clothing Workers/Steel Workers. |
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American Federation of Labor. |
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Arbuckle Case. |
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Chicago Evening Post. |
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Chicago School Controversy. |
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Child Labor. |
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Chinsegut Hill. 1931-1932 |
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Chinsegut Hill. 1933-1934 |
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Chinsegut Hill. 1935-1937 |
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Chinsegut Hill. 1939-1953 |
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Chinsegut Hill. 1954-1961 |
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Chinsegut Hill. no date |
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Communism. |
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Council of National Defense. |
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Dept. of Labor. |
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Dreier, H. Edward and Ethel. |
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Dreier, Dorothea (sister of MDR). |
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Dreier, Dorothea (niece of MDR). |
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Dreier, Katherine. |
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Dreier, Mary. |
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Dreier, Theodore. |
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Employment Agency Bill. 1901-1904 |
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Employment Agency Bill. 1933 |
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England, Labor and politics. |
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Factory Inspection Laws. |
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Florida. |
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Foreign Relations. |
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Friends. |
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German clippings. |
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Hauptmann Trial. |
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Health, Education and Welfare. |
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Immigrants. |
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International Labor Conferences. |
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Investment. |
Box 91 |
Jerome election (NYC).
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League of Women Voters. |
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National Education Assoc. |
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National Purity League. |
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National Women's Party. |
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National Women's Trade Union League. |
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Negro. |
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New York Association of Women Workers. |
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Outlawry of War. |
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Pan Pacific Women's Conference. |
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Politics. |
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Politics - Chicago. |
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Politics - Democratic Party. |
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Politics - GOP. |
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Politics - Progressive Party. |
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Price stabilization. |
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Prohibition. |
Box 92 |
Prominent personages.
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Prominent women I. |
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Prominent women II. |
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Religion and Men Forward Movement. |
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Robins, Elizabeth. |
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Robins, Margaret Dreier. |
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Robins, Margaret Dreier - Activities. |
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Robins, Margaret Dreier - Reviews of book by Mary Drier. |
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Robins, Raymond. |
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Robins, Raymond - Disappearance. |
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Robins, Raymond - Missions, writings and speeches. |
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Robins, Raymond and Margaret. 1913-1929 |
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Roosevelt, Franklin D. |
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Roosevelt, Theodore. |
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Rudowitz extradition. |
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Russia. 1910-1919 |
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Russia. 1920 |
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Russia. 1921 |
Box 93 |
Russia. 1924-1926
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Russia. 1932-1937 |
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Settlement. |
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Southern welfare. |
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State labor relations - New York, Illinois, W. Virginia. |
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Suffrage. |
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Ten and eight hour bills. |
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Unemployment compensation. |
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Unions - general. |
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Unions - strikes. 1901-1918 |
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Unions - strikes. 1918-1935 |
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United Mine Workers. |
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White House Conference on Child Health and Protection. |
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Women in industry. |
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Women's Bureau. |
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Women's City Club. |
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Women's education. |
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Women's rights. |
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YMCA and YWCA. |
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Scrapbooks
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This series consists primarily of clippings documenting the Robins' activities. Of particular note is a scrapbook from Raymond
Robins' 1912 U. S. Senate campaign as a member of the National Progressive Party in Illinois.
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Box 94 |
Political scrapbooks. 1896-1918
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Box 95 |
Labor scrapbooks. 1910-1911
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Miscellany
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Scrapbooks and financial books documenting the life and business activity of Charles E. Robins in Louisville, Kentucky, Staten
Island, and Zanesville, Ohio.
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Box 96 |
Charles E. Robins - scrapbooks. 1853-1885
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Box 97 |
Charles E. Robins - financial journals. 1865-1875
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The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog: |
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Hernando County (Fla.)--Photographs. |
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National Women's Trade Union League of America. |
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Political campaigns. |
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Robins, Margaret Dreier, 1868-1945. |
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Robins, Raymond, 1873-1954. |
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Social reformers--United States. |
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Women in the labor movement. |
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Women's rights--United States. |
For further information, please contact: Special Collections Access
Services.
