Irelan Family Papers
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No requestable containers
Scope and Contents
Pete Irelan's job often took him away from his family and he kept in touch with letters home. There is a folder of such letters here, as well as financial documents relating to the family. There are records from Pete's job as a telegrapher, including documents, contracts, and correspondence having to do with the Rock Island Railroad. The Irelan family apparently held an annual family reunion, and kept a book of the attendees, along with brief minutes of the business meeting. This is quite complete for the years 1954 to 1988. Along with this is a history of the Hunter farm. Clippings, obituaries, postcards, memorial cards, and souvenir cards and programs round out this collection.
Dates
- Creation: 1924-1996
Creator
- Irelan family (Family)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright restrictions may apply; please consult Special Collections staff for further information.
Biographical / Historical
Curtis Glen Irelan, known as Pete, was born on December 1, 1906. He went to school in Bloomfield, Iowa, and later worked as a telegrapher for the Rock Island Railroad. He married Gerata Hunter (1907 -- 1996) on August 19, 1932. She was known as Gerry and taught school. Their daughter, Jane, was born in 1936 and a son, Patrick, was born in 1943. Patrick Irelan worked at the University of Iowa and has written several books, among them Central Standard, a recollection of growing up in Iowa and Nebraska, and a sequel A Firefly in the Night.
Extent
1.00 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Curtis Glen Irelan worked as a telegraph operator for the Rock Island Railroad in Iowa and Nebraska from roughly the nineteen-thirties to the nineteen-sixties. His wife, Gerata Hunter Irelan, was a school teacher. These papers consist of railroad documents, items from their schools, legal and financial papers, and other family papers, including a reunion book for the Irelan extended family.
Method of Acquisition
These papers were given to the University of Iowa Libraries by Patrick Irelan in August 2006.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- eng
Repository Details
Part of the University of Iowa Special Collections Repository
Special Collections Department
University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa City IA 52242 IaU
319-335-5921
319-335-5900 (Fax)
lib-spec@uiowa.edu