Shale and Wolf Families letters

Collection — Folder: 1

Identifier: IWA0425

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Shale-Wolf letters were written between 1878 and 1892 and measure one linear inch. The collection consists of typescript copies of the correspondence between the sisters and their kin, discussing important events in farm life in northern Iowa and the Dakota Territory--agricultural production, child rearing, family interactions, household chores, farm prices, and climate--primarily from a farm woman's perspective.

Dates

Creation: 1878-1999

Creator

Shale family (Family)
Wolf family (Family)

Conditions Governing Access

The letters are open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright held by the donor has been retained by the donor.

However, copyright status for some collection materials may be unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owner. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility and potential liability based on copyright infringement for any use rests exclusively and solely with the user. Users must properly acknowledge the Iowa Women’s Archives, The University of Iowa Libraries, as the source of the material. For further information, visit https://www.lib.uiowa.edu/sc/services/rights/

Biographical / Historical

Sophia Shale, Wisconsin-born, farm woman, married Henry Wolf and moved with him to Hampton, Iowa. One of her sisters, Mary Shale, married David Wolf, a brother of Henry Wolf; another sister Lizzie Shale married a cousin of David and Henry Wolf named William Seipp. The Wolf family had moved to Wisconsin in 1849 and their sons, in turn, moved with their wives to Iowa and the Dakota Territory between 1849 and the 1880s. The sisters continued to write to each other and to their parents, Christian and Margaret Shale, who remained near Baraboo, Wisconsin. A biographical sketch of the family members, written by the donor, is included in the collection.