Correspondence, 1900-1969

Extent:

3 boxes

Scope and content:

The correspondence series contains primarily greeting and Christmas cards sent to Wylanta during her lifetime. The bulk of the correspondence is from the late 1920s. These notes are addressed to Wylanta according to her current married surname and generally express holiday greetings, well wishes, and, occasionally, thank her for gifts or sympathy sentiments received, invite her to weddings and other events, or request charitable gifts. Many of these greeting cards have no handwritten notes other than a signature. More in-depth are a handful of letters between Wylanta and her sister, Hettie (primarily from 1900-1925, Hettie Rochelle Blankenship lived 1893-1979), her future husband, Perry Elridge, and several other female friend correspondents. Topics addressed in these notes including current events such as World Wars I and II, love, business and property rental issues, Wylanta's winter home in Miami Beach, Durham society gossip, and family matters. There are also a small number of letters from merchants in response to Wylanta's requests for purchases. From 1923 there is a large amount of correspondence and condolence letters related to Wylanta's car accident in Nice, France, after which her husband, Isaac R. Strayhorn, died from injuries sustained. The correspondence series is organized chronologically.

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