Collections

Ella Reeve "Mother" Bloor (1862–1951) was an American activist dedicated to the labor movement, the Socialist Party, and numerous radical groups.

The Ella Reeve Bloor Papers consist of two linear feet of personal and professional correspondence, notebooks and pamphlets, clippings, publications, and printed ephemera.

The collection, divided into 4 series, documents her activities as suffragist, free speech advocate, and labor organizer.

The Correspondence series consists of manuscript letters betweeen Bloor and her family, and correspondence between Bloor and her colleagues.

The majority of the family letters are to/from her children. Her letters, written during her travels, provide information about individuals and events associated with her work. Most of the family letters include the month and day written, but not the year. As a result, the letters are arranged in non-specific order.

Bloor's correspondence with colleagues and organizations are arranged chronologically. Included are letters from various Socialist societies, state and local government offices, newspapers, and labor unions, such as the New York State Committee Socialist Party, United Cloth and Cap Makers, Tailors’ Union. In addition, there are handwritten letters from other activists involved in socialist and labor causes (e.g., letter from Joseph W. Sharts, counsel for Eugene V. Debs in his trial at Cleveland, Ohio; Theodore H. Lunde, officer of the Peace Council in Chicago).

The Publications series includes several small booklets, articles, a journal, and a report on the professional achievements of Harold M. Ware.

The collection includes typed and handwritten letters by Case to Mary Catherine Damon whom he referred to in most of the letters as Kay Damon. In the letters, Case discusses his reasons for being a conscientious objector and daily life at Public Service Camp 21. The bulk of correspondence is from 1942 until 1943 The Civilian Public Service was made to provide alternative service for conscientious objectors due to religious objections against war. Civilian Public Service Camp 21 was a Forest Service camp located in Cascade Locks, Oregon and run by the Brethren Service Committee a part of the Church of Brethren. Many of the conscientious objectors were from various other Christian religions besides the Church of the Brethren. CPS Camp 21 opened November 1941 and closed July 1946. The men fought forest fires, worked on forest fire prevention and did camp maintenance and construction. Total number of workers who worked in the camp were 579 men.

The February 1943 folder includes two pictures and a postcard of the library fire that occurred January 1943 in the camp. The library included a collection of 2000 volumes, but after the fire was rebuilt and restocked with a new collection of 3000 volumes.