Helen Dortch Longstreet Papers
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Helen Dortch Longstreet papers Descriptive Summary Repository: Georgia Historical Society Creator: Longstreet, Helen Dortch, -1962. Title: Helen Dortch Longstreet papers Dates: 1904-1941 Extent: 6.0 cubic feet (18 boxes) Identification: MS 1341 Biographical/Historical Note Helen Dortch Longstreet (1863-1965) was born in Carnesville, Georgia on April 20, 1863. She was the daughter of James Speed and Mary Pulliam Dortch. She received her education from Brenau College in Gainesville, Georgia and Notre Dame Convent in Baltimore, Maryland. While at Brenau College, Helen Dortch Longstreet met General James Longstreet, the father of her roommate. They married on September 8, 1897 in Atlanta, Georgia at the Governor's Mansion. At the time of their marriage, Helen Longstreet was thirty-four and General Longstreet was seventy-six. They were married only six years before General Longstreet died on January 2, 1904. They had no children. Helen Longstreet had many interests during her life and held positions in many organizations. She was reportedly the first woman to hold state office in Georgia as Assistant State Librarian. She served in this capacity under Captain John Milledge from 1894 until 1897. Upon the death of her husband, Mrs. Longstreet was appointed Postmistress of Gainesville, Georgia, a position she held until 1913. Helen Longstreet was also involved in political activism. She was a delegate to the Progressive Party convention I 1912 and backed Theodore Roosevelt for the nomination and election. Her political activism was expressed through her work as editor (and in some cases publisher) of political magazines and newspapers. She lectured throughout the nation on a variety of topics including the interest of economic justice for agriculture and labor. From 1911 to 1913, Mrs. Longstreet led a losing fight to prevent the Georgia Power Company from building a power dam at Tallulah Falls. In December, 1934, Helen Longstreet moved to the Virgin Islands and became active in local politics. She wrote numerous articles about the plight of the Virgin Islands and lobbied to improve the conditions on the Islands. While there, Mrs. Longstreet made attempts to uncover those whom she considered to be corrupt politicians. Most of Helen Longstreet's attention focused on clearing General Longstreet's name. She felt that he was unjustly blamed for the South's failure at the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War. She published Lee and Longstreet at High Tide in 1905, made numerous appearances and speeches on behalf of her husband, and wrote articles in his defense. Mrs. Longstreet was also responsible for the Longstreet Memorial Association and the Longstreet memorial Exhibit at the New York World's Fair in 1939 and the Golden Gate Exposition in 1940. In 1956, Helen Longstreet suffered from deteriorating mental health. She was placed in the Central State Hospital in Milledgeville, Georgia in 1957, where she remained until her death on may 3, 1962. She is buried in West View Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia. Scope and Content Note This collection consists primarily of correspondence, with the majority consisting of carbon copies of letters written by Helen Dortch Longstreet. The correspondence covers her numerous interests, both personal and political. Personal topics include family information, her health, her financial situation, and her passion to clear the name of her husband, General James Longstreet. Contained in the political correspondence are letters to many politicians covering topics such as elections, the New Deal, political corruption in the Virgin Islands (also newspapers), and other political issues she viewed as important. A large portion of the collection describes her efforts to clear General Longstreet's name. She attempted this through speeches, publications, the Longstreet memorial Association, and the Longstreet Memorial Exhibit, both at the New York World's Fair of 1938 and the Golden Gate Exposition of 1940. There are also photographs of the exhibit, the Longstreet Memorial and the 75th Gettysburg Reunion. Index Terms Antietam, Battle of, Md., 1862. Chickamauga, Battle of, Ga., 1863. Dortch family. Gettysburg Campaign, 1863. Gettysburg Reunion, 1938. Letters (correspondence) Longstreet, Helen Dortch, -1962. Longstreet, James, 1821-1904. New York World’s Fair (1939-1940 : New York, N.Y.) Photographs. Postmasters. Pulliam family. Tallulah Falls (Ga.) Virgin Islands. Women in politics. Administrative Information Custodial History Unknown. Preferred Citation [item identification], Helen Dortch Longstreet papers, MS 1341, Georgia Historical Society, Savannah, Georgia. Acquisition Information Gift of Philip W. O'Dell, 1975. Restrictions Access Restrictions Collection is open for research. Publication Rights Copyright has not been assigned to the Georgia Historical Society. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Division of Library and Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Georgia Historical Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher. Sponsorship Encoding funded by a 2012 Documenting Democracy grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Container List Box Fldr 1 1 Correspondence, 1904 ( 7.0 items. ) relating to Lee and Longstreet at High Tide. 2 Correspondence, 1907 October 21 ( 1.0 items. ) Ellen to ma regarding trip to Washington, D.C. 3 Correspondence, 1909 ( 4.0 items. ) two letters concerning the National Association of Postmasters of the Second and Third classes. Third item is a letter from Fort Apache, Arizona. Fourth item is a letter to HDL about how women should not hold positions that men can fill. 4 Correspondence, 1910 ( 4.0 items. ) including thank you note regarding testimonial from Eleanor B. Roosevelt. 5 Correspondence, 1911 ( 6.0 items. ) including three letters regarding Tallulah Falls Conservation Association controversy with the water company. 6 Correspondence, 1912 ( 12.0 items. ) regarding Tallulah Falls Conservation Association controversy. Also includes a petition supporting her reappointment as Postmistresses to Gainesville, Ga. 7 Correspondence, 1913 ( 1.0 items. ) regarding appointment of black sympathizers as postmasters in Florida. 8 Correspondence, 1914 ( 1.0 items. ) regarding Tallulah Falls controversy. 9 Correspondence, 1915 ( 13.0 items. ) including letters to General Victoriana Huerta regarding the murder of Madero and the occupation of Vera Cruz. 10 Correspondence, 1916 ( 34.0 items. ) regarding Tallulah Falls controversy; the estate of James Longstreet; note form Theodore Roosevelt regarding his loss to Woodrow Wilson; Dortch genealogy. 11 Correspondence, 1917 ( 14.0 items. ) personal news. 12 Correspondence, 1918 ( 6.0 items. ) personal news. 13 Correspondence, 1919 ( 25.0 items. ) Tallulah Falls controversy, personal news and politics. 14 Correspondence, 1920 ( 18.0 items. ) personal news and politics; letter regarding Helen Longstreet's removal as postmistress I Gainesville, Ga. and the appointment of an African American persona in her place. 15 Correspondence, 1921 ( 19.0 items. ) regarding presidential inauguration of Warren G. Harding and related activities; Tallulah Falls controversy and personal news. Also mentioned is the possible appointment of Helen D. Longstreet to the proposed Public Welfare Department. 16 Correspondence, 1922 ( 54.0 items. ) letters to Senator Thomas Watson and others regarding Helen Longstreet's desire to have a position in President Warren G. Harding's administration. Also included are personal news and her attempts to become postmistress of Gainesville, Ga. again. 17 Correspondence, 1923 ( 7.0 items. ) personal news and politics; postmistress job in Gainesville, Ga. 18 Correspondence, 1924 ( 4.0 items. ) politics. 19 Correspondence, 1930 ( 1.0 items. ) regarding possible appointment of Clio Burroughs as acting postmaster. 20 Correspondence, 1931 ( 18.0 items. ) article on Virgin Islands; Cambria Pines By the Sea (California) development. 21 Correspondence, 1932 ( 11.0 items. ) personal and business news. 22 Correspondence, 1933 February-April ( 47.0 items. ) personal and business news; letters to Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt; Cambria Pines by the Sea (Ca.) development; request for aid in becoming Lt. Governor of St. Croix, Virgin Islands. 23 Correspondence, 1933 May ( 44.0 items. ) personal and business news; Pulliam, Dortch, Speed and Fry genealogy; requests for recommendations to President Franklin D. Roosevelt to help HDL get a job with the government. 24 Correspondence, 1933 June ( 54.0 items. ) personal and business news; requests for recommendations to help HDL get a job with the government. 25 Correspondence, 1933 July ( 59.0 items. ) personal and business news; requests for recommendations to help HDL get a job with the government; HDL applying for a job as Lt. Governor of St. Croix, Virgin Islands. 26 Correspondence, 1933 August ( 55.0 items. ) personal and business news; job recommendations. Box Fldr 2 27 Correspondence, 1933 September ( 16.0 items. ) personal and business news; Tallulah Falls controversy; job recommendations; Pulliam genealogy. 28 Correspondence, 1933 October ( 58.0 items. ) personal and business news; job recommendations; Pulliam genealogy; Tate Mountain Estates; confederate pensions. 29 Correspondence, 1933 November 1-10 ( 35.0 items. ) personal and business news; confederate pensions; Pulliam