The Oberlin College Archives’ collection of the papers of Betsy Mix Cowles is a reference-only collection, drawn from the much larger collection located at Kent State University.  The papers (photocopies) consist of biographical articles, letters received by Cowles, and additional information about the collection at Kent State.  The materials in this collection primarily relate to Betsy Cowles’ life as an educator, abolitionist, and women’s rights activist.  Though the collection contains a good deal of correspondence between Cowles and her siblings, there is no information about her parents, or about her life before 1835.

The Betsy Mix Cowles Papers are organized into three record series:  I. Biographical File; II. Correspondence; and III. Finding Aids Relating to the Betsy Mix Cowles Papers (Kent State University).  The documents in all series are arranged chronologically.

Cowles’ biographical file is scant, containing three articles detailing her life as an activist (1937, 1981, 1989).  The folder containing correspondence with her siblings is composed of personal letters which mention her education and travels from 1835 to 1840.  Later correspondence describes her relation to Abby Kelley Foster, her work with the Anti-Slavery Society of Ashtabula County, and other work with other abolitionists.  The collection contains photocopies of finding aids for the Betsy Mix Cowles Papers held by Kent State University.  The finding aids consist of a calendar (1979) and updated inventory (2004) and are filed with the collection to assist researchers.

Series I. Biographical File, 1937, 1981, 1989 (1 folder)

The biographical materials include an excerpt from Frances J. Hosford’s Father Shipherd’s Magna Charta (1937), a biographical piece from The Western Reserve Magazine (1981), and an article from the Plain Dealer (1989).  See the inventory for the complete titles.

Series II. Correspondence, 1835-75 (5 folders, 51 letters)

This series consists of letters sent to Betsy Mix Cowles by her siblings, concerning her travels and personal matters.  Also included are copies of letters from abolitionists, educators, and women’s rights advocates regarding those issues, and personal letters from friends.

Series III.  Finding Aids Relating to the Betsy Mix Cowles Papers (Kent State University), 1979, 2004 (1 folder)

This file includes a calendar prepared by Donna DeBlasio (1979), and a recently updated inventory with a biographical sketch (2004).  The inventory is located on the Kent State University website at http://speccoll.library.kent.edu/reghist/cowles.html.

The Oberlin College Archives received the papers of Betsy Mix Cowles in two installments from James W. Geary, archivist at Kent State University: in 1978, and again in 1979.

The Betsy Mix Cowles Papers held by Kent State University.