Ruth Easton’s personal financial records dating from 1952 until after her death in 1957 make up the greater part of this collection. Her guardian and later executor of her estate, Robert Barr, Assistant Secretary of the College, presumably kept most of these materials. Evidence of a five hundred dollar gift to Oberlin College from her estate for the Ruth Easton Scholarship Fund exists in the form of an acknowledgement slip dated April 19, 1958.

The collection is divided into three series: I. Biographical File II. Correspondence III. Financial records.

Series I. Biographical File, 1957-1958 (0.01 l.f.)

Consists of photocopies of several death notices and memorial service announcements.

Series II. Correspondence, 1955-1956 (0.01 l.f.)

The correspondence is comprised of a letter and several postcards Ruth Easton wrote to Robert Barr while she was in the care of the Apple Creek State Hospital. These attest to her fondness for her home in Oberlin and for the college. Additional correspondence of Robert Barr (with banks, insurance companies, the Social Security Administration, and the Houston Nursing Home and Apple Creek State Hospital) pertaining to the management of Ruth Easton’s monetary affairs has been classified with other related financial documentation in Series III.

Series III. Financial Records, 1952-1958 (0.18 l.f.)

Contains invoices for various funeral expenses. Other financial materials include receipts, income and expense ledgers, savings account passbooks and checkbooks, and insurance and taxation documents. Also present are records related to the settlement of Ruth Easton’s estate, particularly probate court documents and itemized statements of assets. Acknowledgement of a five hundred dollar gift from her estate to Oberlin College can be found in the Receipts file.

The papers of Ruth Easton were received in the Oberlin College Archives with the records of the Secretary’s Office on December 21, 1976. [accession 1976/38]

Former Faculty, Staff & Trustees [28/3]
Graduates and Former Students [RG 28]