Mary Van Fossen Turner Papers 1852-1997

Access and use

Location of collection:
Hollins University
Dept. of Special Collections
Wyndham Robertson Library
Hollins University
P. O. Box 9000
7950 E. Campus Drive
Roanoke, VA 24020
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Isabel Folck
Phone: (540) 362-6237
Fax: (540) 362-6756

Summary

Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists Mary Van Fossen Turner's correspondence, primarily from her father, Joseph A. Turner, Jr. and her cousin Mary Cobb Hayward. There are also photo albums, loose photos, negatives, slides, travel journals, and small amounts of memorabilia, clippings, genealogical notes, and legal papers.

Biographical / historical:

Mary Van Fossen Turner, was born in 1905 and died 18 July 1997. Both her parents worked at Hollins and her grandfather had been a professor at Hollins. Her mother was Mary V. Masters, her father was Joseph A. Turner, II, and her grandfather, Joseph A. Turner. Mary's siblings were Susanna Pleasants Turner, 1913- and JAT, III, 1908-. She was also related to the Raths who taught at Hollins. The Rath girls (Gertrude "Gaku," Virginia "Dinny," and Luise were her cousins. Mary Van attended Hollins and received her A. B. degree in 1927. After Hollins, she took courses at Columbia University in New York and then moved to NY City where she held a secretarial position. She sometimes had friends sharing her apartment and for a short time, her brother, JAT,III, lived with her. During World War II, she served in the USNR and in the WAVES. After the war, she returned to Roanoke to work. Eventual she obtained a job with the National Park Service as the first park ranger for the Blue Ridge Parkway. She rose to the position of Director of Personnel until her retirement in 1969. She and her sister both lived in Lynchburg at Westminster Cantebury until their deaths.

Acquisition information:
This collection was received as a gift July 18, 1997, obtained through Hollins' Development Office.
Arrangement:

The collection is composed of four series.

Series Listing
  • Series I: Correspondence (1852, 1914-1997)
  • Series II: Journals and Notebooks
  • Series III: Other Papers: clippings, legal papers, genealogical notes, miscellaneous
  • Series IV: Visual Materials (photos, albums, slides)
  • Memorabilia
Physical location:
Q-4a: Alumnae Files
Physical description:
This collection consists of aproximately 260 pieces.