Kate Gleason papers
Biographical note
Catherine Anselm Gleason, or Kate as she was known, was born on November 25, 1865 in Rochester, New York. In 1884, Gleason enrolled at Cornell University and was the first woman to study engineering. Due to her father, William's illness, Gleason soon left Cornell and went to work at the Gleason Tool Company. Gleason served as Secretary-Treasurer of Gleason Works from 1890-1901. Gleason was one of the first women to sell machine tools and oversaw the expansion of her family's company. In 1914, a year after retiring from Gleason Works, she joined the American Society of Engineers as the first female member. Gleason later became one of the first women to hold the position of bank president, a role she filled at First National Bank in Rochester from 1918-1919. Gleason traveled extensively in the 1920s, despite bouts of ill health. Her philanthropic efforts extended to libraries, schools and charities in the Rochester area, as well as supporting the Rochester Institute of Technology. In 1933, Catherine Anslem Gleason died of pneumonia.
Scope and Contents
The Kate Gleason Papers consists of two series: Correspondence, 1880-1960, and Research Files. There are nearly 100 letters exchanged between Gleason and various family members, including her father William and brother, James. Other correspondents include Henry Leland, founder of Lincoln and automobile innovator, Robert Lansing, Charles Harmon, and several photocopies of letters, including several written to George Eastman, and Dr. Rush Rhees.The majority of the letters were written in the 1880s and 1890s. Additional items include a small black book that lists different groups that Gleason supported, most notably, local suffrage organizations. There are also 15 letters exchanged between Kate Gleason and friends or colleagues.
The series, Research Files include information that Janis Gleason gathered while writing Life and Letters of Kate Gleason. This files reflect Kate Gleason’s philanthropy, her international travels, real estate holdings and investments, as well as numerous files related to various Gleason family members. Most of the materials in this series are copies of original documents held at other institutions, or gathered from different websites, and databases. There are a small number of original historical documents in this series, mostly correspondence, newspaper clippings, and photographs.
Creator
- Gleason, Kate, 1865-1933 (Person)
- Gleason, William, 1836- (Person)
- Gleason, James E. (Person)
- Leland, Henry Martyn, 1843-1932 (Person)
Dates
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1880-2010
Language of Materials
English
Extent
9.0 linear feet (14 Boxes)
Access
The Kate Gleason Papers is open for research use. Researchers are advised to contact Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation prior to visiting. Upon arrival, researchers will also be asked to fill out a registration form and provide photo identification.
Use
Reproductions are made upon request but can be subject to restrictions. Permission to publish materials from the collection must currently be requested. Please note that some materials may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections. For more information contact rarebks@library.rochester.edu
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Kate Gleason Papers were made a gift of Janis F. Gleason in 2014.
Preferred Citation
[Item title, item date], Kate Gleason Papers, D.473, Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester
Genre / Form
Geographic
Occupation
Subject
- Gleason, Kate, 1865-1933 (Person)
- Gleason, William, 1836- (Person)
- Gleason, James E. (Person)
- Leland, Henry Martyn, 1843-1932 (Person)
- Title
- Kate Gleason papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by RBSCP staff.
- Date
- undated
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Library Details
Part of the Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation Library
