Barnhill, Janet, Collection on Cora Bolton McBryde Janet Barnhill Collection on Cora Bolton McBryde, c. 1860s-1910s Ms.2016.019

Janet Barnhill Collection on Cora Bolton McBryde, c. 1860s-1910s Ms.2016.019


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Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech

Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061
Business Number: 540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu
URL: http://spec.lib.vt.edu

Kira A. Dietz, Archivist

Repository
Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
Identification
Ms.2016.019
Title
Janet Barnhill Collection on Cora Bolton McBryde c. 1860s-1910s
Quantity
2.4 Cubic Feet, 2 boxes
Creator
McBryde, Cora Bolton, 1839-1920
Language
The materials in the collection are in English.
Abstract
This collection consists of a handwritten recipe book belonging to Cora Bolton McBryde, as well as three peraonal artifacts: an anniversary plate, a Tiffany & Co. silver spoon, and a metal mold. Most of the materials are undated, other than the plate (1913), but they likely date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.Cora Bolton McBryde was the wife of John McLaren McBryde, president of Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College before and during the transition to Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute (shortened to Virginia Polytechnic Institute). The pitcher and cup were added in 2018.

Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives ( specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Janet Barnhill Collection on Cora Bolton McBryde, Ms2016-019, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

Materials in the collection were donated to Special Collections and University Archive in two separate accession: The cookbook in 2013 and the artifacts in 2016. Additional items were donated in 2018.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Janet Barnhill Collection on Cora Bolton McBryde was completed in December 2016. The pitcher, cup, and stand were added to the collection in 2018.


Biographical Note

Cora Bolton was born to James (1812-1869) and Anna Maria Harrison (1813-1873) Bolton in Richmond, Virginia, on August 4, 1839. She was the eldest of six children. Her father was a physician who worked in the Richmond area, includnig during the Civil War. In 1860, Cora, then 19, was living with her family there.

Cora married John McLaren McBryde on November 18, 1863. They had eight children, six of whom lived to adulthood: Janet (1864-1869), James (1866-1925), Anna (later Anna Davidson) (1868-1948) John (1870-?), Charles (1872-1962), Susan (1874-1951), Meade (1877-1959), and Waid (abt. 1878-?). The 1880 census places the McBryde family in Knoxville, Tennessee, where John McBryde was teaching at the time.

By 1891, they had settled in Blacksburg, where Cora would spend the remaining 29 years of her life. Cora died in Blacksburg, Virginia, in 1920 at the age of 80. She is buried in Westview Cemetery.

You can see several photographs of Cora and her family in a post on the Special Collections blog.

Sources: Cora Bolton McBryde on Find a Grave Ancestry Library Edition

Scope and Content

The Janet Barnhill Collection on Cora Bolton McBryde consists of a handwritten recipe book belonging to McBryde, as well as three peraonal artifacts: an anniversary plate, a Tiffany & Co. silver spoon, and a metal mold. Most of the materials are undated, other than the plate (1913), but they likely date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The collection also contains a pitcher, cup, and stand, c. late 1890s. More detailed description of each item is provided in the "Contents List" below.

Related Material

See also the following collections at Virginia Tech Special Collections and University Archives:

Subjects and Indexing Terms

  • History of Food and Drink
  • University History
  • Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College (1872-1896)
  • Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute (1896-1944)

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Janet Barnhill Collection on Cora Bolton McBryde by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your- work/public-domain/cc0/ ).

Container List

artifact item: 1
Manuscript Cookbook
Scope and Content

This manuscript cookbooks (which also includes some recipes clipped from newspapers) belong to Cora Bolton McBryde. It's unclear when she began keeping it, but like many handwritten recipe books, it was added to over time (suggested by the changing writing tools) and may include additions from several generations (suggested by the various handwritings). The cookbook contains a wide variety of recipes, as well as planned (or intended) menus and some children's scrawls and scribbles. The majority of the recipes are for sweet dishes, including "Cora's Date Pudding," sponge and coffee cakes, puddings, snows, and icings. In addition, there are handwritten and clipped recipes for meat and fish dishes, vegetables, salad dressings, and breads. At least 3 recipes are attributed to "Flora," who could have been Cora's daughter-in-law, Flora Webster McBryde (wife of John, Jr.).

artifact item: 2
Silver Tiffany & Co. spoon with "McB" monogram
Scope and Content

This Tiffany & Co. silver spoon belonged to Cora and was passed down through her family. It includes the original blue Tiffany & Co. bag.

artifact item: 3
Metal mold (turban pan)
c.1910s-1930s
Scope and Content

This metal mold (also called a turban pan) generally dates to the 1910s-1930s. Since Cora McBryde died in 1920, it likely comes from one of the earlier decades.

artifact item: 4
50th Anniversary cake plate
November 1913
Scope and Content

This white plate is decorated with a gold leaf design. A note on the bottom indicates it was received in celebration of John and Cora McBryde's 50th wedding anniversary (November 18, 1913).

artifact item: 5
Silver-plated pitcher with cup and stand
c. late 1890s
Scope and Content

The pitcher was used in the Grove by Cora and John McBryde, and was kept on a hall table in the house.