Esther A. Close & Mary Maud Mann Papers, 1884-1990
| Oberlin College Archives
Administrative/Biographical History
Esther Annette Close
Esther Annette Close was born on June 25, 1866 in Sullivan, Ohio, the daughter of Rhoderick Moe and Rosetta Maria (Mann) Close. She graduated from Oberlin High School in 1884. She attended the Oberlin Conservatory from 1884-88 and again from 1894-95. She received her Ph.B. (bachelor of philosophy) degree from Oberlin in 1893.
Several of Close’s relatives attended Oberlin, including her brother Henry Mead Close. Henry Close attended Oberlin Conservatory from 1891-92.
From 1888-94, Esther Close taught music at several schools, including the Ballard Normal School in Macon, Georgia. Upon her return to Oberlin, she worked as a library assistant at Oberlin College from 1894-1902 and again from 1907-33. She retired in 1933.
Close lived a vast majority of her life in Oberlin. She was an active member of the Congregational Church, the Oberlin Women’s Club and the Oberlin Women’s Christian Temperance Union. Her favorite hobby was genealogy and she traveled around the U.S. to research her family’s history.
According to an obituary clipping in Mary Maud Mann’s student file, Mary (known as Maud) and Esther were cousins. One of Close’s genealogical projects included transcribing Mann’s journals.
Close died on February 1, 1956 in Oberlin. Survivors included two nieces, both of whom were Oberlin graduates: Vidian Jack ’22 of Buffalo, New York, and Mrs. R. Wionna Wherley ’31 of Stone Creek, Ohio.
Mary Maud Mann
Mary Maud Mann, known as Maud, was born December 1, 1859 in Sullivan, Ohio. She was a student in the Oberlin Conservatory preparatory from 1886-1888.
Maud taught music for several years in Ohio. After moving to Wellington, Ohio, in 1901, she became heavily involved in philanthropy, which included volunteering at church, visiting the sick and shut-ins and temperance work.
She married Rhesa Close Houghton (July 10, 1842–Jan. 19, 1928) on March 19, 1921. Rhesa also attended Oberlin’s preparatory school from 1866-67. The couple resided in Wilmington, Illinois for numerous years.
Maud died November 5, 1938 in Illinois.
Sources Consulted
Student file of Esther Annette Close (RG 28).
Selected files from Esther A. Close & Mary M. Mann Papers Collection (RG 30/217).
Student file of Mary Maud Mann (RG 28).
Administrative Information
This collection is divided into three series, but largely consists of diaries and transcripts of two Oberlin students from the 1880s.
The collection contains little biographical information of either woman, apart from what can be gleamed from the everyday occurrences in their diaries.
Close and Mann were evidently friends, as well as cousins. Close’s diary mentions a “Maud” quite frequently, and as Mann’s student file lists her as “M. Maud Mann,” it is quite likely that the Maud mentioned in Close’s diaries is indeed her cousin Mary Maud Mann.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series I. Diaries and Notes of Esther Annette Close, 1884-1905, 1990
The first series consists of the diaries and notes of Esther Annette Close. There are three original diaries of Close’s. Daily activities with friends, interactions on the job, and impressions of various campus events are mentioned with varying depth. In particular, Eoline Spaulding, a head cataloguer at Oberlin College Library, President King and Booker T. Washington are all mentioned several times.
Close’s diaries are in fragile condition and were transcribed by Oberlin College student Laura Rose Hisrich for her winter term project of 1990. Hisrich also added numerous photographs of family members mentioned in the journals, as well as other relevant Oberlin people, locations and even clippings. The series concludes with a small notebook of “Library Notes,” which Close created during her years of library work.
Series II. Diaries of Mary Maud Mann, 1873-1910
Series II contains of an original diary of Mary Maud Mann. Close also transcribed (and edited) three other diaries of Mann’s, which make up the rest of the series. Close added notes, explanations and other bits of information to her transcription of Mann’s diary. These diaries are in fragile condition.
Series III. Postcards, 1928
Series III is a small collection of postcard photographs of Oberlin from a winter ice storm in 1928.
INVENTORY
Series I. Diaries and Notes of Esther Annette Close
Box 1
Original diaries, 1884-1905 (3 vol.)
(*fragile* - researchers should use
transcription)
Transcription of diaries by Laura Rose
Hisrich, 1990
"Library Notes" by Esther Annette Close, 1902
Series II. Diaries of Mary Maud Mann
Box 1 (cont.)
Original diary, 1886
Selections transcribed by Esther Annette
Close, 1873-1910 (3 vol.)
Series III. Postcards
Box 1 (cont.)
Postcard photographs of Oberlin during
ice storm of 1928