JOHN A. and nell pomeroy o’brien COLLECTION

 

 

(Mss 120)

 

 

Inventory

 

 

Earl K. Long Library

University of New Orleans

 

May 1979

 

 

Contents

 

 

Summary

 

Biographical Note

 

Container List

 

Index Terms

 

Procedures for Requesting Special Collections Materials

 

 

 

Summary

 

 

Size:                          11 linear feet

 

Geographic

locations:                 France, New York, Mexico, and New Orleans, Louisiana

 

Inclusive dates:      n.d., 1857 - 1968

 

Bulk dates:              1891 - 1968

 

Summary:                Papers of John A. O'Brien and Nell Pomeroy O'Brien, consisting of correspond­ence, appointment books, scrapbooks, clippings, photo­graphs, business ledgers, photographic prints of paintings, genealogical materials of Marquis, O'Brien, and Pomeroy families, and miscellany.

 

Related

collections:              Simoneaux Collection (Mss 139); John A. and Nell Pomeroy O’Brien Collection, Addendum 4 (Mss 201)

 

Source:                     Gift, April-May 1979

 

Access:                     No restrictions

 

Copyright:                Physical rights are retained by the Earl K. Long Library, University of New Orleans.

 

Citation:                    John A. and Nell Pomeroy O’Brien Collection, Earl K. Long Library, University of New Orleans

 

 

 

Biographical Note

 

 

            John A. O'Brien, a native New Orleanian, was born September 18, 1895.  After graduating from Tulane University in 1917, he joined the Army as an officer and served in the Engineer Crops with the Rainbow Division to New Orleans and engaged in civil engineering and general contracting.  He married Nell Pomeroy in 1922, and they had one daughter, Patricia.  He died in New Orleans on March 4, 1943.

 

            Nell Pomeroy O'Brien was born in New Orleans on August 11, 1898 (probably 1897).  Educated in New Orleans schools, she received additional training in art at the Art Students League in New York and in France.  She was a well-known portrait painter and served as vice-president and director of the Art Association of New Orleans.  She was the founder and first volunteer instructor of the Junior Members of the Art Association at Delgado Museum and also served on the Spring Fiesta Advisory Board and the New Orleans Symphony Board.  She died in New Orleans on January 20, 1966.

 

Sources:  Biographical information from newspaper accounts at the time of deaths.

 

Note:  Addenda formerly numbered 1-3 have been incorporated into the collection and are not inventoried separately.

 

 

 

Container List

 

 

Appointment books.  Nell Pomeroy O'Brien and her daughter Patricia O'Brien.  (Contains inclusions as notes.)  42 vols.

120-1                          1937 (Nell) 1 vol.

                                    1939 (Nell) 1 vol.

                                    1940 (Nell) 1 vol.

                                    1941 (Nell) 1 vol.

                                    1942 (Nell) 1 vol.

                                    1943 (Nell) 1 vol.

                                    1944 (Nell) 1 vol.

                                    1945 (Nell) 1 vol.

120-2                          1946 (Nell) 1 vol. (Patricia) 1 vol.

                                    1947 (Nell) 1 vol. (Patricia) 1 vol.

                                    1948 (Nell) 1 vol.

                                    1949 (Nell) 1 vol.

                                    1950 (Nell) 1 vol. (Patricia) 1 vol.

120-3                          1951 (Nell) 1 vol.

                                    1952 (Nell) 1 vol.

                                    1953 (Nell) 1 vol.

                                    1954 (Nell) 1 vol.

                                    1955 (Nell) 1 vol.

                                    1956 (Nell) 1 vol.

                                    1957 (Nell) 1 vol.

120-4                          1958 (Nell?) 2 vols.

                                    1959 (Nell) 1 vol. (Patricia) 1 vol.

                                    1960 (Nell) 1 vol. (Patricia) 1 vol.

                                    1961 (Nell) 2 vols. (Patricia) 1 vol.

120-5                          1962 (Nell) 1 vol. (Patricia) 1 vol.

                                    1963 (Nell) 1 vol. (Patricia) 1 vol.

                                    1964 (Nell) 1 vol. (Patricia) 1 vol.

                                    1965 (Nell) 1 vol. (Patricia) 1 vol.

                                    1967 (Patricia) 1 vol.

                                    1968 (Patricia) 1 vol.

 

120-14            Art Association of New Orleans.

                                    Membership list. n.d.

                                    Minutes. March 3, 1958.

                                    Miscellany. n.d.; 1931; 1936.

                                    Statement. December 31, 1949.

 

                        Business ledgers.  John A. O'Brien.  3 vols.

120-21                        1926-1937.

120-22                        1937-1938.

120-23                        1939-1943.

 

120-13            Catalogues of art exhibits.  March 1, 1936; February 5, 1939; October 27, 1940; December 1953 - Nov 4, 1967.

 

120-12                       Clippings.  n.d.; October 30, 1927 - January 30, 1966.

 

Condolences.  March 8, 1943.

120-54                        Mrs. Shipman of New York to Mrs. O’Brien on death of Mr. O’Brien.

 

                        Correspondence.  Lt. John A. O'Brien to Nell Pomeroy.

120-6                          n.d.; August 8, 1914 - June 26, 1918.

120-7                          July 20, 1918 - October 20, 1918.

120-8                          October 21, 1918 - 1926.

 

120-11                        Mardi Gras. n.d.; February 19, 1946 - February 21, 1950.

 

120-10                        Miscellaneous. n.d.; 1931; April 24, 1931 - October 17, 1967.

 

                                          (Note: For additional correspondence see scrapbooks: 120-27, 120-28, 120-29, 120-31, 120-33, 120-34, family album 120-43 and 120-50 and genealogical correspondence 120-42.)

 

120-29            Correspondence box.  (Contained letters from John A. O'Brien to Nell Pomeroy.  Box probably painted by Nell.)

 

                        Genealogical materials.

 

120-42                        Correspondence.  (Pertains to Marquis and Pomeroy genealogical data.  Also includes notes and clipping.) n.d.; August 18, 1891 - July 8, 1939.

 

                                    Family albums.

120-41                                    Marquis. ca. 1900.

120-43                                    O'Brien. ca. 1901 - 1943.

120-50                                    Pomeroy. ca. 1894 - 1929.

 

120-45                        Family documents and miscellany relating to genealogy. (Arranged chronologically.)

                                                n.d. Copy of marriage certificate of Cornelius O'Brien and Ellen Creem on February 11, 1849.

                                                n.d. Copies of documents relating to purchase of slave, February 5, 1857; February 18, 1857.

                                                December 5, 1876.  Teaching certificate of Katie Corr.

                                                September 19, 1881.  Receipt for marriage certificate of James J. O'Brien and Katie E. Corr.

                                                December 19, 1895.  Receipt for registration of  birth of John O'Brien.

                                                June 1, 1922.  Wedding invitation of John O'Brien and Nell Pomeroy.

                                                n.d., 1928.  Lists of children of James J. O'Brien and Katharine Corr O'Brien.

                                                June 5, 1937.  Document certifying birth of John O'Brien on September 18, 1895.

                                                April 19, 1938.  Document certifying baptism of Patricia Pomeroy O'Brien on August 21, 1927.

                                                n.d., 1954.  Miscellany.

                                                June 11, 1962.  Document certifying baptism of Nell Louise Pomeroy on September 19, 1897.

 

                                    Photographs; family and friends.

                                          (Loose and those removed from albums.)

120-40                                    Marquis. n.d.; July 1919 - April 2, 1922.

120-44                                    O'Brien. n.d.; ca. 1917; 1940; July 1957.

 

120-49                        Publications.

                                                Albert A. Pomeroy.  History and Geneal­ogy of the Pomeroy Family.  Vol. III.  1922.  (2 copies.)

                                                Lewis Effingham DeForest, ed.  The Jour­nals and Papers of Seth Pomeroy.  1926.

 

120-15            Miscellany.  n.d.; August 9, 1931 - November 30, 1965.

                              Includes resumé, travel itinerary, receipts, lists of paintings.

 

                        Paintings.

120-46                        Javanese Dancers. 1937.

120-47                        Portrait. n.d.

 

                        Photographic prints of paintings by Nell Pomeroy O'Brien and other artists.

 

                                    Albums (Album titles assigned by Mrs. O'Brien maintained.)  5 vols.

120-16                                    Children's Portraits. n.d.; 1936 - 1962.

120-17                                    No. 3 Women. n.d.; 1941; 1944.

120-18                                    Portraits of Nell O'Brien. 1925 - 1942.  [Painted by other artists.]

120-19                                    Portraits of Women. n.d.; 1935 -1944; 1956.

120-20                                    Women's Portraits from 1949.  n.d.; 1944 - 1956.

 

                                    Photographic prints not in albums.

120-38                                    Flowers. n.d.

120-39                                    Portraits. n.d.; 1933 -1955.

 

                        Photographic prints and negatives portraying the move of the Edgar B. Stern home by the firm of John A. O’Brien.

                              22 photographic prints with matching negatives, made from originals owned by Mrs. Mogens Strigel (née Patricia O’Brien).

120-51                        Photographic negatives (22 items)

120-52                        Photographic prints (22 items)

 

120-35            Photographs.  (Note: See also scrapbooks 120-24 - 120-34 and family albums and photographs 120-40, 120-41, 120-43, 120-44, 120-50.)

                                    Mme. John's Legacy. n.d.

                                    St. Simeon's Select School. ca. 1903; April 15, 1904.  (Magazine clipping of October 6, 1963.)

                                    Unidentified gentleman. n.d.

 

                        Postcards from European tour.  June 1938 - August 1938.  (Note:  See also scrapbook 120-28.)

120-36                        With notations.

120-37                        Without notations.

 

                        Scrapbooks (Professional and family memorabilia).  10 vols.

120-24                        n.d. (family).

120-25                        n.d. 1918. (family).

120-26                        n.d. 1916; 1918; 1919. (family).

120-27                        n.d. 1931. (family; tour of the United States).

120-28                        June 1938 - August 1938. (family; European tour).

120-29                        n.d.; 1935 -1944. (family; art classes by Wayman Adams).

120-30                        n.d.; 1944. (family).

120-31                        n.d.; 1926 - 1948. (family; professional).

120-32                        n.d.; 1928 - 1954. (family).

120-33                        n.d.; 1940 - 1963. (family - with loose photographs).

120-34                        n.d.; 1942 - 1967. (family; professional).

 

120-48                       Sketchbooks and loose sketches.  n.d.; 1961.

 

                        Slave sale document

120-53                        Notarized bill of sale for a slave, dated February 5, 1857, New Orleans, Louisiana.

 

 

 

Index Terms

 

 

Art—Louisiana—New Orleans

Family papers

O’Brien Family

O’Brien, Nell Pomeroy

O’Brien. John A.

Photographs

Pomeroy Family

Postcards

Slave sales

Stern, Edgar B.