Guide to the Papers of the Bailie Family, 1937-1970
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Papers of the Bailie Family
- Collection Number
- MFF#3
- Extent
- .1 cubic feet
- Date
- 1937-1970
- Abstract
- Little is known of the Bailie Family beyond what may be taken from these papers and the brief biographical notes recorded upon the arrival of these papers to the Society. These papers consist primarily of incoming correspondence received by the Bailies from their family and friends, correspondence between James and Gretchen Bailie during 1943 when Gretchen was in Cleveland tending to an ill aunt and a diary kept by James Bailie of significant events from 1937-1954.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Sponsor
- This finding aid has been encoded as a part of the Historic Pittsburgh project a joint effort of the University of Pittsburgh and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Funding for this portion of the project has been donated by the Hillman Foundation.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
Biographical Sketch of the Bailie Family
Little is known of the Bailie Family beyond what may be taken from these papers and the brief biographical notes recorded upon the arrival of these papers to the Society. Gretchen Dorothea (Horst) Bailie was born in 1914 in Wichita, Kansas, second daughter of August John Walter Horst (1887-1960) and Dorothy Hida (White) Horst (1888-1958). August Horst was born in Wisconsin of German descent while Dorothy (White) Horst, or Dolly, was born in England and came over to the United States in 1906. August Horst was a professor of Romance Languages and German at various schools including Carnegie Institute of Technology, where he began working around the time of the First World War. It was for this job that the Horsts moved to Western Pennsylvania and did so in time for Gretchen to graduate from Wilkinsburg (Pennsylvania) High School. She was employed by the Westinghouse Corporation in East Pittsburgh and worked there until her marriage to James Law Bailie on October 16, 1940. Gretchen's family did not appear to stay only in the Pittsburgh area as she corresponded frequently with family in Cleveland, Ohio and Florida.
James Law Bailie was born in 1918 to James and Godlove Bailie of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania. James started working at Westinghouse in 1937 and worked in a variety of white-collar jobs in at least the following divisions: the Engineering Service, the Pattern Records Department of the factory and in the Executive Division of Quality Control. Although James was of age to serve in the armed forces during World War II, he was not brought in for a physical examination until after the war in 1946. While he passed his physical exam, there is no record in these papers to indicate if he served in the military. James was heavily involved in civic organizations including: the Optimists Club (where he served as secretary-treasurer in 1953), Civil Defense in Turtle Creek (where he served as chairman), the Lion's Club, Knights of Malta and the Turtle Creek Fire Department. The couple had no children and resided in Turtle Creek (Allegheny County), Trafford and Export (both in Westmoreland County).
Scope and Content Notes
These papers consist primarily of incoming correspondence received by the Bailies from their family and friends, correspondence between James and Gretchen Bailie during 1943 when Gretchen was in Cleveland tending to an ill aunt and a diary kept by James Bailie of significant events from 1937-1954. The strongest group of correspondence is from the 1960s and chronicles, to an extent, the day to day activities of the Bailies' correspondents. The majority of these letters served as a means of keeping in touch between Gretchen and her relatives in Florida. Included in these letters are mentions of the effects of Hurricane "Betsy" in Florida (1967), letters from a probable relative's children from summer camp in the Western Pennsylvania region and a letter from a Mrs. Teets (January 1957) on the activities at a retirement home in Mount Lebanon, which she had just moved into. A number of letters discuss James' work including mention of the December 1967 explosion at the Westinghouse Plant in East Pittsburgh and the strike of 5300 people in Columbus, Ohio in July 1966. The diary kept by James Bailie only lists significant personal and national events from March 13, 1937 to September 10, 1954. Information recorded includes labor disputes and positions held at Westinghouse (often including pay and supervisor), civic organizations, and the Bailies' major purchases.
Arrangement
The Bailie Family Papers are housed in two folders and are arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of James and Gretchen Bailie, 1977
Preferred Citation
Papers of the Bailie Family, 1937-1970, MFF#3, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Ruth Salibury Reid in 1977.
The papers were rearranged and the inventory was rewritten by Lara Groutt on January 9, 1993.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Michael Bolam on February 9, 2000.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or publish, please contact the curator of the Archives.
Subjects
- United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America. -- Local 601 (East Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Westinghouse Electric Corporation. -- East Pittsburgh Division.
- Bailie, James Law, -- 1915-
- Bailie, Gretchen Dorothea, -- 1914-
- Florida -- Description and travel
- Automobiles -- Purchasing
- Labor disputes -- Pennsylvania.
- Retirement communities -- Pennsylvania -- Mount Lebanon.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- War work -- Pennsylvania.