Guide to the Anna T. Connor Oversized Collection, 1954-1991
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Anna T. Connor Oversized Collection,
- Creator
- Connor, Anna T. (1923-2002)
- Collection Number
- MSO#540
- Extent
- .25 linear feet
- Date
- 1954-1991
- Abstract
- Anna T. Connor was a local historian, author and lecturer, whose research interests included the Whiskey Rebellion and corn craft. This collection contains genealogical charts for the Gilfillan and Miller families, as well as a photocopy of the1846 tax list of Snowden Township of Allegheny County.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
History
Anna T. Connor was born Anna G. Thomas in 1923. She had three sisters: Susan Reeves, Priscilla Markley, and Ruth Thomas. Anna received a bachelor's degree in English and social studies from Chatham College in 1945. She also participated in several continuing education programs, including graduate courses in education at the University of Pittsburgh and literature enrichment courses at Chatham College.
Anna Thomas married John Connor, and they had four children: Laura Connor Zajdel, Lawrence Thomas Connor, John Robert Connor, and Amy Connor Kegel. The family lived at 5658 King's School Road in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Anna's husband John suffered a fatal heart attack in 1986. When Anna Connor passed away at age 78 on May 6, 2002, she had three granddaughters and seven grandsons.
Connor was a local historian, author and lecturer. From 1946 to 1950, she taught social studies at Patton Junior High School in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. During her long career as an historian, she gave lectures and historical interpretations at Old Economy Village, the Brownsville Garden Club, the Bethel Park Teachers' Association, Chatham College, the Upper St. Clair Women's Club, and many others. She also conducted workshops for the Meadowcroft Historical Pioneer Village (now the Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Museum of Rural Life), YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh, and the Negley House Senior Citizens. The subjects of these lectures included the history of corn craft, techniques of the American Indians and pioneers using cornhusk, modern and decorative uses of cornhusk in making dolls, flowers, baskets, and many other topics.
Anna Connor was also the president of the Oliver Miller Homestead Associates, a volunteer group that provided guide services and preserved the historical homestead owned by Allegheny County. She was the chairman of the Historical Room Committee of Bethel Presbyterian Church, a mini-historical museum that she created in the early 1960s. Connor was also the co-chairman of the Bethel Park Borough Bicentennial Committee, and the Bethel Presbyterian Church Bicentennial Committee. She was a member of several organizations, including the Peters Creek Historical Society, Treehaven Garden Club, Harmonist Society of Old Economy, and South Area Chatham Alumni Organization.
Connor was an active volunteer and placed a great deal of emphasis on children's programs. She held workshops with children in Brownies, Girl Scouts, and Campfire Girls. She also volunteered with public school groups as well as church school groups.
Connor received a great deal of publicity during her lifetime. She was interviewed on KDKA Pittsburgh news in July 1975, and on WTAE Pittsburgh in November 1974 and July 1975. She was also profiled in several newspaper articles, which are included in this collection. In 1987, Connor received the Good Neighbor Award from the Bethel Chamber of Commerce for her continuing service with the Oliver Miller Homestead.
Anna Connor co-authored two books with her daughter, Laura Zajdel. Their first book, Corncraft, is a how-to book about cornhusk crafts published in 1980. Their second book was, 1794: Janie Miller's Whiskey Rebellion Saga, published in 1994.
Scope and Content Notes
The Anna T. Connor Oversized Collection is housed in three large folders. The first folder contains a genealogical chart for the Gilfillan family, starting with Alexander Gilfillan and Martha Boyd. This chart was created in 1916 by S. Morgan Smith and updated with more recent families in 1954. The second folder contains a genealogical chart of the Miller family, beginning with Oliver Miller and Mary Tidball. This chart was created by W. W. Barton in 1991.
The third folder contains the 1846 Tax List of Snowden Township of Allegheny County. This was recorded by Isaac King and photocopied around 1990. Snowden Township was formed October 5, 1845, from portions of Upper St. Clair and Jefferson Townships, Allegheny County. Isaac King was a tax collector for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1846; he kept a small ledger in his own hand for the residents of Snowden Township. Papers in the ledger contain an extract from the "Act to Provide for the Reduction of the Public Debt," approved April 22, 1846. Considering the scarcity of tax records for any part of Allegheny County during this period, this material can act as a partial census of residents of Snowden Township for the year 1846. The original ledger is held in the collection at the Oliver Miller Homestead in South Park.
Conditions Governing Access
No Restrictions.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Acc# 2003.0201 - Gift of Laura Connor Zajdel on August 1, 2003.
Preferred Citation
Anna T. Connor Oversized Collection, 1954-1991, MSO#540, Library and Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Elizabeth DiGregorio,intern from Duquesne University's Archives, Museum and Editing Program, in September 2009.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.
Separated Materials
The Anna T. Connor Papers has been arranged and described with the catalog designation of MSP# 540.
The Anna T. Connor Photographic Collection has been arranged and described with the catalog designation of MSP# 540.
An oversized photograph of Anna T. Connor in her homemade pioneer costume weaving baskets on the porch of the Oliver Miller Homestead has been removed and designated MSR# 540.
Twelve publications have been removed to the general library collection on subjects such as the Whiskey Rebellion, Washington County, and other local history subjects. The published materials include Carnegie Dunfermline Trust: Report for 1979 and retrospect 1977-79 Focus on Washington County, Volume 3 Historic Towns of Washington County Whiskey Boys and the Watermelon Army Upper Saint Clair As It Was Massacre at Gnadenhutten A Point in History: The Battle of Point Pleasant The Lost County A Guide to Old Economy James Simpson 1750-1819: New Castle, Delaware and Washington County, PA. The Harmony Society in Pennsylvania History of Union Township and Surrounding Area
Subjects
- Oliver Miller Homestead
- Connor, Anna T. (1923-2002)
- Miller, Oliver
- Gilfillan, Alexander
- Boyd, Mary
- Snowden (Township : Allegheny County, Pa.)
- Whiskey Rebellion, Pa., 1794
- Cornhusk craft