Guide to the Anna T. Connor Photographic Collection, c.1890-c.1990
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Anna T. Connor Photographic Collection
- Creator
- Connor, Anna T. (1923-2002)
- Collection Number
- MSP#540
- Extent
- .25 linear feet (1 box)
- Date
- c.1890-c.1990
- Abstract
- Anna T. Connor was a local historian, author and lecturer, whose research interests included the Whiskey Rebellion and corn craft. This collection contains images of Connor working at the Oliver Miller Homestead and Bethel-area school children from the early 1900s.
- 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 Photographic Collection is housed in one archival box containing twenty-six folders that are arranged into two series. The first series contains images of Mrs. Connor working at the Oliver Miller Homestead and with children in various locations. There are also images of other local areas. The second series contains images of Bethel-area school children from the early 1900s, children and young adults on May Day 1940, as well as several unidentified images presumably related to local history.
Series one consists of photographs from the life and career of Mrs. Connor. The first folder houses images from an archaeological dig in an unknown location. There are six images, none of which show Mrs. Connor. The second folder contains two images of Brownies working in the Historic Bethel Cemetery where Mrs. Connor worked as a volunteer tour guide for Brownies and Girl Scouts. Folders 3, 5, and 10-15 show images of Mrs. Connor working with children in their schools and at the Oliver Miller Homestead. Mrs. Connor is in her pioneer costume teaching the children about corn craft, quilting, and other pioneer activities. These folders also contain many images of the children themselves, some of whom are also in pioneer costumes.
Folders 4 and 6 contain images of local churches at Christmas; folder 6 is dated December 17, 1988. Folders 7 and 8 contain images of local historical buildings. Folder 9 contains miscellaneous images, including two corn craft Polaroids; a historic re-enactment of a wedding at the Oliver Miller Homestead; Mrs. Connor and an unidentified man standing outside the Oliver Miller Homestead; Mrs. Connor displaying corn craft; and a young woman showing a blanket to several children. Folder 19 contains five images from an unknown graveyard. Folder 18 contains two photographs of the Oliver Miller Homestead. Folder 20 contains images of two women making corn craft, and one image of a man and a woman, all of which are unidentified. Folder 16 contains an image of Mrs. Connor displaying the flag of the Whiskey Rebellion and a whiskey still outside of the Oliver Miller Homestead. And folder 17 contains three strips of negatives; one looks like farm images; one contains images of quilts and women playing Scrabble; and the third contains two images of a church and wreath.
Series two contains historical photographs related to research topics studied by Anna T. Connor. The first three folders of this series directly related to her research on Bethel area schools. The second folder (number 22) in particular contains images of school children and their teachers, many of which are labeled with names and dates from 1909-1925. The photographs in "May Day 1940" are also labeled with names on the backs. The "Miscellaneous" folder 25 contains three images: a little girl feeding an apple to an old man; a soldier standing on the sidewalk; and four men standing with two butchered pigs. These photographs are unidentified, as is the image in the last folder, which is of a large seated group of apparently Victorian age people.
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 Photographic Collection, c.1890-c.1990, MSP#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 Oversized Material has been arranged and described with the catalog designation of MSO# 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)
- Bethel Park (Pa.)
- Whiskey Rebellion, Pa., 1794
- Cornhusk craft