The Lafranchi Family papers contain correspondence of Emiel, Emma, and William Lafranchi from 1918 to 1969 with the bulk of the correspondence being written from 1942 to 1949. The family lived in Clarion, Pennsylvania, but Emiel spent much of his time away from home while working as an electrician throughout the United States. The majority of the correspondence is written by Emiel to his family while he was working. There is also correspondence between Emma and her mother while Emma was a traveling as a Navy nurse as well as correspondence between members of the family while William was serving in World War II.
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Author
The guide to this collection was written by Alexandria Lane.
Emiel Samuel Lafranchi was born in West Point, Calaveras County, California in January 1877 to Giovanni and Amanda (Sanders) Lafranchi. As a young man, his mother encouraged him to go to school to learn a marketable trade. He attended Heald College in San Francisco and became an electrician.
Emma Elizabeth (McNutt) Lafranchi was born in Sheldon, O'Brien County, Iowa in 1886. She was a registered nurse who graduated from Wynnewood, Pennsylvania's German Lutheran Hospital (now Lankenau Hospital) training program in 1913. During World War I she joined the American Red Cross, and in 1917, she became a Navy nurse. She worked as a private nurse from about 1920 until William's birth.
Emiel and Emma met on a bus he was driving during her stay with relatives in California. After they married, they moved to Mexico for a short period of time, then to Clarion, Pennsylvania so that Emiel could work on the Piney Hydroelectric Dam. He received leads from the Electrician's Union and other electricians about job opportunities in different parts of the country. Emiel followed many of these leads and traveled throughout the country for work. Emiel retired in 1956.
The couple had one child, a son named William who was born December 6, 1926. He attended Clarion State Teachers College (now known as Clarion University). His time at Clarion was interrupted when he was drafted into the military on March 15, 1945 into Company B 458th Engineer Base. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education in 1949. After graduating, he became the librarian for Clarion High School. William received a Master of Science degree in Library Science at the University of Illinois in 1952 and took a position in the library at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He eventually became the director of Libraries and Media Services.
In 1960, Emiel and William traveled throughout Europe and spent most of their time in Switzerland. William took a forty-five day trip around the world in 1969. Emiel died in 1968 at the age of 91. Emma died in 1967 at the age of 81.
Scope and Content Notes
The Lafranchi Family Papers are housed in two archival boxes and arranged in four series. Series have been designated Emiel Lafranchi Correspondence, Emma McNutt Lafranchi Correspondence, William Lafranchi Correspondence, and Topical Folders. The papers include correspondence, postcards, newspaper clippings, drawings, and one photograph. The majority of the correspondence in this collection had been folded, therefore, some individual pieces of paper are difficult to read on the creases. Some of the correspondence has suffered slight water damage which has caused ink to smear making the correspondence hard to read. The correspondence includes information about the daily lives of the Lafranchi family with Emiel's correspondence focusing mainly on his work and daily activities. The correspondence written by Emma also provides some insight into events around their hometown of Clarion, Pennsylvania and her time as a Navy nurse. There are some significant historical events that are mentioned in the correspondence including World War I, World War II, and the Oakland General Strike of 1946.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of William and Sylvia Lafranchi on May 15, 2000.
Preferred Citation
Lafranchi Family Papers, 1918-1969, MSS 561, Library and Archives Division, Senator John Heinz History Center
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Alexandria Lane in June 2010.
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.
Related Materials
William Lafranchi Papers, 1967-1996, acc. 1997.0211
William Lafranchi Papers, 1980-1998, acc. 1998.0044
Subjects
Personal Names
Lafranchi family
Lafranchi, Emiel S.
Lafranchi, Emma E.
Lafranchi, William E.
Geographic Names
Clarion (Pa.)
Oakland (Ca.)
Other Subjects
World War, 1914-1918--Medical care--Women--United States
