J. Frank Keown letters to Edith Morrison, 1909-1918.

Format:

Other

Author/Creator:

Keown, J. Frank, (John Frank), 1885-1921, creator.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Southwick, Edith Morrison, 1890-1962.

Southwick, Edith Morrison.

British--South Africa--History.

British.

Friendship.

South Africa--Social life and customs.

South Africa.

Bechuanaland (South Africa).

Genre:

Correspondence

Postcards

Penn Provenance:

Gift of Martha and William Rosenberg, 2021.

Physical Description:

2 boxes (.63 linear feet)

Arrangement:

Organized into 2 series: I. Letters from Frank Keown and II. Letters to Edith from others

Place of Publication:

1909-1918.

Biography/History:

John Frank Keown was born on April 9, 1885 to John Gill Keown (1858-1950) and Mary Anne Kelly Keown (1861-1908) in Peel, Isle of Man. The family immigrated to South Africa sometime in 1887 or 1888. John Frank, known as Frank, claimed to have studied architecture but found there was no need for architects in the area, so he became a farmer and general merchant in Frisco, Pokwant, British Bechuanaland, C.C. (Cape Colony). Frank never married and died of diaphragmatic pleurisy on January 19, 1921 at the age of 35. Edith Morrison was born on June 12, 1890 to William T. Morrison (1859-1943) and Sophia R. Jones Morrison (1868-1956) in Cleveland, Ohio. Edith worked as a teacher and married William Southwick on October 23, 1917. They had one daughter, Jane (1918-2003). Edith died on September 1, 1962.

Summary:

This collection of 226 letters, postcards and photographs Edith Morrison received from merchant and farmer Frank Keown offers a glimpse of Frank's life in Frisco, Pokwani, British Bechuanaland, Cape Colony. Frisco Pokwani, was a farm located in what was once the British crown colony of Bechuanaland, which later became part of the Cape Colony in South Africa. The correspondence between Frank and Edith began around 1909. The correspondence begins in a formal manner as Frank and Edith's fathers were school friends, but quickly becomes more intimate. The letters include a fair amount of flirting and teasing. It appears as there may have been some hope of marriage between the two but it becomes readily apparent Edith is not willing to move to South Africa. Frank's letters to Edith contain information of the struggles and dangers of farming and managing a general store, including droughts, severe storms, snakes, jealous business rivals, rebellions, famine, World War I, as well as his relationship with the locals. He was extremely interested in dry farming and asked Edith to send him a book on the subject. He also provides details on his family life and his relationship with the locals. The collection also includes a few letters from Frank's sister Annie and brother William. There are also a few letters from Edith's friends in Cleveland, Ohio and her mother.

OCLC:

1522902115