Arthur Howard Smith Papers
Scope and Contents
The collection contains original and copy photographs and negatives documenting Arthur Howard and Grace G. Smith, their families, ancestors, military service, home and friends. Additional material includes a copy of Brantigan's biography of Smith, notes, clippings, scrapbook, correspondence, guest book, and other ephemera.
Dates
- 1910-1989
Creator
- Smith, Arthur Howard,1896-1991. (Person)
- Brantigan, Charles, (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Copyright
All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from material in the collection should be discussed with the appropriate librarian or archivist. Permission for publication may be given on behalf of the Denver Public Library as the owner of the physical item. It is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained by the customer. The Library does not assume any responsibility for infringement of copyright or publication rights of the manuscript held by the writer, heirs, donors, or executors. Reproduction restrictions are decided on a case-by-case basis.
Biographical / Historical
Arthur Howard Smith was born in Nicodemus, Kan. on April 19, 1896, the son of John Sadler and Celia Clark, who were African American. He was raised by his maternal grandmother and later took the surname of his step-father, Ben Smith (1905). After serving in the Army as a Private during World War I, he moved to Manzanola, Colo. In 1925, Smith moved to Denver, Colo. where he worked for the Gebhard family. He later acquired the Gebhard family home at 2253 Downing Street, where he ran a boarding house. The manager of the boarding house, Barbara "Grace" (Bertschy) Gresham (1891-1985) later became his common-law wife. The couple, who were interracial, continued to live at the Gebhard Mansion until Grace's death. Arthur Howard Smith later sold the mansion to the Brantigan family in 1987. He died in Temple, Tex. on July 13, 1991.
Extent
1 box
2 photo boxes
1 oversize folder (Photo)
Language of Materials
English
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift, Charles Bratigan, 2012.
Bibliography
General
Catalog record based on preliminary inventory.
- African American soldiers -- Colorado -- Denver -- 20th century. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- African Americans -- Colorado -- Denver -- 20th century. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Bertschy family -- Pictorial works.
- Gresham family -- Pictorial works.
- Interracial marriage -- Colorado -- Denver -- 20th century. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Personal papers Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Photographs Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Smith family -- African Americans -- Pictorial works.
- Smith, Arthur Howard, 1896-1991 -- Archives.
- Smith, Grace G., 1891-1985 -- Archives.
- World War, 1914-1918 -- African Americans -- Pictorial works. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Denver Public Library, Western History and Genealogy Repository
