Item Detail
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State, Katherine Handy Allred
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1908-1990
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MSS SC 700
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collection of personal writings, documents, and photographs assembled to serve as an autobiography for Katherine State
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Katherine Handy Allred State was born 1 January 1908 in Los Angeles, California. Three years later, when Katherine's father graduated from Osteopathic College, she and her family moved to Boise, Idaho, where her father set up his practice. When Katherine was sixteen, she met Rulon Allred, whom she later married on 9 June 1926. After their marriage they went to Los Angeles, where Rulon pursued a degree at Chiropractic College. Finances were meager and Katherine worked as a waitress at a sandwich shop, a stenographer at an auto agency, and a clerk at Woolworth's to help put her husband through school. In 1927, Katherine gave birth to a girl who died hours later. Her second child, Forrest, was born a year later. In 1931, her husband graduated from college and they moved to Long Beach, where he set up a chiropractic office. She gave birth to two daughters at Long Beach. When her husband received a letter from his father, who was convinced that polygamy should be reestablished, he began to consider becoming a polygamist. For years Katherine and Rulon battled over whether polygamy was acceptable before God, but in 1937 he decided to marry another woman and Katherine filed for divorce. Rulon continued sending Katherine love letters and poetry, refused to sign the divorce papers, and wouldn't pay child support in an attempt to convince Katherine to live polygamy with him. In bitterness towards God and Rulon, Katherine stopped attending church and began working many hours as a secretary to support her three children. In time, her anger softened and she began to attend church again, where she met Kenneth State. They were married in April 1941. Kenneth, who struggled to show verbal and physical affection, became apathetic towards Katherine and he filed for divorce in 1963. In Katherine's older years, she spent time serving as a Stake Missionary and in the Relief Society, visiting with her children, and writing histories of herself and her ancestors. After battling with Parkinson's Disease, Katherine died in California on 22 September 1990.
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This collection consists of about 150 pages of personal writings, genealogical records, news clippings, family and legal documents, poetry, and photographs assembled to serve as Katherine's autobiography. It also contains Katherine's correspondence with Rulon, Latter-day Saint leaders, and relatives. Most of the documents are photocopies. Within this collection, Katherine gives many details and stories about her life. As a child, she and her brother, George, were inseparable. Katherine has many memories of causing mischief together as they tended younger siblings, tried to raise a cat and pig, and worked on George's scouting projects. During World War I, Katherine and George picked dandelions for 10 cents a pound to be used in the production of gas masks. Her family created a tight bond through vacationing three months every year. Many times, they went camping by rivers and oceans and Katherine became a skilled fisher. Katherine also tells stories about attending the Fish School of Expression, where she developed her talents as an orator and storyteller. Katherine was loved by the people in her community, especially a man named Edward G. Burnett, whose daughter died at the age of twelve. He loved to buy gifts for Katherine and gave her a city lot that was worth $295.00. Katherine's happy childhood is in stark contrast to her adulthood. After her husband became a polygamist, she had severe depression. Her marriage to Kenneth only shattered her self-concept and deepened her loneliness. What little joy she had came from spending time with her children who were involved in music, school, and fishing. In 1977, Rulon was murdered while he was working at his clinic. She was finally able to feel some closure about their relationship and move on.