Item Detail
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Brady, Anna Lindquist
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1887-1976
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MSS SC 899
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Autobiography
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Anna Lindquist Brady was born October 1, 1887 in Fairview, Utah to Andrew Anderson Lindquist and Louisa Augusta Osterdahl Lindquist. Her parents were converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and had immigrated to Utah from Lindesberg, Orebro, Sweden. At an early age, Anna was involved in music; she started taking music lessons from a local teacher at age nine. After a few weeks, she began taking lessons from Mary Larson Christensen, a family friend and an accomplished musician. Anna had to travel several hours by train to attend her lessons. Starting around the seventh grade, Anna played the piano and organ for community events. At age seventeen, she went with her former teacher, Mary Larson Christensen, to Brigham Young Academy to study music under Dr. Anderson. She married William Wells Brady August 18, 1909 in the Salt Lake Temple. They had three children: Edward, Louise, and Wells. William was also a musician and had studied at Brigham Young Academy and Snow College. They Lived in Magna, Utah where he directed the Cyprus High School band and orchestra. They moved to Castle Dale for Anna's health after she suffered a fall, and in 1939 they moved to Rigby, Idaho where William built a house for them. There Anna was active in the PTA, taught piano lessons, and served as a Relief Society President. Together William and Anna influenced the church and community music programs by training musicians and directing events like the annual school opera. William passed away December 21, 1964. While her death date is not given in the autobiography, some sources state that Anna passed away July 3, 1976.
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This collection contains an autobiography of Anna Lindquist Brady and some loose letters and photographs. The autobiography is twenty-nine typewritten pages and is bound in a book of remembrance. Most of the volume is in Anna's own words. However, several sections are written by her husband, William Wells Brady. The granddaughter who typed the autobiography included a short tribute to her grandparents and some quotes by Anna which she felt embodied Anna's character. There are spaces for photographs on the pages with captions underneath, but most of the photographs are missing. The autobiography covers Anna's life from her birth to about the time of her husband's death in 1964, but she focuses mostly on her musical training and her community service. The letters in the collection are between Anna and Lorin F. Wheelwright in relation to Brigham Young University's Centennial Celebration. Anna sent her autobiography and some photographs to Lorin F. Wheelwright for the centennial. In her first letter, Anna explains her connection to Brigham Young Academy as a music student and lists her family members that have since attended BYU. She expresses appreciation for the influence that music and BYU have had in her life and in her family members' and music students' lives. Lorin F. Wheelwright responded in a type-written letter, thanking her for the autobiography, and inviting her to the Homecoming celebration. Anna replied in another letter in which she enclosed several more photographs. Anna's letters are handwritten on small pieces of stationary, but are readable. The pictures in the collection are mostly of Anna and William in their later years, but there are also pictures of Anna's house in Fairview and of Brigham Young Academy. Anna carefully labeled all of the pictures in the collection on their backs; however, some of the handwriting is difficult to read.
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1833-1914