Klots Family Papers 1889-1978, MS. 2404

Register of the Klots Family Papers

MS 2404

Maryland Historical Society

Baltimore MD 21201-4674

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection is largely the incoming letters (1901-1935) of Agnes (Boone) Klots. Most letters were written by her husband, Alfred, and their son, Trafford. The earliest letters (1902-1904) are from Alfred who was living and painting in France. These courtship letters are the most descriptive he wrote about his work. In 1904 Alfred and Agnes were married, and there are few letters from Alfred until 1917. At this time, Alfred was working on portraits in Baltimore while Agnes spent the summer with the children in East Glouster, Massachusetts. Alfred wrote of the progress of various portraits and his social activities.

In 1918 Alfred was still working in the U.S., but in July he offered the Red Cross the use of the Klots' Chateau in Rochefort-en-Terre for a convalescent hospital. The Red Cross accepted, and in the falllAlfred returned to Rochefort-en-Terre with the Red Cross. The hospital remained open from October 1918 until April 1919. During this time Alfred wrote detailed letters about the Red Cross work.

The Klotses had been at their Chateau in Rochefort-en-Terre at the outbreak of the war and began French War relief work in 1915. Agnes Klots returned to the U.S. in late [UNK] but continued her war relief work in Baltimore. In her war work papers (Box 2) there is a summary report of her relief activities from 1914-1919. Her incoming letters from 1918 discuss an especially difficult issue the rivalry among groups competeing for funds to aid the French people. Agnes Klots was most active in the French Wounded Emergency Fund and the American Ouvroir Fund to aid French War orphans, but her 1918 incoming letters discuss the competing groups as well.

Agnes Klots returned to France in 1919. The next series of letters are from 1925-1927, the years Alfred devoted to rebuilding the chateau in Rochefort-en-Terre. His letters to Agnes speak of little else, but they are detailed concerning the renovation.

From 1927-1929 Agnes and Alfred's son, Trafford, attended Ecole des Roches and wrote his parents of his studies and activities. Trafford was not much of a scholar, and these letters like those written from Gilman School in Baltimore, 1929-1932 described his poor performance in all things but art. After leaving Gilman in 1932, Trafford studied with his father, Alfred. Then he studied in the fall of 1932 at the British Academy in Rome and at [UNK] Shaw School in London, 1933-1935. Trafford's letters to his mother during these years revealed something of his artistic development. Newspaper clippings about Trafford's career, 1950's and 1960's, are in Box 3.

The bulk of the collection ends with the last letters written to Agnes in 1935. There are a few letters written to Alfred and Trafford, and some papers relating to Alfred's parents, Elizabeth U.BBrown and Walter T. Klots. There are also a small number of Klots family photographs.

Photographs transferred to the Prints & Photographs Department.

by

Cynthia H. Requardt

March, 1979

PROVENANCE

The collection is largely items belonging to or collected by Agnes (Boone) Klots. The material was given to the Society by Agnes B. Klots daughter in-law Isabel (Hulings) Klots, Mrs. Trafford P. Klots.

Container List

Box 1