HANDWRITTEN DIARY - SEATTLE WA SOCIALITE - Yachting - Travel - Concert Pianist - 1929 - 1934
Item History & Price
FANTASTIC, ORIGINAL HANDWRITTEN DIARY KEPT BY LEOTTA FOREMAN RAWSON; SOCIALITE AND CONCERT PIANIST, SEATTLE WASHINGTON, 1929-1934. This is quite a unique diary as our diarist Leotta Rawson used a salesman's sample book titled "State Rights In The Confederacy by Owsley, " and when you look inside it has a few pages that actually pertain to the book, and then the rest of the pages were originally blank as issued, and Leotta has covered those blank pages with her handwritten diary entries.... What a great way to keep a diary private. Just put the "book" on a shelf and no one would ever know it was a diary, that is so very clever.
Leotta was married to Dr. Erroll Whitman Rawson, a pioneering physician, and one of the first settlers of Skunk Bay, Washington, who practiced at Seattle General Hospital. It appears from Leotta's writings that he was quite the workaholic, while she was quite the socialite and social butterfly. Her diary entries are focused on parties; dances; the yacht club; tennis club at the Olympic Hotel; private beach at Skunk Bay; boating; dance balls; breakfasts at the Sunset Club; cruising on several boat/yachts belonging to their many friends to include the "Manzenita"; Mt Baker Dancing Club member; Lodge membership; Inglewood Country Club; crew races at Lake Washington; visiting grandma who lived in Laurelhurst; banquets with her Theta sisters; concerts at Normandy Park; a piano concert at Guggenheim Hall; attending the Puget Sound Academy of Science Banquet with her husband Dr. Erroll W. Rawson, which was one of the few banquets he attended.
Then she would be off to Bell's Camp at Bainbridge Island with their two children, Marion and Ralph, or Skunk Bay. On August 30, their wedding anniversary "Erroll took me to dinner at the College Club." They went canoeing at Union Bay; Played badminton at Queen Anne Hall, etc. On Feb. 23, they celebrated Erroll's birthday, and the beat went on. Leotta loves her time at their private beach with her children and numerous friends, and often is running to catch the Ferry "Lillian D" or the "Mohawk" although several friends they know have yachts are often willing to give them a ride and join them. Loetta mentions one of the boats being 50 feet long and sleeping 12. It sounds like a wonderful life in which she was often in the lime light, and just as often, her husband was not, nor did he want to be. Money was no object and life was a round of social gatherings and fun.
To give an idea of what polar opposites Leotta and her husband were like: Erroll Rawson, MD, was a philanthropist and a key figure in the donation of a Nature Preserve, yet throughout this diary he keeps a very low profile. Foulweather Bluff is a privately owned protected area and a cliff that lies on the north end of the Kitsap Peninsula along Puget Sound, on the east side of the entrance to the Hood Canal.The Foulweather Bluff Nature Preserve was established in 1967 by the Nature Conservancy after the bulk of the land on which it's currently located was donated to the organization by its then owner, Errol Rawson, with smaller allotments contributed by Rawson's neighbors. The preserve consists of the cliff and the beach it overlooks, as well as adjoining marsh and alder and coniferous forest. It shelters a large number of plant and animals species, notably wintering ducks. A trail leads from the nearest road to the beach.
Included among their many friends: Maynard L. Pennell, who they saw quite often with his then fiancee Ellen Rowland. "Nov 12, We are in Tacoma at the wedding of Ellen Rowland & Maynard Pennell." Maynard Pennell, (April 12, 1910 – November 22, 1994) was a Boeing executive and aircraft designer. Born in Skowhegan, Maine, his family moved to Seattle in 1920. Pennell studied aeronautical engineering, graduating from the University of Washington in 1931. While a student at Washington, he was inducted into the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society and became a brother of the Pi Kappa Phi social fraternity. After working for the Douglas Aircraft Company for six years, he joined Boeing in 1940. He became assistant manager for the B-29 Superfortress program in 1942 and was involved in the development of the B-52 Stratofortress, later joining the commercial development division, where he was involved in the creation of the Boeing 707 and Boeing 727, a keen advocate of the development of jet-powered civil aircraft. In the 1960s, Pennell managed the Boeing 2707 supersonic transport program, in a contest against the Lockheed L-2000 for the right to manufacture the airframe. In 1966, Boeing unveiled a model of a 300-passenger, 330-foot-long aircraft meant to fly at almost three times the speed of sound. Although Boeing won the contest, the SST project ran into objections from various groups and the plane was never built, leaving Concorde to become the first SST aircraft, making its first test flight in 1969. This was just one of their many rich and famous fellow travelers.
Leotta and Erroll had so many friends that I could not keep up with all the names she wrote in this diary. Those in social circles, in the medical field, in the arts, etc. Several names included: Dr. & Mrs. Milton Lowe; Dr. & Mrs. Clements; Mrs. Burkherimers; Mrs. Eggerts; Dr. Douglas (Helen & Tom); Dr. & Mrs. Spickard; Charlotte & Ray Maryatt; Henry & Katherine Trowbridge; Oct. 31, Dr. Poorman took us to the Press Club Ball at the Olympic Hotel; Mr. Blackmoor; Connie Staltz; Professor & Mrs. Griffin; Dr. Harold Thompson at Laurelhurst; Dr. Knotes; Dr. & Mrs. Mullen; Dr. & Mrs. Gresham; Mary & Harry Rhodes on Bainbridge Island; Dr. Dorman; Lucien Perrot; Dr. & Mrs. Hartley; Dr. & Mrs. Fleetwood; Mr. & Mrs Mason Wheeler; Sam Diamond; Dr. H.E. Allen; Dr. & Mrs. Mossiman; Dr. Ralph Allen; Kathryn Strohecker, and the list goes on. Everyone was very social and often 15 people would be sitting down to dinner at any given time, at any one of a number of homes.
Important dates she addresses in this diary; "February 23, birthday dinner in Tacoma with mother. It is Erroll's birthday. Took the Rundels & Fresley's over with us. Aug. 30, Our wedding anniversary; Oct. 31, Listening to Hoover; June 17, 1933, 20th anniversary of Erroll graduating from Lincoln; August 14, 1933, My son Ralph is five today. (Ralph "Ron" Lyford Rawson married Gloria Peterson and he joined the Air Force, spending two years of active duty in Morocco, Africa. He started Ron Rawson, Inc. in 1959 making some of the first fiberglass sailboats on the west coast and then later branched out to power boats and commercial fishing trawlers for Alaska waters.He died on May 17, 2013, of pheumonia.) Nov. 1933, We went to a party and Ito, the great Japanese & his troop were there. Nov. 30, This is my dad's birthday. Dec. 22, 1933, The floods are very bad. Jan. 29, 1934, Erroll and I sat down to talk alone and reached some very important decisions. March 1, 1934, My daughter Marion is 4 years old today. (Marion went on to marry and became Marion Rawson Nagashima). March 2, My birthday party. August 30, 1934, Our 14th wedding anniversary." Erroll Rawson MD, was born Feb. 23, 1895, and died Jan. 21, 1989. Loetta Foreman Rawson was born March 2, 1895, and died Nov. 8, 1984. They are both buried in King County, Maryland, at Evergreen-Washelii Memorial Park.
Condition: Hard bound diary is in good condition, internally fresh and tight with handwritten entries that are very easy to read. Measures approx. 5 1/2 x 8 inches, has 145 pages of handwritten entries, and is a very worthy acquisition indeed. The big Wall St. crash was in 1929, yet none of these folks seem to have been affected by it; this diary begins in 1930.
Payment and Shipping: Please see our feedback and bid with confidence. Never a reserve and very low opening bid as always bidders with no established feedback must contact us before bidding. Payment must be received within 3 days after close of auction. Thank you.
Leotta was married to Dr. Erroll Whitman Rawson, a pioneering physician, and one of the first settlers of Skunk Bay, Washington, who practiced at Seattle General Hospital. It appears from Leotta's writings that he was quite the workaholic, while she was quite the socialite and social butterfly. Her diary entries are focused on parties; dances; the yacht club; tennis club at the Olympic Hotel; private beach at Skunk Bay; boating; dance balls; breakfasts at the Sunset Club; cruising on several boat/yachts belonging to their many friends to include the "Manzenita"; Mt Baker Dancing Club member; Lodge membership; Inglewood Country Club; crew races at Lake Washington; visiting grandma who lived in Laurelhurst; banquets with her Theta sisters; concerts at Normandy Park; a piano concert at Guggenheim Hall; attending the Puget Sound Academy of Science Banquet with her husband Dr. Erroll W. Rawson, which was one of the few banquets he attended.
Then she would be off to Bell's Camp at Bainbridge Island with their two children, Marion and Ralph, or Skunk Bay. On August 30, their wedding anniversary "Erroll took me to dinner at the College Club." They went canoeing at Union Bay; Played badminton at Queen Anne Hall, etc. On Feb. 23, they celebrated Erroll's birthday, and the beat went on. Leotta loves her time at their private beach with her children and numerous friends, and often is running to catch the Ferry "Lillian D" or the "Mohawk" although several friends they know have yachts are often willing to give them a ride and join them. Loetta mentions one of the boats being 50 feet long and sleeping 12. It sounds like a wonderful life in which she was often in the lime light, and just as often, her husband was not, nor did he want to be. Money was no object and life was a round of social gatherings and fun.
To give an idea of what polar opposites Leotta and her husband were like: Erroll Rawson, MD, was a philanthropist and a key figure in the donation of a Nature Preserve, yet throughout this diary he keeps a very low profile. Foulweather Bluff is a privately owned protected area and a cliff that lies on the north end of the Kitsap Peninsula along Puget Sound, on the east side of the entrance to the Hood Canal.The Foulweather Bluff Nature Preserve was established in 1967 by the Nature Conservancy after the bulk of the land on which it's currently located was donated to the organization by its then owner, Errol Rawson, with smaller allotments contributed by Rawson's neighbors. The preserve consists of the cliff and the beach it overlooks, as well as adjoining marsh and alder and coniferous forest. It shelters a large number of plant and animals species, notably wintering ducks. A trail leads from the nearest road to the beach.
Included among their many friends: Maynard L. Pennell, who they saw quite often with his then fiancee Ellen Rowland. "Nov 12, We are in Tacoma at the wedding of Ellen Rowland & Maynard Pennell." Maynard Pennell, (April 12, 1910 – November 22, 1994) was a Boeing executive and aircraft designer. Born in Skowhegan, Maine, his family moved to Seattle in 1920. Pennell studied aeronautical engineering, graduating from the University of Washington in 1931. While a student at Washington, he was inducted into the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society and became a brother of the Pi Kappa Phi social fraternity. After working for the Douglas Aircraft Company for six years, he joined Boeing in 1940. He became assistant manager for the B-29 Superfortress program in 1942 and was involved in the development of the B-52 Stratofortress, later joining the commercial development division, where he was involved in the creation of the Boeing 707 and Boeing 727, a keen advocate of the development of jet-powered civil aircraft. In the 1960s, Pennell managed the Boeing 2707 supersonic transport program, in a contest against the Lockheed L-2000 for the right to manufacture the airframe. In 1966, Boeing unveiled a model of a 300-passenger, 330-foot-long aircraft meant to fly at almost three times the speed of sound. Although Boeing won the contest, the SST project ran into objections from various groups and the plane was never built, leaving Concorde to become the first SST aircraft, making its first test flight in 1969. This was just one of their many rich and famous fellow travelers.
Leotta and Erroll had so many friends that I could not keep up with all the names she wrote in this diary. Those in social circles, in the medical field, in the arts, etc. Several names included: Dr. & Mrs. Milton Lowe; Dr. & Mrs. Clements; Mrs. Burkherimers; Mrs. Eggerts; Dr. Douglas (Helen & Tom); Dr. & Mrs. Spickard; Charlotte & Ray Maryatt; Henry & Katherine Trowbridge; Oct. 31, Dr. Poorman took us to the Press Club Ball at the Olympic Hotel; Mr. Blackmoor; Connie Staltz; Professor & Mrs. Griffin; Dr. Harold Thompson at Laurelhurst; Dr. Knotes; Dr. & Mrs. Mullen; Dr. & Mrs. Gresham; Mary & Harry Rhodes on Bainbridge Island; Dr. Dorman; Lucien Perrot; Dr. & Mrs. Hartley; Dr. & Mrs. Fleetwood; Mr. & Mrs Mason Wheeler; Sam Diamond; Dr. H.E. Allen; Dr. & Mrs. Mossiman; Dr. Ralph Allen; Kathryn Strohecker, and the list goes on. Everyone was very social and often 15 people would be sitting down to dinner at any given time, at any one of a number of homes.
Important dates she addresses in this diary; "February 23, birthday dinner in Tacoma with mother. It is Erroll's birthday. Took the Rundels & Fresley's over with us. Aug. 30, Our wedding anniversary; Oct. 31, Listening to Hoover; June 17, 1933, 20th anniversary of Erroll graduating from Lincoln; August 14, 1933, My son Ralph is five today. (Ralph "Ron" Lyford Rawson married Gloria Peterson and he joined the Air Force, spending two years of active duty in Morocco, Africa. He started Ron Rawson, Inc. in 1959 making some of the first fiberglass sailboats on the west coast and then later branched out to power boats and commercial fishing trawlers for Alaska waters.He died on May 17, 2013, of pheumonia.) Nov. 1933, We went to a party and Ito, the great Japanese & his troop were there. Nov. 30, This is my dad's birthday. Dec. 22, 1933, The floods are very bad. Jan. 29, 1934, Erroll and I sat down to talk alone and reached some very important decisions. March 1, 1934, My daughter Marion is 4 years old today. (Marion went on to marry and became Marion Rawson Nagashima). March 2, My birthday party. August 30, 1934, Our 14th wedding anniversary." Erroll Rawson MD, was born Feb. 23, 1895, and died Jan. 21, 1989. Loetta Foreman Rawson was born March 2, 1895, and died Nov. 8, 1984. They are both buried in King County, Maryland, at Evergreen-Washelii Memorial Park.
Condition: Hard bound diary is in good condition, internally fresh and tight with handwritten entries that are very easy to read. Measures approx. 5 1/2 x 8 inches, has 145 pages of handwritten entries, and is a very worthy acquisition indeed. The big Wall St. crash was in 1929, yet none of these folks seem to have been affected by it; this diary begins in 1930.
Payment and Shipping: Please see our feedback and bid with confidence. Never a reserve and very low opening bid as always bidders with no established feedback must contact us before bidding. Payment must be received within 3 days after close of auction. Thank you.
