Repository:

Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Library

Title:

Eleanor Taft Tilton Papers

ID:

1979.0018

Date [inclusive]:

1939-1976

Physical Description:

5.5 Linear Feet

Language of the Material:

English

Abstract:

Eleanor Taft Tilton, daughter of Dr. Charles and Martha Jarvis Taft, was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on 1 January 1901. She attended Vassar and Barnard Colleges, but did not earn a degree. She married Arthur vcan Riper Tilton; he was employed by the Hartford Fire Insurance Company for many years. Mrs. Tilton died on 26 March 1984.

Eleanor Taft Tilton, daughter of Dr. Charles and Martha Jarvis Taft, was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on 1 January 1901. She attended Vassar and Barnard Colleges, but did not earn a degree. She married Arthur van Riper Tilton; he was employed by the Hartford Fire Insurance Company for many years.

Mrs. Tilton was involved in civic and state affairs. She was an active opponent of the I-84 extension (Bushnell Park Connector); she was a member of the Election Laws Commission, PTA, served as secretary to the Fine Arts Commission, and as president of the Hartford League of Women Voters. Mrs. Tilton was also known for her outspoken support of the separation of church and state: Tilton v. Meskill, Tilton v. Finch, and Tilton v. Richardson.

Mrs. Tilton died on 26 March 1984.

The collection reflects Mrs. Tilton's active interest in civic and state affairs. The collection includes correspondence, reports, maps, plans, newspaper clippings, notebooks, minutes, agendas, and financial records concerning the following topics: development of Hartford, Connecticut; separation of church and state; education; American Civil Liberties Union; Thomas J. Dodd>; elections; environmental issues; and world affairs.

The collection is arranged in a single series divided into twelve sections: Bushnell Park Connector (undated, 1947-1973) —contains material concerning the development plans of Hartford, the different committees on which Mrs. Tilton served, as well as reference material. Major topics include the Commission on the City Plan, the Committee for Hartford, the Connecticut Capitol Center, and the State Capital Government Center Committee. The section includes correspondence with Governor John Dempsey and others, maps and plans, newspaper clippings, and reports. Church-State Separation (undated, 1961-1976) —consists of materials related to Mrs. Tilton's fight to uphold the separation of church and state. Within the section are materials associated with the American Civil Liberties Union; Americans United for Separation of Church and State; Church-State, a monthly review (1961-1975); the Connecticut Civil Liberties Union Church-State Committee; court cases (1968-1973); the issue of educational vouchers (1970-1973) Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; legislative acts (1969-1973); and shared time, dual enrollment (1964-1968). The section also includes correspondence, publications and newspaper clippings, as well as writings of Mrs. Tilton including: biographical information, drafts and copies of correspondence, personal notebooks, letters to editors, and drafts of reports. Citizen's Charter Commission (undated, 1953) —consists of correspondence and newspaper clippings relating to the commission. Civil Liberties Union (undated, 1965-1973) —contains materials pertaining to the American Civil Liberties Union (1965-1972) and the Connecticut Civil Liberties Union. Topics include birth control, Black Panthers and Knights of Columbus. Thomas J. Dodd (undated, 1961-1967) —contains materials collected by Mrs. Tilton relating to Thomas Dodd and his political career. The materials include correspondence about Dodd (1963), newspaper clippings, letters to editors (1962-1963) and notes. Election Laws Commission (1939, 1941) —consists of reports and their drafts. Environmental issues (undated, 1951-1954) —contains materials which deal with the Submerged Lands Act (1951-1954); steel mills in Connecticut; timber bill, H.R. 4646 (1954); and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (1953-1954). Fine Arts Commission (undated, 1957-1970>) —contains correspondence, membership lists, minutes, agendas, reports, rules and procedures, and outgoing correspondence. League of Women Voters (1948-1972) —consists of a single file of material received by Mrs. Tilton from the League. Personal Papers (undated, 1945-1973) —consists of material relating to family matters and personal interests. Included are correspondence, family and financial papers (1946-1947), newspaper clippings (1967-1972), her work as a real estate broker (1946-1950) and two scrapbooks of clippings (1953-1954). Adlai Stevenson contains an undated interview with Governor Stevenson by Mrs. Tilton and a 1953 letter. World Affairs (undated, 1945-1963) —consists of information on world issues and affairs, publication from the Department of State (1945), Foreign Policy Association materials, clippings (1962-1963), peace and disarmament and the United Nations (1945).

• Political parties
• Municipal charters
• Express highways--Environmental aspects
• Municipal government
• Women
• Actions and defenses
• Societies
• Civil rights
• Political participation
• Men
• Fraternal organizations
• Law
• Political crimes and offenses
• Legislation
• Catholics
• Disarmament
• Submerged lands
• Minutes (administrative records)
• Notes
• Notebooks
• Publications (documents)
• Maps (documents)
• Financial Records
• Civic centers
• Civic improvement
• Press releases
• Election law
• Church and state
• Voting
• Women in real estate
• Environmental protection
• City planning
• Speeches (documents)
• Interviews
• Correspondence
• United States (nation)
• Connecticut (state)
• Educational law and legislation