Papers of Clover Todd Dulles, 1877-2010 (inclusive), 1920-2005 (bulk)

The collection contains correspondence, writings, diaries, a DVD, and photographs documenting the life of Clover Todd Dulles and members of her family. The papers illustrate Dulles's family relationships, specifically with her daughter, Joan Dulles Talley, and son, Allen Macy Dulles, Jr. Correspondence with Talley depicts a close and supportive relationship, and sheds light on Dulles's life as the wife of a diplomat and high-ranking government official. Talley's letters to her mother address her personal issues, including her marriage difficulties and divorces, as well as the challenges of raising her children as a single mother and sharing custody with their father, who lived in Europe. Their correspondence, as well as that of Dulles's grandson Matthew Buresch, also documents the lives of Americans who traveled extensively, lived, and worked abroad during the mid to late twentieth century. The collection also offers insight into metal health treatments during the twentieth century. Dulles's efforts to care for and support her son, Allen Macy Dulles, Jr., who suffered a traumatic brain injury while serving in Korea, are also seen through her correspondence with Talley and through a diary written by Dulles during her son's recovery in Japan. Dulles's psychological writings document her struggle with depression, and her efforts to cope through writing. In addition, Dulles's "Letters to a Patient" writing project provides a glimpse into her inner religious life and beliefs, and also provide insight into the counsel of Elwood Worcester and the Emmanuel Movement which he founded.

These papers came to the library in two groups. The first group contained the papers of Dulles, and were organized by her daughter, Joan Dulles Talley. The second group contained papers documenting the life of Dulles's grandson, Matthew Buresch, and were also organized by Talley. Many of the papers arrived at the library encased in plastic sheet protectors; some of these sleeves contained notes written by Talley. The letters have been removed from the sheets and relevant notes have been retained with the documents. Folder titles have been retained; folder titles created by the archivist appear in square brackets. The papers are arranged in five series.

Series I, BIOGRAPHICAL AND PERSONAL, 1878-1996 (#1.1-1.10, F+D.1), contains material documenting Dulles's personal and family life. Included here are clippings and biographical and genealogical information compiled by her daughter, Joan Dulles Talley. There are also letters to Clover Todd Dulles from her nephew, Cardinal Avery Dulles, and John Foster Dulles, as well as correspondence between Eleanor Lansing Dulles and economist Edward Bernstein debating the use of a single European currency. In addition, there is marriage record (1878-1880) kept by Dulles's grandfather, Richard Kimball Todd, a pastor in Woodstock, Illinois. There is also a diary kept by Dulles during her visit to Japan after her son, Allen Macy Dulles, Jr., was injured in the Korean War. The diary reflects upon his treatment and mood, as well as tourist outings and her son's transfer to a hospital in the United States. The series is arranged alphabetically.

Series II, CORRESPONDENCE, 1877-1979 (#1.11-4.2), contains Dulles's correspondence with family, particularly her siblings, parents, and daughter Joan Dulles Talley. Letters from Dulles to her mother, Miriam Gilman Todd ("Mussie") discuss boarding school, summer camp, and a visit to the 1913 presidential inauguration, and later, her travels with her family and raising her children. There are letters from Dulles to her sister Lisa Gilman Todd Leighton and parents while she was living in Constantinople soon after marrying Allen Dulles. These letters discuss their social and diplomatic life, as well as the plight of Russian refugees in the city and the Greco Turkish War. In addition, these letters reflect Dulles's shock and grief after the death of her brother, Paul Todd, by suicide. There are few letters from her husband Allen W. Dulles; those present concern his work abroad, current events, and mutual friends and family.

The bulk of the correspondence is between Clover Todd Dulles and her daughter, Joan Dulles Talley. Letters from Dulles to Talley discuss traveling, social obligations, family and friends, and Allen W. Dulles's work. During World War II, Dulles describes housing members of the Australian military in their New York City home, as well as her trip to France to drive an ambulance from Lisbon, Portugal to Paris, France. Other topics include Allen Macy Dulles, Jr.'s head injury during the Korean War, his treatment in various hospitals, and difficult visits to his parents' home; Talley's marital difficulties and divorces, as well as emotional and financial support by Dulles; and Dulles's health issues. In addition, Dulles also writes about John Foster Dulles's illness, death, and funeral, as well as Allen Dulles's National Security Medal and his subsequent retirement from the CIA. Letters from Talley to Dulles span the years when Talley attended Radcliffe College and lived abroad in Austria, Iran, and Switzerland, as well as in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Talley arranged her letters by these places; folder titles reflect these categories. She describes her social and academic life at Radcliffe College (Class of 1944), as well as her participation in the Frontier Nursing Service in Kentucky following her graduation. Talley writes about moving to Europe to work for a Denazification unit in Austria following World War II, her travels around Europe, and her marriage to and divorce from to Fritz Molden. In letters from Iran, she describes her marriage and family life with Austrian ambassador Eugen "Gino" Buresch, his diplomatic work, living in Tehran, and the births of her children. In letters from Santa Fe, Talley details her divorce from Buresch, her efforts to provide a stable family life and need for her parent's financial support, and her aspirations as an artist. Talley and her family moved to Zurich, Switzerland in the mid-1960s so that Talley could study to be a Jungian psychotherapist; letters from this period describe her family life; her visits with her brother Allen, who resided in a Swiss sanatorium; her move back to Santa Fe; her concerns for her mother's health; and her father's death.

In addition to family correspondence, other notable correspondents include friends Thomas W. Lamont, Fuad Rouhani (Iranian Secretary General of OPEC), Jungian psychologist Jolande Jacobi, Reverand John Bonnell, Mary Bancroft, and Anne Lindbergh. There are also letters from Fuad Rouhani to Joan Dulles Talley describing Iranian politics and the overthrow of the Shah in 1979. The correspondence in this series was organized by Talley and the archivist has maintained this arrangement. The series is arranged alphabetically by recipient of letter.

Series III, WRITINGS, 1917-1962 (#4.3-5.14), contains diaries and writings by Clover Todd Dulles. There are memoir writings of a trip to Europe in 1945; it contains her observations of living with Allen W. Dulles while he was working for the Office of Strategic Services in Bern, Switzerland. In addition, this series contains autobiographical essays and dated entries regarding her psychological analysis, dreams, and family, as well as reflections on analytical sessions with Jolande Jacobi. Dulles organized this material in an effort to have the material published; included here is a letter from friend Mary Bancroft who worked with Dulles to have her writings typed up in preparation for publication. This book was never published.

In addition, Dulles selected and edited letters from her friend, Reverend Elwood Worcester, of the Emmanuel Church in Boston. Worcester developed a healing ministry which combined religion and psychology. Known as the Emmanuel Movement, the ministry stressed the cooperation of clergy and medical professionals and emphasized individual and group therapy. Dulles organized and edited a book, Letters to a Patient, which include her letters from Worcester. In the book, Dulles changed the name of the recipient of the letters to a patient and friend named "Timothy." It is unclear whether all of the letters were those written to Dulles. The letters span the years 1918 to 1940. This series contains drafts and a bound version of this book, which was never published. There is also a folder of memoir writings about Dulles's interactions with Worcester, as well as letters from Worcester to Dulles; Dulles arranged these letters by the location from which they were sent. In organizing the letters for donation, Joan Dulles Talley flagged the letters which were used in the publication. These notes have been retained within these folders. The series is arranged alphabetically.

Series IV, MATTHEW BURESCH, 1954-2010 (#5.15-6.9, DVD-117.1.), contains correspondence and printed email, biographical material, and writings by Buresch, grandson of Clover Todd Dulles. There is correspondence with family and friends, including Dulles, from Buresch's childhood while at boarding school and college. In addition, there is correspondence with his mother, Joan Dulles Talley, from his years living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Bulgaria, as well as correspondence between Talley and his wife Lyubomira Buresch after his death. This series also contains writings by Matthew Buresch including a journal reflecting on his childhood and statement of faith. There is also a DVD of Buresch filmed the day he discovered his melanoma had returned; in this short video he addresses his children and describes his childhood and extended family. See also a photograph album documenting Buresch's life in Series V. Folders are arranged alphabetically following a folder of biographical material.

Series V, PHOTOGRAPHS, ca.1894-2010 (#PD.1-PD.10v), contains photographs documenting the life of Clover Todd Dulles and her extended family. Included here are photographs of Dulles with her siblings, husband, and children, including daughter Joan Dulles Talley. In addition, there are photographs Dulles with Mary Bancroft, as well as photographs of Bancroft while she worked for Allen Dulles in Switzerland during World War II. There is also an album documenting the life of grandson Matthew Buresch, which includes an informal photograph of him with his grandparents, as well as Eleanor Lansing Dulles and Avery Dulles. Some of the photographs are reprints. The folders are arranged chronologically. Most of the photographs in this collection are or will be digitized and available online.