University Libraries

Collection Guide

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Administrative Information

Access and Restrictions: This collec tion is open for research.

Digital Surrogates: Except where indicated, this document describes but does not reproduce the actual text, images and objects which make up this collection. Materials are available only in the Special Collections Department.

Copyright:  Please read The University of Iowa Libraries' statement on "Property Rights, Copyright Law, and Permissions to Use Unpublished Materials"

Use of Collections:  The University of Iowa Libraries supports access to the materials, published and unpublished, in its collections. Nonetheless, access to some items may be restricted by their fragile condition or by contractual agreement with donors, and it may not be possible at all times to provide appropriate machinery for reading, viewing or accessing non-paper-based materials. Please read our Use of Manuscripts Statement.

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Biographical Note

Curtis Glen Irelan, known as Pete, was born on December 1, 1906. He went to school in Bloomfield, Iowa, and later worked as a telegrapher for the Rock Island Railroad. He married Gerata Hunter (1907 -- 1996) on August 19, 1932. She was known as Gerry and taught school. Their daughter, Jane, was born in 1936 and a son, Patrick, was born in 1943. Patrick Irelan worked at the University of Iowa and has written several books, among them Central Standard, a recollection of growing up in Iowa and Nebraska, and a sequel A Firefly in the Night.

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Scope and Contents

Pete Irelan's job often took him away from his family and he kept in touch with letters home. There is a folder of such letters here, as well as financial documents relating to the family. There are records from Pete's job as a telegrapher, including documents, contracts, and correspondence having to do with the Rock Island Railroad. The Irelan family apparently held an annual family reunion, and kept a book of the attendees, along with brief minutes of the business meeting. This is quite complete for the years 1954 to 1988. Along with this is a history of the Hunter farm. Clippings, obituaries, postcards, memorial cards, and souvenir cards and programs round out this collection.

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Acquisition and Processing Information

These papers were given to the University of Iowa Libraries by Patrick Irelan in August 2006.

Guide posted to Internet: A ugust 2006

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Box Contents List

Box 1

Cards, C.G. (Pete) Irelan, including his membership cards in the Order of Railroad Telegraphers; the Brotherhood of Railway, Airline and Steamship Clerks, Rock Island Line Certificate of Examination; Burlington Lines Certificate of Examination; Transportation-Communication Employees Union; a campaign card for the Board of Supervisors; his Selective Service Card; report cards; Iowa School Bus Operators Permit; and a card that reads "Pete Irelan, King of the Canners".

Clippings

Correspondence

Family reunion book and history of the Hunter Farm

Financial and legal documents

Miscellaneous

Obituaries and memorial cards

Patrick Irelan

Miscellaneous items pertaining to Patrick Irelan

Short stories and essays by Partcik Irelan. Photocopies

"The Band That Beguiles." Whiskey Island, 1983

"Blackjack Queen." Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, January 1994

"Cabin Fever." Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, March 1998

"Cinders." Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, June 1996

"Comets." Prairie Weather: Seeing Wind, Hearing Light. North Liberty, Iowa: Ice Cube Press, 2005

"Dark Matter." Iowa City Magazine, September 1994

"David's Toe." Crosscurrents Quarterly, Vol.9:No.3

"Good Hands." Sleuthhound, Winter 98-99

"High Water." Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, September 1995

"Landscapes." Wisconsin River Valley Journal, Vol.6:Iss.3

"Minutes." Amazon Shorts (http://media-server.amazon.com/exec/drm/amzproxy.cgi . . . )

"Never Carnal." Kansas Quarterly, Vol. 19:No. 2 (1987)

"New Money." Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, April 1991

"No Name Place." Opium, Spring 2007

"Pain de Cabaret." Uncle, Summer 1985

"Red Dust." Alfred Hitchcock Magazine, Mid-December 1992

"Reruns." Opium, No. 2

"Self-Starter." DeKalb Literary Arts Journal, Vol.XX:No. 1-4.

"Timekeeper." Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, May 1992

"Top Secrets." Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, July 1990

"Witness." Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, April 1987

Box 2

Photocopies of documents. Some of these documents are included in the original in the collection, some are not

Postcards

Railroad documents of Curtis Glen (Pete) Irelan (mostly relating to the Rock Island Railroad)

Contracts

Daily location and pay logs

Miscellaneous, including the "Rock Island Uniform Code of Operating Rules effective May 1950", "Agreement between The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Company and Employees represented by The Order of Railroad Telegraphers", "Rock Island Lines Telegraph Brevity Code" (May 1, 1944), "A Guide to Codes and Signals", as well as personal documents of Pete Irelan, such as his contributions to his relief fund

Timetables

School souvenirs, Curtis Irelan and Gerata Hunter

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