CHARLES JOHN INGLES:

Ingles' journals discuss theaters, civic events and celebrations, social activities, services at Christ Episcopal and other churches, work routines at the library (1880s), and his travels throughout the United States as a railroad claims investigator (1890s). Mounted in the journals are programs and clippings on local churches and on civic events, especially the Saint Paul Winter Carnival. Includes a letter (1946) from Walter C. Ingles to a Mrs. Wood about Charles Ingles.

The programs and church bulletins include those of Christ Church, Saint Paul; Peoples Church, Saint Paul; Sons of Jacob Synagogue, Saint Paul; St. James Church, Chicago; Church of the Ascension, Chicago; St. Ignatius Church, New York; Trinity Church, New York; St. Paul High School Alumni Association, Saint Paul; Church of the Good Shepherd, Saint Paul; and the Saint Paul Winter Carnival. Among the clippings are some relating to the Carnival and to the Great Northern Railway. Included, too, is a sermon preached by Charles D. Andrews, Christ Church, Saint Paul.

In his journals Ingles describes his attendance at the theater, where he saw such performers as Joseph Jefferson, Maggie Mitchell, Laurence Barrett, Emma Abbott, Thomas Keene, and Sarah Bernhardt; civic events, such as the Winter Carnival, a parade in Grant’s honor (1885), the Minneapolis Exposition, President Grover Cleveland’s visit to Saint Paul (1887), the ceremony investing Archbishop John Ireland (1888), and elections, giving commentaries on the candidates.

In addition to his descriptions of the theater, he includes a commentary on other social events and recreations he enjoyed, among them walks around the city, calls on friends, reading, skating, sleigh rides, swimming, fishing, boating, picnics, concerts, church societies, YMCA meetings, circuses, the State Fair, dancing school, and a debating society.

His interest in religion is reflected in the data he includes on attendance at church services, particularly Christ Church (Protestant Episcopal), a meeting held by evangelist and publisher Dwight Moody, his confirmation by Episcopal Bishop Mahlon Gilbert at Christ Church, a diocesan council meeting in Faribault (1893) which he attended as a delegate, and a similar meeting in Saint Paul in 1894.

Of interest, too, are his descriptions of work routines at the Saint Paul Public Library, where he served as a clerk. He describes the receipt, unpacking and accessioning of books, his work in the reading room, the efforts in 1884 to capture a thief who was robbing the library of money, and moving the library into a new building in 1889.

At the railroad he was a clerk, writing letters for one of the executives (a Mr. Yale). In his new position he began to travel widely in the United States, both as a claims investigator for Yale and on vacations. He was in Montana, where he visited Great Falls, Helena, and a smelter at Black Eagle Falls. He also traveled to the World’s Fair in Chicago, Sault Ste. Marie and Mackinac Island, Duluth, Boston, New York, Spokane, and various other places.

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Charles J. Ingles Journals. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: 9050

Processing Information:

Catalog ID number: 990017187360104294

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This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

Amusements -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul.

Festivals -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul.

Libraries -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul.

Railroads -- Minnesota.

Theater -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul.

Persons:

Cleveland, Grover, 1837-1908.

Ireland, John, 1838-1918.

Moody, Dwight Lyman, 1837-1899.

Organizations:

Great Northern Railway Company (U.S.)

Episcopal Church -- Minnesota.

Saint Paul Public Library.

Christ Church (Saint Paul, Minn.), author.

Congregation Sons of Jacob (Saint Paul, Minn.), author.

Meetings:

St. Paul Winter Carnival.

Places:

Saint Paul (Minn.) -- Social life and customs -- 1858-1898.

Document Types:

Diaries.

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