Emma Pruden Kitchel Papers

Collection — Box: 1

Identifier: MG Nwk Kitchel-(Fileroom)

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The bulk of this collection consists of correspondance (folders 3-9, most from 1854-1868, but the earliest letter undated may be as early as 1851), mostly from Emma Kitchel nee Pruden to her sister Phebe (some to other relatives, etc.). Also contains several pages of a diary and verses (folder 2) and miscellaneous items (folder 10) calling card, Civil War flier, photograph). The donor numbered and transcribed the letters, the transcriptions are housed in folder 1 (a few letters are labelled as not transcribed). The letters were arranged by date by the donor, who also marked some "Problem letters" (folder 9), which mainly consist of undated letters.

Dates

1851 - 1868

Biographical / Historical

Emma Pruden was born Jan 27, 1834 to Ludlow and Euphemia Pruden, likely in Rockaway, NJ where she lived by 1850. She was a 5th generation descendant of John Prudden, third pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Newark (John -> Joseph -> Isaac --> Daniel --> Ludlow --> Emma). Her grandfather Daniel Prudden had left his son Ludlow in Morris County, while he emigrated West. Ludlow changed the name to Pruden. Emma was the eldest of six siblings, including Phebe Pruden (later Carman) who was three years younger than her. By age 17 or 18 (c. 1851 or 1852) Emma moved to Newark to teach. On Aug 24, 1854 Emma married Henry Kitchel (alt. spelling: Kitchell), a Newark builder. Henry was a descendent of Robert Kitchell (Kitchel), one of the founders of Newark (Robert -> Samuel --> Abraham --> David --> Stephen --> Ezekiel --> Charles --> Henry). From 1857-1868 Henry is listed in the city directories as living at 116 Bank Street (45 Bleeker in 1855-1856). They had three children: Carrie, Harriet (Nettie), and Charles (Henry later remarried briefly and had one more child) and lived in Newark through the Civil War. Emma died, probably from tuberculosis, April 2,1868 at age 34 (death record says 33, almost a month after her last letter in this collection).