This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Research Library at the Nantucket Historical Association. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the internet.
Summary
The Faith A. Oldham Papers contains deeds, bill of sales, mortgage documents, and lease agreements for 6 Martins Lane in Nantucket, Mass., from primarily the time Faith Oldham (1915-2005) owned the property. A small collection of deeds and property records relate to the previous owners of 6 Martins Lane. These records date back to 1858.
A small collection of photographic material is also included.
The papers also contain forms, agreements, awards and the retirement papers related to Faith Oldham’s service in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps.
Oldham was a resident of Nantucket, Mass. She served in World War II and the Korean War. She lived with her mother, Amelie Oldham, from 1970 until the latter’s death in 1979 at 6 Martins Lane in Nantucket, Mass. Faith Oldham remained at the family home until her own death in 2005.
Collection Details
- Collection Number:
- MS566
- Title:
- Faith A. Oldham Papers
- Date(s):
- 1858 – 2009 (bulk 1941 – 1968)
- Creator:
- Oldham, Faith A., 1915-2005.
- Extent:
- 0.25 linear feet
- Repository:
- Nantucket Historical Association Research Library
- Language:
- Material is in English.
Information for Users
Restrictions to Access: No restrictions. Open for research.
Restrictions to Use: No usage restrictions.
Copyright Notice: Copyright is retained by the authors of items in this collection, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Preferred Citation: [identification of item], in the Faith A. Oldham Papers, Nantucket Historical Association.
Acquisitions Information:
Gift of Maia Farish of Providence, R.I., in 2018 (Acc. RL2018.35). Gift of Family of Faith A. Oldham (Acc. 2007.0059). Gift of Elizabeth Oldham in 2000 (Acc. 2000.21).
Sensitive Materials Statement:Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual’s private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the Nantucket Historical Association assumes no responsibility.
Related Collections
- 2007.0059 – Collection of ephemera and uniforms related to Faith Oldham’s service in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps.
- 2018.0028 – Collections of buttons, pins, and medals belonging to Faith Oldham and Elizabeth Oldham.
- MS495-33 – Nancy Newhouse Oral Histories Collection, 1998-2004 - Oral History Interview with Faith Oldham
Subject Headings
-
Personal Name
- Oldham, Faith A., 1915-2005.
-
Corporate Name
- United States. Army Nurse Corps.
-
Topical Term
- Korean War, 1950-1953.
- World War, 1939-1945.
-
Geographic Name
- Nantucket (Mass.) -- Probate records.
- Nantucket (Mass.) -- Real property.
Biographical Information
Lt. Col. Faith A. Oldham (1915-2005) was a daughter of George C. and Amelie M. Oldham and raised in Rye, New York. She received her bachelor’s degree from Columbia Presbyterian School of Nursing in New York City in 1941.
Faith Oldham joined the Army Nurse Corps in 1943 and served in Europe during the remaining years of World War II. At the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, she was called into active service and spent several years at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., where she supervised the training of noncommissioned medics. When the war ended, Faith Oldham was stationed in Korea as a senior nurse advisor in the Korean Medical Advisory Group, where she helped rebuild the country’s hospital system. There, she was promoted to major. Her last assignment was at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. She retired as a lieutenant colonel.
In 1970, Faith Oldham’s mother, Amelie Oldham, who had lived independently on Nantucket since 1954, could no longer do so, and Faith Oldham came to live with her. After her mother passed in 1979, Faith Oldham continued to live in the family home at 6 Martins Lane until her own death in 2005.
Faith Oldham’s island activities included serving on the Interfaith Council, volunteering with the Hospital Thrift Shop, the Nantucket Atheneum, and the Academy Hill School Reuse Committee. She was a devoted member of the Unitarian Church and served as president of its board of trustees. She also served on the town’s finance committee for 16 years.
Scope and Content
The Faith A. Oldham Papers contain deeds, bill of sales, mortgage documents, and lease agreements for 6 Martins Lane in Nantucket, Mass., from primarily the time Faith Oldham owned the property. The property was the Oldham family home on Nantucket from 1958 until 2008. Assisting with the sale of 6 Martins Lane to the Oldham family in 1958 was realtor Albert J. Pitkin.
A small collection of deeds and property records relate to the previous owners of 6 Martins Lane. Of note are minutes for the Records of Deeds from 1858 and a plot map pertaining to the Russell Rogers Homestead on Martins Lane and Russell Rogers’ will from 1878.
Some property records concern the sale or transfer of ownership for the properties adjacent to 6 Martins Lane (primarily 4 and 8 Martins Lane).
Previous owners of the properties on Martins Lane include Russell Rogers, Hepsabeth McCleave, Albert and Eva Chase, Asa and Mary Meiggs, Alice Alberston, Eugenia Snelling and Pennington Haile, among others.
A collection of photographs and a drawing of Martins Lane, as well as slides of Nantucket scenes are also included.
These papers also contain agreements, forms and retirement papers related to the career of Lt. Col. Faith A. Oldham while serving in the U.S. Army. Photographs of Faith Oldham at various award ceremonies are also included in this file.
In addition, this collection houses Oldham’s school diplomas, as well as achievement awards and letters of appreciation for her service in the United States Army.
Contents
Folders 1 – 3Property records and photographs for 6 Martins Lane, Nantucket, Mass., 1858 – 2009 (bulk 1958)
A collection of deeds, bill of sales, mortgage documents, and lease agreements for 6 Martins Lane in Nantucket, Mass., primarily from the time the Oldham family owned the property. A small collection of deeds and property records relate to the previous owners of 6 Martins Lane as well. Of note are minutes for the Records of Deeds from 1858 and a plot map pertaining to the Russell Rogers Homestead on Martins Lane and Russell Rogers’ will from 1878. Some property records concern the sale or transfer of ownership for the properties adjacent to 6 Martins Lane (primarily 4 and 8 Martins Lane). A small collection of photographs and a drawing of Martins Lane are also included.
Folders 4 – 5 U.S. Army papers, 1954 – 1968
Faith Oldham’s collection of agreements, forms and retirement papers related to her service in the U.S. Army. Photographs of Oldham at various award ceremonies are also included in this file.
Folders 6Awards and certificates, 1941 – 1988
Contains Faith Oldham’s 1941 diploma from the Presbyterian Hospital in the City of New York School of Nursing, her nursing license and registration from 1942, achievement awards, and letters of appreciation for her service in the United States Army.
OPF-566/1Oversized awards and certificates, 1941 – 1968
Includes Faith Oldham’s 1941 diploma from Columbia University. Also consists of additional achievement awards, commendations, and certificates noting her service in the United States Army.
TransparencyColor transparencies, 1960 – 1965
Box 1
Descriptions for each grouping of transparencies were written by archivist unless otherwise noted. Creator descriptions were not attached to any particular group of slides. Slides are generally grouped by a subject.
Sleeve 1 – Untitled
6 items
Scenes of Nantucket streets and gardens; possibly 6 Martins Lane.
Sleeve 2 – Untitled
5 Items
Scenes of Nantucket streets and homes after a recent snowstorm.
Sleeve 3 – Untitled
4 items
Possibly related to creator’s description of Swan’s [Swans] + Signets [Cygnets] Spring 1965 – Irene’s Visit and of Sauls Hills 1960
Sleeve 4 – Untitled
6 items
Possibly related to creator’s description of N.E. Storm + High Water 1963 Nantucket, Mass., or Wreck on Jetties Beach 1962 Nantucket, Mass.
Sleeve 5 – Red Men + Parade 1963 Nantucket, Mass.
10 items
Above description was creator’s description.
Items Separated
- OPF-566/1
- Transparency Box 1
Processing Information
Processed by Kerry H. McAuliffe, November 2019.
Finding aid created by Kerry H. McAuliffe, November 2019.