TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview of the Collection

Biography

Scope and Content

Arrangement

Restrictions

Index Terms

Related Material

Administrative Information

Detailed Description

Series I: Family Papers, undated, 1883-1975

Series II: Personal Papers, 1883-1975

Series III: Activism Papers, (Processing in Progress) 1883-1975

Series IV: Real Estate Papers, (Processing in Progress) 1883-1975

Series V: Business Papers, (Processing in Progress) 1883-1975

Vivien Kellems Papers

Biography

Vivien Kellems was born 7 June 1896 in Des Moines, Iowa, to David Clinton and Louisa Flint Kellems. Shortly after her birth, her parents, both Christian Ministers, moved their family to the west coast and settled in Eugene, Oregon. Being the only girl of a family with seven children, Vivien developed a rugged and competitive personality from a young age. Attending the University of Oregon, she participated as the only female on the debate team. Vivien Kellems obtained a bachelors degree in 1918 and a masters degree in economics shortly there after. Following graduation, she moved east to New York City in pursuit of a doctorate from Columbia University and the University of Edinburgh.

While in New York, an improvement on an existing cable grip was made by her older brother, Edgar E. Kellems, which he patented in the late 1920s. Using the patent as the focal point, Ms. Kellems founded Kellems Cable Grips, Inc. in 1927 and eventually moved her plant to Stonington, Connecticut. Successfully operating the company as president for over thirty years, the company's devices were used most notably during the construction of the Chrysler Building, George Washington Bridge, and also played an important role in production of wire and artillery shell grips used during World War II.

In her personal life, Vivien Kellems encountered various struggles for justice as she fought for women's equality, equal suffrage along party lines and tax reform. As a member of the Liberty Belles, Vivien led by example as the group encouraged equality of women in the home, workplace and society. Running as an independent candidate for senate, Ms. Kellems protested strict party line voting that only required a single lever pull rather than voting individually by candidate. Through civil disobedience, Vivien Kellems made her position known as she sat in a voting booth for nine hours straight before she fainted from exhaustion. With a degree in economics, unfair taxation by the government was at the forefront of Vivien Kellems' battles. In 1948, alongside of her business partner and brother David Kellems, she protested against withholding taxes from her employees' checks claiming, "if they wanted me to be their (tax) agent, they'd have to pay me, and I want a badge." After a lengthy court battle ensued, it was found that the Kellems Co. would go bankrupt if they continued to not withhold taxes. Admitting defeat, Vivien would later fight against the singles income tax law that was enacted after World War II. In the law, citizens who were not married paid twice the amount of income tax than did those citizens of equal earnings who were married. In protest, from 1965 until her death, Vivien Kellems would merely send in tax forms with no pertinent information instead sending a blank form with her signature. Coming close to victory many times in the United States Supreme Court during the first half of the 1970s, Ms. Kellems' fight in this case ended in vain, as she died before her final appeal was heard in 1975.

Published Works:

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Scope and Content

The collection contains extensive materials from Vivien Kellems' personal life, business career, extended family, real estate endeavors and various activist movements of which she was an advocate. As the collection spans all of Ms. Kellems' adult life, it provides an in-depth and thorough into how each component of her life was handled. Included are legal documents, speeches, photographs, agendas, itineraries, minutes, payroll, business records, business checks, personal checks, notes, advertisements, newspaper clippings, memorabilia and correspondence to and from business associates, colleagues, fans of her cause, and family members.

At this time, only Series I has been completely processed for research use. The remaining materials will be added to the finding aid as work is completed.

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Arrangement

As best as possible the arrangement follows that established by Ms. Kellems.

Series I: Family Papers (undated, 1883-1975) is composed of correspondence and personal materials relating to the extended family of Vivien Kellems. Arranged alphabetically by family member, contents include correspondence, legal documents, and memorabilia. The series includes correspondence with Vivien Kellems' mother, father, four of six brothers (one died in infancy, one died in World War I), four sister in-laws, four aunts, one uncle, six nephews, two nieces, and ten distant relatives. (Please see attached genealogical chart to identify specific individuals or family names. Due to software incapabilities, genealogical information cannot be displayed electronically, please contact the curator for a copy.)

Series II: Personal Papers (1928-1975) contains letters to and from friends, business aquitances, employees and fans of Ms. Kellems and her work. The series is arranged chronologically and alphabetically therein. Although some files are topical in nature, others contain correspondence between Ms. Kellems and the residents of a particular state.

Although not processed, the remaining materials have been tentatively indentified as falling into the following categories:

Series III: Activism (undated, 1919-1975) is unprocessed at this time.

Series IV: Real Estate (undated, ) is unprocessed at this time.

Series V: Business Records (undated, ) is unprocessed at this time.

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Restrictions on Use

Permission to publish from these Papers must be obtained in writing from both the University of Connecticut Libraries and the owner(s) of the copyright.

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Related Material

Archives & Special Collections has a substantial collection of materials pertaining to Connecticut business as well as the papers of civic activists. For detailed information on these collections please contact the curator or ask at the reference desk.

The following materials have been separated from the collection and cataloged:

Autobiography of a Catholic Anarchist Dodd C 10196

Meditations of Joseph Stalin Dodd A 9719

None dare call it conspiracy Dodd A 9720

Russia and the Big Red Lie Dodd C 10192

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Index Terms

This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.

Persons:

Family Names:

Places:

Subjects:

Document Types:

Occupations:

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Administrative Information

Custodial History

Inherited by nephew Vangelder Kellems from the estate of Vivien Kellems.

Preferred Citation

[Item description, #:#], Vivien Kellems Papers. Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Libraries.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Vangelder Kellemsin 1992.

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Detailed Description