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The Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections The University of Toledo |
Finding Aid
Bertha Potter Collection, 1941-1980s
MSS-213
Size: Approx. 0.5 linear ft.
Provenance: Received from Tim Messer-Kruse, UT Dept. of History
Access: Open
Related Collections: Working Class Oral History Project Collection, MSS-214
Collection Summary: Long time employee of Jeep. Collection consists largely of news articles collected by Ms. Potter during and after her years working for Jeep.
Subject: women
Processing Note:
Copyright: The literary rights to this collection are assumed to rest with the person(s) responsible for the production of the particular items within the collection, or with their heirs or assigns. Researchers bear full legal responsibility for the acquisition to publish from any part of said collection per Title 17, United States Code. The Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections may reserve the right to intervene as intermediary at its own discretion.
Completed by: Tamara Jones, July 2006
Biographical Sketch
Bertha Potter began her career working not for Jeep, but at a restaurant known as Grace Smith’s prior to the United States’ entry into World War II. After working there, she opened Tic Toc, another restaurant, before finding work at Autolite, where she worked in inspection for equipment in England. After being laid off at Autolite in November of 1941, she was transferred to Jeep, where she joined several other women workers. Initially working on the pleasure car, Ms. Potter soon began working on the trademark Jeep vehicle. After giving birth to her last child, she returned to Autolite, but shortly thereafter returned to Jeep and began working on aircraft. After the war, she once again worked the Jeep line, where she remained until 1955. After the Kaiser organization took over Jeep, Ms. Potter took a wavier and went to beauty school, and eventually opened her own shop, which she owned for 10 ½ years. She retired from Jeep in 1974 after 24 ½ years at the plant.
Scope and Content Note
The Bertha Potter Collection is divided into five sections and consists largely of news articles collected by Ms. Potter during and after her years working for Jeep. Most of these can be found under the “newspaper articles” section, although many can also be found under “publications,” especially those from the Toledo Union Journal. A scrapbook compiled by Ms. Potter also contains numerous articles, which may overlap with others in the collection.
Folder List
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Box |
Folder |
Item |
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Administrative |
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1 |
1 |
Jeep U.A.W. Retiree Chapter By-laws |
|
1 |
2 |
Local 12 UAW-CIO Educational Booklet |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Historical |
|
1 |
3 |
The Kaiser Story |
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|
|
|
|
|
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Newspaper Articles |
|
1 |
4 |
40th and 50th Anniversary Articles |
|
1 |
5 |
Miscellaneous |
|
1 |
6 |
Plants |
|
1 |
7 |
Union Issues |
|
1 |
8 |
World War II |
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|
|
|
|
|
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Publications |
|
1 |
9 |
The Jeep Line Newsletter |
|
1 |
10 |
Jeep Update Magazine |
|
1 |
11 |
Misc. Publications |
|
1 |
12 |
Toledo Union Journal |
|
1 |
13 |
Willys-Overland Unity Magazine |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other |
|
1 |
14 |
Memorabilia |
|
1 |
15 |
Miscellaneous Materials |
|
1 |
16 |
Photographs |
|
1 |
17 |
Union Agreements |
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|
|
Scrapbook of Articles |