Agnes "Tomme" Bergman papers

Collection

Identifier: MS-0769

Staff Only

Collection Overview

Abstract

The papers of Agnes “Tomme” Bergman consist of correspondence, subject files, photographs, minutes, programs, clippings, scrapbooks, and photographs from 1951 to 1997 related to the life and activities of a Genoa, Ohio local activist.

Dates

Creation: circa 1890-1997, undated

Extent

8.07 Cubic Feet (12 legal document boxes, 1 flat box, 10 scrapbooks)

Creator

Bergman, Agnes (Person)

Scope and Contents

Although the collection does include some personal material related to Tomme Bergman, the bulk of the material focuses on her many and varied civic and cultural activities centered on Genoa, Ohio. The personal material consists primarily of clippings of a local news column she did for the Genoa News, scattered programs, honors and certificates, family photographs, and a few photos showing activities of her husband Eldo’s construction business building roads in the Genoa, Ohio area.

Tomme Bergman’s numerous and varied local activities form the core of the collection, starting with her involvement with the Genoa Area Federation of Women’s Clubs. In this segment there are scattered copies of Federation minutes, the constitution and bylaws, correspondence, memos, and miscellaneous documents primarily Bergman’s copies, along withbrief topical files on various projects and activities of the Genoa Federation of Women’s Clubs, including the Genoa Town Hall, Bikeway project, Historic Preservation Award, and Tour of Homes, scrapbooks of Genoa Federation activities-mostly programs and flyers, clippings, and a fairly complete run of the Federation newsletter, The Quarterly from 1974 to 1992.

Bergman’s interests related to Church involvement, particularly the Toledo Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, Church Women United, and Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Genoa are represented by minutes, correspondence, publications, and numerous topical files. Other minor activities with the Holiday Bureau, Civic Theater, and Mobile Meals, also fall in this grouping, including several scrapbooks.

A final group of material covers activities associated with the restoration of the Town Hall and Little Building in Genoa, the Ottawa County Sesquicentennial, and the redevelopment/design of the Genoa Downtown. This material, spanning the years from 1968 to 1995 includes drawings, committee files, grant correspondence and applications, programs, plans, photographs, and scrapbooks.

Biographical / Historical

Born in Westchester County NY, to Joseph and Marie Clair (Boylan) Thompson on March 19, 1901, Agnes “Tomme” Emma Bergman was an active and involved member of the Genoa, Ohio community for years. She was educated in New York, including at the Juilliard School of Music where she graduated in 1939. On the eve of World War II she was married to Eldo William Bergman and after the War they both relocated to Genoa, Ohio.

Raising a family of 14 children, she still found time to immerse herself in the cultural and civic affairs of her new home, including projects associated with music appreciation, theatrical productions, historic preservation, and environmental conservation. In the process she was associated with a variety of organizations that are reflected in her personal papers.

She was involved with such civic activities as the revitalization of the Genoa Town Hall and Opera House, worked with Genoa’s Downtown Design Development program, she obtained grants related to such projects, and was the co-founder of the Ottawa County Holiday Bureau to aid the needy at Christmas. In addition she was chair of the 1976 Genoa Centennial Celebration and coordinated the National Bicentennial in Genoa.

Her cultural activities were just as diverse, including involvement with the Ottawa County branch of Church Women United, serving as a director with the Genoa Civic Theatre, and was even a Cub Scout Den Mother and leader for local Girl Scouts and Campfire Girls, and was active with the Genoa PTA, Genoa School Board, Coterie, Our Lady of Lourdes Rosary Altar Society, Happy Holiday Garden Club, and numerous other organizations. It is not surprising that in 1997 she was given Genoa’s Outstanding Citizen award.

After a long career of community involvement she died at the age of 82 on January 16, 2001.

Conditions Governing Access

No known access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction.

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into the following series:

Personal and family papers, 1890-1997
Genoa Area Federation of Women's Clubs records, 1961-1997
Special projects/interests (Church, Holiday Bureau, Civic Theater, Mobile Meals), 1951-1997
Special projects/interests (Downtown & Town Hall restoration, Town Hall Day celebrations, Little Building restoration), circa 1890-1995

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The collection was transferred to the Center for Archival Collections around October 1998 through the cooperation of Tomme Bergman and Karen Kruse of Genoa, Ohio.