Marie McNett play
Collection — Folder: S2825
Identifier: S2825
Scope and Contents
This collection comprises a transcript of Marie McNett's play, Cradle of Glory, from 1967, regarding Abraham Lincoln's youth and young adulthood.
Dates
- 1967
Creator
- McNett, Marie Meid, 1897-1987 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Marie Agnes Meid was born on June 10, 1897, to Frank (1871-1943) and Margaret Anna (Schillinger) Meid (1873-1961) in Indiana. She had a younger brother, Harold Frank (1899-1969), and lived in Indianapolis, Indiana. Meid graduated from Manual Training High School in Indianapolis, where she was a pupil in E. H. Kemper McComb's English class. In 1920, she worked as a stenographer at a factory in Indianapolis. She studied for two years at Miami University in Ohio, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1923, where she studied "letters and science." Meid married James Gardiner McNett (-1974) on June 27, 1928, in Marion County, Indiana. In 1930, the couple lived in Oyster Bay, New York, where James worked as a photographer. They relocated to Massachusetts by 1940 and lived in Williamsport, Massachusetts in 1950. At that time Marie McNett worked as a secretary for Williams College.
While living in Williamsport, McNett's play, Cradle of Glory, was first produced and performed at Barnum Summer Theatre in Michigan City, Indiana. The three-act play dramatized Lincoln's formative years (from age seven to twenty-one) and shows their importance to his career. It covers the death of Abraham Lincoln's mother; the arrival of his father's second wife; Abraham's struggle to educate himself; and the family conflict that grew out of his decision to leave home. The epilogue to the play is Lincoln's address delivered in Indianapolis on February 11, 1861, on his way to Washington, D.C.
The McNetts moved to Deland, Florida. James G. McNett died on November, 1974 and was interred in the mausoleum at Deland Memorial Gardens in Deland, Florida. Marie McNett died on September 2, 1987 in Volusia County, Florida and was interred with her husband.
Sources:
Ancestry.com. "Frank Gardiner McNett." U.S., Newspapers.com™ Obituary Index, 1800s-current. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie Meid." 1900 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie Meid." 1910 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie Meid." 1920 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie McNett." 1930 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie McNett." 1940 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie McNett." 1950 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie McNett." Florida, U.S., Death Index, 1877-1998. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie Meid." Indiana, U.S., Marriage Certificates, 1960-2012. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie Meid." U.S., School Yearbooks, 1900-2016 for Marie A Meid. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie McNett." U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie McNett." U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie Meid." Web: Marion County, Indiana, U.S., Marriage Index, 1925-2012. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Findagrave.com. "Frank Meid." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed May 2, 2025.. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45985455/frank-meid.
Findagrave.com. "James G. McNett." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed May 2, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/79685372/james-g-mcnett.
Findagrave.com. "Marie Meid McNett." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed May 2, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/79686440/marie-mcnett.
While living in Williamsport, McNett's play, Cradle of Glory, was first produced and performed at Barnum Summer Theatre in Michigan City, Indiana. The three-act play dramatized Lincoln's formative years (from age seven to twenty-one) and shows their importance to his career. It covers the death of Abraham Lincoln's mother; the arrival of his father's second wife; Abraham's struggle to educate himself; and the family conflict that grew out of his decision to leave home. The epilogue to the play is Lincoln's address delivered in Indianapolis on February 11, 1861, on his way to Washington, D.C.
The McNetts moved to Deland, Florida. James G. McNett died on November, 1974 and was interred in the mausoleum at Deland Memorial Gardens in Deland, Florida. Marie McNett died on September 2, 1987 in Volusia County, Florida and was interred with her husband.
Sources:
Ancestry.com. "Frank Gardiner McNett." U.S., Newspapers.com™ Obituary Index, 1800s-current. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie Meid." 1900 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie Meid." 1910 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie Meid." 1920 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie McNett." 1930 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie McNett." 1940 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie McNett." 1950 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie McNett." Florida, U.S., Death Index, 1877-1998. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie Meid." Indiana, U.S., Marriage Certificates, 1960-2012. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie Meid." U.S., School Yearbooks, 1900-2016 for Marie A Meid. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie McNett." U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie McNett." U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Marie Meid." Web: Marion County, Indiana, U.S., Marriage Index, 1925-2012. Accessed May 2, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Findagrave.com. "Frank Meid." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed May 2, 2025.. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45985455/frank-meid.
Findagrave.com. "James G. McNett." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed May 2, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/79685372/james-g-mcnett.
Findagrave.com. "Marie Meid McNett." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed May 2, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/79686440/marie-mcnett.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection consists of one item.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from the Indiana Historical Society.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed in 1998 by Phillip N. Williams. EAD finding aid created 2013/11/02 by Bethany Fiechter. EAD finding aid revised 2025/05/02 by Brittany Kropf.
Creator
- McNett, Marie Meid, 1897-1987 (Person)
- Title
- Marie McNett play
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
