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Lewis, Minnie E.
| Last Name: | Lewis |
|---|---|
| First Name: | Minnie E. |
| Dates: |
April 1866-May 27, 1959 (Life/Active Dates)
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| Biography/History: | Minnie E. Lewis was born in April 1866 in Iowa, and the Lewis family moved from Missouri to Washington Territory in the early 1880s, settling in the Waverly area to raise fruit. By 1887, 21-year-old Minnie E. Lewis was living on her own in Spokane Falls, working as a milliner. She and Rell [or Bell] Aughee soon formed a dressmaking business, “Misses Lewis and Aughee,” which operated from 1889 to 1896, first at 400 Howard, and later at 801 E 3rd Avenue. By 1900, Minnie was living and working with her niece Della Burnett, also a dressmaker, at 307 E 3rd Avenue; two years later they were renting a downtown dressmaking space in the Chemical Building, Rooms 223-224, where they lived and worked until Della married in 1913. Minnie continued her dressmaking, possibly from home on Wall St. (1916-1919) before briefly moving in with Della’s family in West Spokane. From 1922 until her death on May 27, 1959, Minnie lived and worked from her home at S 1220 Perry. By 1930 Della was widowed, and she and her children were living with Minnie. Among Minnie’s clients in the 1920s and 1930s were Grace Bower and her daughter Mary, a young musician. Grace made sure that Mary was well-dressed, particularly for her performances. According to Mary Bower, Minnie went to New York City fashion design shows each year to sketch the latest trends, returning to Spokane to “turn out the most glorious things.” |
| Related Objects: |
4126.13 (Pajamas, Lounging Pajamas, ca. 1935)
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