Emma Seifrit Weigley is a retired Professor of Nutrition and author of many publications on the topic. She has worked as a hospital dietitian, a community nutritionist providing in-house consultations, renal dietitian at a dialysis center, as well as an instructor at Albright College, Drexel University, New York University, Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Weigley received her Master of Science in Nutrition from Drexel University in 1956. In 1960 Weigley was the winner of an essay contest sponsored by the American Dietetic Association (ADA) on the topic, "Changes in Beliefs and Dietary Practices in Pregnancy". The success of the essay led to her appointment on the History of Nutrition and Dietetics Committee of ADA from 1961 to 1967. While in this position she was co-editor of "Essays on the History of Nutrition and Dietetics" which commemorated the 50th anniversary of ADA in 1967.

In 1967, Weigley married Russell F. Weigley (1930-2004), who was a professor at Temple University, prominent historian and a Trustee of American Philosophical Society (APS). They had two children, a son, Jared and a daughter, Catherine. Emma Weigley has continued to be involved with the Society.

She received her Doctorate in Nutrition from New York University in 1971. Her dissertation was on Sarah Tyson Rorer and the history of dietetics. The bulk of the research was collected from 1965 to 1970. A revision of this thesis, more focused on Rorer's biography than the original, was published by the APS in 1977 as "Sarah Tyson Rorer: The Nation's Instructress in Dietetics and Cookery".

Sarah Tyson Rorer (October 18, 1849 - December 27, 1937) was a dietitian, educator, author, and editor of numerous publications. During her lifetime, she was a household name, famous for her popular cookbooks.

Sarah Tyson Heston was born in Richboro, Pennsylvania to Charles Tyson Heston, a Physician and Chemist, and Elizabeth (Sagers) Heston. Her grandfather was William Penn Heston a descendant of Colonel Edward Heston of Hestonville Pennsylvania. Rorer was raised in Buffalo and Aurora, New York, where she graduated from the East Aurora New York Academy in 1869. She would often work in her father's laboratory and was very interested in chemistry. In 1870, she moved to Philadelphia with the intention of studying pharmaceutical medicine; however, decided it was not for her. She married William Albert Rorer in Philadelphia on February 23, 1871. They had two sons, William A., (Billy) born December 1871, and James B., born December 1876. A daughter, Anne Elizabeth, was born in April 1873, but died before her second birthday.

After Rorer married, she enrolled in cooking classes at the New Century Club. She excelled as a student and was asked to teach at the school in 1882. She also began teaching at the Women's College of Medicine. In 1884, she founded the Philadelphia Cooking School on Chestnut Street, where she worked as the principle for the school for eighteen years and educated more than 5,000 students.

She worked as the editor of several publications, first Table Talk from 1886 to 1892, then Household News from 1893 to 1897, at which point the magazine changed its name to the Ladies Home Journal, and she continued on as editor from 1897 until 1911. In addition to her work as editor and columnist, she published many cookbooks and nutritional pamphlets. She became extremely popular and was even referenced in a Broadway musical in 1924.

Rorer participated in three World Fairs. At the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 and the Louisiana Exposition in 1904, she demonstrated her model kitchen. In 1925, she was honored at the Chicago World's Fair for all of her work.

Rorer lost her wealth in the Great Depression. She became ill due to injuries she sustained from a fall. In 1932, a group of her former students gathered to discuss her financial situation, and decided to establish a pension fund. In June 1933, the Sarah Tyson Rorer Pension Fund was established to assist her. One former student, Clara Dulan, was instrumental in the creation of the organization, and received assistance from the wives of two members of the faculty at the Kent School, Caroline Cameron and Elizabeth Woodward. They acted as the Treasurer and Secretary, respectively.

Rorer died in 1937 in Colebrook Pennsylvania, unable to recover from injuries caused by a second fall.

Series I consists of Emma Weigley's correspondence, spanning from 1964 to 1972 and demonstrates Weigley's information-gathering procedure. The correspondence is between Weigley and potential resources for information about Rorer, and includes many letters from organizations and individuals who either sent her their regrets for being unable to fulfill Weigley's requests for information, or sent her enclosed material, most of which is not included within the boxes. A few items are collected with the letters which reference them. Particularly of interest is an official copy of Rorer's death certificate, and letters and interviews with Rorer's son James. This series is arranged alphabetically, either by the name of the organization or the last name of the individual with whom Weigley corresponded.

Series II consists of Emma Weigley's research notes and spans from 1964 to 1972. The materials included in the series are Emma Weigley's curriculum vitae, biographical timelines of Rorer's life, genealogical information, a short biographical narrative about Rorer, handwritten and typed notes by Weigley outlining her dissertation, and two boxes of index cards with Weigley's notes for her dissertation organized by topic and time period of Rorer's life. This series is arranged chronologically.

Series III contains materials that document the activities of the Sarah Tyson Rorer Pension Fund and spans from 1933 to 1937. The materials were given to Weigley by Elizabeth Woodward, the secretary of the fund. They are primarily correspondence soliciting financial assistance for Rorer, but also include receipts, bank books, and other planning materials. There is a manuscript, as well as a published article from the October 15, 1933 Herald Tribune Magazine documenting Rorer's situation, the pension fund, within which donations are requested. The correspondence consists primarily of responses to the article. There is also a box of index cards from the Pension Fund with lists of names and addresses organized in alphabetical order, used to solicit donations. This series is arranged chronologically.

Series IV contains publications which are divided into three subseries; Articles, Magazines and Pamphlets. The Articles subseries dates from 1934 to 1986, and includes reproductions of articles written about Rorer during her life, as well as many obituaries and articles written about her after her death. It also includes several photocopies of articles written by Rorer from 1934 to 1965, this series is arranged alphabetically. The Magazines series contains primarily Household News publications dating from 1893 to 1896; it is not a complete run and is arranged chronologically. There is one copy of The Journal of Home Economics from 1934. The Pamphlets subseries consists of publications that Rorer authored on various dietetic and nutritional topics between 1890 and 1903. This subseries is arranged chronologically.

Series V consists of twelve rolls of microfilm, primarily issues of the Ladies Home Journal, along with one containing "How to set the table" and another of "McIlhenny's Tabasco Sauce Recipes" by Rorer. This series dates from 1897 to 1911, and is arranged alphabetically.

Series VI consists of photographs and negatives of cooking classes, Rorer's model kitchen, and a couple of portrait photographs of Rorer. This series dates from 1902 to 1972 and is arranged chronologically.

Physical description

9 linear feet.

Provenance

Gift of Emma Weigley, 2006 (accession number M2006-14).

Preferred citation

Cite as: Emma Weigley Collection of Sarah Tyson Rorer Papers, American Philosophical Society.

Separated material

Bread and Breadmaking: c. 1899, Arnold and Co., Philadelphia; 82 pp.

Canning and Preserving; revised and enlarged edition: c. 1912, Arnold and Co., Philadelphia; 118 pp.

Dainties: c. 1912, Arnold and Co., Philadelphia; 126 pp.

Good Ways in Cooking: A Manual for the Family: c. 1889, Syndicate Trading Co., New York; 202 pp.

Home Candy Making: c. 1889, Arnold and Co., Philadelphia; 74 pp. (duplicate- 2)

Hot Weather Dishes: c. 1888, Arnold and Co., Philadelphia; 104 pp.

Household News Volume 1: c. 1893, Household News Co., Philadelphia; 253 pp.

How to Cook Vegetables; 10th edition: c. 1900, W.A. Burpee and Co., Philadelphia; 182 pp.

How to Use a Chafing Dish: c. 1898, Arnold and Co., Philadelphia; 109 pp.

Ice Creams, Water ices, Frozen Puddings , Together with Refreshments for All Social Affairs: c. 1913, Arnold and Co., Philadelphia; 165 pp.

Left Overs: c. 1898, Arnold and Co., Philadelphia; 79 pp.

Made-over Dishes; revised and enlarged edition: c. 1912, Arnold and Co., Philadelphia; 110 pp.

Many Ways for Cooking Eggs; revised and enlarged edition: c. 1912, Arnold and Co., Philadelphia; 101 pp. (duplicate-2)

Mrs. Rorer's Brand New Salads: c. 1915, Arnold and Co., Philadelphia; 20 pp.

Mrs. Rorer's Cakes, Icings, and Fillings: c. 1905, Arnold and Co., Philadelphia; 98 pp.

Mrs. Rorer's Cookbook: c. 1914, Arnold and Co., Philadelphia; 581 pp.

Mrs. Rorer's Everyday Menu Book: c. 1905, Arnold and Co., Philadelphia; 300 pp.

Mrs. Rorer's Key to Simple Cookery, a Manual of Housekeeping: c. 1902, Arnold and Co., Philadelphia; 730 pp.

Mrs. Rorer's My Best 250 Recipes: c. 1907, Arnold and Co., Philadelphia; 162 pp.

Mrs. Rorer's New Cookbook, a Manual of Home Economics: c. 1914, G.H. Buchanan and Co., Philadelphia; 581 pp.

Mrs. Rorer's Sandwiches: c. 1912, Arnold and Co., Philadelphia; 86 pp.

Mrs. Rorer's Vegetable Cookery and Meat Substitutes: c. 1909, Arnold and Co., Philadelphia; 328 pp.

Recipe Book for Canning Fruit and Vegetables, Jelly Making, Pickling, and Cooking in the Mudge Patent Processor: c. 191-, J.L. Gaumer Co., Philadelphia; 24 pp.

Tabletalk Volume III: c. 1888, Tabletalk Publication Co., Philadelphia; 556 pp.

Tabletalk Volume IV: c. 1889, Tabletalk Publication Co., Philadelphia; 510 pp.

Tabletalk Volume V: c. 1890, Tabletalk Publication Co., Philadelphia; 490 pp.

• Recipes.

• Rorer, Sarah Tyson Heston, 1849-1937
• Rorer, Sarah Tyson Heston, 1849-1937
• Weigley, Emma Seifrit

• Chemistry
• Home economics
• Nutrition.