Henry Van Dyke Family Papers

Van Dyke, Henry, 1852-1933

Presbyterian clergyman, poet, minister to the Netherlands, and longtime Princeton professor (1899-1913, 1919-1923) of English literature, Henry Van Dyke is perhaps best remembered for his Christmas story The Story Of The Other Wise Man (1896).

Princeton University

The College of New Jersey was initially chartered in 1746. The first classes were held in Elizabeth, New Jersey, in the parsonage of the president, the Reverend Jonathan Dickinson. Upon his death, the College moved to Newark, New Jersey, and was headed by the Reverend Aaron Burr, Sr. Since 1756, the College has been located in Princeton, New Jersey. For the first fifty years, nearly all College operations took place within Nassau Hall. Fires, fundraising difficulties, low student enrollment, and the Civil War challenged the vitality of the College in the early and middle nineteenth century, but the College grew vigorously under the leadership of President James McCosh, and it was renamed Princeton University in 1896. The Graduate School was established in 1900, although a limited graduate program had existed since the 1870s. Princeton enthusiastically supported the country (living up to its informal motto, "Princeton in the Nation's Service") during the First and Second World Wars, offering the expertise of faculty and campus space for training, as well as facilitating the early graduation of students so they could enlist. The post-World War II years brought dramatic changes to Princeton. The size and strength of the University's facilities and academic programs—especially for the applied sciences and public policy—were increased dramatically. Under President Robert Goheen, Princeton began to admit minority students in greater numbers in the 1960s and admitted women undergraduates in 1969. Today, Princeton is widely regarded as one of the top universities in the world.

The Henry Van Dyke Family Papers consists of papers of three generations of the prominent Van Dyke family of New York and Princeton, beginning with Henry Jackson Van Dyke (1822-1891) and his wife, Henrietta [Ashmead] Van Dyke (1820-1893), followed by their children, Henry Van Dyke (1852-1933) and Paul Van Dyke (1859-1933), and ending with Henry Van Dyke's son Tertius Van Dyke (1886-1958). Writings, correspondence, journals, and printed matter of Henry Van Dyke, Jr., constitute most of the collection, but there are also photographs, documents, receipts, memorabilia, newspapers clippings, and miscellanea.

Some of the manuscripts and notes found in draft form in the collection came to print in the following publications: 1) by Henry Van Dyke, Jr.: Camp-fires and Guide-posts (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1921), Companionable Books (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1922), Days Off (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1907), Fighting for Peace (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1917), The Golden Key (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1926), Gratitude (New York: E. P. Dutton & Co. Inc., 1930.), Half-told Tales (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1925), The House of Rimmon (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1908), Light My Candle (New York: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1926), The Story of the Other Wise Man (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1899), Out of Doors in the Holy Land (New York: Arno Press, 1908), The Spirit of America (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1910), The Toiling of Felix (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1900), The Travel Diary of an Angler (New York: The Derrydale Press, 1929), The Unknown Quantity (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1920), and The Valley of Vision (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1919); 2) by Paul Van Dyke: Caterine de Medicis, Queen of France (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1922); 3) by Tertius Van Dyke: Henry Van Dyke: A Biography (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1935).

Many of Henry Jackson Van Dyke's papers came from the archives of Spencer Memorial Church, Brooklyn, New York. (Most were lost in a fire in 1891). Henry Van Dyke's lifetime accumulation of papers were presented to the library by his executors, Tertius Van Dyke, Struthers Burt, and John H. Finley. Additional material was given by Mrs. Tertius (Elizabeth Cannon) Van Dyke, as well as various other gifts and purchases.

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

This collection was processed by Barbara Volz in 2003. Finding aid written by Barbara Volz in 2003.

No appraisal information is available.

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Preferred Citation

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Henry Van Dyke Family Papers, Box and Folder Number; Special Collections, Princeton University Library.

Publisher

Manuscripts Division

Finding aids author

Barbara Volz

Date

2003

Creator

Van Dyke, Henry, 1852-1933

Subject

Christian literature, American -- 20th century

Christian poetry, American -- 20th century

Fathers and sons -- New Jersey -- Princeton -- 20th century

Fathers and sons -- New York (State) -- New York -- 19th century

Literature -- History and criticism

World War, 1914-1918 -- Diplomatic history

Diplomatic and consular service, American -- Netherlands -- 20th century

People

Catherine de Médicis, Queen, consort of Henry II, King of France, 1519-1589

Van Dyke, Henrietta (1820-1896)

Van Dyke, Henry J. (Henry Jackson), 1822-1891

Van Dyke, Paul, 1859-1933

Van Dyke, Tertius, 1886-1958

Organization

College of New Jersey (Princeton, N.J.). Class of 1873

First Presbyterian Church (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)

Brick Presbyterian Church (New York, N.Y.)

League to Enforce Peace (U.S.)

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

Princeton University

Occupation

Ambassadors -- United States -- 20th century

Authors, American -- 20th century

Clergy -- United States -- 19th century

Clergy -- United States -- 20th century

Poets, American -- 20th century

Language

English

Form

Family papers

Manuscripts

Sermons, American

Correspondence