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Edgar Lee Masters Collection

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Held at: Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division [Contact Us]

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Masters, Edgar Lee, 1868-1950.

Edgar Lee Masters, American poet, novelist, and biographer, is best known as the author of the Spoon River Anthology (1915). Born in Garnett, Kansas, in 1868, he maintained a successful law practice in Chicago, Illinois, from 1892 to 1920, and made his debut as a poet in 1898 with A Book of Verse. After retiring from practicing law, he devoted himself entirely to writing. He died in Philadelphia on March 5, 1950.

The collection consists of miscellaneous material by and about Masters: correspondence, typescripts of poetry, a photo album (1983) with comments by Alice Davis Tibbetts, an autograph manuscript by John Cowper Powys titled "The Real Edgar Lee Masters," and a copy of the 100th anniversary booklet of the Chelsea Hotel which contains a poem by Masters. There are also two versions, with holograph corrections, of Masters' poem "Let Us Build America Again." Correspondents include Ernest Briggs, Edwina Stanton Babcock, Harry Barnard, Gertrude Boatwright Claytor, Emory Holloway, Frank Prentice Rand, and Irita Taylor Van Doren. Also includes an original charcoal portrait of Edgar Lee Masters by Walter Tittle.

Arranged by accession number.

The collection was formed as a result of a Departmental practice of combining into one collection material of various accessions relating to a particular person, family, or subject.

The "Let Us Build America Again" material was a gift of Irita Taylor Van Doren.

Twenty-one letters, four poems, and five "spoofs" were purchased.

The album of photographs was a gift of Alice Davis Tibbetts.

The letter to Gertrude Claytor and the manuscript by John Cowper Powys were gifts of Mrs. Graham Claytor. Various AM.

Finding aid written by James Flannery on January 25, 2006. Folder Inventory added by Hilde Creager (2015) in 2012.

No appraisal information is available.

Publisher
Manuscripts Division
Finding Aid Date
2006
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. No further photoduplication of copies of material in the collection can be made when Princeton University Library does not own the original. Inquiries regarding publishing material from the collection should be directed to RBSC Public Services staff through the Ask Us! form. The library has no information on the status of literary rights in the collection and researchers are responsible for determining any questions of copyright.

Collection Inventory

Miscellaneous Papers, 1898-1945. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"Let Us Build America Again" poem (2 versions), "A Definitive Biography: Abraham Lincoln" by Albert J. [V]everidge, reviewed by Masters, undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

2 Letters to Professor Emory Holloway and two Letters in response by Holloway, 1936 May 21-June 4. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Letter to Frank Prentice Rand, 1939 December 22. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

2 Letters to Harry Barnard, 1938 May 6-22. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Autographed manuscripts "The Real Edgar Lee Masters" with corrections by John C. Powys, undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

2 Letters to "Dear Gertrude" (Gertrude Boatwright Claytor), 1942-1956. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

19 Letters and notes to Edwina Stanton Babcock, 5 Lucius Atherton "spoofs", 4 poems and 1 poem for Edwina S. Babcock, 1924-1927. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Album with photographs of Masters and personal documents by Alice D. Tibbetts. Hotel anniversary booklet with Masters poem entitled "The Hotel Chelsea", 1936 August 7. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Original Charcoal Portrait of Edgar Lee Masters, by Walter Tittle, 1924 December 14. 1 box.
Scope and Contents

Reproduced in The Century Magazine, Vol. 110, No. 4 (August 1925).

Physical Description

1 box

Print, Suggest