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Richmond P. (Richmond Pearson) Miller Papers

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Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. 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

Call Number:
RG5.105
Repository:
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Extent:
3 linear ft. (6 boxes)
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item or series here], Richmond P. Miller Papers, RG 5/105, Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Date:
1923-1970 (inclusive)
Creator:
Miller, Richmond P. (Richmond Pearson), 1902-1972, Friends Peace Committee (Philadelphia, Pa.), William Jeanes Memorial Library (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.), Plymouth Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, Conference on the Churches and Social Welfare, United Nations, Penn, William, 1644-1718, and All American Friends Conference (1929 : Oskaloosa, Iowa)
Abstract:
Richmond Pearson Miller (1902-1972) was a Quaker author and educator. He was the son of J. Milton and Sara G. Miller In 1926 Alice Leinbach. He died in 1972. This collection contains the papers of Richmond P. Miller, Quaker author and educator, including correspondence, writings, and papers relating to various Quaker concerns. Miller was involved with the 1962 NBC television production, Gentle Persuaders; the William Penn Tercentenary in 1964; the William Jeanes Memorial Library controversy; and the United Nations. In addition, he was involved in commemorative events at Quaker meeting houses, the All Friends Conference in Oskaloosa, 1929, First Day Schools, Friends Peace Committee, National Conference on the Churches and Social Welfare in Cleveland, 1961, the Ohio Yearly Meeting Sesquicentennial in 1962, School of Mysticism in New York, 1929, World Conference of Friends in 1952, and Young Friend Caravan in 1925.

Richmond Pearson Miller (1902-1972) was a Quaker author and educator. He was the son of J. Milton and Sara G. Miller. In 1926 he married Alice Leinbach. He died in 1972.

This collection contains the papers of Richmond P. Miller, Quaker author and educator, including correspondence, writings, and papers relating to various Quaker concerns. Miller was involved with the 1962 NBC television production, Gentle Persuaders; the William Penn Tercentenary in 1964; the William Jeanes Memorial Library controversy; and the United Nations. In addition, he was involved in commemorative events at Quaker meeting houses, the All Friends Conference in Oskaloosa, 1929, First Day Schools, Friends Peace Committee, National Conference on the Churches and Social Welfare in Cleveland, 1961, the Ohio Yearly Meeting Sesquicentennial in j1962, School of Mysticism in New York, 1929, World Conference of Friends in 1952, and Young Friend Caravan in 1925.

The collection is divided into thirteen series:

  1. General correspondence
  2. Articles
  3. Book reviews
  4. "The Gentle Persuaders"
  5. Meeting Houses
  6. William Penn Tercentenary 1944
  7. William Penn, miscellaneous papers on
  8. Plymouth Monthly Meeting
  9. Quaker method of conducting business
  10. United nations
  11. Miscellaneous
  12. Scrapbooks
  13. Books and pamphlets

Donor: Richmond P. Miller, 1964-1969

Donor: Alice Miller, 1972

See also:

  1. RG 5/ 083, William Jeanes Memorial Library Controversy Papers

The following audio-recordings, originally part of the collection, are now stored with FHL Audio-Visual Collection:

  1. American Friends Service Committee.
  2. To see what love can do, fifty years of Quaker service [1967] (Disc no. 9)
  3. Heath, Douglas.
  4. Talk on education at Moorestown Friends School, 1969. (Tape no. 126)
  5. Miller, Richmond and Foulds, Elfrida Vipont.
  6. Talk at Abington Meeting First Day School, 1965. (Tape no. 125)
  7. Pickett, Clarence.
  8. An outline of Quakerism. 1959. (Tape no. 124)
  9. Pictures placed in the appropriate subject category within the Friends Historical
  10. Library Picture Collection:
  11. Friends World Conference; Friends meeting houses; Portraits of Quakers; Art concerning Quaker subjects

Organization
Subject

Publisher
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Finding Aid Author
FHL staff
Finding Aid Date
1967
Sponsor
Encoding made possible by a grant by the Gladys Kriebel Delmas Foundation to the Philadelphia Consortium of Special Collections Libraries
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce items in this collection beyond the bounds of Fair Use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder or their heirs/assigns. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-RUU/1.0/.

Collection Inventory

Ser. 1. General Correspondence, 1923-1970 and n.d.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Arranged chronologically. Includes correspondence with Frank Aydelotte, John Barlow, Vera Brittain, Roger Clark, John S. Hoyland, Rufus M. Jones, Muriel Lester, Henry R. Luce, Daisy Newman, George Wharton Pepper, Reginald Reynolds, Jane P. Rushmore, Alys Russell, Alfred Broadhead Searle, Elizabeth Gray Vining, Richard K. Ullmann, and Jessamyn West.

"What Is a Quaker?" in Look, ca. 1963-64.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Article was syndicated for newspapers in 1965. Some clippings from newspapers are included.

Other articles by Richmond P. Miller.
Box 1

Reviews by Richmond P. Miller.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Arranged alphabetically by author of book reviewed.

Other book reviews (not by Miller), mostly of writings by Jessamyn West.
Box 1

Scope and Contents

"The Gentle Persuaders" was television program produced by NBC and narrated by Drew Pearson. Broadcast on July 30, 1962, it examined Quaker beliefs and customs.

Correspondence, 1960-1963 and n.d.
Box 1
Financial papers.
Box 1
Publicity.
Box 1
Reference material.
Box 1

Scope and Contents

This series pertains mostly to commemorative events held at Quaker meeting houses in which Richmond Miller participated. Includes articles, correspondence, programs, pictures.

Centre Meeting, Delaware.
Box 2
Friends Select School, log house on grounds.
Box 2
Gwynedd Meeting, 250th anniversary, 1949.
Box 2
London Grove Meeting, 250th anniversary, 1964.
Box 2
Philadelphia, Arch Street Meeting House.
Box 2
Philadelphia, Race Street Meeting House, Centennial, 1956.
Box 2
Richland Meeting, 250th anniversary, 1960.
Box 2

Scope and Contents

The major event was a public meeting at the Arch Street Meeting House on October 24. The major address by T. Edmund Harvey was broadcast to the meeting from London. Other participants were Edward Martin, Governor of Pennsylvania; Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, Earl of Halifax and British Ambassador to the United States; and Rufus M. Jones. In addition Penn was commemorated throughout the year in various publications and exhibitions.

Correspondence with Richmond P. Miller.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Includes letters from Dennis Cardinal Dougherty of Philadelphia, Fritz Eichenberg, T. Edmund Harvey, Charles F. Jenkins, Howard Cooper Johnson, Henry R. Luce, Edward Martin, Edward Frederick Lindley Wood (Earl of Halifax), and Stanley Yarnall.

"The Tercentenary of William Penn," article by Richmond P. Miller, October 1944.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Published in The Club Women's Journal vol. 10, no. 9, p. 5.

Other articles, Friends publications.
Box 2
Other articles, non-Quaker publications.
Box 2
Newspaper clippings.
Box 2
Friends of William Penn Tercentenary Committee memoranda.
Box 2
Programs of meetings.
Box 2
Exhibitions.
Box 2
Miscellaneous.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Includes a program for celebration in the schools, a radio program, and a description of the film "Courageous Mr. Penn."

Correspondence, 1961-1967.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Pertains to a meeting house at Warminghurst, England, where it is believed Penn worshipped; a proposal for a Penn memorial on Penn Center Plaza, Philadelphia; and plans for reprinting William Penn: Aventurier de la Paix by Louis Monastier-Schroeder and Helene Monastier.

Albert Cook Myers Collection of William Penn Material in the Chester County Historical Society., 1959, 1968.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Includes report of a Survey, by Mary Maples, Joseph E. Illick, and Frederick B. Tolles, 1959 (Richmond P. Miller annotated copy); also contains a revised report, 1968.

Pennsbury Manor (restored home of William Penn, Bucks County, Pa.) Programs, leaflets, clippings.
Box 3
275th Anniversary of the Landing of William Penn, 1957.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Contains correspondence, articles, programs, and clippings.

William Penn Memorial Museum and Archives Building, Harrisburg, Pa., 1960-1967.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Contains correspondence, photographs, programs, and clippings, especially concering Richmond P. Miller's participation at the dedication, October 13 1965.

Pictures relating to William Penn, 1947, n.d.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Separate folders prepared for correspondence about portrait of Penn purchased by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1947, and memorial of Penn's baptism at All Hallows by the Tower Church, London.

Miscellaneous: articles, clippings, programs.
Box 3

Correspondence, 1955-1957.
Box 4
Reference material.
Box 4

Correspondence, 1944-1954.
Box 4
Articles and bibliographies.
Box 4

Correspondence and articles, 1949-1965.
Box 4
Scope and Contents

re: activities of the United Nations (1949-1965), including efforts to establish a meditation room in the new UN building. Separate folder for material on presentation of Holy Experiment by Violet Oakley to United Nations Library (October 24, 1960) and to various delegations; includes acknowledgement of gift by several embassies.

Scope and Contents

Arranged by subject.

All Friends Conference, Oskaloosa, Iowa, 1929--Correspondence, 1928-1929.
Box 4
Articles about Quakers.
Box 4
Bible reading in schools, Pennsylvania court cases, 1961-1965.
Box 4
First Day Schools, Correspondence, directories, questionnaires, 1929.
Box 4
Friends Peace Committee, Philadelphia, Correspondence, press releases, 1928-1929.
Box 4
Hayes, J. Russell, Correspondence, recitals, 1929.
Box 4
Hull, William I.: Biographical notes collected by Richmond P. Miller.
Box 4
Miller, Richmond P., Notes, reports, programs regarding lectures.
Box 4
National Conference on the Churches and Social Welfare, Cleveland, Ohio, 1961.
Box 4
Scope and Contents

Includes correspondence, notes, programs. Richmond P. Miller delivered an address, "William Penn and Social Welfare."

Ohio Yearly Meeting, sesquicentennial, 1962.
Box 4
Scope and Contents

Includes correspondence, clippings, programs.

Quaker anecdotes and stories.
School of Mysticism, New York: Correspondence with Josian Marvel, director, 1929.
Box 4
World Conference of Friends, 1952.
Box 4
Young Friends Caravans, 1925.
Box 4

Scope and Contents

This series consists of separate notebooks with printed programs and newspaper reports for each event listed below, compiled by Richmond P. Miller.

Five Years Meeting, Richmond, Indiana, 1955.
Box 5
Friends General Conference, Cape May, New Jersey, 1946.
Box 5
Philadelphia General Meeting, 1946, 1947, 1949.
Box 5
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (Hicksite), 1941-1947, 1951, 1952.
Box 6
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (United), 1956, 1957, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1968.
Box 6
Miscellaneous scrapbook covering activities of Friends, 1964-1967.
Box 6

Scope and Contents

The books and pamphlets listed below are included in the collection because of extensive marginal notes by Richmond Miller. Other books from his library have been cataloged and added to the library's holdings of printed items (a complete list of these books may be found in the "Gift Books" folder in the FHL Miscellaneous File).

Browin, Frances Williams. A Century of Race Street Meeting House, 1856-1956. Philadelphia: Central Monthly Meeting of Friends, 1956.
Box 6
Celebration of the Two Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of Old Third Haven Meeting House, October 23, 1932. Easton, Md., 1932.
Box 6
Friends World Conference, 1937. Friends Contribution to Education (Report of Commission IV). Philadelphia: Friends World Conference Committee, 1937.
Box 6
Harvey, T. Edmund. Quaker Language. London: Friends Historical Society, 1928.
Box 6
James, Robert L. Friends for the Next 300 Years: A Call into the Future (1965 Rufus Jones Lecture). Philadelphia: Religious Education Committee, Friends General Conference, 1965.
Box 6
Lester, John A. The Ideals and Objectives of Quaker Education. Philadelphia: Friends' Council on Education, 1938?.
Box 6
A Memorial to William Penn in Ireland at Newtown School, In the Province of Munster, 1798-1948. Dublin., 1946.
Box 6
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Book of Discipline of the Religious Society of Friends. Philadelphia, 1943.
Box 6

Print, Suggest