Weems, John Edward

John Edward "Eddie" Weems was a historian, author, and journalist. He was born in Grand Prairie, TX in 1924. He received Bachelors and Masters degrees in Journalism from the University of Texas in 1948 and 1949, respectively. He later received a Master of Arts degree in Library Science from Florida State University in 1954. Weems had a diverse career and served in the Navy, worked at several Texas newspapers, was an assistant professor in journalism at Baylor University, University of Alabama, and professor of English at Baylor University. Weems also had a prolific career as a writer and published many books and articles about Texas and Southwest history. Perhaps Weems' best known work is Peary: The Explorer and the Man and is "considered to be a definitive study of the personal life of the first man to reach the North Pole," due to Weems' unprecedented access to Commander Robert Peary's personal records, diaries, and letters, as well as the cooperation of Peary's family. Weems and Nubel met in 1958 in Austin while the both worked for the University of Texas Press. Nubel later moved to New York City and had several international assignments, however, the friends corresponded for almost forty years. John Edward Weems died on September 22, 1999.

From the description of Weems, John Edward, to Herbert R. Nubel letters, 1959-1995. (University of Texas Libraries). WorldCat record id: 240386316

John Edward “Eddie” Weems was a historian, author, and journalist. He was born in Grand Prairie, TX in 1924. He received Bachelors and Masters degrees in Journalism from the University of Texas in 1948 and 1949, respectively. He later received a Master of Arts degree in Library Science from Florida State University in 1954. Weems had a diverse career and served in the Navy, worked at several Texas newspapers, was an assistant professor in journalism at Baylor University, University of Alabama, and professor of English at Baylor University. Weems also had a prolific career as a writer and published many books and articles about Texas and Southwest history. Perhaps Weems’ best known work is Peary: The Explorer and the Man and is “considered to be a definitive study of the personal life of the first man to reach the North Pole,” due to Weems’ unprecedented access to Commander Robert Peary’s personal records, diaries, and letters, as well as the cooperation of Peary’s family.

Weems and Nubel met in 1958 in Austin while the both worked for the University of Texas Press. Nubel later moved to New York City and had several international assignments, however, the friends corresponded for almost forty years. John Edward Weems died on September 22, 1999.

Biographical note prepared using information provided in Gale’s Contemporary Authors Literary Database.

From the guide to the John Edward Weems to Herbert R. Nubel Letters [2008-156]., 1959-1995, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)