Bobbs-Merrill Company

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Publishing company located in Indianapolis, IN. Founded by Samuel Merrill, Sr. in 1850, initially as a bookstore that expanded into a publishing house under his son, Samuel Merrill, Jr., and subsequent partners following the Civil War. The name went through several permutations Merrill, Meigs, and Company; the Bowen-Merrill Company; and finally Bobbs-Merrill, named in part after director William Conrad Bobbs, in 1903. Bobbs-Merrill published works of many significant authors, including James Whitcomb Riley, Ayn Rand, Irving Bacheller, John Erskine, Ring Lardner, and L. Frank Baum. The company's vast array of publishing topics included regional literature, international publishing, cooking and etiquette, travel, business, law, children's literature, and the history of literary criticism. Bobbs-Merrill was purchased by the Howard W. Sams Company in 1959, which was in turn acquired by Macmillan in 1985.

From the description of Papers, 1885-1957. (Indiana University). WorldCat record id: 755013144

Founded by Samuel Merrill, Sr. in 1850, what was initially a bookstore gradually expanded into a publishing house under his son, Samuel Merrill, Jr., and subsequent partners following the Civil War. The name went through several permutations: Merrill, Meigs, and Company; the Bowen-Merrill Company; and finally Bobbs-Merrill, named in part after director William Conrad Bobbs, in 1903. Bobbs-Merrill published works of many significant authors, including James Whitcomb Riley, Ayn Rand, Irving Bacheller, John Erskine, Ring Lardner, and L. Frank Baum. The company's vast array of publishing topics included regional literature, international publishing, cooking and etiquette, travel, business, law, children's literature, and the history of literary criticism. Bobbs-Merrill was purchased by the Howard W. Sams Company in 1959, which was in turn acquired by Macmillan in 1985.

From the guide to the Bobbs-Merrill mss., 1885-1957, (Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington))

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Henderson, Le Grand, 1901-1964. Le Grand Henderson papers, 1932-1981. University of Oregon Libraries
referencedIn Papers, 1927-1984 Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf McCutcheon, John T. (John Tinney), 1870-1949. John T. McCutcheon papers 1834-1996, bulk 1889-1950. Newberry Library
referencedIn Riley, James Whitcomb, 1849-1916. Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library Riley Collection, 1835-1960. Indiana Historical Society Library
referencedIn Le Grand Henderson papers, 1932-1981 University of Oregon Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Learned Hand papers Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
referencedIn Paul A. Freund papers Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
referencedIn Cameron, Angus (Donald Angus). Reminiscences of Donald Angus Cameron : oral history, 1977. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Hiram Collins Haydn Papers, 1874-1978, (bulk 1945-1973) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Irving Brant papers, 1910-1977 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Kester, Paul, 1870-1933. Paul Kester papers, 1880-1933. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn William Ernest Hocking papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Martha Dickinson Bianchi correspondence concerning publication of the poetry of the American poet, Emily Dickinson:, 1881-1943 (inclusive), 1925-1937 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Irving Brant papers, 1910-1977 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Miller, M. Hughes, 1913-1989. Papers, 1946-1977. Univerisity of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
referencedIn Nahum Sabsay papers, 1924-1969. Houghton Library
referencedIn Haydn, Hiram Collins, 1907-1973. Papers, 1942-1984. Library of Congress
referencedIn Wendell Holmes Stephenson Papers, 1820-1968 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn Paul Goodman papers, 1925-1983. Houghton Library
referencedIn Kautz, John. A literary friendship, between 1965 and 1970. Indiana University
referencedIn Papers of Gerda Lerner, 1924-2006 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Autograph File, H Houghton Library
referencedIn Papers, 1795, 1837-1992 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Bobbs-Merrill Company. Papers, 1885-1957. Indiana University
referencedIn Papers of Jane Lewis Maury Maverick [manuscript] ca. 1887, 1927-1944. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Macy, Albert William, b. 1853. Letters, 1905-1935. Indiana University
referencedIn Paul Kester papers, 1880-1933 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Harry Levin papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. Preliminary Inventory of the Office of the Registrar's Records, 1971-1980. Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, The Clark
referencedIn Webster, Henry Kitchell, 1875-1932. Henry Kitchell Webster papers, 1880-1932, bulk 1900-1932. Newberry Library
referencedIn Joel Oppenheimer Papers, 1925-1988. Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Center.
creatorOf Bobbs-Merrill mss., 1885-1957 Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
creatorOf Jackson, Charles Tenney, 1874-1955. Charles Tenney Jackson papers, [1915-1953 ca.]. UC Berkeley Libraries
creatorOf Bobbs-Merrill Company. Correspondence with Theodore Dreiser, 1905-1939. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Papers of the Rombauer-Becker family, 1795-1992 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Bobbs-Merrill Company. Correspondence with Edward F. Fry, 1967. University of Pennsylvania Library
referencedIn Inventory of the William A. Owens Papers (Part One) LIT/Owens MSS 00088., 1922-1979 Cushing Memorial Library,
creatorOf Robert J. Casey papers, 1907-1964. Newberry Library
referencedIn Henderson, Le Grand, 1901-1964. Papers, 1931-1981. University of Oregon Libraries
creatorOf Barrett, Monte. Tempered blade: typescript, galleys, and page proofs, 1946. University of North Texas Library, UNT
referencedIn Inglis Fletcher Papers, 1883-1967, 2015 East Carolina University. J.Y. Joyner Library
creatorOf Evans, Rosalie, 1879-1924. Papers of Rosalie Evans [manuscript], 1853-1986 (bulk 1860-1950). University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Southern Economic Journal Records, 1937-2003 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn Frye, William, 1908-1961. Marshall, citizen soldier : [manuscripts, galley proof, correspondence, and related materials]. Wabash College Lilly Library, Lilly Library
referencedIn Houghton Mifflin Company contracts, 1831-1979 (inclusive) 1880-1940 (bulk). Houghton Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Bacheller, Irving, 1859-1950. person
associatedWith Barrett, Monte. person
associatedWith Baum, L. Frank 1856-1919. person
correspondedWith Bianchi, Martha Dickinson, 1866-1943 person
associatedWith Bobbs, William Conrad, 1861-1926. person
associatedWith Bowen-Merrill Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Brant, Irving, 1885-1976. person
associatedWith Cameron, Angus (Donald Angus) person
associatedWith Carrick, Lynn. person
associatedWith Casey, Robert J. (Robert Joseph), 1890-1962. person
correspondedWith Casner, A. James, 1907-1990 person
associatedWith Chambers, David Laurance, 1879- person
associatedWith Curtis Brown Ltd. corporateBody
associatedWith Curtis, John J. person
associatedWith Davis, Lambert, 1905- person
associatedWith Erskine, John, 1879-1951. person
associatedWith Evans, Rosalie, 1879-1924. person
associatedWith Fletcher, Inglis, 1879-1969. person
associatedWith Frye, William, 1908-1961. person
correspondedWith GERDA LERNER, 1920- person
correspondedWith Goodman, Paul, 1911-1972 person
associatedWith Hand, Learned, 1872-1961 person
associatedWith Haydn, Hiram Collins, 1907-1973. person
associatedWith Henderson, Le Grand, 1901-1964. person
associatedWith Himler, Mary Rose. person
correspondedWith Hocking, William Ernest, 1873-1966 person
correspondedWith Houghton Mifflin Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Jackson, Charles Tenney, 1874-1955. person
associatedWith Kautz, John. person
associatedWith Kester, Paul, 1870-1933. person
associatedWith Lardner, Ring, 1885-1933. person
associatedWith Leffer, Dorothy M. person
associatedWith Levin, Harry, 1912-1994 person
associatedWith Macy, Albert William, b. 1853. person
associatedWith Martin, Phillip. person
associatedWith McCutcheon, John T. (John Tinney), 1870-1949. person
associatedWith Merrill, Meigs, and Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Merrill, Samuel, 1792-1855. person
associatedWith Miller, M. Hughes, 1913-1989. person
associatedWith Moores, Charles W. 1862-1923 person
correspondedWith Oppenheimer, Joel person
correspondedWith Owens, William A., 1905- person
associatedWith Paul A. Freund person
associatedWith Rand, Ayn. person
associatedWith Reynolds, Josephine. person
associatedWith Riley, James Whitcomb, 1849-1916. person
associatedWith ROMBAUER-BECKER FAMILY person
associatedWith Rombauer family. family
correspondedWith Sabsay, Nahum, 1890- person
associatedWith Shively, George Jenks, 1893- person
associatedWith Southern economic journal. corporateBody
correspondedWith Stephenson, Wendell Holmes, 1899-1970 person
associatedWith Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. corporateBody
associatedWith Webster, Henry Kitchell, 1875-1932. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Subject
Publishers and publishing
Occupation
Activity

Corporate Body

Active 1905

Active 1939

Information

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Ark ID: w6k97mbs

SNAC ID: 49027051