Masters-Davis collection 1928, 1930-1977 1936-1944

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Masters-Davis collection 1928, 1930-1977 1936-1944

http://archives.nypl.org/mss/1907

Edgar Lee Masters (1868-1950), poet, novelist, and biographer, was born in Kansas and raised in Illinois. He was admitted to the bar in 1891 and practiced law for many years in Chicago, including a stint with Clarence Darrow, 1903-1911. However, his true vocation was writing; over a period of nearly thirty years he produced more than forty books of poetry and prose, including biographies of Abraham Lincoln, Vachel Lindsey, Walt Whitman, and Mark Twain. His most famous work was Spoon River Anthology (1915), first published the previous year as a series of 244 epitaphs in free verse in Reedy's Mirror of St. Louis under the pseudonym Webster Ford. He was married twice, to Helen Jenkins in 1898 and to Ellen Frances Coyne in 1923, and had four children. However, from 1931 to 1944 he lived alone in the Chelsea Hotel in New York City where he became acquainted with Alice Davis (later Tibbetts). Masters died in 1950 in Melrose, Pennsylvania. Collection consists of correspondence, poetry, an extensive journal of Alice Davis's, snapshots, and miscellaneous printed material documenting the relationship between Alice E. Davis (later Tibbetts) and Edgar Lee Masters while they both lived in the Chelsea Hotel. Bulk of the collection consists of letters from Masters to Davis as well as considerable typescript and holograph poetry written by Masters and often dedicated to Davis, 1936-1944. There is also correspondence between Davis and members of Masters's family as well as between Davis and August Derleth, Dorothy Dow, Theodore Dreiser, H.L. Mencken, Dudley Nichols, Norman Vincent Peale, and Louis Quarles. In addition, the collection includes Davis's extensive typescript journal covering the early years of her friendship with Masters, 1935-1938. There are also programs, playbills, and clippings pertaining to Masters, particularly to the Broadway production of Spoon River Anthology in 1963 and printed material relating to the Chelsea Hotel.

2 linear feet (2 boxes)

New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 6312184

New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division

Related Entities

There are 11 Entities related to this resource.

Mencken, H.L. (Henry Louis), 1880-1956

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w66f6jc0 (person)

Henry Louis "H. L." Mencken (September 12, 1880 - January 29, 1956), was an American journalist, essayist, magazine editor, satirist, acerbic critic of American life and culture, and a student of American English. Mencken, known as the "Sage of Baltimore", is regarded as one of the most influential American writers and prose stylists of the first half of the 20th century. Mencken worked as a reporter and drama critic for the Baltimore Morning Herald from 1899 to 1906. From 190...

Quarles, Louis

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w62s6kb5 (person)

Derleth, August, 1909-1971

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6m3368n (person)

August William Derleth, 1909-1971, was an author. Although Derleth's literary strengths are exemplified in his nostalgic writings about the Midwestern prairies, he is best remembered for his "weird" fiction, fantasy, and science fiction works. From the guide to the Derleth mss., 1958-1965, (Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington) http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly) American author. From the description of Typed letters signed (108) : Sauk City, Wis., to Edw...

Tibbetts, Alice Davis

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6vd6xsg (person)

Alice Elizabeth Davis Tibbetts was the girlfriend of Edgar Lee Masters during his years of residence at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City from 1931 to 1944. From the description of Alice Davis Tibbetts collection, 1934-1972. (Peking University Library). WorldCat record id: 166637131 ...

Masters, Edgar Lee, 1868-1950

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6xd115c (person)

Edgar Lee Masters was an American poet, novelist, biographer, and essayist. From the description of Edgar Lee Masters collection of papers, 1919-1949. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 86164224 From the guide to the Edgar Lee Masters collection of papers, 1919-1949, (The New York Public Library. Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature.) Masters was an Illinois poet best known for the Spoon River Anthology. F...

Peale, Norman Vincent, 1898-1993

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6r50f4j (person)

Peale was licensed and ordained in 1922 by the Methodist Church. He held a pastorate at Marble Collegiate Church in New York City from 1932-1984. He wrote many books, perhaps his most popular being the 1952 "Power of Positive Thinking." Peale's ideology of positive thinking won him worldwide acclaim. From the description of Papers, 1936-1975. (Joint Archive of Holland, History Research Center). WorldCat record id: 30451926 Dr. Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993) wa...

Davis, Alice E.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w67d3znc (person)

Nichols, Dudley, 1895-1960

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6vh64b5 (person)

From a story by Barney Slater and Joel Kane. Produced by Perlberg-Seaton; directed by Anthony Mann. From the description of The tin star : screenplay, 1956. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 754866695 Nichols was born on Apr. 6, 1895 in Wapakoneta, OH; began career as reporter for the New York Evening Post, then switched to the New York World; worked as journalist in NYC for 10 years; with his first screenplay, Men without women (1930), he began a long association with John For...

Butturff, Dorothy Dow, 1904-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6155m6w (person)

Dorothy Dow Butturff was born on March 1, 1904 in La Crosse, Wis. She attended the La Crosse State Normal School, graduating in 1922. From 1923 to 1928, Mrs. Butturff taught in the Wauwatosa and Ashland, Wis., public school systems. The following year, she took business courses at the La Crosse Vocational School. Mrs. Butturff began her government career in 1930 with her appointment as a secretary in the Dept. of the Interior. She was transferred to the White House Social Bureau following Presid...

Chelsea Hotel

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w64f5mpv (corporateBody)

Dreiser, Theodore, 1871-1945

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6cn737t (person)

Theodore Dreiser was an American literary naturalist and author of two of the most significant works of early twentieth-century American fiction, SISTER CARRIE (1900) and AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY (1925). From the description of The mercy of God : manuscript, [1900-1945?] / by Theodore Dreiser. (Peking University Library). WorldCat record id: 63051908 Editor and author. From the description of Theodore Dreiser papers, 1910-1930. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71009534 ...