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H. L. Mencken Collection
Introduction
The H. L. Mencken Collection consists primarily of microfilm and transcripts of H. L. Mencken's letters, compiled by Princeton University historian and librarian Julian Boyd for his proposed book of Mencken's letters. In addition to copies of letters by Mencken to a variety of correspondents, the collection includes a number of original letters by Mencken, as well as Boyd's correspondence with those people possessing letters from Mencken and various articles of Menckenia.
Range of Collection Dates: 1908-1955
Range of Collection Bulk Dates: 1924-1942
Size: 12.5 linear feet (15 archival boxes, 4 customized boxes, 5 card files, 23 reels of microfilm)
Provenance: The H. L. Mencken Collection began in 1944 with a gift from George Stewart of six TLsS to the Princeton Library. In the same year, the Library purchased 288 Mencken letters to Ernest Boyd and numerous others to Madeline Boyd. The bulk of the collection, including the typed transcripts of Mencken's correspondence, were acquired for the Library by Julian Boyd and added to by him over several decades. August Mencken, Edward Naumberg, Elbridge Colby, Nat Weiner, and others also contributed many Mencken letters.
Restrictions: None.
Photocopying, literary rights, and citation: No photocopies may be made from photocopies (Xeroxes, photostats) of material in the collection where Princeton University Library does not own the originals; however, single photocopies of original material may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish material from the collection must be requested from the Associate University Librarian for Rare Books and Special Collections. The Library has no information on the status of the literary rights in the collection, and researchers are responsible for determining any question of copyright. Citations should be as follows: H. L. Mencken Collection, Box #, used by permission of the Princeton University Libraries.
Collection Description
Scope Note
Consists primarily of materials gathered by Princeton University librarian Julian Boyd for a proposed book of H. L. Mencken's letters. Transcripts, made for Boyd by Mencken's secretary from her original shorthand notebooks, and microfilm copies of letters from Mencken to others, including Theodore Dreiser and Upton Sinclair, comprise the bulk of the collection. The collection also includes Boyd's correspondence with other people possessing letters from Mencken, as well as Boyd's initial selection of letters for his book. Much relates also to Ernest Boyd's published work Mencken (1925). In addition, the collection contains a number of original letters from Mencken to others, including an undated letter to F. Scott Fitzgerald; the corrected galley proofs of A New Dictionary of Quotations (1942); typescripts of a poem, "Elegy in C Minor," and a speech given at the annual dinner of the American Philosophical Society; guides to book reviews in The American Mercury (Vols. I-XXX, 1924-1933) and The Smart Set (Vols. XXVI-LXXII, 1909- 1923); and photographs.
Arrangement
The collection has been arranged in the following series: I. H. L. Mencken Material A. Letters by Mencken (Alphabetical), B. Letters by Mencken (Chronological), C. Boyd-Mencken Correspondence, D. Other Mencken Material, E. Miscellaneous and Printed Material; II. Julian Boyd Material About Mencken A. Correspondence, B. Notes and Outlines for Boyd's Proposed Book, C. Miscellaneous.
Added Entries
The following added entries have been assigned to this collection to highlight significant sources (other than the main entry), subjects, and forms of the collection's materials. Where possible Library of Congress Subject Headings have been used, and the forms of names reflect international cataloging standards. As a result, all of these entries may be searched in the Department's database (MASC), in the Library's online catalog, and the public card catalog to find other related material.
People: Boyd, Julian P. (Julian Parks), 1903-1980
Subject Headings (in uppercase)/Form Headings (in upper and lower case):
AMERICAN MERCURY
Critics--United States--20th
century--Correspondence
Critics--United States--20th
century--Works
Editors--United States--20th
century--Correspondence
Editors--United States--20th
century--Works
H. L. MENCKEN / ERNEST
BOYD
Journalists--United States--20th
century--Correspondence
Journalists--United States--20th
century--Works
Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis),
1880-1956--Photographs
New dictionary of quotations
/ H. L. Mencken
QUOTATIONS--DICTIONARIES
Series Description
I. H. L. Mencken Material (1908-1955) [Boxes 1-11]
Consists of copies (typed transcripts, photostats) of the correspondence of H. L. Mencken from 1908 to 1942 gathered by Princeton Librarian Julian Boyd for his proposed book of Mencken's letters. The letters are arranged in two sub-series: first alphabetically by correspondent's name and then chronologically. The following pages identify whether the collection contains transcripts of letters, microfilm copies, or both; these two holdings do not completely overlap. It should be noted that the transcripts of Mencken's correspondence do not completely coincide with the letters on microfilm. There are no transcripts for those entries preceded by the letters "n.a."; likewise, those entries which have "n.a." under the "Reel" header do not exist on microfilm. The other sub-series contain correspondence of Mencken and Boyd from 1927-1952, a number of original letters from Mencken, galley proofs for A New Dictionary of Quotations, an album of newspaper articles re Mencken, and miscellaneous photographs and manuscripts.
II. Julian Boyd Material About Mencken (1918-1956) [Boxes 12-15]
This section is composed primarily of Julian Boyd's correspondence with
those people possessing letters from Mencken. Boyd gathered and photocopied
approximately 10,000 of Mencken's letters for his proposed work The
Letters of H. L. Mencken. A second sub-series includes Boyd's notes
on the various letters and the initial selection for his book; a third
subsection contains several miscellaneous letters and original letters
from George Jean Nathan, August Mencken, and Charles Odegaard to others.
Box/Folder Listing
I. H. L. Mencken Material
A. Letters by Mencken (Alphabetical):
Box 1:
Reel
1 Abramson, Srgt. (7): December 1944 - August 1945
n.a.
2 Adamic, Louis (39): July 1927 - July 1942
9
n.a. American Language: specimen page
8
3 Ames, Winslow (2): July 1936 - March 1942
12
n.a. Arnold, Thurman (8): March 1938 - June 1942
11
4 Anderson, Sherwood (2): August 1925 and August 1938
n.a.
n.a. Baker, Frederick A. (1 from): February 1932
4
5 Barnes, Harry Elmer (27): September 1923 - March 1941
13
6 Beamish, Richard J. (14): June 1932 - February 1943
n.a.
n.a.Becker, ? (1): April, 1933
6
n.a. Bernheim, Bertram M. (20): September 1936 - December 1941
6
n.a. Bernheim, Mrs. B. M. (1): July 1942
6
7 Birkhead, Rev. M (2 transcripts): October and November 1942 (9 on microfilm):
December 1940 - March 1942
12
n.a Black, Harry C. (1 from): July 1921
1
8 Booth, Ernest (24): May 1927 - February 1943
11
9 Boyd, Ernest (75): 1916-1918
11
10 Boyd, Ernest (83): 1919-1925
11
11 Boyd, Ernest (168): 1925-1936
11
n.a. Boyd, Madeleine (21): March 1929 - November 1937
6
n.a. Bradford, Gamaliel (41): February 1924 - October 1930
6
n.a. Broedel, Mrs. Max (1): December 1940
11
12 Broedel, Max (46 transcripts): November 1916 - October 1941 (100 on
microfilm): February 1913 - July 1942
11
n.a. Brooks, Van Wyck (11): April 1933 - July 1942
7
n.a. Bucholz, H. E. (4): September 1940 - April 1941
11
13 Butcher, Fanny (50): December 1919 - December 1941
5
n.a. Byrne, ? (1): Febuary, 1936
7
14 Cahill, Holger (3): October 1926 - November 1936
n.a.
n.a. Cain, James M. (12 to, 4 from): May 1934 - October 1941
5
15 Cairns, Huntington (1 transcript): January 1943 (12 on microfilm): October
1932 - July 1942
12
16 Campbell, Dr. W. (6): March 1925 - November 1925
n.a.
17 Canby, Henry S. (2): May 1926 - October 1933
n.a.
n.a. Chambers, Benjamin F. (1 from): August 1925
4
n.a. Cheslock, Louis (101): April 1929 - June 1942
9
n.a. Childs, Marquis
14
n.a. Clark, Barrett H. (54): January 191[6] - September 1930
6
18 Clending, Logan (1): February 1937
n.a.
19 Cochran, Louis (1 transcript): August 1942 (3 on microfilm): May - August
1942 8
20 Colby, Elridge (5): November 1934 - August 1941
n.a.
21 Combs, Josiah W. (42): March 1936 - November 1941
9
n.a. Combs, Mrs. Josiah W. (23): November 1935 - November 1941
9
22 Coplan, Kate (50): February 1938 - December 1947
n.a.
n.a. Cougham, ? (14): December 1935 - July 1942
12
23 Craven, Thomas (17): January 1926 - July 1942
7
n.a. Crawford, N. A. (23): July 1932 - October 1936
10
n.a. Croesseman, H. K. (65): November 1924 - June 1942
10
n.a. Cunningham, Vincent (14): December 1935 - July 1942
12
24 Darrow, Clarence (10): March 1926 - November 1931
3
n.a. Darrow, Clarence Mrs. (9): March 1928 - April 1937
3
25 Davidson, Eugene (8): September 1933 - June 1935
n.a.
26 Davis, H. L. (25 transcripts): June 1933 - August 1942 (29 on microfilm):
June 1933 - August 1942
11
n.a. Davis, Robert H. (5 from, 7 to): December 1941 - July 1942
8
n.a. DeCasseres, Ben (138): December 1933 - June 1942
2
27 Dreiser, Theodore (99): 1909-1915
8
28 Dreiser, Theodore (169): 1915-1920
8
29 Dreiser, Theodore (223): 1920-1941
8
(approx. 491 on microfilm): 1909-1941
8
Box 2:
1 Du Pont, Marcella (118 ): 1936-1940
9
2 Du Pont, Marcella (70): 1937-1942
9
3 Eden, May (7): November 1941 - March 1943
n.a.
4 Eitzen, Conrad Kresner (1): January 1934
n.a.
n.a. Farrell, James T. (66): June 1931 - May 1942
2
n.a. Feather, William (8 to, 6 from): March 1941 - May 1942
5,16
5 Ficke, Arthur Davison (6): October 1927 - August 1933
12
6 Fitzgerald, F. Scott (4): January 1921; undated
n.a.
7 Footner, Hulbert (8): October 1939 - June 1942
n.a.
8 Gaines, William (3): July 1931
n.a.
n.a. Gibbs, Wolcott (6 to, 3 from): July 1934 - February 1936
4
9 Gilkyson, Walter (1): March, 1940
n.a.
10 Gilksyon, Mrs. Walter (3): January 1934 - June 1935
n.a.
11 Gillian, Stickland (2): March and April 1935
n.a.
n.a. Gipson, J.H. (29 to, 31 from): May 1936 - September 1942
8
12 Gish, Lillian (29): December 1927 - January 1943
n.a.
13 Goodman, Philip (49): 1918
1
14 Goodman, Philip (99): 1919-1921
1
15 Goodman, Philip (56): 1922-1923 1 (approx. 204 on microfilm): 1918-1923
1
16 Graves, John Temple (1): October 1941
1
n.a. Grove, Charles (8): March 1927 - July 1942
7
17 Gunther, John (1): August 1939
n.a.
18 Haardt, Sarah Powell (81): June 1923 - May 1932
n.a.
19 Harris, Frank (1): July 1925
12
n.a. Harris, Mrs. Julian LaR. (21 to, 1 from): July 1925 - August 1942
12
20 Harriss, Mrs. R. P. (1): December 1941
8
21 Harriss, R. P. (3): October 1940 - December 1941
8
22 Harrison, Henry S.: see November 25, 1916 and November 13, 1925 in section
B.
n.a.
23 Hays, Arthur Garfield (29): April 1926 - August 1938
n.a.
24 Hergesheimer, Dorothy (96): January 1922 - March 1942
7
25 Hergesheimer, Joseph (261 transcripts): March 1917 - March 1942 (301
on microfilm): March 1917 - March 1942
7
26 Hogan, Frank J. (37): December 1930 - October 1942
n.a.
27 Holbrook, Stewart (3): May 1943
n.a.
n.a. Honce, Charles (25): May 1931 - July 1942
7
n.a. Hopper, ? (1 to, 1 from): July 1942
6
n.a. House, C.
7
28 Howe, E. W. (3): April - August 1935
n.a.
29 Huebsch, B. W. (1): November 1934
n.a.
n.a. Huebsch, G. W. (7): June 1916 - December 1940
12
30 Hyde, Henry M. (34): August 1930 - March 1942
n.a.
n.a. Jeter, Maurice (1 from): February 1930
4
31 Johns, Orrick (21): April 1915 - June 1942 (29 on microfilm): April
1916 - June 1942
5
32 Johnson, James Weldon (4): July 1919 - June 1929
n.a.
n.a. Keller, A. G. (59): January 1932 - August 1942
11
33 Kelly, Fred C. (13): August 1928 - February 1940 (14 on microfilm):
August 1928 - February 1940
9
34 Lankes, J. J. (5): May 1927 - March 1932 (13 microfilm): May 1927 -
March 1932
9
35 Leeds, Stanton B. (1): September 1924
n.a.
36 Leighton, Clare (4): January 1939 - March 1940
n.a.
n.a. Lobrano, G. S. (13 to, 6 from): July 1940 - August 1942
4
37 Loos, Anita (4): August 1935 - December 1941
12
n.a. Lowie, Robert H. (10): July 1927 - March 1931
9
n.a. Lydenberg, Harry M. (40 to, 30 from): September 1935 - February 1941
6
38 McCardell, Roy M. (12): October 1928 - August 1942
n.a.
Box 3:
1 McDannald [?], A.H. (183 transcripts): November 1919 - September 1942
(213 on microfilm): November 1919 - December 1943
10
2 McFee, William (10): June 1926 - September 1926
12
3 Marks, Percy (21): February 1922 - October 1938
7
n.a. Martin, Anna Maria (1 from): August 1930
4
n.a. Mason, Gregory (6): May 1925 - July 1936
12
n.a. Masters, Edgar Lee (218): October 1924 - July 1942
5
4 Milburn, George (42): August 1929 - November 1933
n.a.
n.a. McKelway, St. Clair (70 to, 49 from): April 1937 - October 1941
4
n.a. Metcalfe, ? (1): June 1936
6
n.a. Michel, Mrs. Louis (3): June 1935 - November 1937
11
n.a. Michel, Louis (8): August 1928 - March 1935
11
n.a. Milliken, Miss (3): March 1928 - June 1929
11
n.a. Molstad, Perry (24): March 1935 - May 1942
7
5 Mullen, Mary R. (4): December 1935 - July 1936
n.a.
n.a. Mumford, Lewis (5): May 1926 - November 1930 [?]
7
n.a. Nickerson, Hoffman (33): May 1928 - July 1942
2
n.a. Nock, Samuel J. (47): March 1928 - February 1942
12
n.a. Odum, Howard (36 to, 39 from): November 1922 - March 1934
7
n.a. O'Sullivan, Vincent (19): June 1917 - January 1941
12
n.a. Oursler, Fulton (64 to, 1 from): December 1929 - July 1940
12
n.a. Parrish, Dr. Herbert (68): February 1925 - January 1938
6
n.a. Parshley, H. M. (73): September 1923 - November 1941
9
n.a. Paterson, Elmer T. (1 from Ellery Sedgewick)
12
6 Peacock, Roscoe (10 transcripts): August 1934 - May 1936 (On microfilm,
241 to; 223 from ): January 1930 - June 1946
10,8
n.a. Pearl, Dr. Raymond (393): August 1923 - October 1940
4
7 Phelps, William Lyon (10 transcripts): November 1925 - May 1943 (30 on
microfilm): August 1930 - September 1942
6,9
8 Pollock, Channing (29): February 1927 - February 1943
n.a.
9 Pooley, Robert C. (7): September 1933 - March 1941
n.a.
10 Pound, Dr. Louise (26): September 1920 - October 1942n.a. (94 on microfilm):
September 1920 - September 1955
21
11 Prescott, Joseph (1): November 1933
n.a.
n.a. Reno, Victor T.
17
12 Revyuk, Emil (2): April 1936 and May 1935
n.a.
13 Rickel, Harry (309, including some correspondence with others): September
1918 - December 1942
10,11
14 Rifkind, Mrs. E. M. (1 transcript): December 1942 (3 on microfilm):
June 1935 - December 1941
11
n.a. Ross, Harold and others of The New Yorker (26 to, 25 from): January
1940 - September 1942
4
n.a. Sanders, Clinton A. (95): February 1939 - July 1942
2
15 Sargent, Porter (10 transcripts): November 1942 (21 on microfilm): May
1939 - July 1942
6
16 Saxton, Eugene F. (18): January 1927 - December 1942
n.a.
n.a. Schuyler, George (to Mencken)
19
n.a. Schuyler, Geroge H. (110): June 1927 - July 1942
6
17 Sedgwick, Ellery (58 transcripts): January 1915 - November 1941 (On
microfilm, 86 to, 103 from): July 1914 - October 1942
12
18 Seitz, Mildred (2): March 1940 and May 1942
n.a.
19 Shaw, Charles G. (3): May 1927 - June 1935
7
n.a. Shuman, I.K. (3): January 1940 - July 1942
4
n.a. Sinclair, Upton (80): August 1923 - October 1939
11
20 Smith, Dent (64): December 1938 - July 1942
n.a.
n.a. Starrett, Vincent (18): June 1917 - January 1941
12
21 Stefansson, Vilhjalmus (20 transcripts): April 1924 - July 1942 (22
on microfilm): April 1924 - July 1942
7
22 Sterling, George (4): August 1922 - October 1925
n.a.
23 Stevens, James (18): November 1923 - November 1925
11
n.a. Stuart, Leary Co. (98): October 1932 - August 1942
3
n.a. Swan, Bradford F.
20
n.a. Thaddeus, Victor (16): December 1935 - July 1942
11
n.a. Thurlow, ? (1 from): July 1940
4
n.a. Thurman, Arnold (8): March 1938 - June 1942
11
24 Tobey, James A. (8): October 1931 - August 1942
n.a.
25 Tully, Jim (364 transcripts): January 1923 - July 1942 (369 on microfilm):
January 1923 - July 1942
5
n.a. Untermeyer, Louis (149): January 1912 - June 1942
2
26 Van Doren, Carl (57): September 1920 - April 1942
1
n.a. Van Doren, Irita (24): September 1926 - May 1942
11
Box 4:
1 Villard, Oswald G. (12): January 1925 - June 1939
n.a.
n.a. Walsh (see also H. W. Wright) (1): July 1928 6
2 Warfel, Harry R. (1 transcript): July [1941] (6 on microfilm): March
1939 - October 1942
11
3 Warner, P.W. (82 transcripts): June 1930 - June 1942 (100 on microfilm):
June 1930 - April 1946
3
n.a. Weiseberger, S.
18
4 Wentworth, Harrold (3 transcripts): January - April 1934 (11 on microfilm):
February 1936 - April 1941
6
5 West, Herbert F. (47): March 1930 - August 1942
12
n.a. White, Mrs. K. S. (68): June 1935 - March 1938
4
n.a. White, Owen P. (31 to, 1 from): December 1928 - July 1942
5
n.a. Whiting, Leon F. (1): February 1930
4
n.a. Widney, Harold (2 from): August 1935
4
n.a. Wilkie, Wendell (campaign clippings)
4,8
n.a. Wilson, Edmund (42): December 1919 - September 1942
11
6 Wilson, Harry Leon (13): February 1915 - February 1935
n.a.
7 Woltman, Frederick (8): August 1928 - May 1929
n.a.
8 Wright, Willard Huntington (28 transcripts): January 1912 - February
1928 (with two letters of Miss Walsh) (104 on microfilm): October
1909 - February 1928
9
n.a. Wylie, Miss Lou (Mrs. L. W. Van Sicklen) (20): September 1928 -December
1941
12
9 Yorke, Dane (21 transcripts): May 1926 - August 1934 (On microfilm, 22
to and 9 from): June 1930 - August 1934
12
n.a. Youell, Major (1): December 1939
2
B. Letters by Mencken (Chronological):
10
1908-1911
11 1912-1913
12 1914
13 1915
14 1916
15 1917
16 1918
17 1919
18 1920
Box 5:
1 1921
2 1922
3 1923
4 1924
5 1925
6 1926
7 1927
Box 6:
1 1928
2 1929
3 1930
4 1931
5 1932
6 1933
7 1934
Box 7:
1 1935
2 1936
3 1937
4 1938
5 1939
6 1940
Box 8:
1 1941
2 1942
3 Undated
C. Mencken and Boyd Correspondence
1. Letters by Mencken (largely originals)
4
1927-1942
5 1943-1945
6 1945-1952
7 undated
2. Letters by Boyd (copies)
8 1941-1950
D. Other Mencken Material: Letters, Manuscripts, Photographs
Box 9:
1 The American Mercury: letters and telegrams re lawsuit following
the barring of The American Mercury from the mails
2 American Philosophical Society: speech
3 Black, Harry C.: 1919-1921 (20 TLsS)
4 Blanck, Jacob: 1943-1949 (14 letters and 2 related pieces)
5 Boyd, Ernest: 1916-1918
6 Boyd, Ernest: 1919-1923
7 Boyd, Ernest: 1924-1927
8 Boyd, Ernest: 1928-1934
9 Boyd, Ernest: 1935-1937
10 Boyd, Madeleine: 1924-1929
11 Cabell, James B. (photocopies): 1920-1951
12 Colby, Elbridge (21): 1933-1943
13 "Elegy in C Minor" (typescript) by H. L. Mencken
14 Fitzgerald, F. Scott
15 Goldberg, Isaac: "Mencken on Music" and copies of other papers
16 Harrison, H.S.: 25 November 1916
Box 10:
1 Huebsch, B.W.: 1916-1955 (52 letters in photostat)
2 Miezychowski, Alfred: 1926-1947 (in photostat)
3 Miezychowski, Nanine: 4-12-1934 and 2-22-1936
[Customized boxes] A New Dictionary of Quotations: galley proofs
4 Stewart, George: 1936-1941
5 Teasdale, Sara (photocopies and related papers)
6 Thorp, Willard (10): 1943
7 Weiner, Nat: 9/1/47 and 10/4/1948 (in photostat)
8 Weisberger, Siegfried (envelopes)
9 Miscellaneous letters (originals, copies, and photocopies)
10 Photographs of Mencken
E. Miscellaneous and Printed Material
11
Articles re Mencken
[Customized boxes] Card files: listing of book reviews in The American
Mercury (Vols. I-XXX, 1924-1933), The Smart Set (Vols. XXVI-
LXXII, 1909-1923) (Also on microfilm: reels 22, 23)
12 Checklist of Mencken's letters in the University of Virginia library
13 Requests from scholars to quote H. L. M.
Box 11:
Album of articles re Mencken and Mencken's reflections on the Algonquin
II. Julian Boyd Material about Mencken
A. Correspondence:
Box 12:
1 Abramson - Ayd
2 Babb - Butcher
3 Cabell - Cunz
4 Darrow - Du Pont
5 Eaton - Engle
6 Fante - Frederick
7 Gaines - Guerard
8 Hacker - Hyde
9 Jackson - Jones
10 Katz - Kummer
11 LaBarre - Lydenburg
Box 13:
1 McAfee - McWilliams
2 Malone - Mumford
3 Naiman - Nuhn
4 O'Donnell - Owens
5 Parrish - Quinn
6 Read - Rugg
7 Samuels - Swope
8 Thaddeus - Tully
9 Untermeyer - Rathscmidt
10 Walker - Wygant
11 Yorke - Zuckor
B. Notes and Outlines for Boyd's Proposed Book
Box 14:
1 Notes: I
2 Notes: II
3 Notes: III
4 Transcripts of H. L. M.'s letters to various correspondents: initial
selection for Boyd's book
5 Outline for Boyd's book, inculding a list of H.L.M.'s correspondents:
part I
6 Outline for Boyd's book: part II
Box 15:
1 Transcripts of letters from Mencken which constitute the initial selection
for Boyd's book: part I
2 Transcripts of letters from Mencken which constitute the initial selection
for Boyd's book: part II
C. Miscellaneous
3
Letter from August Mencken to Madeleine Boyd: 2/8/1956
4 Letter from Marion Bloom to Julian Boyd
5 Letter from George Jean Nathan to E. A. Boyd: 3/17/1918
6 Letter from Charles E. Odegaard to the American Council of Learned Societies
7 Miscellaneous Correspondence and Documents
Finding Aids for RBSC
(10/2/95)
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Last Modified: November 08 2002
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