J.E. Woodhead collection of Roycroft Press and Elbert Hubbard materials, 1896-1915

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Summary

Creators:
Hubbard, Elbert, 1856-1915, Roycroft Shop., and Woodhead, J.E., (John Edward), 1840-1918
Abstract:
This small collection contains letters, essays, broadsides, clippings, and photographs, created by and for Elbert Hubbard, an American writer, publisher, and philosopher, and founder of the Arts and Crafts community of Roycroft. The materials were collected by J.E. Woodhead in the course of his book collecting activities. In addition to publications produced by Hubbard's Arts and Crafts community, Roycroft, and by the Roycrofters, it also contains letters from the Hubbards to the J.E. Woodhead and his wife regarding Roycroft publications.
Extent:
0.84 Linear feet 2 boxes
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Box/folder# or item name], J.E. Woodhead collection of Roycroft Press and Elbert Hubbard materials, Collection no. 0162, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California

Background

Scope and content:

This small collection contains letters, essays, broadsides, clippings, and photographs, created by and for Elbert Hubbard, an American writer, publisher, and philosopher, and collected by J.E. Woodhead. In addition to publications produced by Hubbard's Arts and Crafts community, Roycroft, and by the Roycrofters, it also contains letters from the Hubbards to the J.E. Woodhead and his wife regarding Roycroft publications. J.E. Woodhead, a Chicago businessman, was an avid book collector. Also included in this collection is Hubbard's best-selling essay, A Message to Garcia (1.2, 1.3, 2.6).

Biographical / historical:

Elbert Hubbard was born on June 19, 1856 in Bloomington, Illinois and was raised in Hudson, Illinois. He began his career as a travelling salesman with the Larkin Soap Company. In 1895, he founded Roycroft, an Arts and Crafts movement community, in East Aurora, New York. Roycroft was an outgrowth of the private press founded by Hubbard in collaboration with his first wife, Bertha. Hubbard and his second wife, Alice, died on May 7, 1915 at the sinking of the Lusitania.

J.E. (John Edward) Woodhead was born in Leeds, England on August 2, 1840 and died in Chicago on October 24, 1918. A successful businessman, Woodhead developed an interest in book collecting, and established a 4000-plus volume private library. He also served as Secretary of the World's Congress Auxiliary Section of Weights, Measures, and Coinage at the World's Columbian Exposition; was a founder and officer (secretary) of the Cosmic Publishing Company, publisher of "Mind in Nature"; a founding member of the Western Society for Psychical Research (founded 1885 in Chicago); and the founder and manager of the National Letter Return Association (1885-1895).

Access and use

Restrictions:

COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for access.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Preferred citation:

[Box/folder# or item name], J.E. Woodhead collection of Roycroft Press and Elbert Hubbard materials, Collection no. 0162, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California

Location of this collection:
Special Collections
Doheny Memorial Library, Room 209
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189, US
Contact:
(213) 740-5900
specol@usc.edu
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