Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Riley, James Whitcomb, 1849-1916
- Abstract:
- A collection of material related to James Whitcomb Riley, American poet, lecturer, and journalist.
- Extent:
- 1.2 Linear Feet (1 box)
- Language:
- Materials are in English.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item]. James Whitcomb Riley papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
A collection of letters, poems, photographs, and ephemera. The collection consists of letters to and from James Whitcomb Riley; correspondents inclue Bliss Carman, Madison Julius Cawein, James Newton Matthews, Nora Archibald Smith, and Kate Douglas Wiggin. The poems by Riley include "Bliss Carman," "To a Poet on His Marriage," and other verses. The collection also includes photographs of Riley and printed material. A number of the letters have typewritten transcriptions and envelopes.
- Biographical / historical:
-
James Whitcomb Riley (1846-1916) was an American writer, journalist, poet, and best-selling author. Riley was born in Greenfield, Indiana, his parents were Rueben Andrew Riley and Elizabeth Marine Riley. He received little formal schooling but read a great deal. He began writing poetry at a young age and would write over 1,000 poems in his lifetime, many in dialect with humorous or sentimental subjects.
- Acquisition information:
- mssHM 44361, 44384, purchased from Anderson sale, lot 341, 1917; mssHM 44413-44414, purchased from American Art Association sale, lots 555, 557, 1921; mssHM 44419-44422, purchased from Goodspeed's sale, October 1924; mssHM 44416, acquired from Gable collection, undated; mssHM 44355, mssHM 44362-44383, mssHM 44385-44412, mssHM 44415, mssHM 44417-44418, provenance unknown, in library as of October 1976.
- Processing information:
-
Processed by Sue Hodson in October 1976; in August 2025, Gayle M. Richardson created the finding aid. This collection includes multiple acquisitions acquired and assembled by Huntington Library staff over many years.
- Arrangement:
-
Arranged alphabetically.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.
- Terms of access:
-
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item]. James Whitcomb Riley papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
- Location of this collection:
-
1151 Oxford RoadSan Marino, CA 91108, US
- Contact:
- (626) 405-2191