Guide to the John R. McMahon papers M2016

Malgorzata Schaefer
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
March 2018
Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford 94305-6064
specialcollections@stanford.edu

Note

This is a listing of materials rather than a true finding aid.


Language of Material: English
Contributing Institution: Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: John R. McMahon papers
creator: McMahon, John R. (John Robert), 1875-
Identifier/Call Number: M2016
Physical Description: 3.2 Linear Feet (3 manuscript boxes, 2 half boxes, 1 oversize box)
Date (inclusive): 1899-1939

Biographical / Historical

John Robert McMahon (born 1875) was an author. He wrote novels, plays, and articles, contributing to newspapers and magazines. Born in India, he moved to New York where he attended Genesee Wesleyan Seminary from 1885-1890. McMahon wed Margherita Arlina Hamm (1867-1907) in 1902. Their daughter Arlina Douglas McMahon, a.k.a. Eileen Douglas, was a stage and radio actress and radio script writer.

Scope and Contents

Materials consist largely of original typescripts and typescript copies of John R. McMahon's works, including novels, short articles for publication, a play, and a poem. Also includes rejection letters, press clippings related to McMahon's publication of the work Toilers and Idlers, personal documents, biographical information, correspondence, and more. Many items feature manuscript annotations and corrections. Includes a draft of one piece co-written with his wife Margherita, "The Quicksand." Many of the works are related to the American military presence in Cuba and the Philippines during the Spanish-American War.

Conditions Governing Access

Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use. The digital portion of the collection is CLOSED until processed.

Conditions Governing Use

While Special Collections is the owner of the physical items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns. See: http://library.stanford.edu/spc/using-collections/permission-publish.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchase; 2014. Accessions MSS 2014-048, 2014-049, 2018-063.

Preferred Citation

[identification of item], John R. McMahon papers (M2016). Department of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

McMahon, John R. (John Robert), 1875-

box 1, folder 1-4

Draft of an untitled novel about a woman's experiences in the Spanish-American War, typescript with revisions, 28 chapters

half-box 6, folder 1

Draft of an untitled novel about a woman's experiences in the Spanish-American War, typescript, first 10 chapters

box 1, folder 5

Agreement between John R. McMahon and G. W. Dillingham concerning the publication of a book by J. McMahom entitled Captain Mandervilli 1895-07-27

box 1, folder 5

Blacklisting of employment bureaus, manuscript, 10 pp

box 1, folder 6

An Irish Vidocq, farce in one act by John R. McMahon, typescript

box 1, folder 7

Susan's sister, a farce in one act by John R. McMahon, typescript

box 1, folder 8

Play mentioning Mrs. McVeigh's boarding house, Act II, typescript

box 1, folder 9-10

Play mentioning Mrs. McVeigh's boarding house, Act II, manuscript

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Very brittle.
box 1, folder 11

Susie by John R. McMahon; unpublished manuscript, typescript

box 1, folder 11

Untitled, begins "Chinatown in a state..."by John R. McMahon; unpublished manuscript, typescript

box 1, folder 11

A Perfumed Trail by John R. McMahon; unpublished manuscript, typescript

box 1, folder 11

The Agitators, Worker's Unite by John R. McMahon, manuscript page 276

box 1, folder 12

Seen Too Oft by John R. McMahon; unpublished manuscript, typescript

box 1, folder 12

Round the World for a Husband by John R. McMahon; unpublished manuscript, typescript

box 1, folder 12

A Bachelor's Yuletide by John R. McMahon; unpublished manuscript, typescript

box 1, folder 13

Road to Calvary, Ditrichstein and McMahon, partial 1906

box 1, folder 14

The Last Appeal, Act III, by Leo Ditrichstein (copy) 1902

Material Specific Details: Extremely brittle
box 1, folder 15-16

Workers, Unite! - an unpublished radical novel, manuscript draft with revisions 1907

box 1, folder 17

The Confederate and His Daughter, typescript

box 1, folder 17

Sunshine Arrives in Southern California, typescript; rejection letter from editors of New Masses 1939

box 1, folder 17

Sergius vs. Alexander Tolstoy, typescript; accepted by Soviet Russia Today after New Masses rejection 1934

box 1, folder 17

Airplane in Exile, typescript

box 1, folder 17

Before the Wrights Flew; it cost Sir Hiram Maxim $200,000 to rise an inch in England and the expense of artificial feathers discouraged Ader in France, typescript

box 1, folder 17

The Wright Brothers and Doctor Spratt, typescript

box 1, folder 17

The Man Who Saved the Dairy Industry, typescript

box 1, folder 17

New York's Service Churches: health and welfare work that is non-sectarian, small church and big service house typify modern trend, revised typescript

box 2, folder 1

The Critic of the Moon, comedy in 3 acts, typescript

box 2, folder 1

Two letters to John from brother Robert found inside The Critic of the Moon, March 17 and April 7, 1903

box 2, folder 2

How in the Suburbs - outline of a tri-weekly feature series of 800-900 words in each article

box 2, folder 2

Wings and a Mother, typescript, with annotation of names of publications and dates

box 2, folder 2

Airplane in Exile, typescript

box 2, folder 3

Address by John R. McMahon on Scientific Achievements of the U.S.S.R., at Aldine Club dinner, auspices Soviet Russia Today, on Jan. 10, 1935

box 2, folder 3

Scientists in Soviet Russia, with annotation of publications and dates; correspondence with publishers and rejection letters

box 2, folder 3

Women in Canada's Government by Agnes C. Macphail, M. P. , with an annotation by John McMahon that she is the only woman member of the Canadian Federal Parliament

box 2, folder 4

Personal documents and biographical information: copies of marriage certificate, passport, certificate of Baptism, military record, excerpt from Who's Who in America,

box 2, folder 5-6

The Agitators (re-titled from The Comrades): a novel

box 2, folder 7

The Quicksands by Margherita Arlina Hamm and John R. McMahon, typescript

box 3, folder 1

A Village Feud, typescript

box 3, folder 2

A Village Feud, typescript, copy 2

box 3

Edward Wayne, a novel, two bound volumes; first version with editing annotations and third version 1924

half-box 4, folder 1-3

Ten short works rooted in the American military experience in the Philippines and Cuba during the closing years of the 19th C.: The Rolling Battery of Luzon, The Battle of Ration Run, French Leave, The Little Goddess, Sketches of Various Volunteers, The Muninous Regiment; The Maliton Bell, Ordered to the Front, The Hospital, Bugle Calls, Ballad of the Volunteer Officer, In the Phiippines: a comic drama, four acts; all typescript

flat-box 5

Toilers and Idlers - scrapbook of press notices; many types of pressed fern leaves