Charles Dwight Willard papers, 1878-1913

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Summary

Creators:
Willard, Charles Dwight, 1866-1914
Abstract:
A collection of personal and professional material related to Charles Dwight Willard, American newspaperman, author, and publicity director.
Extent:
9 Linear Feet (12 boxes)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Charles Dwight Willard papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

A collection of 749 items from 1878 to 1913, which consists of letters, manuscripts, a diary, documents and photographs related to the life and business activities of Charles Dwight Willard. Much of the collection relates to family matters and Willard's college career at the University of Michigan from 1879 to 1883. There is also material about the Los Angeles Herald, approximately 1889 to 1890, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, approximately 1891 to 1895, the Land of Sunshine magazine, approximately 1894, and the railroad strike of 1894. The collection contains 12 letters from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles Dwight Willard concerning politics; items are dated 1911 February 13, 1911 June 27, 1911 August 18, 1911 September 15, 1911 October 28, 1911 December 11, 1912 January 30, 1912 February 29, 1912 August 15, 1912 November 14, 1913 January 3, and 1913 April 12 (WI 578-589).

Biographical / historical:

Charles Dwight Willard (1866-1914) was a newspaperman, author, and publicity director; he was born in Illinois and graduated from the University of Michigan in 1883. He moved to California and worked as a reporter for the Los Angeles Times and the Herald newspapers. In 1891, he became secretary of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, and in 1894 Willard started the magazine, The Land of Sunshine, which was soon taken over by Charles Fletcher Lummis. In 1897, he was made manager of the Los Angeles Express newspaper. He was the father of playwright, screenwriter, and author Florence Ryerson. Willard died on January 22, 1914.

Acquisition information:
Gifts of Mr. and Mrs. Colin Clements, September 1942, June 1943, and May 1947. Gifts of Florence Willard Ryerson Clements, June 1949, September 1962, and January 1969.
Processing information:

Processed by Huntington Library Staff, circa 1950-1970. In 2021, Gayle Richardson created the finding aid derived from a legacy summary report. In 2022, Melissa Haley enhanced description of the presidential material present in the collection as part of the American Presidential Papers Project.

Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically.

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]. Charles Dwight Willard papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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