George Wharton James papers, 1871-1921

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Summary

Creators:
James, George Wharton, 1858-1923
Abstract:
A collection of personal and professional material related to the life and work of George Wharton James, British-American lecturer and author on the American Southwest.
Extent:
8.25 Linear Feet (12 boxes)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. George Wharton James papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

A collection of 266 items which consists of personal and professional papers of George Wharton James; the collection includes correspondence, lectures, sermons, articles, 2 scrapbooks, and photographs (1871-1921). The manuscripts cover such topics as the Grand Canyon, Arizona, New Mexico, California, Native Americans, American literature and humor, religion, overseas travels, and biographical pieces on Jesse Benton Frémont, William Ewart Gladstone, Lilla Leighton Lindley, William McKinley, Queen Victoria, and others. The correspondence includes letters and other material relating to the Robert Browning Centenary and letters from applicants for summer school at Echo Mountain, near Pasadena, California. The Addenda consists of letters and poems sent to James; the poems were probably intended for publication in Land of sunshine or Out west magazine and included are pieces by, among others, Thomas Bracken, Frona Eunice Wait, and Helen Hunt Jackson. The ephemera includes programs, lecture announcements, clippings and other printed material.

Biographical / historical:

George Wharton James (1858-1923), was an author and lecturer on the American Southwest. James preached on the Methodist circuit until 1889, when he left the church and turned to the desert to recover his health. He explored the Grand Canyon, studied the Native Americans, and was made a member of several tribes. In his later years James lectured on the Chautauqua circuit, and wrote many books and articles on the Southwest. He also edited The craftsman (1904-1905) and Out west, formerly called Land of sunshine (1912-1914).

Acquisition information:
Purchased from N. Kovach, 1943-1944. Addenda purchased from Charles Yale, 1968.
Processing information:

Processed by Huntington Library Staff, circa 1970. In 2021, Gayle Richardson created the finding aid derived from a legacy in-house summary report.

Arrangement:

Organized in the following series: 1. Correspondence, scrapbook and account books; 2. Lectures and sermons; 3. Articles; 4. Addenda; 5. Ephemera.

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]. George Wharton James 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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