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Urmy (Clarence) Papers
M0020
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Clarence Urmy Papers
Identifier/Call Number: M0020
Physical Description:
2 Linear Feet
(4 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1878-1936
Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Urmy family, 1945.
Poet Clarence Urmy (1858-1923) was born in San Francisco on July 10, 1858. He was the grandson of Elea Thomas who was one
of the founders of the Methodist church in the state of California. Urmy's father was a Methodist minister for 50 years. Urmy
attended San Francisco public schools and then Napa College where he studied music and received a bachelor's degree. He worked
for a number of years in music houses including Sherman and Clay in San Francisco. Urmy continued to study voice at this time
and did some performing in San Francisco and San Jose. He was the organist at Santa Clara Methodist Church and later at Trinity
Episcopal Church in San Jose. He taught piano at the College of the Pacific and four years at San Jose Teachers' College.
Urmy was the first native poet of California. He published three volumes of collected verse:
A Rosary of Rhyme, Vintage of Verse, and
California Troubadour. Two more volumes were nearly ready for publication at his death:
Wild Willow and
Under the Toyon Tree. His poems appeared in a large number of national magazines. He also did dramatic and music criticism for the San Jose Mercury
Herald.
Urmy died on June 3, 1923 in San Jose. A Clarence Urmy Memorial was established at Stanford in 1930, which consists of a prize
given each year to the student submitting the best original poem.
[Identification of item] Clarence Urmy Papers, M0020, Dept. of Special Collections, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, Calif.
Collection contains the following: Correspondence to Urmy from publishers concerning his poetry. 1897-1922 (ca. 35 items)
; correspondence primarily to Mabel Urmy Seares from many sources largely concerning Clarence's works and various memorials
set up in his honor. A number of these are from Alfred Lindsay and Helen Millar Lehman. (ca. 60 items) ; manuscript and typescript
of his poems and collected volumes (ca. 100 items) ; clippings of his works in print, both poetry and prose, criticism of
music and drams by Urmy, and a number of clippings about him, including programs etc. (ca. 260 items) ; six photographs of
Urmy ; scrapbook of autographs ; biography of Urmy by Mabel Urmy Seares ; Ina Coolbrith letters, poems, and clippings (ca.
7 items).
While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital 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. Most of
these materials are believed to be in the public domain. There are no restrictions on use of public domain materials.