Guide to the Clarence Urmy Papers M0020
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
1999 ; revised 2020
Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford 94305-6064
specialcollections@stanford.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Clarence Urmy Papers
Creator:
Urmy, Clarence, 1858-1923
Identifier/Call Number: M0020
Identifier/Call Number: 165
Physical Description:
2 Linear Feet
(4 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1878-1936
Conditions Governing Access
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.
Biographical / Historical
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.
Paging
Page from catalog record: https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/4082739
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item] Clarence Urmy Papers, M0020, Dept. of Special Collections, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, Calif.
Scope and Contents
Collection contains the following:
Correspondence to Urmy from publishers concerning his poetry. 1897-1922 ca. 35 items
Corresponding 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
Holograph 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.
Five photographs of Urmy
A scrapbook of autographs
A biography of Urmy by Mabel Urmy Seares
Ina Coolbrith--letters, poems, and clippings ca. 7 items
Conditions Governing Use
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. Some of
these materials are believed to be in the public domain. There are no restrictions on use of public domain materials.
box 1, folder 1-2
Series 1. Letters to Urmy from editors and publishers 114201
1897-1922
1. William Doxey to Urmy 114323
1897, Jan 13
2. C [Urmy] to "Mabel" [Mrs. Seares] 114321
1897, Jan 17
3. C [Urmy] to "Mabel" [Mrs. Seares] enclosed agreement between W.Doxey (publisher) and Urmy 114319
4. Horace Annesley Vachell 114317
1899, Nov 29
5. Robert Coningsley Clarke to "Dear Sir" [Urmy] 114315
1900, May 8
6. Alfred Lindsay to Urmy enclosed list of poems 114313
1905, Oct 20
7. Alfred Lindsay to Urmy 114311
1905, Nov 8
8. Alfred Lindsay to Urmy 114309
1905, Dec 4
9. Alfred Lindsay to Urmy 114307
1905, Dec 9
10. Alfred Lindsay to Urmy 114305
1905, Dec 18
11. Alfred Lindsay to Urmy 114303
1906, Feb 10
12. Alfred Lindsay to Urmy 114301
1906, May 16
13. Alfred Lindsay to Urmy 114299
1906, May 16
14. Marian Phelps to Urmy 114297
1906, Mar 24
15. Alfred Lindsay to Urmy 114295
1906, May 30
Container Summary: (copy)
16. Alfred Holman to Urmy 114293
1907, Jan 21
17. Sheperd Knapp to Urmy 114291
1908, July 16
18. to Mrs. F. Seares 114289
1909, Apr 22?
Container Summary: (postcard)
19. A.M. Robertson to Urmy 114287
1912, May 10
20. C.Alexander to Urmy 114285
1916, Apr 2
21. Marguerita Wilkenson to Urmy 114283
1917, Apr 28
22. Marguerita Wilkenson to Urmy 114281
1917, May 10
23. Urmy to M. Wilkenson 114279
[1917, May 12]
24. M. Wilkenson to Urmy 114277
1917, May 17
25. Will B. Turney to Mabel Seares 114275
1923, Jun 24
26. C.M. Dennis to Mabel Urmy Seares 114273
1923, Jun 27
27. Claud H. Simson to? 114271
1924, Jun 24
28. A.W. Noel Porter to Mabel Urmy Seares 114269
1924, Sep 25
29. Delancy Lewis to Mabel Urmy Seares 114267
1925, Sept 22
30. Edward O'Day to Percival Urmy 114265
1926, Aug 31
31. F.P. Brown to Newton Barry enclosed letter to H.Roy Kelley to Mrs. Seares 114263
1926, Sept 20
32. [J.Milshen] to H.Roy Kelley 114261
1927, Dec 23
33. [J.Milshen] to H.Roy Kelley 114259
1928, Jan 16
34. Garton D. Keyston to Percival Urmy 114257
1928, Oct 4
35. "Sonnet in Memory of Clarence Urmy" by Francis Wm. Reid 114255
1930, Jan 6
Container Summary: (photostat)
letter on the back to Mrs. M.U. Seares 114253
1930, Jan 18
36. Francis Wm. Reid to Mrs. Mabel Seares 114251
1930, Jan 23
37. Francis Wm. Reid to Mrs. Mabel Seares 114249
1930, Jan 27
38. Garton D. Keyston to Mabel Seares 114247
1930, Mar 8
39. Garton D. Keyston to Mabel Seares 114245
1930, Jun 10
40. Francis W. Reid to "friend" [Mabel Seares] 114243
1930, Nov 24
41. Ina L. Cook to Mabel Seares 114241
1931, Jan 9
42. Ina L. Cook to Mrs. John R. Jarboe Kathryn Jarboe Bull, J.C.Bull, Esq. 114239
1931, Jan 18
43. Francis W. Reid to Mrs. Mabel Seares 114237
1931, Apr 2
44. Garton D. Keyston to Mabel Seares 114235
1931, Jun 4
45. Garton D. Keyston to Mabel Seares 114233
1932, Jun 6
Scope and Contents note
enclosed: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place poems 1931-32
46. Mrs. Frederick Seares to Mr. Reid 114231
1933, Jan 27
Container Summary: (copy)
47. Helen Miller Lehman to Mabel Seares 114229
1933, Jan 23
48. Helen Miller Lehman to Mabel Seares 114227
1933, Jan 28
49. Helen Miller Lehman to Mabel Seares 114225
1933, Jan 30
50. Helen Miller Lehman to Mabel Seares 114223
51. Francis W. Reid to Mabel Seares postcard with poem "Clarence Urmy" 114221
1933, Feb 5
52. Helen Tobin to Mabel Seares 114219
1933, Mar 20
Container Summary: (postcd.)
53. Mrs. Frederick Seares to Mrs. Lehman 114217
1933, Mar 28
Container Summary: (copy)
54. Helen Miller Lehman to Mabel Seares 114215
1933, Apr 19
Container Summary: Postcard
55. Helen Miller Lehman to Mabel Seares 114213
1933, May 8
Container Summary: postcard
56. Garton D. Keyston to Mrs. Seares 114211
1936, Jun 24
Scope and Contents note
enclosed: 1st, place poem; and "To Clarence Urmy"
57. CTU [Urmy] to Mr. Holman 114209
Jan 14
58. C [Urmy] to "Mabel" [Mrs. Seares] 114207
59. [B. Kulen] to Mrs. Seares 114205
Dec 7
Series 2. Manuscripts 114175
box 1, folder 3
Vol. 1 Apr. holograph notebook 114199
1878-Oct 1880
box 1, folder 4
Vol. 2 Nov. holograph notebook 114197
1880-Dec 1895
box 1, folder 5
Vol. 3 Feb. holograph notebook 114195
1896-May 1901
box 1, folder 6
Vol. 4 Jul. holograph notebook 114193
1901-Jan 1904
box 1, folder 7
Vol. 5 holograph notebook 114191
1904-4
box 1, folder 8
Vol. 6 holograph notebook 114189
1906
box 1, folder 9
Vol 7 holograph notebook 114187
1910-13
box 1, folder 10
Wild Willow book of verse original manuscript
114185
box 1, folder 11
Under the Toyon Tree book of verse original manuscript
114183
box 2, folder 12
assorted manuscript verse 114181
dated
box 2, folder 13
assorted manuscript verse (and some lists of his poems in the back) 114179
undated
Series 3. Clippings, ephemera, photographs 114141
Arrangement
As a result of later processing, folders in the latter part of Box 2 were moved to a Box 3 along with other material.
box 2, folder 16
"Peace" - prize winning poem in the San Francisco Chronicle contest (and letters praising it, and one from M.H. deYoung) 114171
box 2, folder 18
music and drama criticism 114167
box 2, folder 19
biographical (including diploma from Napa College and exerps from a diary, programs from muscial performance 114165
box 2, folder 20
concerning California (about Bret Hart, R.H. Stoddard and Clinton Scollard) 114163
box 2, folder 21
photographs 114161
Container Summary: (five of him)
box 2, folder 22
Biography of Urmy by Mabel Urmy Seares (prepared about 1935-6, but she couldn't revise it because of illness)
114159
box 2, folder 23
Scrapbook of autographs (and list of contents prepared by Urmy's brother Percival Urmy)
114157
Scope and Contents note
Includes: Aldrich, Thomas Bailey; Butterworth, Hezekiah Bryant, William Cullen; Coolbrith, Ina; Dorr, Julia; Davis, Jefferson;
Fawcett, George D.; Hay, John; Holmes, Oliver Wendell; Howe, Julia Ward; Hubbard, Elbert; Jewett, Sarah O.; Kimball, Harriet;
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth; Mason, Caroline Atwater; Moulton, Louise Chandler; Piatt, John James; Rexford, Eben Eugene; Sangster,
Margaret Elizabeth; Thorpe, Rose Hartwick; Whitney, Adeline Dutton Train; Whittier, John Greenleaf; Wilde, Oscar; Winter,
William
box 2, folder 24 (possibly in box 3 now)
Series 4. Ina Coolbrith letters, poems etc. 114143
1. letters to Urmy 114155
2. poems, manuscript 114153
5. "Ina Coolbrith and Clarence Urmy" by Mabel Seares 114147
6. "Ina Coolbrith" Laura Bell Everett 114145
Box 4, folder 1
Urmy's copies of "Common Prayer," and "The Hymnal"
1892
Box 4, folder 2
Urmy's copy of the Bible
1865
Box 4, folder 3
Daguerreotype of Clarence Urmy as a child
Box 4, folder 4
Small poetry publications: "By the Guadaloupe," with photograph by Newton Barry; "At a Wayside Shrine," with decorations by
Janet Tobin; and "A Wreath of California Laurel," inscribed to Ralph and Marion... 1910, with photographs by Frederick W.
Martin and A.C. Vroman
Box 4, folder 5
"The Lyric Land of California," by Mabel Urmy Seares, illustrated by the verse of Clarence Urmy, with two etchings by Benjamin
C. Brown. Laid in is a manuscript poem, "To my brother...," and a newsclipping of a book review for this piece, 1914
Box 4, folder 6
Two collections of published poems by Urmy. 1. "The Day that I was Born," 1924, with a drawing by Loren Barton and 10 uncredited
early San Francisco area photographs, one of which is of El Retiro, Saratoga, Clarence Urmy's summer home. 2. "Songs of the
Spirit," 1922
Box 4, folder 7
Two copies (different bindings) of "A California Troubadour," 1912. One signed by Urmy, and one inscribed to Ralph and Marion
from Mabel, 1912. Folder 8. "A Vintage of Verse," 1897, inscribed to Marion Freer Saxe, from R.B.U., April, 1897
