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George Sterling Papers: Finding Aid mssGS

Processed by The Huntington Library staff in September 1955; supplementary encoding and revision supplied by Brooke Dykman Dockter and Diann Benti.
The Huntington Library
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1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
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reference@huntington.org

Note

Finding aid last updated on May 18, 2022, by Maggie Hughes.
Contributing Institution: The Huntington Library
Title: George Sterling papers
Creator: Sterling, George, 1869-1926.
Identifier/Call Number: mssGS
Physical Description: 15 Linear Feet (12 boxes, 1 envelope)
Date (inclusive): 1895-1927
Abstract: This collection contains correspondence, manuscripts, photographs and watercolors pertaining to the life and work of California lyric poet George Sterling (1869-1926). Much of the correspondence in the collection is between Sterling and other American writers and poets, who discuss their own work and the work of other individuals. Almost all of the correspondence in the collection by Sterling is addressed to his friend, and fellow author, Jack London (1876-1916).
Language of Material: English.

Conditions Governing Access

Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

Conditions Governing Use

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 Sterling papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchased from Thor Liliencrantz, nephew of George Sterling, in 1954.

Related material in the Huntington Library

Additional manuscripts and letters by George Sterling may be found in the Samuel Loveman papers   (Call number: mssHM 46222-46267).
An agreement with Douglas Fairbanks Pictures Organization was received as addenda, possibly in 1955, but cataloged separately as mssHM 45960.

Biographical / Historical

George Sterling (1869-1926) was an American poet, prose stylist and playwright. Sterling was born in Sag Harbor, New York, and moved to California in 1892, where he met and became a pupil to Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?). Sterling's poetry was first published through the aid of Bierce, who included some of Sterling's verse in his San Francisco Examiner column. In 1903, Sterling's first book of poetry was published, The Testimony of the Suns, and was followed by nine more volumes of verse in the years to come, including A Wine of Wizardry and Other Poems (1908). In 1908 Sterling and his wife, Caroline Rand, moved from Oakland to Carmel. Then, after several years in New York, Sterling lived at the Bohemian Club in San Francisco. Sterling was good friends with author Jack London. Sterling died by his own hand in 1926.
In addition to writing poetry Sterling also wrote several plays (many of which he composed for the Bohemian Club of San Francisco to perform), short stories, and a critical text on Robinson Jeffers (1887-1962). He published ten volumes of verse, five separately published poems, four dramatic poems, and much uncollected magazine prose and verse. Carey McWilliams writes of Sterling: "The remarkable range and the intimate quality of his acquaintance, coupled with his long residence in the West, gave a cultural significance to his career quite apart from his writing."

Scope and Contents

This collection contains correspondence, manuscripts, photographs and watercolors pertaining to the life and work of George Sterling. Contents include 544 pieces of correspondence; 116 manuscripts; 3 photographs; and 2 watercolors.
Much of the correspondence in the collection is between Sterling and other American writers and poets, who discuss their own work and the work of other individuals. Almost all of the correspondence in the collection by Sterling is addressed to his friend, and fellow author, Jack London (1876-1916). The collection contains manuscripts written by Sterling as well as manuscripts by Ambrose Bierce and others. Most of the collection's manuscripts are poems, although the section also contains epigrams, diaries, vocabulary aids and prose. The photographs within the collection are of Sterling and his friends and associates, and all of the collection's watercolors were painted by Sterling.
Subjects addressed within the collection include Ambrose Bierce, American poetry (1915-1925), Prohibition (with frequent mention in H. L. Mencken's letters), and European description and travel (chiefly in the early letters of Herman George Scheffauer).
Correspondents and authors include: William Rose Benét, Ambrose Bierce, Witter Bynner, Margaret Smith Cobb, Sidney Bert Cooksley, Ina Donna Coolbrith, Countee Cullen, Benjamin De Casseres, May S. Greenwood, James Hopper, Rolfe Humphries, Robinson Jeffers, Leslie Nelson Jennings, Sinclair Lewis, Vachel Lindsey, Charmian London, Jack London, Samuel Loveman, William Somerset Maugham, Henry Louis Mencken, Leo Bergin Mihan, John Gneisenau Neihardt, Joseph O'Carroll, John Myers O'Hara, Louis Alexander Robertson, Theodore Roosevelt, Carl Sandburg, Herman George Scheffauer, George Ansel Sterling, Charles Hanson Towne, Grace Wallace, Herbert George Wells, Edward Lucas White, Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Gaylord Wilshire, and Audrey Wurdemann.
Persons represented by five or more pieces:
  1. Bynner, Witter: 5 pieces, 1913-24
  2. Cobb, Margaret Smith: 34 pieces, 1923-26
  3. Coolbrith, Ina Donna: 26 pieces, 1907-26
  4. De Casseres, Benjamin: 8 pieces, 1926
  5. Greenwood, May Snowdrop: 65 poems 1917-26
  6. Hopper, James: 5 pieces, 1926-28
  7. Humphries, Rolfe: 6 pieces, 1924-25
  8. Jeffers, Robinson: 12 pieces, 1924-26
  9. Jennings, Leslie Nelson: 45 pieces, 1917-22
  10. London, Jack: 18 pieces, 1902-16
  11. Loveman, Samuel: 19 pieces, 1915-26
  12. Mencken, Henry Louis: 63 pieces, 1916-26
  13. Neihardt, John Gneisenau: 50 pieces, 1912-25
  14. Sterling, George: Poems: 43 to Miscellaneous persons: 5 To London: 72 (1910-16)
  15. Mihan, Leo Bergin: 5 pieces, 1924-26
  16. O'Carroll, Joseph: 9 pieces, 1923-26
  17. O'Hara, John Myers: 5 pieces, 1911-16
  18. Robertson, Louis Alexander: 7 pieces, 1904-08
  19. Scheffaeur, Herman George: 57 pieces, 1904-21
  20. White, Edward Lucas: 5 pieces, 1925
  21. Wilcox, Ella (Wheeler): 5 pieces, 1914-15
Some notable items include:
  1. Benet, William Rose. 1921, Nov. 17. About Sterling's verse.
  2. Coolbrith, Ina. 1907, Feb. To Blanche Partington. He is the best boy in the world as well as one of its few great poets...
  3. Jeffers, Robinson. 12 letters, mostly about poetry. 1924-26
  4. Lindsey, Vachel. 1913, June 1. Long letter on his own career and poetry.
  5. London, Jack. 1916, Mar. 7. Critique of severl short stories by Sterling.
  6. London, Jack. 1908, Feb. 10. And I speculate and speculate, trying to make you out, trying to lay hands on the inner side of you...
  7. Mencken, Henry L. 63 letters, containing numerous references to Prohibition
  8. O'Hara, John Myers. 1911, May 7. Letter of praise and criticism.
  9. Osbourne, Lloyd. 1895, Oct. 24. Advising Sterling against a proposed adventure to Samoa.
  10. Scheffauer, Herman George. 1904, June 19. Description of visit to St. Louis fair.
  11. Scheffauer, Herman George. 1904, Sep. 8. Description of trip through Scotland and England
  12. Scheffauer, Herman George. 1904, Dec. 20. Letter of 52 pages, octavo, describing trip through Germany and France. His letters are of above average interest.
  13. Sterling, George. Letters to Jack London. 1910-1916.
  14. Sterling, George. Notebook containing vocabulary aid. c.1915.
  15. Sterling, George. 1919, Apr. 9. To W. S. B. Braithwaite. Draft of a letter of protest over the misprinting of his poems.

Arrangement

The collection has been arranged with the correspondence and manuscripts first, in alphabetical order by author, followed by ephemera, photographs, and watercolors.

General

Individual call numbers included in the collection: mssGS 1-611.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

American poetry -- 20th century
Poets, American -- 20th century
Prohibition -- United States
Europe -- Description and travel
Letters (correspondence) -- United States -- 20th century
Manuscripts -- United States -- 20th century
Photographs -- United States -- 20th century
Watercolors -- United States -- 20th century
Bierce, Ambrose, 1842-1914?
Sterling, George, 1869-1926
Benét, William Rose, 1886-1950
Bierce, Ambrose, 1842-1914?
Bynner, Witter, 1881-1968
Cobb, Margaret Smith.
Cooksley, Sidney Bert, 1903-
Coolbrith, Ina D. (Ina Donna), 1841-1928
Cullen, Countee, 1903-1946
De Casseres, Benjamin, 1873-1945
Greenwood, May S.
Hopper, James, 1876-1956
Humphries, Rolfe.
Jeffers, Robinson, 1887-1962
Jennings, Leslie N. (Leslie Nelson), 1892-
Lewis, Sinclair, 1885-1951
Lindsey, Vachel.
London, Charmian.
London, Jack, 1876-1916
Loveman, Samuel, 1887-1976
Maugham, W. Somerset (William Somerset), 1874-1965
Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis), 1880-1956
Mihan, Leo Bergin.
Neihardt, John G., 1881-1973
O'Carroll, Joseph.
O'Hara, John Myers, 1870-1944
Robertson, Louis Alexander, 1856-1910
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Sandburg, Carl, 1878-1967
Scheffauer, Herman George, 1878-1927
Sterling, George Ansel.
Towne, Charles Hanson, 1877-1949
Belasco, Grace Wallace.
Wells, H. G. (Herbert George), 1866-1946
White, Edward Lucas, 1866-1934
Wilcox, Ella Wheeler, 1850-1919
Wilshire, Gaylord, 1861-1927
Wurdemann, Audrey, 1911-1960
Box 1

A-Cooks

Scope and Contents

This box includes:
  1. Atherton, Gertrude, 1907-25 (4 pieces to George Sterling)
  2. Austin, Mary to Mrs. Liljencranz, 1927 (1 piece)
  3. Bender, Albert M., 1926 (2 pieces to George Sterling)
  4. Benet, William Rose, 1921 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  5. Bierce, Ambrose to Lora (Mrs. C. A. Bierce), 1912 (1 piece)
  6. Bierce, Albert S., 1913 (10 pieces to George Sterling)
  7. Bierce, Ambrose, manuscript (1 piece)
  8. Burbank, Luther, 1926 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  9. Burgess, Gelett, 1907 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  10. Bynner, Witter, 1903 (4 pieces to George Sterling)
  11. C., Sarah M. to Maria, 1839 (1 piece)
  12. Cabell, James Branch, 1920 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  13. Cooksley, S. Bert, Poems (6 pieces)
Box 2

Cool-Gre

Scope and Contents

This box includes:
  1. Coolbrith, Ina, 1907-26 (26 pieces to George Sterling)
  2. Cobb, Margaret, 1923-26 (34 pieces to George Sterling)
  3. Cullen, Countee, 1926 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  4. De Casseres, Benjamin, 1926 (8 pieces to George Sterling)
  5. Finger, Charles J., 1925 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  6. Flanner, Hildegarde, 1925 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  7. Greenwood, May Snow, Poems (40 pieces)
Box 3

Gri-Jef

Scope and Contents

This box includes:
  1. Grierson, Francis, 1913 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  2. H., E. N., 1915 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  3. Harrison, William Greer to J. Corbett, 1914 (1 piece)
  4. Hoppner, James to Mrs. Flora Liljencranz, 1927 (5 pieces)
  5. Humphries, Rolfe, 1924-25 (5 pieces to George Sterling)
Box 4

Jennings

Scope and Contents

This box includes:
  1. Jennings, Leslie N., 1917-22 (44 pieces to George Sterling)
Box 5

Jo-Ma

Scope and Contents

This box includes:
  1. Larkin, Edgar Lucien, N.D. (2 pieces to George Sterling)
  2. Lewis, Sinclair, 1923-26 (2 pieces to George Sterling)
  3. Lindsay, Nicholas Vachel, 1913 (3 pieces to George Sterling)
  4. London, Charmian, 1926- (3 pieces to George Sterling)
  5. London, Jack, 1912-16 (17 pieces to George Sterling)
  6. Loveman, Samuel, 1915-26 (19 pieces to George Sterling)
  7. Mathews, Albert, 1923 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  8. Maugham, William Somerset, 1920 (1 piece to George Sterling)
Box 6

Me-Ne

Scope and Contents

This box includes:
  1. Mencken, Henry L., 1916-26 (64 pieces to George Sterling)
  2. Michaels, Aline, 1926 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  3. Middleton, Scudder, 1918, 1926 (2 pieces to George Sterling)
  4. Mihan, Leo Bergin, 1924-26 (5 pieces to George Sterling)
  5. Monroe, Harriet, 1926 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  6. Nathan, George Jean, 1920 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  7. Neale, Walter to Ambrose Bierce, 1906 (1 piece)
Box 7

Neihardt

Scope and Contents

This box includes:
  1. Neihardt, John, 1912-25 (49 pieces to George Sterling)
Box 8

O-Scha

Scope and Contents

This box includes:
  1. O'Brien, Frederick, 1926 (2 pieces to George Sterling)
  2. O'Carroll, Joe, 1923-26 (24 pieces to George Sterling)
  3. O'Hara, John Myers, 1911-16 (6 pieces to George Sterling)
  4. Osbourne, Lloyd, 1895 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  5. Parker, Gilbert, 1917 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  6. Partington, Blanche, 1925 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  7. Rehan, Ada to Mrs. George Sterling, 1897 (1 piece)
  8. Rehan, Arnold to Thadora Duncan, 1917 (1 piece)
  9. Rihani, Ameen, 1921 (4 pieces to George Sterling)
  10. Riplens, Victor Odle Lockwood, 1846 (1 piece)
  11. Robertson, Louis A., 1904-8 (7 pieces to George Sterling)
  12. Robinson, Edward Arlington, 1920-21 (3 pieces to George Sterling)
  13. Rorby, James, 1925-26 (4 pieces to George Sterling)
  14. Roosevelt, Theodore, 1914 (2 pieces to George Sterling)
  15. Sandburg, Carl, 1916 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  16. Schauffler, Robert Haim, 1912-20 (4 pieces to George Sterling)
Box 9

Scheffauer

Scope and Contents

This box includes:
  1. Scheffauer, Herman George, 1904-21 (54 pieces to George Sterling)
Box 10

Sterling (GS 451-519)

Scope and Contents

This box includes:
  1. Sterling, George to Mr. Brathwaite, 1919 (1 piece)
  2. Sterling, George to George Wharton James, 1912 (1 piece)
  3. Sterling, George. Meek Ranch [1925?] (GS 453)
  4. Sterling, George to Jack London, 1910-1915 January
Box 11

Sterling (GS 520-571, 610)

Scope and Contents

This box includes both manuscripts and correspondence such as:
  1. Sterling, George to Jack London, 1915 February-1916
  2. Diary (2 pieces)
  3. Epigrams (1 piece)
  4. Miscellaneous manuscripts (7 pieces)
  5. Poems (37 pieces)
  6. Poems (typescripts, signed) (9 pieces)
  7. Vocabulary aids (2 pieces)
Box 12

Sti-W; Ephemera/Photographs

Scope and Contents

This box includes:
  1. Stillman, J. M., N.D. (1 piece to George Sterling)
  2. Tabbs, John B., 1903 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  3. Teasdale, Sara, 1914 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  4. Taggard, Genevieve, 1924 (4 pieces to George Sterling)
  5. Towne, Charles Hanson, 1925 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  6. W., J. F., N.D. (1 piece to George Sterling)
  7. Van Doran, Mark, 1926 (2 pieces to George Sterling)
  8. Wallace, Grace, Poems (5 pieces)
  9. Williams, B. W., The Seats of the Mighty(1 piece)
  10. Wilcox, Ella Wheeler, 1914 (5 pieces to George Sterling)
  11. Welch, Marie De La, 1926 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  12. Wells, H. G., 1904 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  13. Wheelock, John Hall, 1914 (3 pieces to George Sterling)
  14. White, Edward L., 19 (4 pieces to George Sterling)
  15. Wilshire, Gaylord, 1926 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  16. Wilson, H. L., 1916 (1 piece to George Sterling)
  17. Wood, Charles Erskine Scott, 1925 (2 pieces to George Sterling)
  18. Wright, Willard, 1919 (3 pieces to George Sterling)
  19. Wurdemann, Audrey, Poems (2 pieces)
  20. Wurdemann, Meek's Ranch, manuscript (2 pieces)
  21. Wurdemann, Revenge, manuscript (1 piece)
Envelope Loose envelope

Watercolors (2 pieces)

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