Eugene Cunningham Papers: Finding
Aid
Finding aid prepared by Huntington Library staff and updated by Diann Benti in December 2016.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© September 2000
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.
Overview of the Collection
Title: Eugene Cunningham Papers
Dates (inclusive): 1915-1958
Collection Number: mssCunningham papers
Creator:
Cunningham, Eugene, 1896-1957.
Extent:
Approximately 6,000 pieces in 21 boxes
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: This collection contains the papers of Western fiction writer Eugene Cunningham (1896-1957) and includes twelve manuscripts
of the works of
Cunningham and others, correspondence with friends and other writers of Western lore, five scrapbooks, and 250 photographs
(chiefly photographic reproductions of of Western figures).
Language: English.
Access
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader
Services.
Administrative Information
Publication Rights
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]. Eugene Cunningham Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Provenance
Purchased from Mrs. Eugene Cunningham, June, 1959.
Biographical Note
Eugene L. Cunningham (1896-1957), author of Western fiction and other works, grew up in Texas, served in the Navy during both
World Wars, and began writing in 1915.
He was a correspondent for various newspapers and magazines and made a trip on horseback and on foot over Central America.
After 1932 he wrote mainly Southwestern history and
fiction, such as
Triggernometry,
Riders of the Night, etc.
Scope and Content
The collection contains the papers of Western fiction writer Eugene Cunningham (1896-1957) and includes manuscripts of the
works of Cunningham and others,
correspondence with friends and other writers of Western lore, five scrapbooks, and 250 photographs. There are twelve bound
typescript manuscripts of Cunningham's work, with handwritten corrections.
Within the correspondence, there are 21 letters from Western writer Eugene Manlove Rhodes and
104 letters from Rhodes's wife, May Louise (Davison) Purple Rhodes, as well as 12 letters from General Thomas Cruse, who was
with the
United States Army in Arizona during the Indian campaigns and wrote
Apache Days and After.
The photographs are chiefly of Western figures (many reproduced from the collection of Noah H. Rose of San Antonio, Texas).
Removed or Separated Material
photCL 102
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in the following 5 series:
-
I. Manuscripts
- Bound volumes of typescripts of books by Cunningham
- Unbound manuscripts
- II. Correspondence
- III. Personal Papers
- IV. Scrapbooks
- V. Photographs
Indexing Terms
Subjects
Cruse, Thomas. Apache days and after.
Cunningham, Eugene, 1896-1957 -- Archives.
Cunningham, Eugene, 1896-1957 -- Photographs.
Rhodes, Eugene Manlove, 1869-1934.
Rhodes, May Davison.
Authors, American -- 20th century.
Authors, American -- West (U.S.) -- Archives.
Cowboys in literature.
Western stories.
Forms/Genres
Photographs West (U.S.) -- 20th century.
Scrapbooks West (U.S.) -- 20th century.
Alternate Authors
Cruse, Thomas, correspondent.
Cunningham, Eugene, 1896-1957, photographer.
Rhodes, Eugene Manlove, 1869-1934, correspondent.
Rhodes, May Davison, correspondent.
Bound volumes of typescripts of books by Cunningham
Arrangement
The volumes are arranged alphabetically by title except for Pistol Passport, which is bound as part of Volume 1.
Volume 1
Bravo Trail (published under pseudonym Leigh Carder) and
Pistol Passport (two manuscripts bound together)
Volume 3
Deep Soundings (published under pseudonym Alan Corby)
Volume 4
Outlaw Justice (published under pseudonym Leigh Carder)
Volume 10
Triggernometry (volume 1 of 2)
Volume 11
Triggernometry (volume 2 of 2)
Box 1
Unbound manuscripts
Scope and Content Note
Includes
-
Buscadero Trail (and variant copy)
-
Buscadero's Own Book (by H. Ziplinski?)
-
Viva Buscadero
-
Nuestro Pueblo (re-write of Joseph Seewerker's Sketches)
Box 4
Cunningham, Cleve-Cunningham Eugene (to A-Cur)
Box 5
Cunningham, Eugene Lafayette (to Da-Holl)
Box 6
Cunningham, Eugene Lafayette (to Holm-McV)
Box 7
Cunningham, Eugene Lafayette (to Men-Saun)
Box 8
Cunningham, Eugene Lafayette (to Sco-Z)
Box 9
Cunningham, Istalena-First
Box 17
Diaries, biographical data, business papers, etc.
Folder 2
Miscellaneous business papers.
Folder 4
Diaries, 1915-1917, 1917, and 1936.
Folder 5
Draft of Lorn Moray story in form of letter.
Folder 6
Miscellaneous lists, etc., and miscellaneous pieces about Thomas Cruse and his book.
Box 18
Miscellaneous notes, printed material, reviews, etc.
Folder 1
Miscellaneous printed material.
Folder 2
Notes: Gallery of Gunmen.
Folder 3
Notes, etc. for "Auguring"
Folder 5
Reviews, etc., miscellaneous
Volume 1
Clippings chiefly related to outlaws and crime.
Approximately early 1920s
Volume 2
Clippings chiefly about Cunningham and his writings.
Approximately 1920s
Volume 1
"Fight Dope" [clippings chiefly related to outlaws and crime].
Approximately 1930s
Volume 2
"Personal" : chiefly clippings about Cunningham's work, reviews, etc.
Approximately 1930s
Volume 3
"Riders of the Night" : chiefly clippings and ephemera related to publication.
1932-1935
Folder 1
Photographs of Western personalities.
Folder 2
Photographs of Western personalities.
Folder 3
Photographs of authors, actors, family (other photos are in Biographical Data in Box 17).
Folder 4
Photographs of Nicaragua and Guatemala [32 photographs].
