Finding Aid to the Collection of Joaquin Miller Papers, 1871-1967, bulk 1871-1913

Finding aid written by Alison E. Bridger
The Bancroft Library
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-6481
Fax: (510) 642-7589
Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/
© 2006
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Finding Aid to the Collection of Joaquin Miller Papers, 1871-1967, bulk 1871-1913

Collection Number: BANC MSS C-H 58

The Bancroft Library



University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, California
Finding Aid Written By:
Alison E. Bridger
Date Completed:
March 2006
© 2006 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Collection Summary

Collection Title: Collection of Joaquin Miller Papers
Date (inclusive): 1871-1967,
Date (bulk): , bulk 1871-1913
Collection Number: BANC MSS C-H 58
Creator : Miller, Joaquin, 1837-1913
Extent: Number of containers: 5 boxes and 2 cartons Linear feet: 4.5
Repository: The Bancroft Library
Berkeley, California 94720-6000
Abstract: Contains correspondence, to and from Miller; manuscripts of writings, including poetry; clippings by and about Miller, many about his death. Also includes a small amount of legal and financial records, tributes, programs and souvenirs, and other miscellaneous items. Some correspondents include Andrew Carnegie, Ina D. Coolbrith, Jack London, James D. Phelan, George Sterling and Charles Warren Stoddard.
Languages Represented: Collection materials are in English
Physical Location: Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.

Information for Researchers

Access

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission to publish or reproduce must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-6000. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Copyright restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Collection of Joaquin Miller Papers, BANC MSS C-H 58, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Alternate Forms Available

There are no alternate forms of this collection.

Related Collections

Joaquin Miller papers: to various individuals, (BANC MSS 88/36 c)
Joaquin Miller letters and manuscripts, (BANC MSS 2005/250 c)
Ina Donna Coolbrith Collection of Letters and Papers, (BANC MSS C-H 23)
Ina Donna Coolbrith Papers: Additions, (BANC MSS 70/117 c)
Yone Noguchi Papers: Additions, (BANC MSS 71/39 c)
Charles Warren Stoddard Collection of Papers, (BANC MSS C-H 53)
Partington Family Papers (BANC MSS C-H 84)
Partington Family Papers: Additions (BANC MSS 81/143 c)
Juanita Joaquina Miller Papers (BANC MSS C-H 147)

Separated Material

Photographs have been transferred to the Pictorial Collections of The Bancroft Library. (BANC PIC 1963.014-.015)

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Miller, Joaquin, 1837-1913--Archives
Cook, Ina Peterson--Correspondence
Wagner, Harr, 1857-1936--Correspondence
Carnegie, Andrew, 1835-1919--Correspondence
Coolbrith, Ina D. (Ina Donna), 1842?-1928--Correspondence
London, Jack, 1876-1916--Correspondence
Phelan, James D. (James Duval), 1861-1930--Correspondence
Sterling, George, 1869-1926--Correspondence
Stoddard, Charles Warren, 1843-1909--Correspondence
Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882--Correspondence
Boughton, George Henry, 1834-1905--Correspondence
Poets, American--19th century
American poetry--California
Authors, American--19th century
Poems
Manuscripts for publication
Honeyman, Robert B.--Robert B. Honeyman, Jr. collection
Norris, Thomas W. (Thomas Wayne).--Thomas W. Norris collection

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

The Collection of Joaquin Miller Papers were given to and/or purchased by The Bancroft Library at various times. Some folders are annotated with information with respect to provenance. Most of the original materials were acquired in the T.W. Norris Collection and the Robert B. Honeyman Collection. Additions were made in October 1962, a gift of his daughter, Juanita Miller. Additions in the form of purchases were made in February 2006.

Accruals

No additions are expected.

Processing Information

Processed by Alison E. Bridger and Brian Plimley in 2006.

Biographical Information

Born Cincinnatus Heine (or Hiner) Miller on September 8, 1837, near Liberty, Indiana. In 1852, his family moved to the Oregon Territory and two years later at the age of 17 he went to the California gold fields. At the urging of Ina D. Coolbrith, he changed his name to Joaquin Miller sometime around 1870.
Best know as a poet, Miller also worked as a mining camp cook, a lawyer and a judge, a newspaper writer, a conservationist, and a Pony Express rider. Miller proclaimed himself the "Poet of the Sierras," and the "Byron of the Rockies."
Miller took poetic license to heart and stretched many of the facts of his life, sometimes even claiming to be younger than he was. He found fame in England with many of his "tall truths."
In 1886, Joaquin began buying land above Oakland, using poetic license and naming it "The Hights." The land was later sold by his family in 1919 to the City of Oakland and named Joaquin Miller Park.
Joaquin Miller died February 17, 1913.

Scope and Content of Collection

Contains correspondence, to and from Miller; manuscripts of writings, including poetry; clippings by and about Miller, many about his death. Also includes a small amount of legal and financial records, tributes, programs and souvenirs, and other miscellaneous items. Some correspondents include Andrew Carnegie, Ina D. Coolbrith, Jack London, James D. Phelan, George Sterling and Charles Warren Stoddard.

 

SERIES 1 CORRESPONDENCE 1871-1913

Physical Description: Boxes 1-2

Arrangement

Arranged into 3 subseries.

Scope and Content Note

Contains incoming, outgoing letters as well as letters about Joaquin Miller.
 

SUBSERIES 1.1 INCOMING 1884-1913

Physical Description: Box 1; Box 2, folders 1-4

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically, some alphabetically by author.

Scope and Content Note

Contains incoming letters, see Partial List of Correspondents.
Box 1, Folders 1-21

General 1884-1913, undated

Box 2, Folder 1

Carnegie, Andrew, 1835-1919 1911, undated

Box 2, Folder 2

California Adjutant General's Office 1883

Box 2, Folder 3

Whitaker & Ray Wiggin Co. (publishers) 1908-1912

Box 2, Folder 4

Alphabetical by author 1890-1913

 

SUBSERIES 1.2 OUTGOING 1871-1913

Physical Description: Box 2, folders 5-13

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains outgoing letters, see Partial List of Correspondents.
Box 2, Folders 5-17

General 1871-1913, undated

 

SUBSERIES 1.3 ABOUT JOAQUIN MILLER 1903, 1913

Physical Description: Box 2, folder 14

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by author.

Scope and Content Note

Contains letters discussing Miller, see Partial List of Correspondents.
Box 2, Folder 18

General 1903, 1913

Box 2, Folder 19

Rossetti, Dante Gabriel to George H. Boughton 1871

 

SERIES 2 WRITINGS 1872-1936

Physical Description: Boxes 3-5

Arrangement

Arranged into 2 subseries.

Scope and Content Note

Contains poetry and other manuscripts.
 

SUBSERIES 2.1 POETRY 1872-1936

Physical Description: Box 3

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by title, with untitled works at the end.

Scope and Content Note

Contains manuscript poems, many untitled or fragments. Also includes preface, footnotes and appendix of Miller's complete poetical works.
Box 3, Folders 1-29

Poems by title circa 1880-1900

Box 3, Folders 30-38

Untitled and fragments circa 1872-1897

Box 4, Folder 1

Preface, footnotes and appendix of complete poetical works 1897, 1936

 

SUBSERIES 2.2 OTHER MANUSCRIPTS undated

Physical Description: Boxes 4-5

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by title, then by original order.

Scope and Content Note

Contains manuscripts of other Miller writings, many of the manuscripts did not have a discernable title and are fragments of larger works.
Box 4, Folders 2-19

Works by title undated

Box 4, Folder 20-39

Untitled and fragments undated

Box 5, Folder 1-20

Untitled and fragments, continued undated

 

SERIES 3 CLIPPINGS 1879-1967

Physical Description: Cartons 1-2

Arrangement

Arranged into 2 subseries.

Scope and Content Note

Contains works by and about Miller and his obituaries.
 

SUBSERIES 3.1 WORKS BY AND ABOUT JOAQUIN MILLER 1879-1967

Physical Description: Carton 1, folders 9-16; Carton 2, folders 1-4, 21-32

Arrangement

Arranged as received.

Scope and Content Note

Contains clippings of some of Miller's works and about Miller.
Carton 1, Folders 9-16

General 1879-1967

Carton 2, Folders 1-4

General 1879-1967

Carton 2, Folders 21-32

General 1879-1967

 

SUBSERIES 3.2 OBITUARIES 1913-1914

Physical Description: Carton 2, folders 5-20

Arrangement

Arranged as received.

Scope and Content Note

Contains obituaries in a wide variety of newspapers, collected by his daughter.
Carton 2, Folders 5-20

General 1913-1914

 

SERIES 4 LEGAL AND FINANCIAL RECORDS 1888-1919

Physical Description: Carton 1, folders 4-5

Arrangement

Arranged as received.

Scope and Content Note

Contains a small amount of legal and financial records.
Carton 1, Folder 4

Legal files 1889-1919

Carton 1, Folder 5

Financial files 1888-1912

 

SERIES 5 MISCELLANEOUS [circa 1888-1913]

Physical Description: Carton 1, folders 1-3, 6-8

Arrangement

Arranged as received.

Scope and Content Note

Contains tributes, programs and souvenirs, other authors works with annotations and other miscellaneous items.
Carton 1, Folder 1

Tributes [circa 1912]

Carton 1, Folders 2-3

Programs and Souvenirs 1885, undated

Carton 1, Folders 8

Other authors published works with annotations undated

Carton 1, Folder 6-7

Miscellany 1888, undated


 

Cawein, Madison Julius, 1865-1914

 

Letter(s) to Harr Wagner, Mar. 13, 1913. Typed copy.

 

Coolbrith, Ina Donna, 1842-1928

 

Letter(s), 1912-1913 (2)

 

Hardy, Iza Duffus, d. 1922

 

Letter(s), Feb. 9, 1912

 

Hubbard, Elbert, 1856-1915

 

Letter(s) to George Wharton James, Aug. 4, 1903. With forwarding note from James to Harr Wagner.

 

Leslie, Miriam Florence (Folline), ca. 1836-1914

 

4 letter(s), 1900-1910

 

London, Jack, 1876-1916

 

Letter(s), July 11, 1903

 

Markham, Edwin, 1852-1940

 

2 letter(s), 1899-1909

 

Miller, Abigail (Leland)

 

Telegram to Harr Wagner, May 11, 1903. Includes signed draft of Wagner's answer.

 

Miller, George Melvin

 

Letter(s), May 11, 1890

 

Phelan, James Duval, 1861-1930

 

Letter(s), July 9, 1903. Among letter sent by Miller is one addressed to Mr. Phelan.

 

Riley, James Whitcomb, 1849-1916

 

Letter(s), 1903 & 1913 (2). Includes copy of a letter addressed to Harr Wagner, written by Edmund H. Eitel for Riley.

 

Russell, Edmund

 

Letter(s), Aug. 1896

 

Sterling, George, 1869-1926

 

Letter(s), July 9, 1903

 

Stoddard, Charles Warren, 1843-1909

 

Letter(s), Oct. 24, 1908

 

Swinton, John, 1829-1901

 

Letter(s), May 14, 1898

 

Wagner, Madge (Morris) d. 1924

 

Letter(s), Nov. 15, 1891