Guide to the Robert Cantwell Papers
1926-1978

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Overview of the Collection

Creator: Cantwell, Robert, 1908-
Title: Robert Cantwell Papers
Dates: 1926-1978 ( inclusive )
Quantity: 62.25 linear feet (130 containers)
Collection Number: Coll. 020
Summary: Writer Robert Cantwell was born January 31, 1908 in Little Falls (now Vader), Washington and died December 8, 1978 in New York, New York. Cantwell was a novelist, biographer, and essayist; as a journalist he worked on the editorial staffs of Time, Fortune, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated. The collection consists of correspondence, diaries, literary manuscripts, photographs, audiotapes, and maps, which reflect his life and career.
Repository: University of Oregon Libraries
Special Collections & University Archives

1299 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1299
URL: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/index.html

Languages: Collection materials are in English. 
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biographical Note

Robert Emmett Cantwell, novelist, biographer, essayist, and editor, was born January 31, 1908 in Little Falls, (now Vader) Washington, and died December 8, 1978, in New York, NY; son of Charles James (an engineer) and Nina Adelia (Hanson) Cantwell; married Mary Elizabeth Chambers (a teacher), February 2, 1931; children: Jean McNiece (Mrs. George Stolz, Jr.), Betsy Ann (Mrs. Walter Pusey III), Mary Elizabeth Emmett (Mrs. Lars-Erik Nelson).

After attending the University of Washington (1924-1925), he spent the next four years working at Harbor Plywood Co., (1925-1929) Hoquiam, Washington as a veneer clipper man. In 1929, after selling a short story to The American Caravan, he moved to New York where he began work on his first novel, Laugh and Lie Down (1931). After finishing the novel, Cantwell continued his freelance writing and published articles in The New Republic and The Nation, among others. During the period between 1930 and 1935 he wrote a second proletarian novel, The Land of Plenty (1934) and began work on a biography of Boston merchant E.A. Filene in collaboration with Lincoln Steffens, which was never completed.

In the next ten years, Cantwell worked on the editorial staffs of Time (1935-1936) and Fortune (1937), then became associate editor of Time (1938-1945). During the 1930’s he came to know a number of literary personalities that included John Dos Passos, James T. Farrell, Ernest Hemingway, Edmund Wilson, Malcolm Cowley, and Whittaker Chambers (who Cantwell eventually helped get a job at Time). During Cantwell’s employment at Time, he also became well acquainted with Henry Luce. Cantwell spent the next three years researching and writing the biography, Nathaniel Hawthorne: The American Years (1948). From 1949 to 1954 he worked as the literary editor of Newsweek and then took up freelancing again until 1956 when he began an association with Sports Illustrated that lasted the rest of his life. He worked on scores of articles, three of which became books: Alexander Wilson: Naturalist and Pioneer (1961), The Real McCoy (1971), and The Hidden Northwest (1972). Subjects of his articles include chess, ornithology, sports in the movies and literary figures in sports.

Content Description

The Robert Cantwell Papers contain eleven series, which include general correspondence, diaries and notebooks, monographs, articles and subject files, financial matter, oversize, sheet music, miscellaneous, photographs, audiotapes, maps and forty-nine books. The General Correspondence Series is arranged chronologically from 1926 to 1978. The major correspondents are listed in a Selected Name Index at the end of the inventory. They include Ernest Hemingway, James T. Ferrell, John Dos Passos, Van Wyck Brooks, Whittaker Chambers, Erskine Caldwell, Malcolm Cowley, Henry Luce, Clare Luce Booth, Marianne Moore, T.S. Matthews, James Jones, Edmund Wilson, and other literary figures. A large portion of the correspondence, however, is of a family nature. Eight boxes of correspondence and diaries have been sealed until after the death of Mrs. Eva Stoltz Cantwell.

The Diaries and Notebooks Series contain Cantwell’s holograph (sometimes difficult to read) notes and diary entries. The entries are of a personal nature as well as work and research on various manuscripts.

The Monographs Series covers Cantwell’s fiction and nonfiction efforts. The manuscripts to his books Laugh and Lie Down, Alexander Wilson: Naturalist and Pioneer and The Hidden Northwest are included. Also among the monographs are unfinished works such as the biography of E.A. Filene that was a collaboration with Lincoln Steffens in 1934; the autobiography of James B. McNamara, a convicted labor dynamiter; Small Boston, a projected novel from the early 1970’s; and a project dealing with the FBI, privacy and Cantwell’s involvement with politics and Whittaker Chambers. Also in the collection is a series of articles, correspondence and research called Four Novelists, which was to include Cantwell’s work on William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, James T. Ferrell and Erskine Caldwell. Included in this section is a manuscript page of William Faulkner’s Light in August.

The Articles and Subject Files Series has been so named because Cantwell often wrote more than one article on a subject, or the working title was not the same as the published title. In these cases the material is filed under the subject; otherwise the title of the article is used. Types of material that can be found in this series are manuscripts, tearsheets, notes, correspondence, and printed research material. The majority covers Cantwell’s work at Sports Illustrated where he was senior editor. There are also sections on his Time magazine work, manuscripts, and tear sheets of his book reviews for Newsweek, reviewing such authors as Richard Aldington, Whittaker Chambers, and J.D. Salinger; tear sheets of his freelance work for New Republic, The Freeman and other periodicals; and various introductions to others works. The series is arranged alphabetically and includes such topics as ornithology, the environment, chess and other sports.

The Financial Matter Series covers Cantwell’s royalty statements, accounting of income, book contracts and expense accounts, including correspondence relating to New York State Department of Taxation from 1943 to 1965.

The Oversize Series contains Subseries A: Illustrations; Subseries B: Sheet Music; Subseries C: Maps; Subseries D: Plate Making Negatives; and Subseries E: Photographs.

The Sheet Music Series contains a collection of over 100 pieces of piano sheet music. Most of the sheet music is from the 1920’s, 1930’s and 1940’s, with a few pieces from the late 1800’s. One holograph piece is signed by Betsy Cantwell.

The Miscellaneous Series contains Subseries A: Miscellaneous; Subseries B: Tearsheets; Subseries C: Periodicals; Subseries D: Articles & Mss. Fragments; Subseries E: Newspaper Clippings; Subseries F: Biographical Information; and Subseries G: Research & Draft-Proust & The Movies & Sports. In Subseries G, a holograph note was found with a large group of file folders identifying the contents as such.

The Photographs Series constitutes photographs either of a personal nature or have some connection with an article. There are Subseries A: Photographs, Subseries B: Negatives; Subseries C: Microfilm; and Subseries D: Slides. Photographs are stored separately under call number PH138.

The Audiotapes Series contains one audiotape about Patterson’s llamas.

The Maps Series contains maps of Cantwell’s research on various articles and manuscripts.

The books included with the collection are ones that Cantwell wrote or edited as well as those he contributed to or collected. Included in the collection are books by James T. Farrell, William and John Faulkner, Erskine Caldwell, and Ernest Hemingway. Many books are signed or inscribed.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access :  

Collection is open to the public.

Collection must be used in Special Collections & University Archives Reading Room.

Restrictions on Use :  

Property rights reside with Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to the Manuscripts Librarian in Special Collections & University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.

Preferred Citation :  

[Identification of item], Robert Cantwell Papers, Coll. 020, Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, Eugene, Oregon.

Administrative Information

Arrangement :

Collection is organized into the following series: Series I. General Correspondence; Series II. Diaries and Notebooks; Series III. Monographs; Series IV. Articles and Subject Files; Series V. Financial Matter; Series VI. Oversize; Series VII. Sheet Music; Series VIII. Miscellaneous; Series IX. Photographs; Series X. Audiotapes; Series XI. Maps.

Separated Materials :  

Photographs in this collection stored separately under call number PH138.

Acquisition Information :  

The collection was a gift of Robert Cantwell in 1965.

Arvin, Newton Correspondence, Sept. 25, 1933, Correspondence, *November 15, 1933, Correspondence, November 22, 1933, Correspondence, January 8, 1934, Correspondence, *January 14, 1934, Correspondence, January 19, 1934, Correspondence, January 25, 1934, Correspondence, *January 31, 1934, Correspondence, *December 11, 1952, Correspondence, December 22, 1952
Brooks, Van Wyck Correspondence, November 20, 1938, to G. Macy, Correspondence, *January 5, 1938, Correspondence, October 6, 1944, Correspondence, May 8, 1945, Correspondence, *June 13, 1945, Correspondence, August 20, 1945, Correspondence, January 11, 1952, Correspondence, *February 2, 1956, Correspondence, March 12, 1956, Correspondence, *September 19, 1957, Correspondence, *October 4, 1957
Caldwell, Erskine Correspondence, 1942, Correspondence, September 2, 1950, Correspondence, December 26, 1950, Correspondence, December 8, 1952, Correspondence, *June 9, 1955, Correspondence, *July 29, 1955, Correspondence, April 18, 1970
Catton, Bruce Correspondence, July 9, 1956
Chambers, Whittaker Correspondence, 1938, Correspondence, July 1, 1950, Correspondence, Aug. 18 1950, Correspondence, Aug. 22 1950
Colman, Louis Correspondence, October 12, 1972, (re Colman), Correspondence, October 29, 1972, (re Colman), Correspondence, December 9, 1972, Correspondence, *February 7, 1973, Correspondence, March 12, 1973, Correspondence, March 21, 1973, Correspondence, July 31, 1973
Cowley, Malcolm Correspondence, November 7, 1935, Correspondence, July 16, 1963, Correspondence, *July 16, 1963, Correspondence, July 27, 1963
Dos Passos, John Correspondence, September 9, 1934, Correspondence, ca. September 1934, Correspondence, November 14, 1934, Correspondence, January 25, 1935, Correspondence, May, n.d., Correspondence, November 5, 1935, telegram, Correspondence, June 29, 1936, telegram, Correspondence, July 7, 1936, telegram, Correspondence, September 23, 1942, Correspondence, February 13, 1943, Correspondence, May 19, 1947, Correspondence, June 3, 1947, Correspondence, October 17, 1947, Correspondence, ca. 1947, Correspondence, *June 20, 1964, Correspondence, June 26, 1964
Farrell, James T. Correspondence, February 7, 1934, Correspondence, *February 17, 1934, Correspondence, April 30, 1934, Correspondence, *June 12, 1934, Correspondence, June 20, 1934, Correspondence, January 29, 1936, Correspondence, *February 3, 1936, Correspondence, *April 11, 1969, Correspondence, *April 14, 1969, from Wm. Reuben, Correspondence, June 24, 1969, Correspondence, October 15, 1976, Correspondence, December 1, 1976, Correspondence, *December 1, 1976, Correspondence, December 7, 1976, Correspondence, January 7, 1977
Faulkner, William Correspondence, *November 30, 1950
Fearing, Kenneth Correspondence, ca. 1934, Correspondence, *March 14, 1952, Correspondence, March 21, 1952, Correspondence, October 13, 1952, Correspondence, November 21, 1952
Fixx, Calvin Correspondence, November 6, 1926, Correspondence, ca. 1926, 2 letters, Correspondence, March 3, 1927, Correspondence, April 11, 1927, Correspondence, June 7, 1927, Correspondence, August 31, 1927, Correspondence, October 21, 1927, Correspondence, November 9, 1927, Correspondence, ca. 1927, fragment, Correspondence, 1928 file, 24 letters, Correspondence, 1929 file, 25 letters, Correspondence, February 9, 1934, Correspondence, March 15, 1934, Correspondence, April 11, 1934, Correspondence, May 1, 1934, Correspondence, November 4, 1934, Correspondence, October 5, 1935, Correspondence, January 4, 1937, Correspondence, January 16, 1937, Correspondence, February 2, 1937, Correspondence, February 21, 1937, Correspondence, March 12, 1937, Correspondence, March 28, 1937, Correspondence, October 21, 1943, Correspondence, January 2, 1944, Correspondence, March 24, 1944, Correspondence, December 1947
Francis, Dick Correspondence, *November 29, 1967, Correspondence, January 3, 1968, Correspondence, *January 9, 1968, Correspondence, January 11, 1968, Correspondence, *March 18, 1968, Correspondence, March 24, 1968, Correspondence, *February 13, 1969, Correspondence, February 17, 1969, Correspondence, December 11, 1969, Correspondence, *December 15, 1969, Correspondence, January 13, 1970, Correspondence, *January 15, 1970, Correspondence, *January 23, 1970, Correspondence, *March 5, 1970, Correspondence, March 22, 1970, Correspondence, *April 13, 1970, Correspondence, April 21, 1970, Correspondence, *April 25, 1970, Correspondence, *June 14, 1970, Correspondence, June 23, 1970, Correspondence, November 29, 1970, Correspondence, December 3, 1970, Correspondence, January 7, 1971, Correspondence, June 22, 1971, Correspondence, *December 4, 1971, Correspondence, April 19, 1972
Ginsberg, Allen Correspondence, June 30, 1952
Groening, Homer Correspondence, July 10, 1967, Correspondence, July 21, 1967, Correspondence, *August 3, 1967, Correspondence, *August 14, 1967, Correspondence, *September 22, 1967, Correspondence, October 10, 1967, Correspondence, October 11, 1967, Correspondence, January 30, 1968, Correspondence, February 12, 1968, Correspondence, *February 16, 1968, Correspondence, *March 22, 1968, Correspondence, December 2, 1968, three letters, Correspondence, December 5, 1968, Correspondence, May 13, 1969, Correspondence, August 19, 1969, Correspondence, August 20, 1969, Correspondence, January 19, 1972, Correspondence, January 28, 1972, Correspondence, *February 14, 1976, Correspondence, April 6, 1976, Correspondence, February 16, 1978
Hemingway, Ernest Correspondence, August 25, 1950, Correspondence, *October 21, 1950, Correspondence, September 5, 1952, Correspondence, *October 3, 1952, Correspondence, October 9, 1952
Jones, James Correspondence, November 23, 1953, Correspondence, *August 5, 1954, Correspondence, May 7, 1955, Correspondence, *May 23, 1955, Correspondence, September 3, 1955, Correspondence, June 22, 1957
Kelly, Clarence M. Correspondence, *April 19, 1977, Correspondence, May 18, 1977, Correspondence, *August 28, 1977, Correspondence, *November 12, 1977, Correspondence, December 2, 1977, Correspondence, December 16, 1977
Kroner, Tom Correspondence, September 1, 1936, Correspondence, *September 21, 1936, Correspondence, October 9, 1936, Correspondence, October 21, 1936, Correspondence, *October 23, 1936, Correspondence, May 19, 1937
Larsen, Roy Correspondence, December 20, 1940, Correspondence, April 6, 1944, Correspondence, January 10, 1949, Correspondence, *March 20*, 1950, Correspondence, March 1950, Correspondence, *August 19, 1956, Correspondence, August 29, 1956, Correspondence, *October 12, 1956, Correspondence, October 13, 1972
Luce, Clare Booth Correspondence, October 18, 1942, Correspondence, November 5, 1942, Correspondence, October 21, 1943, Correspondence, November 2, 1943, Correspondence, November 18, 1943, Correspondence, *October 31, 1945
Luce, Henry R. Correspondence, May 26, 1939, Correspondence, December 18, 1941, Correspondence, January 16, 1942, Correspondence, *ca. January 1942, Correspondence, *December 25, 1945, Correspondence, February 6, 1945, Correspondence, February 9, 1945, Correspondence, March 1, 1945, Correspondence, March 6, 1944, Correspondence, December 6, 1948, Correspondence, December 14, 1948, Correspondence, August 18, 1949, Correspondence, February 20, 1950, Correspondence, April 27, 1954, Correspondence, May 4, 1954, Correspondence, *May 5, 1954
Lumpkin, Grace Correspondence, August 26, 1937, Correspondence, *August 26, 1937, Correspondence, ca. August 1937, Correspondence, undated, 1938, two letters
McCombs, Holland Correspondence, 1937-1978, 125 letters
McCrimmon, Edward Correspondence, 1927-1928, 6 letters, Correspondence, ca. 1934
MacLeish, Archibald Correspondence, *May 13, 1945, Correspondence, May 19, 1945
Matthews, T.S. Correspondence, May 7, 1934, Correspondence, August 3, 1934, Correspondence, October 1, 1934, Correspondence, undated, 1934, 3 letters, Correspondence, April 23, 1935, Correspondence, July 1, 1935, Correspondence, July 24, 1935, Correspondence, July 25, 1935, Correspondence, September 10, 1935, Correspondence, September 11, 1935, Correspondence, *October 2, 1935, Correspondence, October 7, 1935, Correspondence, October 10, 1935, Correspondence, December 3, 1935, Correspondence, undated, 1935, 2 letters, Correspondence, January 5, 1936, Correspondence, *February 3, 1936, Correspondence, March 14, 1936, Correspondence, June 12, 1936, Correspondence, July 23, 1936, Correspondence, *July 26, 1936, Correspondence, July 28, 1936, Correspondence, August 9, 1936, Correspondence, October 21, 1936, re T.S. Matthews, Correspondence, December 2, 1936, Correspondence, undated, 1936, two letters, Correspondence, January 25, 1937, Correspondence, January 31, 1937, Correspondence, February 13, 1937, Correspondence, March 18, 1937, Correspondence, January 16, 1940, Correspondence, September 5, 1941, Correspondence, August 28, 1942, Correspondence, September 18, 1942, Correspondence, March 1, 1945, Correspondence, September 3, 1945, Correspondence, June 2, 1947, Correspondence, September 21, 1947, Correspondence, October 9, 1947, Correspondence, October 18, 1947, Correspondence, January 12, 1948, Correspondence, September 27, 1948, Correspondence, October 3, 1948, Correspondence, November 9, 1948, Correspondence, November 28, 1948, Correspondence, January 13, ca. 1949-1950, Correspondence, January 16, 1950, Correspondence, *April 24, 1950, Correspondence, *April 25, 1950, Correspondence, October 22, 1955, Correspondence, October 11, 1969, Correspondence, February 9, 1973, Correspondence, *February 16, 1973, Correspondence, July 3, 1973, Correspondence, September 19, 1973, Correspondence, October 27, 1973, Correspondence, November 27, 1973, Correspondence, January 28, 1974, Correspondence, *February 18, 1974, Correspondence, March 5, 1974, Correspondence, *April 9, 1974, Correspondence, April 19, 1974, Correspondence, May 25, 1975, Correspondence, July 16, 1975, Correspondence, July 30, 1975, Correspondence, August 12, 1975, Correspondence, *September 16, 1975, Correspondence, September 20, 1975, Correspondence, March 2, 1976, Correspondence, *March 21, 1976, Correspondence, April 18, 1976, Correspondence, November 30, 1976, Correspondence, December 29, 1976, Correspondence, *January 3, 1977, Correspondence, February 26, 1977, from T. Reed, Correspondence, *March 25, 1977, 2 letters, Correspondence, *November 20, 1977, Correspondence, November 28, 1977, Correspondence, December 1, 1977, Correspondence, December 21, 1977, Correspondence, March 16, 1978
Moore, Marianne Correspondence, *December 8, 1948, Correspondence, *December 20, 1951, Correspondence, December 28, 1951, Correspondence, *December 31, 1951, Correspondence, January 8, 1952, Correspondence, *November 4, 1952, Correspondence, *November 20, 1952, Correspondence, February 20, 1960, from brother John, Correspondence, *April 6, 1960, Correspondence, April 14, 1960, Correspondence, *April 18, 1960, Correspondence, April 26, 1960, Correspondence, *August 15, 1960, Correspondence, August 18, 1960, Correspondence, *August 21, 1961
Mumford, Lewis Correspondence, May 2, 1931
Perkins, Maxwell Correspondence, March 8, 1930, Correspondence, August 11, 1931, Correspondence, June 24, 1938, Correspondence, August 24, 1938
Plimpton, George Correspondence, undated, 1953, Correspondence, undated, 1972
Rinehart, Stanley, Jr. Correspondence, March 10, 1944, Correspondence, March 29, 1944, Correspondence, April 5, 1944, Correspondence, June 14, 1945, Correspondence, February 5, 1946, Correspondence, February 26, 1946, Correspondence, *December 27, 1946, Correspondence, *January 17, 1947, Correspondence, January 21, 1947, Correspondence, October 19, 1948, Correspondence, *November 7, 1948, outline for “Escape”
Schlesinger, Arthur, Jr. Correspondence, *January 24, 1951, Correspondence, January 30, 1951, Correspondence, *June 6, 1951, Correspondence, *June 21, 1951
Seyersted, Per Correspondence, September 5, 1960, Correspondence, September 18, 1960, Correspondence, December 15, 1961, Correspondence, November 7, 1969, Correspondence, August 14, 1972, Correspondence, *August 19, 1972, Correspondence, December 6, 1972, Correspondence, November 22, 1975, Correspondence, January 31, 1976, Correspondence, February 24, 1976, Correspondence, *March 11, 1976, Correspondence, March 17, 1976, Correspondence, June 27, 1976, Correspondence, September 8, 1976, Correspondence, January 11, 1977, Correspondence, *January 21, 1977
Shapiro, Karl Correspondence, *November 4, 1952, Correspondence, November 17, 1952
Sinclair, Upton Correspondence, October 1950, Correspondence, *November 24, 1950
Sloan, Alfred P., Jr. Correspondence, *April 3, 1956, from John L. Lewis, Correspondence, August 13, 1956, Correspondence, *August 15, 1956, Correspondence, August 21, 1956, Correspondence, November 2, 1956
Sullivan, John Correspondence, Feb. 8, 1964, Correspondence, Feb. 17, 1964, Correspondence, *Apr. 16, 1964, Correspondence, Apr. 18, 1964, Correspondence, Apr. 21, 1964, Correspondence, May 10, 1964, Correspondence, May 31, 1964, Correspondence, August 16, 1964, Correspondence, October 24, 1964, Correspondence, January 17, 1965, Correspondence, *January 22, 1965, Correspondence, February 6, 1965, Correspondence, *February 10, 1965, Correspondence, February 12, 1965, Correspondence, February 14, 1965, Correspondence, February 16, 1965, Correspondence, Mar. 22, 1965, Correspondence, Apr. 4, 1965, Correspondence, Apr. 11, 1965, Correspondence, *Apr. 15, 1965, Correspondence, Apr. 20, 1965, two letters, Correspondence, May 13, 1965, Correspondence, May 15, 1965, Correspondence, June 19, 1965, Correspondence, July 27, 1965, Correspondence, Aug. 5, 1965, Correspondence, Oct. 21, 1965, Correspondence, Oct. 26, 1965, Correspondence, *Nov. 26, 1965, Correspondence, Nov. 29, 1965, Correspondence, Dec. 19, 1965, Correspondence, Jan. 16, 1966, Correspondence, Feb. 1, 1966, Correspondence, Mar. 8, 1966, Correspondence, May 21, 1966, Correspondence, June 17, 1966, Correspondence, Sept. 2, 1966, Correspondence, *Sept. 10, 1966, Correspondence, Sept. 17, 1966, Correspondence, *Oct. 2, 1966, Correspondence, Oct. 23, 1966, Correspondence, Dec. 1, 1966, Correspondence, Mar. 6, 1967, Correspondence, Mar. 19, 1967, Correspondence, *Mar. 23, 1967, Correspondence, Apr. 3, 1967, Correspondence, *Apr. 6, 1967, Correspondence, Apr. 9, 1967, Correspondence, *Apr. 24, 1967, Correspondence, Apr. 25, 1967, Correspondence, Apr. 27, 1967, Correspondence, May 13, 1967, Correspondence, May 14, 1967, Correspondence, *May 19, 1967, Correspondence, May 24, 1967, Correspondence, May 26, 1967, Correspondence, June 10, 1967, Correspondence, July 6, 1967, Correspondence, July 7, 1967, Correspondence, Oct. 18, 1967, Correspondence, Oct. 25, 1967, Correspondence, Feb. 28, 1968, Correspondence, Aug. 30, 1968, Correspondence, Nov. 21, 1968, Correspondence, July 30, 1969, Correspondence, Nov. 11, 1971, Correspondence, Feb. 19, 1972, Correspondence, Mar. 8, 1972, Correspondence, Feb. 27, 1977, Correspondence, Apr. 19, 1977, Correspondence, Apr. 26, 1977, Correspondence, Apr. 29, 1977, Correspondence, Apr. 30, 1977, Correspondence, May 7, 1977, Correspondence, May 10, 1977

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Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series I:  General Correspondence
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
Folder
1 1 November 1926-November 1927
1 2 January 1928-July 1928
1 3 August 1928-September 1928
1 4 October 1928-November 1928
1 5 December 1928
1 6 January 1929-April 1929
1 7 April 1929-September 1929
1 8 1930-1933
1 9 January 1934-February 1934
1 10 March 1934-August 1934
1 11 Includes undated letters of 1934 September 19334-November 1934
1 12 January 1935-July 1935
1 13 Augest 1935-December 1935
1 14 Undated letters 1935
1 15 January 1936-March 1936
2 1 April 1936-July 1936
2 2 August 1936-Decemer 1936
2 3 Undated letters 1936
2 4 January 1937-March 1937
2 5 Includes undated letters of 1937 April 1937-December 1937
3 1 January 1938-September 1938
3 2 October 1938-December 1938
3 3 1939
3 4 1940
3 5 1941
3 6 January 1942-June 1942
3 7 July 1942-Augst 1942
3 8 September 1942-December 1942
3 9-11 Undated letters 1942
4 1 Undated letters 1942
4 2 January 1943-June 1943
4 3 Includes undated letters July 1943-December 1943
4 4 January 1944-May 1944
4 5 Includes undated letters June 1944-December 1944
4 6 January 1945-April 1945
4 7 May 1945-September 1945
4 8 October 1945-December 1945
4 9-10 Undated letters 1945
4 11 January 1946-April 1946
5 1 May 1946-October 1946
5 2 Includes undated letters November 1946-December 1946
5 3 January 1947-April 1947
5 4 May 1947-October 1947
5 5 Includes undated letters November 1947-December 1947
5 6 January 1948-September 1948
5 7 October 1948-November 1948
5 8 Includes undated letters December 1948
5 9 January 1949-March 1949
5 10 April 1949-September 1949
5 11 Includes undated letters October 1949-December 1949
6 1 Janyary 1950-March 1950
6 2 April 1950-June 1950
6 3 July 1950-September 1950
6 4 Includes undated letters October 1950-December 1950
7 1 January 1951-April 1951
7 2 May 1951-July 1951
7 3 August 1951-October 1951
7 4 Includes undated letters November 1951-December 1951
7 5 January 1952-May 1952
7 6 June 1952-September 1952
7 7 October 1952-November 1952
7 8 Includes undated letters December 1952
7 9 January 1953-February 1953
7 10 March 1953-April 1953
7 11 May 1953
8 1 June 1953-July 1953
8 2 August 1953-September 1953
8 3 Includes undated letters October 1953-December 1953
8 4 January 1954-April 1954
8 5 May 1954-September1954
8 6 Includes undated letters October 1954-December 1954
8 7 January 1955-April 1955
8 8 May 1955-June 1955
8 9 July 1955-August 1955
8 10 September 1955-November 1955
8 11 Includes undated letters December 1955
9 1 January 1956-February 1956
9 2 March 1956-April 1956
9 3 May 1956-July 1956
9 4 August 1956-July 1956
9 5 October 1956-November 1956
9 6 Includes undated letters December 1956
9 7 Includes undated letters January 1957-February 1957
9 8 March 1957-April 1957
9 9 May 1957-June 1957
9 10 July 1957-October 1957
9 11 Includes undated letters of 1957 November 1957-December 1957
9 12 Includes undated letters of 1957 January 1958-May 1958
10 1 June 1958-October 1958
10 2 Includes undated letters November 1958-December 1958
10 3 January 1959-April 1959
10 4 May 1959-June 1959
10 5 July 1959-September 1959
10 6 Includes undated letters October 1959-December 1959
10 7 January 1960-March 1960
10 8 April 1960-August 1960
10 9 Includes undated letters September 1960-December 1960
10 10 January 1961-February 1961
11 1 March 1961-April 1961
11 2 May 1961-July 1961
11 3 August 1961-September 1961
11 4 October 1961
11 5 Includes undated letters November 1961-December 1961
11 6 January 1962-March 1962
11 7 April 1962-September 1962
11 8 Includes undated letters October 1962-December 1962
11 9 January 1963-April 1963
12 1 May 1963-July 1963
12 2 August 1963-September 1963
12 3 October 1963
12 4 Includes undated letters November 1963-December 1963
12 5 January 1964-February 1964
12 6 March 1964-April 1964
12 7 May 1964-June 1964
12 8 July 1964-September 1964
12 9 October 1964
12 10 November 1964-December 1964
12 11 January 1965-March 1965
13 1 April 1965-July 1965
13 2 Includes undated letters August 1965-December 1965
13 3 January 1966-March 1966
13 4 April 1966-July 1966
13 5 August 1966-October 1966
13 6 Includes undated letters November 1966-December 1966
13 7 January 1967-March 1967
13 8 April 1967
13 9 May 1967-June 1967
14 1 July 1967
14 2 August 1967-September 1967
14 3 Includes undated letters October 1967-December 1967
14 4 January 1968-February 1968
14 5 March 1968-April 1968
14 6 May 1968-July 1968
14 7 August 1968-September 1968
14 8 October 1968-December 1968
14 9 January 1969-February 1969
14 10 March 1969
15 1 April 1969-May 1969
15 2 June 1969-July 1969
15 3 August 1969-September 1969
15 4 Includes undated letters October 1969–December 1969
15 5 January 1970-February 1970
15 6 March 1970
15 7 April 1970
15 8 May 1970-July 1970
15 9 August 1970-September 1970
15 10 October 1970-November 1970
15 11 Includes undated letters December 1970
15 12 January 1971-February 1971
16 1 March 1971-May 1971
16 2 June 1971-August 1971
16 3 September 1971-December 1971
16 4 January 1972-July 1972
16 5 April 1972-July 1972
16 6 August 1972-September 1972
16 7 Includes undated letters October 1972-December 1972
16 8 January 1973-June 1973
16 9 Includes undated letters July 1973-December 1973
17 1 January 1974-March 1974
17 2 April 1974-July 1974
17 3 August 1974-December 1974
17 4 Undated letters 1974
17 5 1975
17 6 January 1976-May 1976
17 7 June 1976-Septembr 1976
17 8 Includes undated letters October 1976-December 1976
17 9 January 1977-March 1977
17 10 April 1977-July 1977
17 11 August 1977-November 1977
17 12 Includes undated letters December 1977
18 1 1978-1979
18 2 undated
18 3 undated
18 4 Undated
Sealed Correspondence
Correspondence has been sealed until after the death of Mrs. Eva Stoltz Cantwell.
Box
Folder
19 1 ca. 1933-1939
19 2 ca. 1933-1939
19 3 ca. 1933-1939
19 4 ca. 1933-1939
19 5 ca. 1933-1939
19 6 1934-1941
19 7 March 1942-June 1942
19 8 July 1942-August 1942
19 9 August 1942
19 10 September 1942-December 1942
19 11-12 Undated letters 1942
20 1 1943-945
20 2 1952-1953
20 3 January 1954-May 1954
20 4 Incluces undated letters June 1954-December 1954
20 5 1955-1958

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Series II:  Diaries and Notebooks
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
Folder
1 1-5 Diary ca. 1934
1 6 Diary 1939
2 1 Diary 1940
2 2 Diary 1941
2 3 Diary 1943
2 4 Diary 1945
3 1-2 Diary 1951
4 1 Notebook 1966
4 2 Notebook 1967-1968
4 3 Journal entries 1973-1975
4 4 Notebook 1976
4 5 Notebook 1978
4 6-8 Notebooks Undated
Sealed Diaries
Diaries have been sealed until after the death of Mrs. Eva Stoltz Cantwell.
Box
Folder
5 1 Betsy Chambers Cantwell Family Diary 1866-1894
5 2 Betsy Chambers Cantwell's grandfather's datebook 1866
5 3 Data Books 1950; 1951
5 4 Data Book 1952
5 5 Data Book 1954
5 6 Data Book 1965
5 7 Diary 1936
5 8 Diary 1954
6 1 Diary 1938
6 2 Diary 1943
6 3 Diary 1944
6 4 Diary 1947
7 1 Diary 1954
8 1 Diary 1952
8 2 Diary 1959
8 3 Diary 1960
8 4 Diary 1961
9 1 Diary 1955
9 2 Diary 1956
9 3 Diary 1958
10 1 Diary 1962
10 2 Diary 1962
10 3 Diary 1963
10 4 Diary 1963
10 5 Diary 1965
11 1 Diary 1965
11 2 Diary 1967
11 3 Diary 1968

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Series III:  Monographs
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Alexander Wilson: Naturalist and Pioneer (Lippincott, 1961) 1961
Box
Folder
1 1-12 Final state, TMs (carbon), 585 pp. Includes 10 pp. of unpublished introduction and 21 pp. appendix
1 13-18 Early version entitled Unconquered Mind: The Life of Alexander Wilson, TMs (original and carbon)
2 1-9 Early version entitled Unconquered Mind: The Life of Alexander Wilson, TMs (original and carbon)
2 10-13 Introduction, holograph manuscript
2 14 Introduction, typed manuscript, 5 versions [unpublished]
2 15 Appendix--list of subscribers, typed manuscript, 4 states, none as complete as published state, 8 pp.
2 16 Appendix--list of subscribers, typed manuscript, 4 states, none as complete as published state, 8 pp.
3 1-2 Fragments of manuscript: (different from published version), The Prisoner, TMs (carbon), pp. 103-131, Libel, Extortion and Mystery, TMs, 104-153, Untitled revisions, pp. 17-35
3 3 Corrections for typesetter, 24 pp.
3 4-5 Miscellaneous corrected pages
3 6-9 Working notes (sources, court records, vital statistics, contemporary estimates, letters to Wilson, biographies of friends)
4 1-4 Notes concerning American Ornithology
4 5 Notes on Wilson’s birthplace and American home
Includes 1957 street directory of Paisley and map of Philadelphia with locations marked
4 6-11 Miscellaneous notes, mainly biographies of subscribers
5 1-6 Miscellaneous notes, mainly biographies of subscribers
5 7 Correspondence 1957-1964
5 8-9 Reviews and promotional material, including radio biography of Wilson by Cantwell. Also, “First Artist of the Winged Wild”, by Cantwell, Sports Illustrated, (Dec. 24, 1956)
6 1-6 Notebooks
The Encyclopedia of American Industry, (unpublished proposal to Fortune magazine) 1955
Box
Folder
7 1 Report, TMs (carbon), 41 pp., TLS (carbon), to Roy Larsen April 22, 1955
7 2-7 Holograph working notes, approx. 250 pp.
FBI/Privacy (unpublished book project, 1970-1978, dealing with the Hiss/Chambers era) 1970-1978
Box
Folder
7 8-9 Journal, (1972-1973) Notebook, “Privacy; How To books,” ca. 1978, notebook ca. 1978, containing notes on other books 1972-1973; 1978
7 10 Loose notes, correspondence with FBI and CIA
See also general correspondence: Clarence Kelly, William A. Reuben, Nov. 4-6, 1968; and Allen Weinstein
1977-1978
8 1-6 FBI file
Under the Freedom of Information Act, Cantwell obtained a portion of the file the FBI kept on him. Some of the file also pertains to Whittaker Chambers and Alger Hiss.
8 7 Research material, largely pertaining to Alger Hiss
Four Novelists (A projected study of William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, James T. Farrell, and Erskine Caldwell)
Box
Folder
8 8 Outline and notes, including mention of John Dos Passos and Van Wyck Brooks
William Faulkner
Box
Folder
8 9 Light in August by William Faulkner, Ams (fragment), 1 p., given to Cantwell by Archibald MacLeish
8 9 Recollections of a Gifted Family, By Cantwell, TMs, 32 pp.
8 9 Barn Burning, by Cantwell, AMs, 11 pp.
8 9 Review by Cantwell of The Collected Stories of William Faulkner, TMs (carbon), 9 pp.
8 9 Review by Cantwell of Faulkner’s Soldier’s Pay, two versions: AMs, 7 pp; AMs, 25 pp.
8 9 Introduction by Cantwell to Faulkner’s Sartoris, TMs (carbon), 12 pp.
Interview for Time, 14 pp.; (carbon), 16 pp.; as published, Time January 23, 1939
Box
Folder
8 10 Faulkner and the Gangsters, typed manuscript, 10 pp.
8 10 William Faulkner: A Heritage of Violence, holograph and typed manuscript, 26 pp. Notes (holograph) on visit with Faulkner at Oxford, 21 pp.
9 1 Miscellaneous notes, typed and holograph
9 2-3 Correspondence regarding articles, clippings, source material, tearsheets 1951-1952
Ernest Hemingway
Box
Folder
9 4 Correspondence: TLS, (Aug. 25, 1950), from Hemingway to Cantwell, 3 pp. with holograph revisions and postscript; TL, Oct. 21, 1950, from Cantwell to Hemingway, 3 pp. (carbon) (See also general correspondence) 1950
9 4 Big Two-Hearted River Now, by Cantwell, holograph manuscript, 44 pp. (includes outline); typed manuscript, 17 pp. (incomplete) “The River that Will Flow Forever”, by Cantwell, Sports Illustrated, (July 17, 1961) concerns Cantwell’s visit to the Big Two-Hearted River after Hemingway’s death. Notes, 4 pp., typed.
9 5-6 Hemingway’s Journalism, review of Charles Fenton’s The Apprenticeship of Ernest Hemingway, typed manuscript (carbon), 8 pp. Also 2pp. notes. Notes, loose and one spiral notebook. Research material, News clippings.
James T. Farrell
Box
Folder
9 7 Correspondence, 4 letters from Farrell, 3 letters from Cantwell to Farrell. Notes. 1934-1936
Erskine Caldwell
Box
Folder
9 8 Correspondence, includes 2 letters from Caldwell: TLS, Dec. 26, 1950, 1p. (See also general correspondence) 1950-1954
9 9-10 Notes, typed and holograph, approx. 80 pp. News clippings of reviews of The Humorous Side of Erskine Caldwell, edited by Cantwell 1934-1936
The Hidden Northwest (Lippincott, 1972) 1972
Box
Folder
9 11-12 Manuscript, holograph and typed, with numerous page numbers on the same page. Pages 1-183 (225 pp.)
10 1-2 Manuscript, holograph and typed, with numerous page numbers on the same page. Pages 1-183 (225 pp.)
10 3 Chapter one, TMs (carbon) pp. 1-73
10 4 Chapter one, TMs (carbon) pp. 1-86
10 5-6 Chapter three, AMs with typed pages interspersed, pp. 154-304 or pp. 1-121
10 7-9 Chapter three, TMs, pp. 154-305
10 10 Chapter six, TMs (carbon), pp. 1-96
11 1-2 Chapter seven, TMs, pp. 1-96
11 3 Chapter eight, AMs, pp. 1-62
11 4 Appendix and bibliography
11 5-7 “In the summer of 1983….” (Chapter four?), AMs, pp. 1-332, approx. 150 pp.
11 8-10 “Meares sailed from Bengal…” (Chapter one?), TMs, pp. 10-270
12 1 “Meares sailed from Bengal…” (Chapter one?), TMs, pp. 10-270
12 2-11 Incomplete manuscript, TMs (carbon) with some holograph pages, pp. 1-726, approx. 400 pp.
13 1 Incomplete manuscript, TMs (carbon) with some holograph pages, pp. 1-726, approx. 400 pp.
13 2-3 Miscellaneous pages, approx. 35 pp., unnumbered pages, approx. 85 pp.
13 4 Chapter one, holograph notes, approx. 55 pp.
13 5 Chapter one, research material
13 6 Chapter One, map material The Hidden Northwest
13 7 Chapter two, typed notes, 37 pp.
13 8 Chapter two, holograph notes, 75 pp. largely concerning the Columbia River and David Thompson
13 9-10 Chapter two, notes and research material
13 11 Chapter 2, map material The Hidden Northwest, Article: The Columbia: A Gem of a River (pages missing)
14 1-2 Chapter three, notes, 29 pp. typed, 45 pp. holograph
14 3-4 Chapter three notepads
14 5 Chapter three, research correspondence 1967
14 6-8 Chapter three, research material including Simmons/Troutman Genealogy 1967
14 9 Chapter Three, map material The Hidden Northwest
14 10 Chapter four, research including two manuscripts: The Mountain that Was God, TMs, 5 pp.; First ascent of a Ghostly Peak, TMs (carbon), 17 pp. Also typescripts of Hazard Stevens notes, 11 pp.
14 11-12 Chapter four, holograph notes dealing with T. Winthrop and Mt. Rainier
14 13 Chapter Four, map material The Hidden Northwest
15 1-6 Chapter four, bound notes, research material
15 7 Chapter five, research material including two manuscripts: The Miracle on the Horsefly, TMs, (Xerox), 13 pp.; The Salmon on the Horsefly River, TMs, 15 pp. Also includes “The Melodrama of The Horsefly River,” Sports Illustrated October 23, 1961
15 8 Chapter six, “The Shy Tycoon Who Owns 1/640th of the U.S.,” Sports Illustrated, (Aug. 18, 1969). Also includes TMs of the story, Fragment, 12 pp. and other typed notes, 9 pp. August 18, 1969
15 9-10 Chapter six, holograph notes, 80 pp.
15 11-12 Chapter six, notepads, dispatches, query sheets
16 1 Chapter six, notepads, dispatches, query sheets
16 2-4 Chapter six, research materials from Weyerhauser
16 5-6 Chapter seven, “The Columbia: A Gem of a River,” Sports Illustrated, n.d. also includes notes and bibliography cards
16 7-8 Chapter seven, notepads
16 9-11 Chapter seven, research material
17 1-4 Chapter eight, notes
17 5-6 Chapter eight, research material
17 7 Bibliography notes, 20 pp.
17 8-9 Notebook
18 1-3 Notebook
18 4-5 Research material
18 6 Notebook
18 7 Pg. 1-52, chapter unknown
18 8 Research material
19 1 Bibliography cards, desk calendars 1970-1971
Laugh and Lie Down (Farrar & Rinehart, 1931) 1972
Box
Folder
20 1-7 TMs, 435 pp., printer’s copy
20 8-11 TMs, 355 pp., early version, different from published version
21 1 TMs, 355 pp., early version, different from published version
21 2-6 TMs (carbon), 329 pp., early version
James B. McNamara Autobiography
Unpublished autobiography of convicted labor dynamiter and brother of John J. McNamara.
Sealed
Box
Folder
21 7-8 Manuscript, typed and holograph pages interspersed, 90 pp. incomplete
21 9-11 TMs, 124 pp., retyped 1978, clean copy, incomplete
Unpublished. Intended as a collaboration with Lincoln Steffens, who suffered a stroke before the work commenced. The biography was commissioned by Filene, but never finished.
21 12 “On the morning of December 31, 1933,” TMs, 242 pp.