The collection is a compilation of correspondence and documents belonging to five generations of the of William G. B. and Elizabeth Carson family. It is comprised primarily of the correspondence, diaries, and personal papers of William G. B. Carson and his wife, Elizabeth. There is a smaller amount of research and writings belonging to William G. B. Carson and to his son, William C. Carson. The earliest, and significantly smaller amount of papers, are from Carson’s ancestors, the William Carr Lane and the William Glasgow, Jr. families. There are also papers regarding the Carson family and Elizabeth’s family, the Chapins. The collection is divided into eight series: Correspondence , Family, Writings, Theatre Research, William Carr Lane Research, Washington University, William C. Carson Research, and Diaries. Arrangement is both chronological and alphabetical, depending upon the series. The Correspondence Series is the largest series in the collection. It spans from 1819 to 1994, with the bulk of the series dating from 1923 to 1978. There is a gap in the letters from 1893 to 1900. The series is divided into two subseries: General Correspondence and Individual Correspondents. The General Correspondence subseries is arranged chronologically; the Individual Correspondents subseries is arranged alphabetically by name. The dates for a large portion of the letters in this series were derived from postmarks on the envelopes and the perpetual calendar. To reduce bulk, the majority of these envelopes were discarded after the dates were determined. The General Correspondence subseries spans from 1819 to 1994. It includes early letters and some documents from William G. B. Carson’s ancestors: William Carr Lane, Anne Lane, and the William Glasgow, Jr. family. The series also includes Elizabeth Chapin family correspondence from 1901 to 1921. However, the bulk of the subseries contains 20th century letters received by William and Elizabeth Carson from the time of their marriage in 1923 until 1978. Most letters, indentures, and receipts dated from 1831 to 1844 are addressed to either James Glasgow or to William Glasgow, Jr. Many of these documents pertain to business matters but also contain bits of family news. A notice of auction for the sale of lots in the subdivision of the property of William Glasgow, Jr. is dated circa 1858. The notice includes a plat and lists the terms of sale (B1f/9). Most of the letters dating from 1831 to 1836 were written to William Glasgow, Jr., by his sister, Susan Larkin, with a few letters written by his cousin, Margaret L. Foote. Susan discusses William’s social life, a rift with his cousin, and shares family news with him. William’s cousin, James Glasgow, spent time in Mazatlan, Mexico, from 1841 to 1843. He wrote several letters to William and one letter to Sarah Glasgow (5 Nov 1841). In September and October 1842, Sarah wrote to William while he was in Philadelphia and Boston about news from home, especially their son, Jimmy, who did not survive to adulthood (B3/f.3). William G. B. Carson transcribed many of his family letters in the course of his research (see B24/f.20). The transcripts are filed with the original letters in the William Carr Lane Papers (A0873). However, in five instances, transcripts of letters written by William Carr Lane did not match original letters in the Lane Papers. These transcripts, with no original letters, are filed in the General Correspondence subseries: 30 March 1819 (to wife, Mary), 6 March 1836 (to Ann and Sidney, daughters), c.July 1836 fragment (to Sarah), 3 Sept 1852 (to wife, Mary), 26 Sept 1852 (to Sarah), and 4 May 1853 (note to grandchildren). There are also photocopies of four letters written by William Carr Lane, also with no matching originals: 30 April 1853 (to daughter Anne), 24 May 1853 (to Willie, grandson), 27 August 1853 (to Wm. Glasgow, Jr.), 20 December 1853 (to General Alvarez) (B1/f.8). Frank G. Adams wrote several letters to his uncle, William Carr Lane, from 1849 to 1852. Frank travelled from New York to California via the isthmus of Panama in April 1850 to participate in the gold rush. He wrote to his uncle often about his experiences and the places he visited. He also occasionally asked for money (B1/f.7-8). In the 26 September 1852 letter (transcript only), Lane ends his letter to Sarah Glasgow stating that Frank was with him in Santa Fe during his tenure as governor. Letters written or received by William Carr Lane from other friends, family, and acquaintances are scattered from 1819 to 1862, but most of the documents for this time period pertain to William Glasgow, his wife, and their children, particularly William Carr and Mary. While Sarah traveled for her health, the children wrote letters in 1858 and 1859. During the Civil War, Sarah and the oldest Glasgow children were in Europe as evidenced by an 1861 passport for William, his wife, three sons, and two daughters (B1/f.10). Anne Lane and their father wrote to them about news in St. Louis [see also Wm. C. Lane Papers (A0873)]. The last letter written by Lane in this collection is addressed to Sarah on 25 January 1862 and explains that martial law was declared in the city (B1/f.11). Glasgow made trips back to St. Louis periodically during the Civil War, writing to Sarah about his trips and the state of affairs. After the war, the Glasgows continued to travel to Europe occasionally. William Carr Glasgow continued his medical education in Vienna in 1869 and 1870, writing often to his sister Anne (“Nan”) who also travelled in Europe. William Greenleaf Eliot and his wife, Abby wrote to the Glasgows from Florence on 17 October 1869, regarding Anne’s expenses while she and Rose Lamb traveled with them. Eliot also discussed when the Glasgows might join their party in Italy (B1/f.11). The last letter written by William Glasgow, Jr. in 1891, congratulates his daughter, Susan, on the birth of her son, William G. B. Carson. Letters dating from 1901 through 1921 are primarily between Elizabeth (Chapin) Carson and her family. As a young girl Elizabeth visited relatives at Pleasant View farm in Wellsville, Missouri, and exchanged many letters with her mother from 1909 to about 1913. There are also letters to Elizabeth from her cousins and aunts; Olive Gauss, who lived in Normandy, Missouri; and Elizabeth (“Bessie”). In 1909, Elizabeth received a letter from Santa asking that she “be generous” and allow her little bothers and cousins to hold her doll when they ask. (B1/f.12 ). Elizabeth’s siblings sent artwork along with some letters including sketches, crayon pictures, and watercolors (B1/f.14 ) and a note from her youngest sibling, Christine, on a Rose O’Neill kewpie doll notecard (B1/f.15). There are several congratulatory letters upon Elizabeth’s graduation from McKinley High School in January 1915, along with an invitation and a program listing graduates. The letters also mention a scholarship that she won to Washington University. The following fall, she entered college and wrote often to her mother reporting on her health, conditions at McMillan Hall, and her studies. While at college, Elizabeth also received letters from her father; her siblings, including one from brother Henry (“Bud”) while he was in Louisville, Kentucky at Camp Taylor (10 Nov. 1918); and from her friends Olive Townsley at Lindenwood College and Elizabeth Helen Baker (later Walters, signed “E.B.” and “E.B.W.”) at Vassar College. Letters from her girlfriends include much talk of their sororities, their social lives, and news of mutual friends. In the midst of the Chapin correspondence (1901-1921) are two folders of materials belonging to William Carson. The first is a small group of postcards dating from 1904 to 1908 (B1/f.13). The second folder deals with William’s service in World War I and contains his registration certificate, letters from the local board and the American Consulate in Paris, and a letter that William wrote to Mr. Pettus from France (4 Feb 1918; B2/f.2). This letter was returned to William years later by Mr. Pettus’s family after his death. [For more on William’s time in France, see also B21/f.8.] After Elizabeth graduated from college, her brother Henry (“Bud”) attended the University of Missouri and belonged to Phi Gamma Delta. His letters mention plan for her to visit for special events and dances. Her youngest brother, John, attended Washington University and pledged Sigma Chi fraternity. In the summer of 1920, Elizabeth traveled to Estes Park and Denver, Colorado, with an aunt. The following summer, in 1921, she attended a sorority event in Seattle, Washington, with friends. Their route took them through Montana and Wyoming, with a few days of touring in Yellowstone National Park. Elizabeth wrote to her mother about the people they met and the sites they saw. After the summer of 1921, Elizabeth and William began corresponding. Most likely this was in the fall of 1922, however, many of the notes are not dated and have been placed in one folder (B2/f.9). During the summer of 1922, William wrote to Elizabeth regularly while he and her brother John camped in Eldora, Colorado. These letters are lengthy and informative, making it clear that Elizabeth worked at Washington University, but they are not very personal. Perhaps it was understood that the letters would be shared with friends and family. Dated love letters between Elizabeth and William begin in December 1922. Throughout 1923 the young couple received congratulations upon their engagement and marriage. There are many letters between Elizabeth and William and their mothers as the young couple honeymooned in Colorado for the summer. In January 1924, Elizabeth received a few letters of congratulations from relatives and close friends upon announcing that she and William were expecting their first child in July. There is very little correspondence between January and July. With Bruce’s birth on July 30th, congratulatory letters began arriving in August 1924. From 27 August 1924 to approximately 11 September 1924, William traveled to New York and Cape May, New Jersey (a favorite spot for his grandmother, Sarah Glasgow). He and Elizabeth exchanged letters almost daily. By the fall of 1925, William and Elizabeth, and also Elizabeth’s aunt, Elizabeth Montgomery (“Beck”), and young Bruce, were living in New York City while William attended Columbia for one academic year. They returned to St. Louis in June 1926 to live at 7006 Maryland Avenue. From 1926, the General Correspondence subseries includes letters, cards, and invitations sent to the Carsons by various relatives and friends. Wedding invitations dating from 1897 to 1971 appear chronologically at the end of the subseries (B12/f.10-11). Personal letters are intermingled with correspondence related to William’s colleagues and students at Washington University, especially as they moved away from St Louis to pursue other opportunities. Former students often requested recommendations for jobs and for continuing education. When Washington University announced special events related to Prof. Carson’s retirement, letters and telegrams of congratulations and thanks began arriving in February 1957 and continued through the summer. Prof. Carson wrote to theatrical archives and libraries, such as the Theatre Collection of the New York Public Library, while conducting research and replies to his inquiries reside in this series. William was also active with professional associations such as the Theatre Library Association and the American Educational Theatre Association. Some prominent people that appear in the General Correspondence subseries include Otis and Maud Skinner. The Skinners were both actors and the Carsons spent time with them during 1925-1926 when they lived in New York. There are scattered letters and Christmas cards from approximately 1926 to 1940. Maud Skinner died in 1937, but Otis and their daughter Cornelia continued to write short letters and notes to the Carsons. [See also “Theatrical Recollections” in B21/f.11.] Josephine Hull, most popularly known for the movies Harvey and Arsenic and Old Lace, became the subject of William’s book, Dear Josephine. On 23 October 1945, Mrs. Hull thanked William for sending her a copy of his book on the Keans. On 8 November 1945, Mrs. Hull left tickets for the Carsons at the box office and invited them to her apartment after a stage performance of Harvey. She sent Christmas cards with brief notes in 1945, 1946, and 1954, and also an Easter card on 6 April 1950. Mrs. Hull died in 1958. On 5 November 1975, Maggie O’Reilly sent William typescripts of letters written to Mrs. Charles Severs upon a visit by Mrs. Hull (B11/f.3). There are two brief undated notes from Vincent Price dated circa March and April 1954 while Mr. Price was appearing in St. Louis in The Lady Has a Heart. Mr. Price visited Prof. Carson’s playwriting class at Washington University (B6/f.7). There are also two letters from actor Will Geer in which he shares family and professional news, 25 November 1964 (B9/f.1) and c.31 July 1974 (B9/f.11). There is no additional information about the relationship between Will Geer and William Carson in the collection. Ludlow and Sallie Maury also corresponded with the Carsons (last letter in B7/f.7). Mr. Maury was the grandson of actor and theatre manager Noah Miller Ludlow; he died in 1958. It is unclear how William met the Maury’s, whether as a young man or as a result of his St. Louis theatre research. There is not a significant amount of correspondence relating to the Great Depression or to World War II. Some of William’s former students entered the armed services and wrote to him but there is very little detail in the letters ranging from 1942 to 1945. The most poignant letter regarding the war’s impact was written by Elizabeth’s sister, Christina Rapp, on 23 January 1942, in which she expresses how fortunate they were in regards to their family holiday celebration of 1941, and her fears that Bruce might be drafted (B5/f.4). William was always interested in the Santa Fe Trail due to William Carr Lane’s connection to New Mexico, and travelled to the state on several occasions. Elizabeth wrote to William at the Los Alamos Ranch School on 2 September 1941. William’s friend in Los Alamos, New Mexico, wrote on 19 March 1943, that “Los Alamos really is a mystery” and passed along news gathered by his friends who visited Santa Fe. A few days later, William wrote to Elizabeth about the speculations of another friend that secret work was being done at Los Alamos and describes training for soldiers on campus (B5/f.5). Letters of thanks revealed some of the Carsons’s philanthropic activities, small and large. A translation of a letter written by Takeo Kawamura of the Asuka Boys School thanked Mr. Carson for a gift subscription of the magazine. The translation is typed on Readers Digest Japanese Edition letterhead. The original letter in Japanese is filed with the translation (19 November 1948; B5/f.12). A thank you note from the staff at the Missouri Historical Society expressed appreciation for candy sent for the holidays (28 Dec 1955, B7/f.13). On 3 April 1971, the Carsons received a note thanking them for their “long standing support” of the Experiment in International Living accompanied by an etching by Belgian artist Eric Verhal. [For more about the etching, see the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 6 Apr 1971, p.36.] Audrey Davis was the daughter of Daisy Chapin’s good friend. By World War II, Audrey and her mother lived in England where she worked with the Red Cross. Her letters to Elizabeth mentioned packages that Elizabeth shipped to England for war relief. A portion of Audrey’s letter dated 12 December 1954 was burned, and subsequently salvaged, from the Prestwick air disaster on Christmas Day 1954 (B6/f.8). William explained the Davis family connection to Bill in his 26 May 1954 (B15/f.8) and 4 February 1955 letters (B15/f.11). By 1971, most of the letters and notes came from the Carsons’s grandchildren and daughters-in-law, as the children left home for boarding schools and as the families traveled more extensively. There are a few scattered letters asking for Prof. Carson’s assistance with a research questions. On 23 July 1973, Gertrude Holmes’s note enclosed 1927 meeting minutes and a treasurer’s report from The Player’s, the theatre group that Prof. Carson help found. Elizabeth received many letters and notes of condolence after William’s death on 1 December 1976. Letters from several individuals had been separated from the rest of the correspondence saved by the Carsons and comprise the Individual Correspondents subseries, 1923-1979. These include their sons, Bruce and William (“Bill”) Carson, Lewis “Lew” Maverick, Charles van Ravenswaay, Helen Tetlow, and Mary Wickes. While their sons were away at college and in the armed forces, they wrote home weekly. Lew Maverick was a classmate of William’s at Washington University and they remained in touch throughout their lives. Charles van Ravenswaay was a student of Prof. Carson’s and they developed a life-long friendship. Helen Tetlow assisted him with his biography of Josephine Hull and they corresponded often until her death in 1976. Finally, Mary Wickes was a student of Prof. Carson’s and she credited him with encouraging her to pursue acting as a career. Letters received by William Carson from three friends in France appear at the end of the Individual Correspondents subseries. Robert Beaudet, Mr. Noel, and Louis Perinet all lived near the town of Epense when William worked in France in 1917. The three men corresponded with Carson sporadically in 1918 and from 1932 to 1956. The last letter received by Carson before World War II from France is dated May 1940, one month before the French surrender. The next letters are dated 1944, after the D-day invasion. The Carsons sent care packages to the Beaudet and Perinet families in 1944. Mr. Noel died during the war; there are two postcards from him dated 1934. Mr. Beaudet, then mayor of Epense, retells news in his letter of 18 August 1945 (B17/f.6) concerning the Buchenwald concentration camp. He and Mr. Perinet relate their hardships, family news, and hopes for France’s future. Mr Perinet included photographs of his family in his letters before and after the war. William mentions his friends in France to his son in a 25 May 1954 letters (B15/f.8). The Bruce Carson letters span circa 1925-1980 with a gap between 1947 and 1960. The bulk of the letters date from the fall of 1942 to 1946. These dates coincide with Bruce’s entrance to Princeton and with his discharge from the Navy and subsequent return home to St. Louis. There are a few letters written to Bruce as a young boy such as birthday letters from his grandfather, Mr. Henry Chapin in 1926 and 1930, and a letter sent via Tin Can Mail from Tonga by Mary-Ellen (Chivvis) Curtis (Prof. Carson’s cousin, B13/f.3). After Bruce married Barbara Bitter in 1955, the couple resided in Glendale, Missouri. By 1962, they moved their small family to California. After this move, Barbara became the primary family correspondent with her in-laws, always addressing them as Mr. and Mrs. Carson. For Barbara’s letters, see the General Correspondence subseries. The earliest folder contains birthday cards sent to Bruce as a very young boy. The second folder contains letters to Santa Claus. Some of these letters were obviously written by either Prof. or Mrs. Carson for young Bruce and/or Billy. Later ones were written by either Bruce or Billy. The envelope postmarked 4 December 1928, is stamped “Insufficient Address” and was returned to the Carson household. There is a letter from “Santa” to Billy (c.1932) explaining why he got a hobby horse for Christmas (B13/f.2). Since Bruce entered Princeton during World War II, his letters mentioned changes taking place on campus as the university offered training for servicemen. In January 1944, Bruce entered the Navy’s V-12 program at the University of Michigan. He and his Country Day School classmate William B. Jones, Jr., a Naval ROTC student in Ann Arbor, composed a newsletter for their 1942 Country Day School classmates. The June 1944 newsletter listed what each graduate had been doing since graduation, most of them serving in the armed services either in the U.S. or abroad (B13/f.8). Bruce recounted a conversation with a man who lived near Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked in his 30 July 1944 letter home (B13/f.8). The man recalled the sighting of Japanese fishing boats near the harbor and the sinking of a Japanese submarine on Dec. 6th. Bruce enclosed two photographs from the V-12 program in his 1 October 1944 letter. One photograph identifies 33 members of the 1st Deck, Adams Hall, V-12 program. The second photograph is a view of the summer term parade from the stands (B13/f.9). Bruce’s letter on 26 November 1944 describes a performance of the Katherine Dunham dancers that he saw in Detroit. He also mentions that he received a letter from John Vaughn, a Country Day School classmate, stationed in England (B13/f.9). By late 1945, Bruce was assigned to active duty and his letters originated in California, Panama, and Virginia. In his last series of letters to his parents in 1962, Bruce tells of the new family home in California and their new experiences. The William (“Bill”) Carson correspondence spans from circa 1938 to 1979 with small gaps occurring from 1957 to 1978. The bulk of the letters date from 1949 to March 1956. Bill was at Princeton in 1949, having entered college in the fall of 1946, and returned to St. Louis upon completing his MBA at Stanford in the spring of 1956. Much like his brother, after Bill’s marriage to Georgia Ann Sims in December 1956, his wife became the primary family correspondence with the Carsons. Georgia’s letters can be found in the General Correspondence series. The letters dated 1950 to 1954 were written while Bill served as a navigator in the Air Force. There are earlier letters that Bruce wrote to Bill and that Bill wrote while away from home. He wrote of the places he lived and explored during leave from duties and of the people he met. For example, Bill mentioned Operation Walkout, a civil defense drill in which downtown Spokane was evacuated, in his April 26th and May 3rd letters of 1954 (B15/f.8). The correspondence from 1949 to 1956 includes not only letters written by Bill to his family, but also Prof. Carson’s letters to Bill (“Billy”). The presence of letters from both correspondents provides a complete snapshot of what was happening in the Carson family while Bill was away. Prof. Carson’s weekly letters are often typed, single-spaced, and two pages in length. He often shared news of friends and family, local and national political views, events at Washington University, leisure-time activities such as theatre performances, dinners at the club (the University Club), trips to their country cabin in Eureka (Missouri), Missouri Historical Society meetings, and William Clark Society meetings. Prof. Carson wrote of many family members in his letters. At this time, both he and Mrs. Carson had elderly relatives in need of extra care at medical facilities. Prof. Carson’s aunt, Carrie (Carson) McWilliams, and his cousin, Sally Bruce Mitchell, were both placed at St. Vincent’s Hospital. Mrs. Carson’s mother, Daisy Chapin, and her aunt, Elizabeth Montgomery, were both placed at Hanley House. Prof. Carson often described the special needs of the elderly patients and the less than ideal conditions regarding their care. The Carsons maintained a cabin in the country near Eureka which they visited often and at which they sometimes entertained friends. Topics included plumbing repairs made necessary by the changing seasons, spring rains and flooding making it difficult to reach the cabin which resulted in cars stuck in the mud, and the mowing of the yard. Charles van Ravenswaay, director of the Missouri Historical Society, was a good friend of Prof. Carsons, with whom he dined often at their club and as a guest in the Carson home. There are several tales of Missouri Historical Society events in Carson’s letters. In the 25 February 1951 he recounts a meeting in which the night’s speaker, Mrs. Starbird, was at the last minute replaced by Joseph Desloge’s houseguest, former French premiere Paul Reynard. Reynard then addressed the crowd in French (B14/f.10). On another occasion Leicester and Mary Faust hosted a party for the Society’s board at their estate, before it was donated to St. Louis County in 1968. Bruce Carson lived with his parents until his marriage in 1955. Prof. Carson regularly updated Bill on his older brother’s activities, especially concerning the Missouri Region of the Sports Car Club of America, for which Bruce served as secretary/treasurer in 1952 (see brochure and newsletter, B14/f.14). There are a few letters from Bruce to Bill (B14/f.10). He and his friends attended many weekend rallies across the midwest with the club in the years before his marriage in 1955. Bill and his father shared their views on national and local politics, especially in the months leading up to the presidential election of 1952. After watching Richard Nixon on television during the 1952 campaign, Prof Carson expressed his dislike of Nixon and his later switch in allegiance from Eisenhower to Stevenson. They both expressed dismay with the McCarthy hearings at various times. Prof. Carson had a familial relationship to Rep. Thomas B. Curtis. Curtis’s wife, Susan Chivvis was daughter of Prof. Carson’s cousin, Mary Branch (Glasgow) Chivvis. Local St. Louis issues popped up in the letters such as Glasgow Village (27 Feb. 1952) and the destruction of the American Theatre to make way for a parking garage (29 Apr 1953). Prof. Carson wrote about attending a protest meeting at Clayton High School concerning the construction of an express highway, now known as the Forest Park Parkway (19 March 1952). He explained the route and that many houses would have to be torn down. The plan’s presentation at the meeting was disorganized and the community was violently opposed leading Prof. Carson to predict that the plan would not pass with such intense opposition. He attended a subsequent public meeting that was more organized and informative for neighborhood residents (9 April 1952). The Carsons knew and met several famous people. Chief among them was Mary Wickes, who is mentioned in several letters between the Carsons in 1952. When Prof. and Mrs. Carson went to California to visit Bill, they visited Mary and her mother. In September 1952, Bill visited Mary and her mother as well. Prof. Carson told Bill about Mary’s visits to St. Louis, particularly her February 1955 visit for the Washing University second centennial celebration (B15/f.11). Prof. Carson gave a copy of his book about the Kean letters to Hume Cronin and Jessica Tandy when they performed the last show at the American Theatre in April 1953. In June 1953, T. S. Eliot returned to St. Louis to speak at Washington University’s commencement amidst much fanfare and an Eliot family reunion. The Carsons took part in the special events, meeting several Eliot family members and also hosting T. S. at their home for a few nights so that he might enjoy their gin and tonics (B15/f.4). Lewis (“Lew”) Adams Maverick (1891-1973) met William G. B. (“Bill”) Carson when they were both students at Washington University. He was born in St. Louis County to George Madison Maverick and Mary Elizabeth (Vance) Maverick, the youngest of five children. Lew travelled to the Europe in 1918 with the Henry Ford Peace Expedition before entering Harvard to earn his advanced degree. He spent his early career at UCLA in the Recorder’s Office and then in the Economics Department. He retired from the Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 1956. Lew’s letters span from 1923 to 1973 with infrequent gaps, one being from 1940 to 1944. The letters are mostly addressed to Bill, with a few addressed to Elizabeth. Apparently, the two men did not correspondence on a regularly as family and professional responsibilities grew. Lew’s letters become more frequent after his retirement. However two early letters of note include one written on 14 April 1933, in which Lew mentions an epidemic of bank failures in the St. Louis area and the erroneous publicity regarding a recent earthquake in southern California. Another letter on 3 September 1939, discusses the recent declarations of war in Europe and his feelings as compared to those during World War I and his confidence in President Roosevelt’s knowledge of international affairs (B16/f.1). Helen Ingersoll Tetlow (1877-1976) and Prof. Carson began corresponding in 1959 when he was conducting research for his book on Josephine Hull, Dear Josephine. Miss Tetlow attended Radcliffe College during a few of the same years as Mrs Hull. She assisted Carson by placing him in contact with people from Radcliffe that might remember Mrs. Hull. She also assisted with the circumstances surrounding a trunk that Mrs. Hull donated to the Radcliffe Alumnae Association and with locating a painting that he ultimately used on the dust jacket of his book. Miss Tetlow was also acquainted with Marian Eliot, a cousin of T. S. Eliot. Helen’s sister, Francis Tetlow, sent four letters to Prof. Carson after her sister’s death, including a copy of the memorial from Helen’s funeral. Charles van Ravenswaay (1911-1990) was a 1933 graduate of Washington University who, as evidenced from the first letter, participated in Thyrsus while a student. He maintained a lifelong friendship with the Carson family. Van Ravenswaay was also a good friend of Mary Wickes. The bulk of the van Ravenswaay letters date from 1935 to February 1946, while he lived and worked in his hometown of Boonville, Missouri, and while he served in the south Pacific with the USNR during World War II. There are understandably few letters during the years that he lived in St. Louis. Once he moved east to become director of the Winterthur Museum, van Ravenswaay once again became a regular correspondent. Van Ravenswaay and Prof. Carson wrote on several occasions about van Ravenswaay applying for the directorship of the Missouri Historical Society while he was still serving overseas. He was concerned that his vision for the growth of the institution and its purpose would collide with the prominent families that were accustomed to governing the society’s direction (1 April 1945, B16/f.14). During the war years, while van Ravenswaay served on the Villa Lobos, he wrote often of the people with whom he served and the places they traveled. He also alluded to Prof. Carson’s political observations and the possible long-term economic implications of the war upon cultural institutions such as the Mercantile Library (28 June 1944, B16/f.13). The early van Ravenswaay letters, and to some extent those after he moved east, often told of his treasure hunting. He was a collector and enjoyed going through old homes before they were cleaned out. He kept the Carsons apprised of his family news and told often of the people he met and the stories he heard while working from Boonville. Prof. Carson also collected a small number of newsclippings about van Ravenswaay that appear at the end of the letters. Mary Wickes (1910-1995) graduated from Washington University in 1930 and was a student of Prof. Carson’s who maintained a lifelong friendship with the Carson family. The letters and notes span from 1939 to 1976. There are three photographs: a group photo of Mary visiting one of Prof. Carson’s classes (c.1940) and two copies of a Christmas card with a photograph of Mary sitting on a sled in the snow (c.December 1955 and c.December 1957). In addition, there are five letters dating from 1949 to 1958 from Mary’s mother, Mary Wickenhausen, to the Carsons. There are also clippings concerning Mary’s career. In 1999, Mary’s biographer, Steve Taravella, contacted Bill Carson, Prof. Carson’s son, inquiring about letters between Mary and his father. Most likely this request resulted in some of Mary’s letters being separated from the bulk of Prof. Carson’s correspondence. Due to her prominence and the number of letters already separated, the remainder of Mary’s letters were also separated for consistency. Please note that Mary is mentioned in several letters between Prof. Carson and his close correspondents: Lew Maverick, Bruce, Billy, and Charles van Ravenswaay. Mary’s letters vary in length from quick notes and Christmas cards to lengthy letters in which she explains on what projects she is working and what is being planned. She mentions that By the Light of the Silvery Moon was hilarious to make (31 Oct 1952), tells of various cast members of the Danny Thomas Show (c.September 1956), and mentions filming White Christmas. Mary returned to Washington University in 1954 to appear in a production of Elizabeth the Queen, a benefit for Thyrsus and again in 1955 when she received the Distinguished Alumni Citation. Mary also returned to St. Louis for visits and for roles at The Muny, 1944-1978. The Family Series contains genealogical information and correspondence, clippings, obituaries, journals, memorials, and various other materials relating to William and Elizabeth Carson and their relatives. The family series is divided by surname: Carson, Chapin, Ewing-Lane, Glasgow. The folders are arranged alphabetically within each surname. Please also see the photographs in the Carson Photograph Collection. The Carson family folders include family members: James O. Carson, William’s grandfather; his father, Dr. Bruce Carson; his aunt, Carrie (Carson) McWilliams, and his cousins’ Ellen and Sallie Mitchell. James, Bruce, and William each kept a journal of at least one of their fishing trips to Lake Nipigon, Canada, a favorite destination. [See also Carson Photograph Collection.] The only other information about James O. Carson are his biography and obituary. There is a small number of letters written to Dr. Bruce Carson and a brief diary of a trip taken to Europe with Will Glasgow in 1869, when they both continued their medical studies in Europe. There are also tributes and memorials relating to Dr. Carson’s Golden Jubilee at Mullanphy Hospital. Carrie McWilliams, Dr. Carson’s sister, and her husband David McWilliams, saved postcards from friends. Clippings about Mrs. McWilliams relate to a quilt that she made as a benefit for the Mullanphy Hospital that was later donated to the Missouri Historical Society. There is a wide variety of materials in the William G. B. Carson family folders relating to his immediate family, his wife and two sons. Elizabeth and William kept cards, poems, artwork, notebooks, and diaries from their sons’ childhoods. Of particular note is an edition of Washington University’s Campus Gossip (1922) that mentions Elizabeth receiving attention from two unnamed members of the faculty (B18/f.13). Several files relating to the weddings in the Carson family contain invitations and newspaper clippings of engagement and wedding announcements. There is only an invitation for the marriage of William’s parents in 1888. Guest and gift registers are available for William and Elizabeth’s wedding in 1923. There are several files related specifically to William G. B. Carson which include clippings about William, a childhood lock of hair, notes and grades from his year at Columbia University, and a program from the Smith Academy graduation exercises in 1909. There are several files that relate to William’s relationship with the Missouri Historical Society including awards, correspondence while he was a member of the Board of Directors, and valuations for donations containing William Carr Lane family documents. Information on the Chapin family includes estate information and hair mementos belonging to Daisy Chapin, newspaper clippings about Elizabeth’s nieces and nephew, and several obituaries. The Henry A. Chapin folder contains memorials put together by his lodge, Good Hope Lodge No.218. There is a larger amount of information for Elizabeth Chapin than for any other individual in the Family Series with items ranging from 1906 to 1976. From her childhood are art, poetry, and postcard albums, and a program from her Blow School graduation. There are English notes from her college days and a certificate from the Washington University Woman’s Club in honor of Elizabeth’s years of loyal membership. She wrote an article entitled “The Mission Free School” which was published in Bulletin of the Missouri Historical Society (July 1953) and her research and notes for a talk appear here. Elizabeth also sponsored Mr. Soren J. Schultz, a Taipei student, for a visiting student visa in 1954. The Ewing-Lane files contain genealogical charts and research shared with the family by Nancy Quackenbush (B20/f.18). Mrs. Quackenbush was a cousin to William, the daughter of Mary Branch Glasgow and Leland Chivvis, granddaughter of Allan C. Glasgow, and great-granddaughter of William Glasgow, Jr. In the files relating to the Ewing and Law families is correspondence relating to a silver coffee pot made for Dr. Nathaniel Ewing, William Carr Lane’s father-in-law (B20/f.17). The pot was given to the Carsons by William’s cousins who lived in Terre Haute, Indiana. The Glasgow genealogy file is comprised of lists of marriages, births, and deaths for James and Ann (Ross) Glasgow and their descendants; “The Glasgows of Glasgow Place: Their Kith and Kin” which includes a story of the author’s visit to the Voorhis home in New York City and seeing Mary Susan (Glasgow) Clark, widow of Jefferson K. Clark (by an unnamed cousin of William’s); and a plan of the family lot at Bellefontaine Cemetery. The earliest document is a Master Mason certificate presented to James Glasgow by his lodge in Delaware in 1818 (B20/f.19). There are a few folders relating to Susan Ross Glasgow Carson’s siblings, Dr. Frank Glasgow and Sarah Glasgow Wilson. Frank Glasgow died unmarried and childless in 1924 and split his estate among his siblings and select nieces and nephews to create the Glasgow Bienvenue Trust. Sarah Glasgow married Newton R. Wilson, an engineer and a member of Washington University’s Class of 1879. Wilson died in 1914, leaving Sarah to commit herself to her philanthropic activities. There are many clippings extolling her generosity to Washington University and to Mary Institute (B20/f.23). The only materials relating to William’s mother, Susan Glasgow Carson, contain a translation of the German book, The Story of Little Monica by A. Stein. There are many clippings relating to the children of Mary Branch Glasgow and Leland Chivvis, who were also frequent correspondents of the Carsons. Chivvis daughters Mary Ellen and Susan married brothers, Glion Curtis, Jr. and Thomas Bradford Curtis. Glion Curtis was a career diplomat and Thomas Curtis was a U. S. Congressman representing Missouri. The Writings Series contains articles, book reviews, speeches and radio presentations, plays, and a poem written by William G. B. Carson arranged alphabetically either by type of composition or by title. Also included is an incomplete list of Carson’s publications (B21/f.5), book reviews and clippings about Prof. Carson’s books and correspondence with the University of Chicago, the publisher of Theatre on the Frontier, regarding the first and second printing of his book. It also contains the first published scripts of one of Carson’s plays, The Wedding Present, with an inscription to Elizabeth (B22f/1). The first article that William wrote, for which he received payment, was published on 11 April 1909 by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He contributed to local papers, newsletters, and journals such as the Bulletin of the Missouri Historical Society, and to professional journals such as the Educational Theatre Journal. Published topics include Thyrsus, the Little Theatre of St. Louis, the St. Louis Community Playhouse, and posthumous thoughts on Thomas Wood Stevens, William Roy Mackenzie, and Lucretia “Lily” Irwin. (B21/f1-2). Later in life William wrote reminiscences on certain topics. He typed his diary of a trip to Europe in 1908 in which he traveled with Aunt Nannie (Glasgow) and his cousin, Anna. The diary provides an almost daily account of their activities from the St. Louis departure. The diary ends in England, before their return. William’s “Confession of an Amateur” discusses his first stage appearances and his love of writing. With very little in the collection relating to his time in France, William’s “The First World War” provides valuable data about his service as an ambulance driver for the American Field Service. In “Theatrical Recollections” (handwritten), he explains his love of theatre and recounts stories of the actors and actresses that he met through the years, such as Maude and Otis Skinner. Prof. Carson reviewed books on theatre history for newspapers and for professional journals. It is unclear where some of the book reviews were published. Clippings of “Between Book End” did not identify from which newspaper they came (B21/f.14). There is one folder of book reviews about Prof. Carson’s own books, Letters of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kean Relating to the American Tours (1945) and The Theatre on the Frontier (1932). There are five radio talk scripts dating from 1938 to 1942. Only one script contains a note identifying KSD as the radio station for which it was composed. Topics include, “How to Understand a Play,” “The War Play,” and “The Art of Play Going.” The speeches include papers read before both local and professional associations. The Theatre Research Series is organized into two sections: general research and George Berrell. The folders are arranged alphabetically and include research on theatre history and people, including several individuals for whom Prof. Carson wrote entries in the Dictionary of American Biography. Prof. Carson donated notebooks belonging to Matthew C. Field (1836-1837) and Edwin Adams (1863-1864) to the Missouri Historical Society. There are several playbooks, among which is a typed copy of Desiree’s Baby: A Drama in One Act by Lelia Chopin Hattersly, Kate Chopin’s daughter (B23/f.10). Prof. Carson worked with the George B. Berrell Journals (A0118) at the Missouri Historical Society starting in 1925. He transcribed select volumes, however, he did not provide a complete transcription to place with the Journals, nor does a complete set appear in his research files. For the most complete transcriptions of volumes 1, 4, and 6 of the George Berrell Journals, researchers must use both collections. Notes appear on the folder list matching William’s transcripts to the correct volume in the Berrell Journals. Please note that a single Berrell volume may contain multiple titles (theatrical seasons). For his own use, Prof. Carson wrote a few informal indexes and notes to the Berrell journals using his transcriptions’ page numbers (B24/f.6-7). He collected excerpts that he might have used in subsequent publications, speeches, or in his classes. There is a folder of handwritten notes that may be drafts for talks or articles (B24/f.9). In one of these notes William recounts going through the journals in 1925 at the Missouri Historical Society’s Jefferson Memorial Building while the Muny Opera chorus rehearsed across the hall. He continues to tell of trying to locate George Barton Berrell, who was still living in 1925, and the subsequent letter that he received before losing track of him once again. Berrell’s journals set Carson on the trail for more biographical information on Berrell and on people and events mentioned in the journals, such as riots after an August 1871 election in Lexington, Kentucky. The William Carr Lane Research Series is arranged alphabetically by folder title. This series relates to Prof. Carson’s research on his great-grandfather, specifically to Lane’s tenure as Governor of the New Mexico Territory. Lane kept a diary of his journey from St. Louis to Santa Fe (31 July 1852 - 31 December 1853). In 1917, Ralph Emerson Twitchell published a portion of the diary (31 July 1852-4 Feb 1853) as Historical Sketch of Governor William Carr Lane (Santa Fe). However, Twitchell did not work from Lane’s original diary. He worked from a transcribed copy which was later returned to Carson’s aunt, Sarah Wilson [see Lane Collection /A0873, Box 5], and which Prof. Carson donated to the Missouri Historical Society. In 1964, Carson published the previously unpublished portion of the diary (February-December 1853) in an article for The New Mexico Historical Review, “William Carr Lane, Diary” (Vol.39; July 1964, October 1964, see MHS Library). He worked from a copy made from a transcript in the collection of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin (B24/f.19). In the preface to “William Carr Lane, Diary,” Prof. Carson explains the history of the original diary and its unknown fate. Prof. Carson also wrote other articles on his well-known grandfather and on Lane’s unmarried daughter, Anne Ewing Lane. The basis for his research was a plethora of Lane and Glasgow family letters, the originals of which he donated to the Missouri Historical Society over a number of years, and which can be found in the Lane Collection (A0873) and in the General Correspondence subseries of this collection. Prof. Carson transcribed many family letters that have been filed with the original letters in both collections. In examining Lane’s New Mexico diary, Prof. Carson compiled detailed footnotes. Research for these footnotes led him to consult documents from the National Archives and to compile biographical data on various individuals mentioned in the diary. Prof. Carson also secured typescripts of early St. Louis Board of Alderman meetings and notes from various sources including Missouri Republican newspaper articles. The Washington University Series pertains to William’s career at the school, from 1919 until his retirement in 1957. There are a few files on specific classes, notably a brief history of his playwriting class (English 16/XVI) and his activities with professional education associations. Elizabeth Carson donated money to have a seminar room in the Mallinkrodt Center named for Prof. Carson in 1972. There are group photographs from the 1957 Founders Days celebration and from William’s class reunions in 1963 and 1973. The William C. Carson Research Series is arranged alphabetically by folder title and contains research notes, correspondence, and a 2013 draft of Mr. Carson’s book, He Moved West with American: The Life and Times of Wm. Carr Lane, 1789-1863 (2016). Mr. Carson divided his research notes into time periods and that order has been maintained. He worked with local researchers and also wrote to many archival repositories for information during the course of writing his book. Mr. Carson also spoke with a few family members and kept notes on their conversations. The Diaries Series is arranged chronologically from 1905 to 1983. It contains daily diaries and appointment calendars belonging to both William and Elizabeth Carson. William was the more prominent diarist, filling volumes annually from 1923 until 1976. In the pre-printed diaries he used the few lines allotted for each day to note theatre performances attended, travel plans, lunch and dinner dates, evening plans, and the names of companions. Elizabeth’s volumes are mostly appointment books spanning from 1966 to 1982, with years 1974-1975 and 1977-1979 missing. Among the earliest volumes, William documented family trips to California in the summer of 1905. He and his parents stopped in San Francisco to see Uncle Frank (Glasgow) off to Japan on the Manchuria, a Pacific mail liner. From there they visited the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland, Oregon. In August and September 1907, William and his parents went to Yellowstone National Park where they again met with Uncle Frank who had broken ribs and several bear stories. His entries explain their tour of the park and their trip home via Denver, where they met his cousin, Charlies Glasgow, who attended school there. For an account of William’s trip to Lake Nipigon, Canada, see the Family Series (B19/f.8) and for an account of his trip to Europe, see the Writings Series (B21/f.9-10).