Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Robertson, Constance Noyes.
Title:	Constance Pierrepont Noyes Robertson Papers
Inclusive Dates:	1837-1972
Quantity:	18.0 linear ft.
Abstract:	Papers of the American novelist and author of books about the Oneida Community. Granddaughter of Oneida Community founder John Humphrey Noyes. Collection contains correspondence (1931-1972); manuscript articles and novels; research notes and drafts of articles, novels, speeches, stories; and memorabilia, including clippings, photographs, and reviews of her books. Some of the material relates to the Oneida Community and John Humphrey Noyes. Correspondence includes single letters of Carl Carmer and Alexander Wilder.
Language:	English
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

Constance Pierrepont Noyes Robertson (1897-1985) was an American author, related to the Noyes family who founded the Oneida Community in Oneida, New York.

Constance Robertson was born in Niagara Falls, Ontario on September 27, 1897, the daughter of Pierrepont Burt and Corrina Ackley Kinsey Noyes. She was brought up in New York State where her family has long been connected with the Oneida Community, founded by her grandfather, John Humphrey Noyes in 1847. She graduated from Dana Hall in Wellesley, Massachusetts,in 1916 and attended the University of Wisconsin for two years. In 1918 she married Miles Robertson. After living in Syndey, Australia, the couple spent a year in the Far East and then went to London. They returned to the United States in 1921.

Mrs. Robertson first sold one of her writings, based on an experience in China, in 1920. From 1925-1930 she was editor of a small privately printed magazine. In 1931, her novel Enchanted Avenue was published. Five Fatal Letters, published in 1937 and written under the pseudonym "Dana Scott," won the novel prize at the Bread Loaf Writers Conference. Her first historical novel, Seek No Further, appeared in 1938, followed by Salute to the Hero, 1942; Fire Bell in the Night, 1944; The Unterrified, 1946; and The Golden Circle, 1951. Six Weeks in March was published in 1952 and Go and Catch a Falling Star in 1957.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Constance Robertson Papers are divided into three sections: correspondence, writings and memorabilia.

Correspondence, 1936-1953, consists of a few miscellaneous personal letters arranged chronologically. The bulk of the correspondence, 1931-1957, relates to individual writings and is included in the writings group with the appropriate manuscript.

Writings, 1843-1951, 1931-1966, consists of manuscripts and a small number of published pieces by Mrs. Robertson. Relevant materials such as correspondence, research material and notes, publicity and book reviews are included with most titles. The correspondence, 1931-1957, consists largely of incoming letters relating to Mrs. Robertson's requests for bibliographical and other research aids, and comments on her books after publication. There is a large number of letters from Edna Jacobsen, head of the Manuscripts and Historical Section of the New York State Library and from the American Library Service. Other correspondents include book dealers, public and university libraries, historical associations, publishers and friends. The Fire Bell in the Night correspondence folder includes two letters, January 8 and 26, 1943, and a manuscript on the "Jerry Rescue" by W. Freeman Galpin. A letter, November 2, 1936, containing research suggestions from Carl Carmer is included in the Seek No Further correspondence folder. Research material for Seek No Further contains copies of the only two issues published of the Spiritual Moralist, June 13 and 25, 1842, edited by John Humphrey Noyes and George Cragin. Also included are two manuscripts, 1843, by John Humphrey Noyes; two manuscripts, 1851, by an unknown writer; a letter dated November 23, 1843 from Alexander Wilder about spiritualism and a letter from John Humphrey Noyes, January 15, 1837 about religion, marriage and personal affairs.

Memorabilia, 1926-1957, includes newspaper clippings about Mrs. Robertson, her father Pierrepont B. Noyes, local history and miscellaneous subjects. Photographs of Mrs. Robertson, a concert program and list of names are also included.

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Arrangement of the Collection

Material is arranged alphabetically by type and then by title.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

For more information about the Oneida Community, see the Oneida Community Papers and the P. Geoffrey Noyes Papers.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Corporate Bodies

Subjects

Places

Genres and Forms

Occupations

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Constance Pierrepont Noyes Robertson Papers
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Constance Noyes Robertson Estate, 1968, 1972, 1987.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: MFA
Date: Dec 1968
Revision history: 30 Jun 2009 - converted to EAD (MRC)

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Inventory

	Correspondence
Box 1		Miscellaneous 1936-1953

	Writings
		Articles
Box 1			"Most Women Live in Dream World," New York Sun and the Syracuse Post Standard September 26, 1931; September 27, 1931
			"St. Albans Raid"
Box 1				Correspondence 1946-1952
Box 1				Research material and notes - holograph and typescript
Box 1			"So Far As You Need Me" April 1947 - draft A, typescript carbon revised; draft B, typescript carbon; printed material, Reader's Digest
Box 1			"Straw For These Bricks" - original typescript
Box 1			"Where the Sun Shines Out" 1948 - correspondence; draft A, original typescript, revised; draft B, typescript carbon
		Books
Box 1			Enchanted Avenue 1931 - book reviews, printed material
			Fire Bell in the Night
Box 1				Correspondence 1941-1951 (2 folders)
				Research material and notes
Box 1					Anti-slavery - holograph
Box 1					Jerry Rescue / W. Freeman Galpin - holograph
Box 1					Outline - holograph
Box 1					Gerrit Smith - holograph
					Syracuse, New York
Box 1						Bibliography - holograph
Box 1						Local color - holograph
Box 1						Maps, manuscripts
Box 1						People - holograph
Box 1						Pictures 1942-1944 - printed material
Box 1					Underground railroad 1943-1944 - holograph, printed material
				First draft - original and carbon typescript
Box 1					Chapter 1-8
Box 2					Chapter 9-19
Box 2				Condensation in Negro Digest August 1944 - printed material
Box 2				Publicity 1944
Box 2				Book reviews 1944-1956 - printed material
Box 2				Book reviews analysis - original typescript
			Five Fatal Letters
Box 2				Correspondence 1933-1938
Box 2				Fragment - holograph and typescript
Box 2				Published in Syracuse Herald May 22, 1938
Box 2				Book reviews 1937-1938 - printed material
			Go and Catch a Falling Star
Box 2				Correspondence 1954-1958
Box 2				Research material and notes, outline, synopsis - holograph
				Draft A - original and carbon typescript, revisions
Box 2					Chapters I-VI
Box 3					Chapters VII-XVI (2 folders)
Box 3				Draft B, Chapters I-XVIII 1957 - typescript carbon (3 folders)
				Printer's copy, annotated 1957 - original typescript
Box 3					Chapters I-V
Box 4					Chapters VI-XVIII (2 folders)
Box 4				Published in The Sunday Bulletin, Philadelphia February 9, 1958
Box 4				Publicity 1957 - printed material
Box 4				Book reviews 1957-1958 - printed material
			The Golden Circle
Box 4				Correspondence 1946-1954
				Research material and notes
Box 4					Bibliography - holograph and typescript
Box 4					Chronologies - holograph and typescript
Box 5					Civil War - holograph, printed material
Box 5					Draft, army - holograph
Box 5					Holmes County - typescript
Box 5					Maps - holograph
Box 5					Morgan Escape - holograph and typescript
Box 5					Morgan-Hines Raid - typescript
Box 5					Outline - holograph
Box 5					Vallandigham, Clement - typescript and holograph
Box 5					Working notes - holograph and typescript
				Draft A - original and carbon typescript
Box 5					Chapter 1-18 (2 folders)
Box 6					Chapter 19-26
Box 6				Draft B, Chapters 1-23 - original and carbon typescript, revised (2 folders)
				Printer's copy 1951 - original typescript
Box 6					Chapters 1-11
Box 7					Chapter 12-21
Box 7				Excerpts - original and carbon typescript
Box 7				Condensation in Sunday Bulletin, Philadelphia April 20, 1952
				Publicity
Box 7					Printed material 1951-1952
Box 7					TV program 1951 - typescript carbon
Box 7				Book reviews 1951-1952 - printed material
			Mystery Story
Box 7				Research material and notes 1928 - holograph, printed material
Box 7				Draft 1932 - original and carbon typescript
			Perchance to Dream
Box 7				Correspondence 1930-1931
			Salute to the Hero
Box 7				Correspondence 1940-1943
				Research material and notes
Box 7					Bibliography 1937-1940 - holograph
Box 8					Bibliography, General Daniel E. Sickles - holograph and typescript
Box 8					Gettysburg - holograph
Box 8					Lincoln panel - holograph
Box 8					New York State politics - holograph
Box 8					General Daniel E. Sickles 1903 - holograph, printed material
Box 8					South Carolina episode 1938 - holograph, printed material
Box 8					Speech panel - holograph
Box 8					Tammany Hall - holograph
Box 8					Virginius panel - holograph
Box 8					Washington, D.C. - typescript
Box 8					Washington, D.C., geography - holograph, printed material
Box 8					Wikoff material - holograph
				Draft A - original and carbon typescript, revised
Box 8					Parts I and II (2 folders)
Box 9					Part III
Box 9				Draft B, Parts I, II, III - original and carbon typescript
Box 9				Publicity 1942 - printed material
Box 9				Book reviews 1942 - printed material
			Saratoga
Box 10				Correspondence 1937-1941
				Research material and notes
Box 10					Anecdotes and incidents - holograph
Box 10					Civil War - holograph
Box 10					Colloquialisms - holograph
Box 10					Costumes - holograph, printed material
Box 10					The Cure - holograph
Box 10					Geography - holograph
Box 10					Hotel data - holograph, printed material
Box 10					Local color - holograph
Box 10					Maps, manuscripts
Box 10					Miscellaneous - holograph
Box 10					Newspaper clippings, 1746-1899 1938
Box 10					Occupations - holograph
Box 10					Outline - holograph, typescript
Box 10					Politics - holograph
Box 10					The races - holograph
Box 10					Social scene - holograph
Box 10					Songs - holograph, typescript, mimeo
Box 10					Story notes - holograph
Box 10					Transportation and communication - holograph
Box 10					Working material - holograph
			Seek No Further
Box 10				Corresondence 1931-1947
				Research material and notes
Box 10					Bibliographies - holograph, typescripts
Box 10					Kiantone Valley, new motor power / John Murray Spear - holograph
Box 10					Kiantone Valley, "The Kiantone Valley and the Association of Beneficents," author unknown; "Odd House at Georgetown," author unknown; "Socrates tries City Management" by William S. Bailey - typescripts, typescript copies of printed material
Box 11					Plot material - holograph
Box 11					Miscellaneous 1837-1843
						Spiritualism, correspondence, 1837-1843, John Humphrey Noyes, Alexander Wilder Holograph manuscripts by John Humphrey Noyes, 1843-1851 Printed material, The Spiritual Moralist, ed. by John Humphrey Noyes and George Cragin, June 13, 25, 1842
Box 11					Spiritualists - holograph, printed material
Box 11				Draft A, Chapters I-XXV - original and carbon typescript, revised (2 folders)
Box 11				Draft B, Chapters I-XXV - original and carbon typescript, revised (2 folders)
Box 11				Book reviews 1938 - printed material
			Shakers
Box 12				Correspondence 1959
				Research material and notes
Box 12					Bibliography - holograph, tyepscript
Box 12					Microfilm
Box 12					Miscellaneous - holograph
Box 12					Outline synopsis - holograph
			Six Weeks in March
Box 12				Correspondence 1949-1953
Box 12				Research material and notes, working notes - holograph
Box 12				First draft - original and carbon typescript
Box 12				Publicity - printed material, photographs
Box 12				Book reviews 1952-1953 - printed material
			The Unterrified
Box 12				Correspondence 1943-1950
				Research material and notes
Box 12					Albany, New York - holograph
Box 12					John Andrews and General John A. Green, Jr. - holograph, typescript
Box 12					Bibliography - holograph, typescript
Box 13					Bibliography, riots - holograph, typescript
Box 13					Copperheads - holograph
Box 13					New York City, local detail - holograph
Box 13					New York Herald Tribune, notes 1963 - holograph
Box 13					New York State railroads - typescript
Box 13					Outline - holograph and typescript
Box 13					Politics - holograph
Box 13					Governor Horatio Seymour letters - holograph
					Troy, New York
Box 13						Local detail, map - holograph
Box 13						Regiment - holograph
Box 13						Riots - holograph
Box 13					United States Army - holograph
Box 13					United States politics - holograph
Box 13					Working notes - holograph
				Draft A - original and carbon typescript, revised
Box 13					Chapters I-IX
Box 14					Chapters X-XX (2 folders)
Box 14				Printer's copy, Chapters 1-40 - typescript carbon, revised (4 folders)
Box 14				Publicity 1946 - printed material
Box 14				Book reviews 1946 - printed material
		Letters to the Editor
Box 15			Miscellaneous 1946
		Short Stories
Box 15			"Address to Captain White Eyes" 1943 - typescript carbon, correspondence
Box 15			"The Diving Bell" - original typescript
Box 15			"The Honey House" - typescript carbon
Box 15			"I'll Never Get Old" 1954-1955 - holograph notes; draft A, original typescript, revised; draft B, original typescript, revised, typescript carbon, revised; correspondence
Box 15			"Ma and the Devil's Picture Books" - original typescript, revised
Box 15			"Major Barley Settles the Odds" - original typescript
Box 15			"The Novel Necromancer" - original typescript
		Speeches
Box 15			The Albany (New York) Club Jan. 8, 1947 - typescript carbon, revised
Box 15			American Legion Nov. 22, 1952 - original typescript, revised
Box 15			Beta Sigma Phi Nov. 18, 1952 - original typescript, revised
Box 15			CAC Women's Division, Cooperstown, New York Nov. 15, 1949 - original and carbon typescript, revised
Box 15			CAC Women's Division, Cooperstown, New York May 21, 1955 - holograph and original typescript, revised
Box 15			Canastota Lion's Club 1965 - original typescript, revised
Box 15			Columbian Club Oct. 1943 - holograph and typescript, notes only
Box 15			Friends of Reading, Syracuse, New York Nov. 27, 1944 - draft A, original typescript revised; draft B, original typescript, revised
Box 15			Hamilton, New York Fortnightly Club April 22, 1947 - original typescript
Box 15			re Aldous Huxley - holograph notes only
Box 15			Kanateenah Club - holograph, typescript notes only
Box 15			re Jessie Catherine Kinsley 1954 - original typescript, revised and holograph notes
Box 15			Ladies of Rotary April 9, 1957 - original typescript and holograph notes
Box 15			Librarians Meeting Sept. 24, 1949 - holograph notes only
Box 15			Madison County Historical Society 1936-1943 - original and carbon typescript, revised
Box 15			Mansion House May 14, 1944 - holograph and typescript notes only
Box 15			New York Library System 1963-1966 - original and carbon typescript
Box 15			Oneida County Historical Society Dec. 2, 1946 - typescript carbon, revised, printed material
Box 16			Oneida County Historical Society Oct. 15, 1952 - holograph; draft A, original typescript, revised; draft B, original typescript revised
Box 16			Oneidas Club Nov. 4, 8, 21, 1946 - holograph and typescript notes
Box 16			Onondaga County Historical Association April 14, 1944 - draft A, original typescript, revised; draft B, typescript carbon
Box 16			Onondaga County Historical Association Oct. 12, 1951 - original typescript
Box 16			Plymouth Church Auxiliary March, 1943 - original typescript, revised
Box 16			Progress Club, Oneida, New York Dec. 5, 1943 - holograph, typescript notes only
Box 16			Progress Club, 20th Century Club, Oneida, New York [same speech] Oct. 4, 1945; Nov. 11, 1946 - original typescript revised
Box 16			Progress Club Oct. 28, 1954 - original and carbon typescript, revised
Box 16			Rome (New York) Wednesday Morning Club Dec. 6, 1944 - typescript notes only
Box 16			Rome (New York) Wednesday Morning Club Oct. 8, 1958 - original typescript
Box 16			Rotary Club March 27, 1953, Oct. 30, 1953 - original typescript, typescript notes only
Box 16			Schenectady Women's Club Feb. 16, 1948 - original typescript, incomplete
Box 16			Sherrill Public Library May 18, 1944 - holograph and typescript, notes only
Box 16			Syracuse Corinthian Club June 8, 1954, Oct. 21, 1954 - research material and holograph notes only; also Progress Club, Oneida
Box 16			Zonta Club Nov. 7, 1946 - holograph and typescript notes only
Box 16			Unidentified - holograph
Box 16			List - holograph
		Unidentified
Box 16			Writings, research material and notes, printed material, correspondence

	Memorabilia
		Articles
Box 16			Case, Richard G. / "The Oneida Community Lives on in Spirit," Empire, Syracuse Herald-American June 1970
		Newspaper Clippings
Box 16			Constance Robertson 1938-1957
Box 16			Pierrepont B. Noyes 1944-1946
Box 16			Local history 1881, 1950-1959
Box 16			Miscellaneous 1926-1948
Box 16		Photographs, programs, lists 1942-1955

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