Collection inventory

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Chester A. Smith Collection

An inventory of his papers at Syracuse University

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Smith, Chester Allen, 1884-
Title: Chester A. Smith Collection
Inclusive Dates: 1792-1970
Quantity: 26.0 linear ft.
Abstract: Papers of the American author, Peekskill civic leader and Methodist Church activist. Collection contains personal and business papers, correspondence, manuscripts, diaries, family material, and clippings.
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

Chester A. Smith (1884-1972) was a resident of Peekskill in Westchester County, New York. He was a politician, writer, court stenographer, the author of several books, and a delegate to the 1933 New York convention for ratification of the 21st Amendment (repeal of Prohibition). He was also an active lay member of the Methodist Church and attended at least twelve General Conferences, including the 1960 Conference in Denver which took up the question of whether or not to continue segregation within its administrative structure, in the form of the separate "Central Jurisdiction." Smith spoke up strongly against the policy.

For more information, see "Chester A. Smith and the Fight to Make Peekskill a City," available online at http://notorc.blogspot.com/2010/04/chester-smith-and-fight-to-make.html.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Chester A. Smith Collection has been arranged according to subject matter into 13 categories: clippings, correspondence, files, legal matters, Edwin Markham, Methodist Church, memorabilia, parental effects, photographs, miscellaneous printed material, writings, diaries, and bound records.

One item of interest in the Files is a letter signed by former President Woodrow Wilson. The Parental effects series contains sympathy cards received at Smith's sister's death and the diaries and papers of his father. Also of interest is a New Testament printed in New York by William Durell in 1792.

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Arrangement of the Collection

Clippings, correspondence and diaries are arranged chronologically. All other material is arranged alphabetically by name, type of material, or topic.

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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

Special Collections Research Center has a substantial number of collections relating to Methodist church and clergy, as well as many printed items cataloged in our Rare Book holdings. Please refer to the SCRC Subject Index for a complete listing of manuscript collections, and search Libraries Search for cataloged items.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Smith, Chester Allen, 1884-

Subjects

Methodists -- United States.

Places

Peekskill (N.Y.)

Genres and Forms

Correspondence.
Deeds.
Diaries.
Photographs.
Speeches (documents)

Occupations

Authors.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Chester A. Smith Collection
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Finding Aid Information

Created by: MPK
Date: 23 Aug 1978
Revision history: 22 Jul 2009 - converted to EAD (MRC)

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Inventory

Clippings
Box 1 Miscellaneous (4 folders)
Box 1 1854
Box 1 1883
Box 1 1890-1900
Box 1 1901-1910
Box 1 1911-1920
Box 1 1921-1930
Box 1 1931-1940
Box 1 1941-1950
Box 1 1951-1960 (2 folders)
Box 1 1961-1970 (5 folders)
Correspondence
Cards
Box 2 Greeting (4 folders)
Box 2 Postal (5 folders)
Letters
Box 2 Miscellaneous (3 folders)
Box 2 Pre-1900
Box 2 1901-1920 (3 folders)
Box 2 1921-1930 (2 folders)
Box 3 1921-1930
Box 3 1931-1940 (3 folders)
Box 3 1941-1950 (3 folders)
Box 3 1951-1960 (6 folders)
Box 4 1961-1967 (10 folders)
Box 4 Telegrams
Files
Box 4 Miscellaneous (6 folders)
Box 5 A
Box 5 Affidavits
Box 5 American Committee for Nonparticipation in Japanese Aggression
Box 5 Autographs, Woodrow Wilson
Box 5 B
Box 5 Beautifying City
Box 5 Bible
Box 5 Bohlmann-Stevens Park
Box 5 Books
Box 5 Brown Plaza
Box 5 Burke
Box 5 C (2 folders)
Box 5 Cartoons
Box 5 Checks
Box 5 Church
Box 5 Clinton
Committee
Box 5 History
Box 5 Non-Partisan (2 folders)
Box 5 Welfare
Box 5 Cooper Park
Box 5 Croton Valley
Box 5 Curtis
Box 5 D
Box 5 Death Curve
Box 5 Depew
Box 5 Drew Seminary
Box 6 E
Box 6 Edith
Box 6 Expenses
Box 6 Experiences
Box 6 F
Box 6 First Methodist Church
Box 6 Friendly Town Park
Box 6 G (2 folders)
Box 6 God's Reserves
Box 6 I
Box 6 J (2 folders)
Box 6 K
Box 6 L
Box 6 League of Nations
Box 6 Letters (6 folders)
Box 6 Library
Box 6 Lincoln
Box 7 M
Box 7 MacKellar
Box 7 Markham Association
Box 7 Morschauser
Box 7 Museum (3 folders)
Box 7 N
Box 7 National Assets
Box 7 Carl Nelson
Box 7 Non-Conformists
Box 7 Non-Partisans
Box 7 North Alcove
Box 7 O
Box 7 P
Box 7 Parks
Box 7 Peekskill
Box 7 Peterson, Caleb
Box 7 Program Committee
Box 7 R
Box 7 S (2 folders)
Scholarship
Box 7 Miscellaneous
Box 7 Committee
Box 7 Fund (2 folders)
Box 7 Schools
Box 7 Sewage Disposal Plant
Box 8 Smith vs. Peekskill
Box 8 Smith, general
Box 8 Spiritual power
Box 8 State Aid
Box 8 Sustenation Society
Box 8 T
Box 8 Trustees Conference (2 folders)
Box 8 Unemployment
Box 8 Uniting Experience 1939
Box 8 V
Box 8 Veterans Case
Box 8 W
Box 8 Washington
Box 8 Who's Who In Peekskill
Box 8 World War Tablet
Box 8 Y.M.C.A.
Legal matters
Box 8 Miscellaneous
Box 8 City Hall (3 folders)
City Court
Box 8 Miscellaneous
Box 9 Miscellaneous (3 folders)
Box 9 Continental Methodist Church
Box 9 Judge Choutos
Box 9 Deeds (3 folders)
Box 9 Drew Seminary
Box 9 Federal Government
Box 9 Field Library (3 folders)
Friendly Town Association
Box 9 Miscellaneous (2 folders)
Box 10 Miscellaneous (2 folders)
Box 10 Museum
Box 10 Old Cemetery
Box 10 Parks Commission (3 folders)
Box 10 School Board
Box 10 State Government
Box 10 Wills
Box 10 Young Mens Christian Association of Peekskill
Edwin Markham
Box 10 Clippings
Correspondence
Letters
Box 10 Others
Box 10 Signed
Box 10 Notes, signed
Box 10 Telegrams
Box 10 Others
Box 10 Miscellaneous printing
Box 10 Photos
Box 10 Writings
Box 10 Writings, other (3 folders)
Methodist Church
Box 10 Miscellaneous
Box 11 Miscellaneous (5 folders)
Conferences
Box 11 Denver 1960 (4 folders)
Box 11 General 1964
Box 11 New York 1962 (2 folders)
Box 11 Correspondence
Box 12 Correspondence
Reports
Box 12 Annual 1944-1963 (15 folders)
Box 12 General Conference (2 folders)
Box 12 Legal
Box 12 Miscellaneous
Memorabilia
Miscellaneous
Box 12 Notes
Box 12 Printed material
Box 13 Printed material (3 folders)
Box 13 Typewritten material (2 folders)
Box 13 Souvenirs
Box 13 Tape recording
Box 13 Unidentified material
Parental effects
Box 13 Father
Box 13 Sister
Photographs
Box 13 Miscellaneous
Box 14 Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous printed material
Box 14 Books 1792-1966 (11 volumes)
Box 15 Pamphlets and magazines
Box 16 Pamphlets and magazines
Writings
Box 17 Books (9 volumes)
Typescripts
Box 17 A Layman's Sermons
Box 17 Abraham Lincoln (5 folders)
Box 17 American Opinion of European Civilization 1760 to 1776 (5 folders)
Box 18 Church and State In Maryland 1760 to 1776
Box 18 Fireplace Essays
Box 18 Firsts
Box 18 Methodists Tryst With God
Box 18 My Visit to the Holyland
Box 18 Peekskill: A Friendly Town
Box 18 The Drama of America (3 folders)
Box 18 The Drama of Lincoln (3 folders)
Box 18 The Drama of St. Paul
Box 18 The Homestead Club (2 folders)
Box 18 The Treasury
Box 19 Twelve Heroes From Palestine to America (2 folders)
Bound typescripts
Box 19 American Opinion of European Civilization 1760-1766
Box 19 Short subjects (3 folders)
Speeches
Radio
Box 19 Regular (4 folders)
Box 19 Religious (4 folders)
Box 20 Religious (3 folders)
Box 20 Unidentified fragments (5 folders)
Box 20 Shorthand (2 folders)
Box 20 Others (3 folders)
Box 20 Memoirs (2 volumes)
Diaries
Box 21 1897-1967 (88 volumes)
Bound records
Box 22 Miscellaneous (3 volumes)
Box 23 Miscellaneous (5 volumes)
Box 24 Miscellaneous (3 volumes)
Box 25 Miscellaneous (3 volumes)
Box 26 Miscellaneous (3 volumes)

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