Series 29d: Associated Correspondence and Papers, Eudora Welty Collection (Z/0301)

Series 29d: Associated Correspondence and Papers.

Dates: ca. 1930-1996; n.d.
Size: 2.22 cubic ft.

Introduction to the series:

This series consists of correspondence and other papers created or received by correspondents of Welty. These include “select” correspondents such as Mary Louise Aswell, Albert R. Erskine, Jr., Frank Lyell, Ken Millar, John Robinson, and Diarmuid Russell. While the letters are directed to correspondents other than Welty, a number of them concern her, her works, and her business affairs. The latter is particularly true of Diarmuid Russell’s correspondence in this series: it acts as a complement to Russell’s business correspondence with Welty in Series 43. There are numerous news articles and clippings: Mary Louise Aswell's correspondence contains clippings on Welty, sometimes sent her by other friends of Welty, while Albert Erskine’s papers in this series come from his office file at Random House on Eudora Welty, and therefore include numerous clippings relating to Losing Battles and The Optimist’s Daughter which Erskine edited.

This series of Associated Correspondence and Papers is organized into five subseries: four built around the principal correspondents: Mary Louise Aswell, Albert R. Erskine, John Robinson, and Diarmuid Russell; and a fifth categorized as Miscellaneous Correspondence since it consists of a small number of materials from a variety of correspondents.

In cases where the work is fragile, access is by permission of curator only. In some cases where copyright requires such measures, duplication is restricted.

Subseries 29d.1: Aswell, Mary Louise. Associated correspondence and news articles. 1951-1984; n.d. 0.44 cubic ft.

These papers of Mary Louise Aswell contain clippings relating to Welty and her works, as well as letters from Welty’s Jackson friends, including Charlotte Capers and Lehman Engel. In addition, there are letters to Aswell from other sources than Welty's circle, and from other literary figures, such as E. E. Cummings, William Gaddis, and Truman Capote biographer Gerald Clarke.

Subseries 29d.2: Erskine, Albert R., Jr. Associated correspondence and papers. 1967-1972; n.d. 0.45 cubic ft. 

The papers in this series from Albert Erskine’s office files on Welty include correspondence on copyright assignment and transfer, as well as on publishing and reprint rights; advertisements for Welty’s Losing Battles; and original and photocopied reviews and articles concerning Welty herself, as well as Losing Battles, The Optimist’s Daughter, and One Time, One Place. Of interest are several letters from Diarmuid Russell, defending Welty’s copyright and financial interests, and the photocopy of the review of Welty's novella published in The New Yorker, March 15, 1969, "The Optimist’s Daughter," by Reynolds Price.

Subseries 29d.3: Robinson, John Fraiser. Associated correspondence and papers. 1943-1950; n.d. 0.25 cubic ft. (25 folders).

These papers document the period of John Fraiser Robinson’s activity as a soldier in World War II and his efforts to become a writer in the 1940s. A substantial number of V-mails sent him principally by his sister Anna Bell Robinson Davis, other family members, and occasional acquaintances during World War II, and an invitation to a party given by a pro-Resistance publication in honor of the liberation of Algiers by the Allies, bear witness to his military service (box 439, folders 1-2). There are some miscellaneous materials, and a letter from poet and writer John Malcolm Brinnin (box 439, folder 4). 

But the majority of the papers concern Robinson’s own work as a writer. Three groups of materials found with different envelopes include some of his works. In the first group (box 439, folders 5-10), there are drafts and published versions of his “Room in Algiers,” and “The Rite of Spring,” which was published as “…All this Juice and All This Joy.” Also with this group is the published version of “The Inspector.” Its development from its earlier version, “The Back is Open” is demonstrated in the other two groups of materials, consisting primarily of different drafts and partial revisions of this story. There is also correspondence relating to its publication by Harper’s Magazine, and letters of encouragement from the magazine’s editor Katherine Gauss Jackson. While none of the letters were written to Welty, there are traces of her in these papers: Brinnin’s letter discusses Delta Wedding and his wish to meet Welty in New York; and a draft of "The Back is Open" (Box 439, folder 14) appears to bear edits by Welty.

Subseries 29d.4: Russell, Diarmuid. Associated correspondence and papers. 1940-1972; n.d. 0.75 cubic ft.

Consisting of originals and carbons, this subseries of papers from Diarmuid Russell's files complements letters of Russell found in Series 29b, the Select Correspondence, and the business papers sent to Welty found in Series 43. To facilitate research within these connected series, the associated correspondence of Diarmuid Russell has been arranged chronologically, and thereunder by name of correspondent. A folder list of the correspondence is provided below. The researcher should be aware that many of Russell's replies to correspondence existed in his files in the form of carbons; where these have proved too fragile for handling, the original carbon has been restricted and replaced in the open collection by a reference photocopy. 

This subseries opens with correspondence (Box 439, folders 26-30) documenting Diarmuid Russell's attempts to secure publication for Welty's individual stories; her novella, The Robber Bridegroom; and her collection, A Curtain of Green; in 1940-1941. Included in these papers are a copy of advertisement quotes sent by John Woodburn for A Curtain of Green; a copy of John Slocum's playful preview of The Robber Bridegroom; a copy of The Atlantic Monthly's promise of payment for "Powerhouse" and "Why I Live at the P. O."; and correspondence regarding the inclusion of "The Worn Path" in Herschel Brickell's 1941 publication of O. Henry prize-winning stories.

A number of letters concern copyright issues; requests for permission to publish, reprint, or translate, Welty's works, and the fees and royalties involved. There are letters addressing the United States government's requests to publish foreign editions of Welty's works during or after World War II. One can also trace the adaptations of Welty's stories into other formats through these letters: there are requests for permission to stage public readings; to create audio recordings for the American Foundation for the Blind; and several exchanges of letters concerning the dramatization of some stories for television or stage, including various productions of The Robber Bridegroom (i.e. the correspondence of Jesse Skolkin, 1950-1953), and the Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov production of The Ponder Heart (Box 440, folders 56-59).

Russell also answered requests for copies of Welty's works: in September 1954, Russell sent director Alfred Hitchcock a copy of The Ponder Heart (Box 440, folder 50). Russell also responded to requests for information about Welty's work: at the bottom of a letter asking the order in which the stories of The Golden Apples were written, Russell wrote in pencil the story names and the dates on which they were sent out to potential publishers (Box 440, folder 68).

A few letters shed light on Diarmuid Russell's own literary activity: an introduction by Russell and reviews written by him are topics of his correspondence with Robert van Gelder, editor of The New York Times Book Review (Box 439, folders 36, 37, and 40).

Russell's work as Welty's agent also led him to correspond with Welty's family and friends. There are several letters from Diarmuid Russell to Chestina Welty. Primarily concerning Mrs. Welty's receipt of contracts, royalty checks, and tax information for Eudora during her absences from home, some of Russell's letters include comments on Eudora Welty's activities. In addition to copies of his correspondence with her, there is a handwritten letter from Chestina Welty thanking him for booklets he sent her and requesting information for Eudora Welty's taxes (Box 40, folder 19). One piece of his correspondence with Chestina concerns a check Welty had left him for Elizabeth Bowen's expenses during Bowen's 1951 trip to the United States (Box 440, folder 31). There is additional evidence of Russell's support of Welty's friends. In 1949, Russell wrote to John Robinson agreeing to send a letter in support of a grant Robinson was seeking for his writing (Box 440, folder 14); in 1955, Welty's friend Rosa (Dolly) Wells wrote Diarmuid Russell, reporting on a job interview she had gone to on Russell's recommendation (Box 440, folder 54).

Subseries 29d.5: Miscellaneous correspondence and papers. ca. 1930-1996. 0.33 cubic ft.

This final subseries is organized primarily by principal correspondent, or type of material. These folders contain relatively few letters or papers. While none of the principal items were addressed to Welty, and indeed, some of the papers in this subseries may appear extraneous to this collection, many of their addressees or creators also appear in Series 29b, the Select Correspondence, and were either friends or professional associates of Eudora Welty. In some instances, the letters ask them to relay requests or transmit manuscripts to Eudora Welty, and in numerous cases the letters either concern Welty's work or were occasioned by her activities.

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