John Vance Cheney Papers mssCH
Gayle Richardson
The Huntington Library
November 2020
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
reference@huntington.org
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: John Vance Cheney papers
Creator:
Cheney, John Vance,
1848-1922
Identifier/Call Number: mssCH
Physical Description:
3.6 Linear Feet
(3 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1776-1895
Date (bulk): 1885-1895
Abstract: A collection of material related to the
life and work of John Vance Cheney, American author and librarian.
Language of Material: Materials are in
English.
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at
the Huntington Library for more information.
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from
or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The
responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining
necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
[Identification of item]. John Vance Cheney papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino,
California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Dawson's Book Shop, 1952.
John Vance Cheney (1848-1922) was an author and librarian. Cheney grew up in Dorset,
Vermont, where he studied law and was admitted to the bar; however, he decided not to
practice law and moved to California. From 1873 he was a frequent contributor of poetry to
periodicals, especially to the "Century." From 1887 to 1894 he served as librarian of the
San Francisco Free Library. His literary associates included John Muir, Edwin Markham and
Joaquin Miller. In 1894 Cheney moved to Chicago to become librarian of the Newberry Library,
where he remained until 1909; his last years were spent in San Diego, California.
A collection of 218 items covering the years 1776-1895, which consists primarily of letters
from publishers regarding Cheney's writings, especially his poetry, and letters from
literary associates. Correspondents include: Ina Donna Coolbrith, Richard Watson Gilder,
Edwin Markham, Joaquin Miller, Adolph Sutro, and Edmund Clarence Stedman. There is also one
letter by Daniel Webster written shortly before his death. Several letters also deal with
the Oakland Public Library and San Francisco Free Library.
Processed by Huntington Library Staff in May 1955. In 2020, Gayle Richardson created the
finding aid derived from a legacy summary report.
Arranged chronologically.
Individual call numbers included in the collection: mssCH 1-218.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Librarians -- California
Libraries -- United States -- 19th century
Poets, American -- 19th century
Letters (correspondence) -- United States -- 19th century
Coolbrith, Ina D. (Ina Donna),
1841-1928
Gilder, Richard Watson, 1844-1909
Markham, Edwin,
1852-1940
Miller, Joaquin,
1837-1913
Stedman, Edmund Clarence,
1833-1908
Sutro, Adolph,
1830-1898
Webster, Daniel,
1782-1852
Oakland Public Library
(Calif.)
San Francisco Public
Library
Box 1, Folder 1-66
1776-1887
Box 2, Folder 1-70
1888-1890
Box 3, Folder 1-75
1891-1895