Search

Correspondence, manuscripts, documents, memorabilia, photographs, journals, drawings, and sketchbooks of David Hunter Strother (1816-1888), a nineteenth century illustrator and writer for Harpers Magazine whose pseudonym, "Porte Crayon", was a household word. Other highlights of his career, all of which are reflected in this collection, are authorship of Virginia Illustrated (1857) and Charleston and its Resources (1878), his work as illustrator for Blackwater Chronicle (1853), service during the Civil War as a Union officer, stint as a newspaper editor, and Consul-Generalship to Mexico (1879-1885). According to Strother's biographer, Cecil D. Eby Jr., his writings linked the two traditions of literature in the south, "the genteel romanticism of the sentimental novelists and the earthy realism of the frontier humorists." In 1872-1875 Strother wrote The Mountains, which Eby considers the first important presentation of West Virginia in literature. The collection includes roughly 590 drawings and sketches, 44 volumes of journals, and several boxes of correspondence. An addendum of 2015/06/13 includes one drawing. An addendum of 2007/02/08 includes correspondence, newspaper clippings, announcements, and photographs regarding Strother and related families of the Eastern panhandle of West Virginia. An addendum of 2021/06/04 contains an abridged transcription by Cecil D. Eby Jr., of Strother's diary, 1879-1880, when Strother was General Consul to Mexico. For contents of the addenda and link to the digital collection: Drawings of David Hunter Strother, please see the Scope and Content Note.

Signed pen and ink artwork of woman on roller skates by Edward Winsor Kemble (18 January 1861 - 19 September 1933), an American artist know for his work in magazines such as Life, Collier's, and Harper's Weekly as well as for illustrating the works of Mark Twain. This illustration was found inside a 1885 first edition of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" (call number 817 C571h6 b). This illustration does not appear in the book.

Photocopy of biographical article (1974) about Ella Orr Rightmire (1881-1973), an artist from Preston and Tucker Counties, West Virginia. She also briefly served as mayor of Parsons. Also includes three photographs (2013) of a set of three tiles, a lamp, and a teapot that Mrs. Rightmire painted. There are eleven .jpg files of these three items taken prior to being returned.

Papers of George Bird Evans, a widely published author and illustrator of books and articles regarding hunting and bird dog breeding. Most of his work was produced at his home "Old Hemlock" in Preston County, West Virginia. Records document his careers as an author of books and articles regarding bird dog hunting; as a breeder of quality bird dogs; an illustrator for several national magazines and the United States Navy during World War II; and as co-author with his wife, Kay Evans, of mystery novels. Materials include: George Bird Evans' Gun Diary with entries and illustrations regarding hunting, fishing, and dog breeding experiences for 65 years; correspondence with friends, patrons, publishers, and other hunters; manuscripts and galleys; cassette tapes (2 items) of recordings of readings by George and Kay Evans; DVDs (3 items) containing 188 digital scans of illustrations by George Bird Evans; and a scrapbook documenting the Evans' career as mystery writers under the pen name "Brandon Bird". There are also 32 oversize drawings by G.B. Evans; oversized photographs and art pieces (7 items) of George Bird Evans, Kay Evans, and their dogs; a DVD of an 18 minute motion picture regarding George Bird Evans; and several sportsman journals, most with published articles by George Bird Evans.

One commercially published print of a painting by George Senseney (11 in. x 16 in.). The image apparently depicts a veteran Civil War soldier; in front of him is an open chest, on his knee is a sword; across the room is someone who is apparently his daughter with a United States flag in her hands.

Papers, news clippings, programs, photos, certificates, and artwork of West Virginia artist, Grace Martin Taylor, who taught in Charleston at Mason College, and later at Morris Harvey. Her art, in several media including oils and watercolor, is modernist in style, showing a preference for abstraction. Also included is some material regarding her daughter, Lucie Anne Mellert, and her promotion of Taylor's art.

Artwork, photography, and papers of James Edward Davis, an artist born in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Davis studied art at Princeton University and had a prolific and varied artistic career, being particularly noted for his experimental abstract films involving color, light, and movement. This collection contains paintings, sketches, mobiles, photographic prints, transparencies, memoirs, notes on Frank Lloyd Wright and John Marin, and other material. There are addenda to this collection, which include memoirs and other writings, correspondence, material regarding Julia Davis and John W. Davis (relatives of James Davis), and other material. See "Scope and Content Note" and "Historical Note" for further information regarding this collection.