Dickey mss., 1872-1941
Summary Information
Repository
Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
Lilly Library
Indiana University
1200 E. Seventh St.
Bloomington, IN 47405-5500
Phone: 812-855-2452
Fax: 812-855-3143
Email: liblilly@indiana.edu
Creator
Dickey, J. M. (John Marcus)
TitleDickey mss., 1872-1941
Collection No.
LMC 1312
Extent
2,161 items
Language
Materials are in English.
Abstract
The Dickey mss., 1872-1941, consists of
the papers of John Marcus Dickey, 1859-1950, secretary, platform manager, and
biographer of James Whitcomb Riley.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research.
Biographical Note
Dickey was born on September 26, 1859 near Longwood, Fayette County, Indiana. He
attended the Indiana State Normal School, Terre Haute, Indiana, 1880-1883; taught
history and literature at the Fairmont, Indiana Academy, 1887-1889; was principal of
the public schools, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1890-1892; was director of the Rocky
Mountain Lyceum, Denver, Colorado, 1892-1896; and served James Whitcomb Riley as
platform manager, 1896-1901, and as secretary, 1901-1906. From 1905 on he lived at
Bear Wallow, Brown County, Indiana. His published works are
Columbus and His Monument (1893);
The Youth of
James Whitcomb Riley
(1919);
The Maturity of
James Whitcomb Riley
(1922) and various articles in periodicals.
Scope and Content Note
The James Whitcomb Riley material in the collection includes tour receipts, 1897,
1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, and 1903; letters and copies of letters, 1901-1917, written
by Dickey as Riley's secretary and biographer; manuscripts of writings of Dickey
about Riley, including an early holograph draft and a revised typescript of
"The maturity of James Whitcomb Riley,"
a complete
early holograph draft, a revised partial typescript (Chap. 1-17) and a later
typescript of Chap. 18 only of
"The Youth of James
Whitcomb Riley,"
a partial early draft and two later typescripts of
"Memories of James Whitcomb Riley,"
a
holograph draft of the
"Orphant Annie book,"
five
typescripts of
"Orphant Annie days,"
and
miscellaneous articles; notes relating to Riley; letters written to Dickey,
1892-1925, primarily related to Dickey's search for material for Riley's biography;
an undated
"Index to the works of James Whitcomb
Riley,"
by Katherine Josephine Dowling; and an undated bibliography of
Riley's writings appearing in newspapers.
Other papers of Dickey in the collection include his diaries, 1885-1896 and 1908; a
typescript of
"The forest life of Abraham
Lincoln;"
three typescripts of
"The light of
Beacon Ridge;"
miscellaneous short writings; and scrapbooks.
Also included are autograph books 1872, 1878, and 1879, and scrapbooks of Isabelle E.
(White) Dickey, and a ""Diary kept first time in crossing
the ocean from Glasgow to New York," September 12-October 5, 1879, by J.A.
Campbell.
Among the Miscellaneous items is a block of unfinished wood, 9 3/4 x 4 7/8 x 1
inches, on which is written in pencil in the hand of John Marcus Dickey a verse in
the style of James Whitcomb Riley.
Related Material
Guide to
the Collections: James Whitcomb Riley.
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
Acquired 1951, 1956, 1961
Usage RestrictionsPrior arrangements are not necessary before coming to the Library, however,
patrons from out of town are encouraged to communicate with the Library in
advance of their visits to ascertain availability of materials.
Photocopying permitted only with permission of the Curator of Manuscripts, Lilly
Library.
Preferred Citation
Dickey mss., Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.
Series:
Box 1
Collection
Box 1
Correspondence, 1892 - Dec. 15, 1902
Box 2
Correspondence, Dec. 26, 1902 - n.d.
Riley tour receipts, Oct. 1898 - 1901
Box 3
Riley tour receipts, Nov. 1898 - 1901
Box 4
Riley tour receipts, 1903
Writings:
Orphant Annie Book
Box 5
Writings:
The Maturity of J.W. Riley
Writings of J.W. Riley
Box 6
Writings:
The Youth of J.W. Riley
A-Z
Box 7
Misc. notebooks, scrapbooks.
Writings:
Memories 1 and 2
Box 8
Riley letters copied by Dickey.
Writings:
Forest Life
Light of Beacon Ridge
Box 9
Pictures.
Box 10
Notebooks (60) about Riley.
Annotated table of contents for The Youth of James Whitcomb
Riley
(2 sets)
Box 11
Contains 14 journals from 1879-1908, an undated journal, notebook from ca. 1907, and scrapbook from 1890s.
Oversize 1
4 photographs
