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Collection Overview

Creator:
Myers, William Starr, 1877-1956
Title:
William Starr Myers Papers
Repository:
Public Policy Papers
Permanent URL:
http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/g732d897q
Dates:
1877-1974 (mostly 1897-1956)
Size:
36 boxes
Storage Note:
  • Mudd Manuscript Library (scamudd): Box 1-36
Language:
English

Abstract

William Starr Myers (1877-1954) was a professor of history and politics at Princeton University and a noted historian of New Jersey and the Republican Party. The William Starr Myers Papers document the history of his teaching career and published works.

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

The William Starr Myers Papers document his teaching career and published works, and include diaries, drafts, notes, lectures, correspondence, printed material, photographs, and scrapbooks. Myers' work as a professor, examples of Myers' professional involvement, and areas of focus are evident throughout the collection. Myers' areas of study include the Republican Party, New Jersey history, and Far East Asian politics. Record of Myers' personal life is evident in his diaries and engagement books and the correspondence with his family.

Please see series descriptions in contents list for additional information about individual series.

Collection Creator Biography:

Myers, William Starr, 1877-1956

William Starr Myers (1877-1954) was a professor of history and politics at Princeton University and a noted historian of New Jersey and the Republican Party. Myers was born in Baltimore on June 17, 1877. He graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1897 and received his PhD in Philosophy from Johns Hopkins in 1900. Myers' first job after graduation was as Master in History at the Gilman School in Baltimore. In 1906, Woodrow Wilson summoned Myers to Princeton to become a preceptor in history at Princeton University. Myers became a Professor of History and Politics in 1918 and served in that position until he became Professor Emeritus in June 1943.

Myers was a respected historian who published numerous noteworthy books during his career. He often wrote on the subject of contemporary history. Myers became an authority on the history of the Republican Party in the early twentieth century by publishing books such as The Republican Party: A History (1928) and The Hoover Administration (1936). Always active in Republican Party affairs both local and national, Myers eventually became friends with Herbert Hoover and edited a collection of Hoover's papers and writings. Myers was also a noted New Jersey historian, publishing a history of the state and a history of the Battle of Monmouth. He was instrumental in the campaign to gain National Historic Landmark status for the Princeton Battlefield. Myers was quite active professionally. He served as a lecturer at the Army War College in Washington, D.C. from 1920 to 1940, published regularly in historical journals, and attended and spoke at numerous roundtable conferences. Away from the history profession, Myers was a practicing Episcopalian, serving as president of the board of managers of the Evangelical Education Society for nearly a decade. Myers was also a Trustee of the Lake Placid Club Education Foundation from 1929 to 1931 and a member of the Small Loans Commission of New Jersey from 1931 to 1932.


Myers, William Starr, 1877-1956

William Starr Myers (1877-1954) was a professor of history and politics at Princeton University and a noted historian of New Jersey and the Republican Party. Myers was born in Baltimore on June 17, 1877. He graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1897 and received his PhD in Philosophy from Johns Hopkins in 1900. Myers' first job after graduation was as Master in History at the Gilman School in Baltimore. In 1906, Woodrow Wilson summoned Myers to Princeton to become a preceptor in history at Princeton University. Myers became a Professor of History and Politics in 1918 and served in that position until he became Professor Emeritus in June 1943.

Myers was a respected historian who published numerous noteworthy books during his career. He often wrote on the subject of contemporary history. Myers became an authority on the history of the Republican Party in the early twentieth century by publishing books such as The Republican Party: A History (1928) and The Hoover Administration (1936). Always active in Republican Party affairs both local and national, Myers eventually became friends with Herbert Hoover and edited a collection of Hoover's papers and writings. Myers was also a noted New Jersey historian, publishing a history of the state and a history of the Battle of Monmouth. He was instrumental in the campaign to gain National Historic Landmark status for the Princeton Battlefield. Myers was quite active professionally. He served as a lecturer at the Army War College in Washington, D.C. from 1920 to 1940, published regularly in historical journals, and attended and spoke at numerous roundtable conferences. Away from the history profession, Myers was a practicing Episcopalian, serving as president of the board of managers of the Evangelical Education Society for nearly a decade. Myers was also a Trustee of the Lake Placid Club Education Foundation from 1929 to 1931 and a member of the Small Loans Commission of New Jersey from 1931 to 1932.

Collection History

Acquisition:

The bulk of the collection was donated by Mrs. Margaret Myers in May 1956 . The two sketches by J. N. Darling were donated by John Hull McLean in June 1994 .

Appraisal

Photographic negatives, which had deteriorated, as well as sheet music have been removed.

Sponsorship:

These papers were processed with an operating support grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Casey Babcock in October 2007. Finding aid written by Casey Babcock in October 2007.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Credit this material:

William Starr Myers Papers; Public Policy Papers, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Permanent URL:
http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/g732d897q
Location:
Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library
65 Olden Street
Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
(609) 258-6345
Storage Note:
  • Mudd Manuscript Library (scamudd): Box 1-36

Find More

Existence and Location of Copies

Microfilm of the diaries appears at the end of Subseries 1A: Diaries.

Related Materials

Other material at the Mudd Manuscript Library relating to William Starr Myers can be found within the Princeton University Archives including, the Faculty Off-Prints Collection (AC121), the Lecture Notes Collection (AC052), and Myers' faculty file.

Bibliography

Material within William Starr Myers' faculty file, part of the Princeton University Archives, was consulted during the preparation of this finding aid.

Subject Terms:
Generals -- United States -- 20th century -- Biographies.
Historians -- New Jersey -- Princeton -- 20th century -- Correspondence.
Political scientists -- New Jersey -- Princeton -- 20th century -- Correspondence.
Genre Terms:
Correspondence
Diaries.
Faculty papers.
Lectures.
Manuscripts.
Names:
Republican Party (N.J.)
Princeton University
Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924.
Places:
New Jersey -- History.
New Jersey -- Politics and government -- 1865-1950.
Princeton Battlefield State Park (N.J.)
United States -- Politics and government -- 20th century.