Collection: Wallace Notestein papers | Archives at Yale (original) (raw)

Collection

Call Number: MS 544

Scope and Contents

The Notestein Papers consist primarily of personal correspondence, a diary, notes, speeches, and writings, 1906-1958, printed matter (primarily newspaper clippings), and a subject file pertaining to the History Department, various awards, the Parliamentary Diaries Project, Yale University Press, and a class reunion for the College of Wooster, 1902-1910. The correspondence is arranged alphabetically by name of the writer of the letter, and covers the years 1899 to 1969. Included are personal and general correspondence relating to historical writings and academic careers, including letters to Notestein from such distinguished scholars as Hugh Trevor-Roper, Perry Miller, Hartly Simpson, John E. Neale, Ulrich B. Phillips, Alan Nevins, Lewis P. Curtis, Carl Becker, Charles Beard, Samuel Flagg Bemis, Leonard Labaree, Samuel E. Morison, Arthur M. Schlesinger, Sr., E. L. Woodward, and others.

Wallace Notestein (December 16, 1578-1969) was born in Wooster, Ohio; son of Jonas O, and Margaret (Wallace) Notestein. He married Ada Louise Comstock, June 14, 1943. He received his B. A. from Wooster in 1900 and his Ph. D. from Yale in 1908. In addition, he received honorary degrees from Wooster, Litt. D., 1923, Harvard 1939, Birmingham 1950, Yale 1951, Oxford 1958, and Glasgow, LL., D., 1950. Notestein was assistant professor of history, University of Kansas, 1905-1907; instructor of history, University of Minnesota, 1908; assistant professor, 1910, associate professor, 1914, professor, 1917-1920; professor of English History, Cornell, 1920-1928; Sterling Professor English History, Yale, 1928-1947, emeritus, 1947-; Eastman Professor Oxford University, 1949-1950; fellow Balliol College, 1949-1950; Research Assistant, Committee on Public Information, 1917; attached to State Department, 1918, American Commission to Negotiate Peace, Paris, 1919; member of British Commission appointed by Prime Minister, House of Commons Records, 1929-1932; member of Advisory Council, Guggenheim Foundation, 1939-1948; Corresponding Fellow, British Academy; member of the American Philosophical Society, Massachusetts Historical Society, Phi Gamma Delta. Notestein was a member of the Century Club (NYC) and the Athenaeum (London). Known as a gifted writer and an authority on English life and government of the 17th century, Notestein produced the following books:

› History of English Witchcraft, 1913

› Source Problems in English History, 1915 (with A. B. White)

› Commons Debates, 1629-1921 (with Frances H. Relf)

› D'Ewes Journal of the Long Parliament, 1923

› Winning of the Initiative by the House of Commons (Raleigh lecture, British Academy), 1924

› Commons Debates 1621, 7 vols., 1935 (with F. H. Relf, H. Simpson)

› English Folk, 1938

› The Scot in History, 1946

› The English People on the Eve of Colonization, 1954

› Four Worthies, 1956

The Notestein Papers consist primarily of personal correspondence, a diary, notes, speeches, and writings, 1906-1958, printed matter (primarily newspaper clippings), and a subject file pertaining to the History Department, various awards, the Parliamentary Diaries Project, Yale University Press, and a class reunion for the College of Wooster, 1902-1910. The correspondence is arranged alphabetically by name of the writer of the letter, and covers the years 1899 to 1969. Included are personal and general correspondence relating to historical writings and academic careers, including letters to Notestein from such distinguished scholars as Hugh Trevor-Roper, Perry Miller, Hartly Simpson, John E. Neale, Ulrich B. Phillips, Alan Nevins, Lewis P. Curtis, Carl Becker, Charles Beard, Samuel Flagg Bemis, Leonard Labaree, Samuel E. Morison, Arthur M. Schlesinger, Sr., E. L. Woodward, and others.

Wallace Notestein (December 16, 1578-1969) was born in Wooster, Ohio; son of Jonas O, and Margaret (Wallace) Notestein. He married Ada Louise Comstock, June 14, 1943. He received his B. A. from Wooster in 1900 and his Ph. D. from Yale in 1908. In addition, he received honorary degrees from Wooster, Litt. D., 1923, Harvard 1939, Birmingham 1950, Yale 1951, Oxford 1958, and Glasgow, LL., D., 1950. Notestein was assistant professor of history, University of Kansas, 1905-1907; instructor of history, University of Minnesota, 1908; assistant professor, 1910, associate professor, 1914, professor, 1917-1920; professor of English History, Cornell, 1920-1928; Sterling Professor English History, Yale, 1928-1947, emeritus, 1947-; Eastman Professor Oxford University, 1949-1950; fellow Balliol College, 1949-1950; Research Assistant, Committee on Public Information, 1917; attached to State Department, 1918, American Commission to Negotiate Peace, Paris, 1919; member of British Commission appointed by Prime Minister, House of Commons Records, 1929-1932; member of Advisory Council, Guggenheim Foundation, 1939-1948; Corresponding Fellow, British Academy; member of the American Philosophical Society, Massachusetts Historical Society, Phi Gamma Delta. Notestein was a member of the Century Club (NYC) and the Athenaeum (London). Known as a gifted writer and an authority on English life and government of the 17th century, Notestein produced the following books:

Dates

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The materials are open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright status for collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Ada Louise Comstock Notestein, 1970.

Arrangement

Arranged in six series: I. Correspondence. II. Manuscripts. III. Printed Material. IV. Subject File. V. Letters of Sympathy. VI. Ada Comstock Notestein.

Extent

5.25 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Catalog Record

A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10079/fa/mssa.ms.0544

Additional Description

Abstract

The papers consist of correspondence, writings, printed material, notes, speeches, and other papers of Wallace Notestein, historian, teacher, author, and Sterling Professor of English History at Yale from 1928-1947. The bulk of the papers consist of letters received by Notestein from other historians, scholars, writers, students, and publishers and relate largely to academic and professional matters, to politics, and to his personal life.

Subjects

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title

Guide to the Wallace Notestein Papers

Status

Under Revision

Author

compiled by Bonita Collier and Mary Haworth

Date

October 1970

Description rules

Finding Aid Created In Accordance With Manuscripts And Archives Processing Manual

Language of description note

Finding aid written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository

Contact:
Yale University Library
P.O. Box 208240
New Haven CT 06520-8240 US
(203) 432-1735
(203) 432-7441 (Fax)
beinecke.library@yale.edu

Location

Sterling Memorial Library
Room 147
120 High Street
New Haven, CT 06511

Opening Hours