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SUMMARY

BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL NOTE

John Q. Anderson was born May 30, 1916, in Wheeler County, Texas. He received his A.B. from Oklahoma State University in 1939. During World War II, he interrupted his studies to enlist in the military and serve in England, France, and Germany. After the war, he enrolled at Louisiana State University. He received a master’s degree in 1948 from LSU and a PhD from the University of North Carolina in 1952. His areas of concentration were American literature and folklore. Anderson accepted a faculty position at Texas A & M in 1953, and in 1962, he was appointed head of the English Department. In 1966, he joined the English Department at the University of Houston. Anderson was responsible for introducing folklore studies at both of these institutions.

He authored several books and articles on literature, history, and folklore. His best-known works are Brokenburn: the Journal of Kate Stone, 1861-1868 (1955), A Texas Surgeon in the C.S.A. (1957), and Louisiana Swamp Doctor: the Life and Writings of Henry Clay Lewis (1962). Other publications include Tales of Frontier Texas (1966), John C. Duval, First Texas Man of Letters (1967), With the Bark On: Popular Humor of the Old South (1967), Campaigning with Parsons' Texas Cavalry Brigade, C.S.A. (1967), Texas Folk Medicine (1970), and The Liberating Gods: Emerson on Poets and Poetry (1971). He was assisted in his research by his wife, Marie Loraine Epps Anderson.

Anderson was an active member of literary and folklore societies, and throughout his career he received numerous awards and honors from these and other academic societies. John Anderson died at the age of fifty-eight in 1975. He was survived by his wife, Loraine.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection is comprised of files kept by John Q. Anderson and his wife, Loraine Epps Anderson. Papers consist of correspondence, printed material, photographs, and audio tapes. Correspondence documents his personal and professional activities, as well as those of his wife. The majority of the collection pertains to Anderson’s publications. General files [arranged in original order] contain personal and professional correspondence, writings, and printed items that document the lives and careers of John Q. Anderson and his wife. Topical files [arranged in original order] relate to Anderson’s writings, and include research material, genealogies, literary productions, typescripts, page proofs, galley proofs, and sample pages. Some include notes and corrections made by Anderson and editors. Printed material consists mostly of reprints of Anderson’s published articles, and newspaper clippings relating his achievements, obituaries, and Amy Holmes (the daughter of Kate Stone, whose Civil War diary he edited for publication). Photographs are primarily of family and friends, and reflect social activities and travel.

LIST OF SERIES AND SUBSERIES

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Series I. General files, 1933-1991, undated.

Files consists of personal and professional correspondence, writings, printed items, photographs, and biographical materials documenting the lives and careers of John Q. Anderson and his wife, Loraine Ebbs Anderson, and reflect their interest in a variety of subjects, particularly folklore and history. Correspondents include publishers, relatives, friends, former students, scholars, colleagues, academic organizations, and artists. Topics include news of friends and family, academic projects, scholarly publications, and travel. Writings contain essays, prose, poetry, journal articles, lectures, and conference papers. They relate to folklore, history, personal narratives, and fiction. Printed items contain reprints of published articles, reviews, programs, and newspaper clippings pertaining to the Andersons, folklore, art, and related events. Biographical material consists of obituaries, biographies, résumés, and a transcript of a diary kept by John Anderson (1933-1934). Of particular interest are notes on Huey P. Long compiled by Loraine Anderson (file 20) and a letter written by journalist, Mauri Moore Shuler, in which she remarks on her stay in the Mideast during the Persian Gulf War, 1991. She comments on the situation in Kuwait and the plight of the Kurds (file II, April 17, 1991).

Note: Files are maintained in the order in which they were received. They include Loraine Anderson’s lists of contents and notes.

Series II. Brokenburn files, 1953-1973, undated.

Files contain correspondence, research material, and literary material relating to the publication Brokenburn: The Journal of Kate Stone, 1861-1868.

Subseries 1. Correspondence, 1953-1973, undated.

Subseries a. Amy Holmes correspondence, 1953-1971.

In many of her letters to John Anderson and his wife, Loraine Epps, Amy Holmes discusses Anderson’s book, Brokenburn: The Journal of Kate Stone, 1861-1868, a LSU Press publication. She provides biographical information on her mother, Kate Stone, and she comments on the LSU Press and its handling of the publication (1954-1955). Holmes also discusses her personal activities, current events, and politics. She mentions her personal opposition to Earl K. Long, and she mentions his confinement to a mental hospital in his last term (1956, 1959). She remarks on the assassination of John F. Kennedy, calling it a tragedy, regardless of the fact that she did not care for him (Dec. 2, 1963). Of particular interest, are the numerous references made to the issue of integration (1957-1966), reflecting the atmosphere of racial tension in the South during the civil rights era. Holmes voices her objections to politicians who support civil rights and to the federal enforcement of civil rights in New Orleans, La., Arkansas, Alabama, and Mississippi. She writes about racial turmoil, the presence of federal troops in Mississippi, and the rise in African American voting. Holmes also remarks on the admission of James Meredith to the University of Mississippi (Jan. 21, Aug. 17, 1963).

Subseries b. LSU Press correspondence, 1953-1972.

LSU Press correspondence deals with the publication process of John Anderson’s book, Brokenburn: The Journal of Kate Stone, 1861-1868. Correspondence begins in 1953 with a letter to Anderson outlining the publishing policies of the LSU Press, followed by Anderson’s intention to submit his manuscript to the Press. Correspondence continues through to the reprint of the book in 1972. Letters discuss peer evaluation of the manuscript, publication status, corrections, revisions, and the promotion of the published work.

Subseries c. General correspondence, 1953-1973, undated.

Correspondence concerns the history surrounding the journal of Kate Stone and its publication by LSU Press. Letters discuss the whereabouts of the original journal, historical events at the time, and the genealogy and history of Kate Stone and the families to whom she refers in her journal. Anderson exchanges stories and family history with scholars and historians. Correspondents provide information on the history and people mentioned in Kate Stone’s journal. Francis Ward, who assisted in the research and who authored the introduction to the book, attached to his letters a history of Madison Parish (Oct. 23, 1953) and a plat map showing the location of Brokenburn Plantation (March 9, 1955). Letters also discuss the planned activities in celebration of Kate Stone Day on March 17, 1955.

Subseries 2. Literary material, 1863, 1953-1972, undated.

Subseries is comprised in part of a loose-leaf draft, a bound draft, v. 2 (undated), page proof, editorial changes, and typescripts of the manuscript and index. Research material consists of biographical notes, genealogies, and photocopies of Civil War letters reporting Coleman Stone’s death (Sept., Oct. 1863). Also present are the talks and conference papers presented by Anderson (1955), and a scrapbook of clippings, v. 1, on Brokenburn and Kate Stone (1955).

Subseries 3. Carson family papers, 1863-1889, 1955-1972.

This group contains papers related to the history of the James G. Carson family mentioned in the Kate Stone journal. Papers include typed transcriptions of two Jefferson Davis letters (1888, 1889) and a typed transcription of a The Hutchins Family narrative. The narrative provides an insight into the frontier life around Natchez, Miss. during the 18th and 19th centuries. The author describes farming, encounters with Native Americans, and a visit to England.

Series III. Louisiana Swamp Doctor files, 1848-1972, undated.

Files contain correspondence, research material, and literary material relating to the publication of the Louisiana Swamp Doctor: The Life of Henry Clay Lewis (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1962).

Subseries 1. Correspondence, 1952-1958.

Correspondence between Anderson and scholars, publishers, and Lewis family descendants relate to his research on Henry Clay Lewis, author of Odd Leaves from the Life of a Louisiana Swamp Doctor (1850). Letters also discuss a paper Anderson wrote

and presented prior to the publication of his book. Much of the correspondence with LSU Press regards the publication, corrected page proofs, and the promotion of Louisiana Swamp Doctor.

Subseries 2. Literary material, 1848-1972.

Literary material consists of typed transcriptions of historical letters and legal documents, photocopies of Henry Clay Lewis’s personal papers, bound draft, v. 3 (undated) of Louisiana Swamp Doctor, notes, drafts, reprints of articles, book reviews, and an analysis of Lewis as a writer. A Civil War letter written by Emma Lay Lane reflects on the war and reports on shelling near Port Hudson (Dec. 13, 1862). Photocopies of Lewis’s personal papers contain financial accounts, slave records (1848-1850), and succession records for the estate of Henry Clay Lewis (1853). Succession records include a typed transcription of an inventory and appraisement of the estate. Material also includes a photocopy of Charles Caldwell’s will made in Louisville, Ky. (1853).

Series IV. Series IV. Topical files, 1927, 1954-1970, undated.

Topical files are comprised of correspondence, biographical notes, research notes, printed items, and book drafts relating to the folklore and history. Topics include Mollie E. Moore Davis (1954-1970, undated) and William C. Hall (1953-1967, undated), Louisiana cattle drives (undated), Louisiana folklore and North and Northeast Louisiana folklore (1955-1961, undated). The Mollie E. Moore Davis file contains typed excerpts from her correspondence and her literary works. The Louisiana Folklore Society file contains correspondence, circulars and printed material that pertains to meetings and conferences (1956-1962, undated). Additionally, there are two files containing only book drafts. These are American Humor from the Beginning to 1861 by John Q. Anderson (undated) and Louisiana Folklore (undated).

Note: Arranged alphabetically by topic.

Series V. Printed material, 1938, 1952-1982, 1993, undated.

Printed material contains reprints, newspaper clippings, and miscellaneous printed items. Reprints of articles by Anderson that appeared in several literary and historical journals comprise the majority of this series. Subject matter relates to American folklore, Southern history, humor, and literature. Newspaper clippings discuss his publications, the observance of Kate Stone Day on March 17, 1955, in Tallulah, La. Clippings also report on the activities of Kate Stone’s daughter, Amy Holmes. Other items include brochures, dust jackets for Brokenburn …, an issue of North Carolina Folklore Journal (Nov. 1973), and a copy of South by West (1981) by Everett A. Gillis.

Note: Reprints are arranged by title, see appendix A.

Series VI. Photographs, 1859-1899, 1929-1985, undated.

Photographs series is comprised of a carte-de-visite of John Beverly Stone (undated), 19th century cabinet cards of several Stone family members, snapshots, copy prints, negatives (access restricted), Loraine Anderson’s photograph album v. 5 (1934-1940), and slides for Anderson’s Ballads for Texas Heroes. Snapshots and copy prints depict scenes of family and friends, social activities and travel. One snapshot taken of the “Kate Stone Day” parade in Tallulah, La., shows a float carrying two white men in black face (1955). Copy prints include a group photograph of the James G. Carson family (1859), portraits of James Green Carson’s, his wife, Catherine Waller Carson (undated), and John Anderson (undated).

Series VII. Audio tapes, undated.

Audio tapes contain speeches, talks, and interviews pertaining to Anderson’s research and publications.

Note: Audio tapes require advance notice for access.

INDEX TERMS

CONTAINER LIST

CONTAINER LIST (cont.)

APPENDIX A

List of reprints

After the Screech Owl Hollers

Another Texas Variant of “Cole Younger,” Ballad of a Badman

Ballad of Graham Barnett, Badman of the Big Bend of Texas

Belle Star and the Biscuit Dough

Burlesque of the Legend of “The Singing River”

Carolina Courtship and Marriage in the 1840’s

Dr. James Green Carson, Ante-Bellum Planter of Mississippi and Louisiana

Drinking, Fighting, and Fooling-Sidelights of the Social History of Antebellum Louisiana

Emerson and the Ballad of George Nidever – “Staring Down” a Grizzly Bear

Emerson and California

Emerson’s “Horses of Thought”

Emerson and the Language of the Folk

Emerson and “Manifest Destiny”

Emerson and the Moral Sentiment

Emerson and Prince Achille Murat

Emerson on Texas and the Mexican War

Emerson’s “Young American” as Democratic Nobleman

Emily Dickinson’s Butterflies and Tigers

Fanny Elssler and Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Five Litter Fiddlers”

Folklore in the Texas Fiction of Mollie E. Moore Davis (1844-1909)

Folklore in the Writing of “The Louisiana Swamp Doctor”

Folklore in Two Northeast Louisiana Novels

Folkways in Writings About Northeast Louisiana

Folk Remedies for Removing Warts

For the Ugliest Man: An Example of Folk Humor

Fort Elliot, Texas, Last Guard of the Plaints Indians

Frolic: Social Dancing on the Southern Frontier

From Flygap to Whybark-Some Unusual Texas Place Names

Funeral Procession in Dickson’s Poetry

“Gatesville Murder, The” The Origin & Evolution of a Ballad

Ghost of Hutto Ranch

Haunted Bayou

Henry Clay Lewis, Alias “Madison Tensas M.D., The Louisiana Swamp Doctor”

Henry Clay Lewis, Student at the Louisville Medical Institute, (1844-1846)

Historical Fiction and Drama

Horns on the Toads

Index, Bound Publications of Dr. John Q. Anderson

Joseph Carson, Louisiana Confederate Soldier

APPENDIX A (cont.)

Legend of the Phantom Coach in East Texas

Letter from a Yankee Bride in Ante-Bellum Louisiana

Louisiana and Mississippi Lore in the Fiction of Sarah Anne Dorsey (1829-1897)

Louisiana Romeos of the 1840’s

Louisiana Swamp Doctor

Lowell’s “The Washers of the Shroud” and the Celtic Legend of the Washer of the Ford

Magical Transference of Diseases in Texas Folk Medicine

Mike Hooter – The Making of a Myth

“Miller-Boy” One of the First and Last of the Play-Party Games

Mirabeau B. Lamar (1798-1859) and Henry Clay Lewis (1825-1850)

Narrative of John Hutchins

New Orleans VooDoo Ritual Dance and its Twentieth-Century Survivals

Notes on Mollie E. Moore Davis

Old John and the Master

Popular Beliefs in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas

The Richmond Compiler, 1841-1844

Saved from a Bullet: Miraculous Escapes from Death

Scholarship in Southwestern Humor-Past and Present

Serenade in North Carolina

Soldier Lore in the War with Mexico

Some Factual Sources for Creative Writing

Some Migratory Anecdotes in American Folk Humor

Some Mythical Places in Louisiana

Special Powers in Folk Cures and Remedies

Texas Stream Names

“Up Salt Creek Without a Paddle”

Waltz of the Wolves

“Waco Girl, The” – Another Variant of a British Broadside Ballad