Donald Robertson papers

Donald Robertson papers, 1825-1947, bulk 1900-1926

Descriptive Inventory for the Manuscript Collection at Chicago History Museum, Research Center

Please address questions to:

Chicago History Museum, Research Center

1601 North Clark Street

Chicago, IL 60614-6038

Website: http://www.chicagohistory.org/research

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Title: Donald Robertson papers [manuscript], 1825-1947, bulk 1900-1926

Main entry: Robertson, Donald, 1860-1926.

Inclusive dates: 1825-1947, bulk 1900-1926

Size:

3.75 linear ft. (9 boxes)

1 oversize folder.

Access: This collection is open for research use except for Box 6, which is closed temporarily for conservation.

Provenance statement: Gift of the Colorado Historical Society in 1990 (1991.0195).

Terms governing use: Copyright may be retained by the creators of items, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law, unless otherwise noted.

Please cite this collection as: Donald Robertson papers (Chicago History Museum) plus a detailed description, date, and box/folder number of a specific item.

This descriptive inventory contains the following sections:

Biographical note,

Summary description of the collection,

Description of some material related to the collection,

List of online catalog headings about the collection,

List of contents of the collection.

Biographical note:

Robertson was a stage actor, director, and one of the leading figures in the repertory movement in the American theater ca. 1900.

Summary description of the collection:

Incoming letters to Robertson, manuscript poetry and plays by Robertson, 6 scrapbooks pertaining to Robertson's career and miscellaneous items; plus a diary, autograph book, and letter relating to the family of his wife, Anna Titus, an actress. Materials reflect Robertson's career as director of the Donald Robertson Company of Players, who performed at Fullerton Hall of the Art Institute of Chicago; as promoter and artistic director of the Chicago Woman's Club's Players' Theatre Association (later the Chicago Civic Theatre Association); and as dramatic director of the first season of the Chicago Theatre Society. A chief correspondent was Edith Rockefeller McCormick, sponsor and board member of the Chicago Civic Theatre Association and the Chicago Theatre Society. Other correspondents include Arthur Bissell, Hamlin Garland, James O'Donnell Bennett, Louis H. Sullivan, Lorado Taft, Anna Titus, and Samuel Titus. Also present is a 1922 Lake View High School diploma. Box 1, folder 9 contains a letter from Jane Addams. Box 2, folder 1 contains a 1915 letter from Louis H. Sullivan.

Description of some material related to the collection:

Related materials at Chicago History Museum, Research Center, include the Donald Robertson photograph collection (1991.0195).

List of online catalog headings about the collection:

Subjects:

Robertson, Donald, 1860-1926--Archives.

McCormick, Edith Rockefeller, 1872-1932.

Titus, Anna.

Art Institute of Chicago.

Chicago Civic Theater Association.

Chicago Theatre Society.

Chicago Woman's Club Theatre.

Lake View High School (Chicago, Ill.)--Students.

Players' Theatre (Chicago, Ill.)

Actors--Illinois--Chicago--19th century.

Actors--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.

Theater--Illinois--Chicago--19th century.

Theater--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.

Theatrical producers and directors--Illinois--Chicago--19th century.

Theatrical producers and directors--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.

Chicago (Ill.)--Intellectual life--19th century.

Chicago (Ill.)--Intellectual life--20th century.

Chicago (Ill.)--Social life and customs--19th century.

Chicago (Ill.)--Social life and customs--20th century.

Form/genre:

Autograph albums.

Correspondence.

Diplomas.

Poetry.

Plays.

Scrapbooks.

Added entries:

Addams, Jane, 1860-1935.

Bissell, Arthur, 1870-1934.

Garland, Hamlin, 1860-1940.

McCormick, Edith Rockefeller, 1872-1932.

Bennett, James O'Donnell, 1870-1940.

Sullivan, Louis H., 1856-1924.

Taft, Lorado, 1860-1936.

Titus, Anna.

Titus, Samuel.

Chicago Civic Theater Association.

Chicago Theatre Society.

Chicago Woman's Club Theatre.

Players' Theatre (Chicago, Ill.)

United States--Illinois--Cook County--Chicago.

Arrangement of the collection:

The collection is arranged in two series:

Series 1. Donald Roberston papers, 1896-1947 (box 1-8)

Series 2. Titus family, 1825-1882 (box 9)

List of contents of the collection:

* in the list below denotes items damaged by mold.

Series 1. Donald Robertson papers

box 1

folders:

1 Background information

2-3 Certificates of copyright, 1896, 1915, 1925*

4 Chicago Civic Theater Association

5 Chicago Theater Society, 1911

6 Clippings, 1911-1925

7 Contract, The Lee Theatrical Co., London, 1891*

8 Correspondence/general (see also box 8), 1893-1905

9 Correspondence/general (see also box 8), 1893-1905

10 Correspondence/general, 1906-1910

11 Correspondence/general, 1911 Jan.-July

12 Correspondence/general, 1911 Aug.-Dec.

12 Correspondence/general, 1912

box 2

folders:

1 Correspondence/general, 1913-1926

2-3 Correspondence/general, 1926 May; letters of sympathy.

4 Correspondence/general, 1940-1941

5 Correspondence/general, undated

6 Correspondence/incoming from Edith Rockefeller McCormick, 1909, 1911

7 Correspondence/incoming from Edith Rockefeller McCormick, 1912-1913

8 Correspondence/incoming from Edith Rockefeller McCormick, 1914-1915

box 3

folders:

1 Correspondence/incoming from Edith Rockefeller McCormick, 1916-1918

2 Correspondence/incoming from Edith Rockefeller McCormick, 1920 July-1931 Oct.

3 Correspondence/incoming from Edith Rockefeller McCormick, undated

4 Estate materials, Donald Robertson, 1926-1947

5 Estate materials, John Robertson, 1919-1920

6 Library of the late Donald Robertson, materials regarding the auction, 1931 Dec.

7 Library of the late Donald Robertson, listings of volumes in library (9 notebooks)

8 Memorials, 1926

9 Miscellaneous

10 Play: "Chicago 1673-1921: A Festival Play," undated

10-11 Play: "A Power House" by Donald Robertson & Grace Owen, 1917

12 Players' Theater Association, 1907(?)

13 Poem: "A Garden of Girls" anthology

14 Various

box 4

folders:

1-7 Various

box 5

folders:

1-3 Various

4 Programs

5 Speeches

6 Writings, miscellaneous

box 6

scrapbooks:

1 Donald Robertson season, 1907-1908

2-3 Donald Robertson season, 1908-1909

4 Donald Robertson season, 1909-1910

box 7

folders:

1-2 Drama Players, 1911-1912

box 8

folders:

1-9 Correspondence, 1911-1926*

Oversize: Donald Robertson Lake View High School diploma, 1922 Aug. 18

John Robertson memorial, written by Donald Robertson, 1919

Series 2. Titus family

box 9

items:

1 A.S. Titus diary, 1878 Jan.-Sept.

2 Jennie Titus autograph book, 1879-1882

3 Samuel Titus letter, 1825