Collection number: UA 1/7/4 [Offsite
storage]
Size:
(13 boxes)
(12.5 cu.ft.)
About Marion James, 1918-2015
Marion James was a native of Durham, NH. The only daughter of renown UNH Chemistry professor Charles "King" James, Marion James obtained her education from UNH and Radcliffe. She joined the faculty of the UNH History department in 1955, where her teaching specialty was the history of ancient Greece and Rome. James became chair of UNH History Department in the 1960s and is believed to be the first woman chair in the College of Liberal Arts. She retired in 1986, but maintained a role in the university both as a member of the University System of New Hampshire Board of Trustees from 1990-1994, and later as board member and president of the University Art Museum.
In 2002, UNH President Joan Lietzel commissioned James to write a history of the University of New Hampshire. Her book, the University of New Hampshire 1955-2002: The Rise of Research, was published in 2010 when James was 92 years old.
During her life, Marion James traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia. During her travels, she acquired an extensive art collection which she bequeathed to the University Art Museum upon her death in 2015.
About the Marion James Collection, 1876-2011
The Marion James Collection, acquired from her estate shortly after her death in 2015, consists of correspondence, diaries, photographs and documents related to her education and research. The bulk of the collection includes her research on Village Greens in New England, as well as several boxes of slides from her travels. It also contains correspondence and photographs belonging to her parents, Charles "King" James, a renown chemist and professor at the University of New Hampshire, and Marion Elizabeth (Templeton) James.
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
This collection is open.
This collection is housed in the Library Storage Building; access requires 48 hours notice. Please contact the Special Collections staff prior to visiting the library.
Copyright Notice
Copyright is retained by the University of New Hampshire.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], [Folder number], [Box number], Marion James Collection, 1876-2011, UA 1/7/4, Milne Special Collections and Archives, University of New Hampshire Library, Durham, NH, USA.
Acquisitions Information
Marion James's Estate, ca. 2015
Related Material
Charles "King" James Scrapbooks, 1880-1928, UA 8/3/1
Separated Material
Duplicate and unidentified documents and photographs were removed from the collection. Items with personally identifiable information were also removed.
Collection Arrangement
The collection is arranged semi-chronologically within five series: Series 1: Marion James’s Personal Materials and Village Green Research, 1919-2011, Series 2: Marion James's work at UNH, 1936-2010, Series 3: Charles “King” James Materials, 1900-1990, Series 4: Marion Elizabeth (Templeton) James, 1876-1964 and Series 5: Marion James's Slides, ca. 1960-2010.
Collection Contents
Series 1: Marion James’s Personal Materials and Village Green Research, 1919-2011
(2.25 cubic feet)Marion James was born in 1918 to parents Charles "King" James (1880-1928) and Marion Templeton James (1890-1964). She worked as a professor in the Department of History at the University of New Hampshire from 1955-1986, and later as a member of the Board of Trustees at the University System of New Hampshire and as president of the University Art Museum. James traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia, and was an avid art collector.
The series is arranged chronologically by topic. Topics include correspondence, trip logs and diaries, photographs, school-related mementos and work, and research related to history and art.
| Box 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Box 1, Folder 1 | Letters from Warren Waters to Marion James, 1938-1944 | |
| Box 1, Folder 2 | Letters from Robert Gilmore to Marion James, 1960-1961 and undated | |
| Box 1, Folder 3 | Letters from Robert Perreau to Marion James, 1968-1988 | |
| Box 1, Folder 4 | Letters from Hubert Comte to Marion James, 1965-1993 | |
| Box 1, Folder 5 | Correspondence to Marion James, 1938-2011 and undated | |
| Box 1, Folder 6 | Professional correspondence, 1939-2003 | |
| Box 1, Folder 7 | Trip logs, 1966-1976
Includes Italy and Paris, 1966; Istanbul, June 1970; Italy, 1974; India, 1976 | |
| Box 1, Folder 8 | Trip Logs, 1978-1981
Includes Italy, 1978; “Around the World,” 1979 or 1980; Italy and Tunisia, 1980; Turkey, 1981 | |
| Box 1, Folder 9 | Trip Logs, 1982-1983
Includes London to Hong Kong, Summer 1982; London 1982; London 1983; Italy, 1983 | |
| Box 1, Folder 10 | Trip Logs, 1984-1986
Includes Provence, 1984; London, 1985; Thailand and Burma, 1986; Italy, summer 1986 | |
| Box 1, Folder 11 | Trip Logs, 1989-1991
Includes Venice, 1989; Thailand, 1989; Mali, 1991; London, 1991 | |
| Box 1, Folder 12 | Trip Logs, 1991-1992
Includes Santiago, 1991; Prague, 1992; London, 1992; London and Burgundy, 1992 | |
| Box 1, Folder 13 | Trip Logs, 1993-1996
Includes London and Avignon, 1993; London and India, 1993; Italy, 1994; London, May 1996 | |
| Box 1, Folder 14 | Trip Logs, 1997-1998
Includes London, February 10-19, 1997; London and Wales, August – September, 1997; Greece 1998 | |
| Box 1, Folder 15 | Trip Logs, undated
Includes London, Jerusalem, Turkey, Paris, Iraq and Italy | |
| Box 1, Folder 16 | Miscellaneous travel documents,
1969-1994
Includes itineraries and passports | |
| Box 1, Folder 17 | Engagement Calendars and Diary, 1980-1988 | |
| Box 1, Folder 18 | Photographs, family and friends, ca. 1919-1935 | |
| Box 1, Folder 19 | Photographs, family and friends, ca. 1935 – 1940s | |
| Box 1, Folder 20 | Photographs, family and friends, 1960s-1970s | |
| Box 1, Folder 21 | Photographs, family and friends, 1980s | |
| Box 1, Folder 22 | Photographs, family and friends, 1990s | |
| Box 1, Folder 23 | School work and mementos, 1936-1944 and undated | |
| Box 1, Folder 24 | High School and college diplomas and commencement information, 1936-1949 | |
| Box 1, Folder 25 | Awards and certificates, 1937-1971 | |
| Box 1, Folder 26 | Thesis: Stand Fast in the Liberty: A Study of Unitarian Politics
in the Reign of George III, Volume I,
1955
For fulfillment towards PhD in History at Radcliffe College | |
| Box 1, Folder 27 | Thesis: Stand Fast in the Liberty: A Study of Unitarian Politics
in the Reign of George III, Volume II,
1955
For fulfillment towards PhD in History at Radcliffe College | |
| Box 1, Folder 28 | The Townscape: A Nepalese Interpretation,
1982-1983
Includes article, associated notes, correspondence and photos | |
| Box 1, Folder 29 | Village Green research, Acworth, NH,
1995-1999 and undated
Includes notes, maps, correspondence, and sketches of buildings | |
| Box 2 | ||
| Box 2, Folder 1 | Village Green research, Amherst, NH,
1996-1998 and undated
Includes notes, maps, correspondence, and National Register of Historic Places | |
| Box 2, Folder 2 | Village Green research, Bennington, VT, ca.
1990s
Includes notes, maps, National Register of Historic Places | |
| Box 2, Folder 3 | Village Green research, Castine, ME,
2008-2009
Includes notes, maps, articles | |
| Box 2, Folder 4 | Village Green research, Chelsea, VT,
1976-2000 and undated
Includes notes, correspondence, maps, National Register of Historic Places | |
| Box 2, Folder 5 | Village Green research, Chester, VT,
1984-2000
Includes notes, correspondence, maps, National Register of Historic Places | |
| Box 2, Folder 6 | Village Green research, East Poultney, VT,
1999
Includes notes, maps, National Register of Historic Places | |
| Box 2, Folder 7 | Village Green research, Haverhill, NH,
1984-1999
Includes notes, correspondence, maps, National Register of Historic Places | |
| Box 2, Folder 8 | Village Green research, Hebron, NH,
1986-1994
Includes notes, maps, National Register of Historic Places | |
| Box 2, Folder 9 | Village Green research, Hollis, NH, 1980 – ca.
2000
Includes notes, maps, National Register of Historic Places | |
| Box 2, Folder 10 | Village Green research, Jaffrey, NH,
undated
Includes notes, maps, and excerpt from book about Jaffrey | |
| Box 2, Folder 11 | Village Green research, Jericho, VT, 1983
and undated
Includes notes, maps, National Register of Historic Places | |
| Box 2, Folder 12 | Village Green research, Lyme, NH, 1988 and
undated
Includes notes, maps, National Register of Historic Places | |
| Box 2, Folder 13 | Village Green research, Newfane, VT, 1984-ca.
2000
Includes notes, maps, National Register of Historic Places | |
| Box 2, Folder 14 | Village Green research, Orwell, VT,
1998-2001 and undated
Includes notes, correspondence, articles | |
| Box 2, Folder 15 | Village Green research, Shoreham, VT, 2001
and undated
Includes notes, maps, correspondence | |
| Box 2, Folder 16 | Village Green research, Stafford, VT,
2009-2010 and undated
Includes notes, articles, maps | |
| Box 2, Folder 17 | Village Green research, Washington, NH,
1986-1995 and undated
Includes notes, maps, National Register of Historic Places | |
| Box 2, Folder 18 | Village Green research, Westmoreland, NH, 1980 – ca.
2000 and undated
Includes notes, maps, National Register of Historic Places | |
| Box 2, Folder 19 | Village Green research obtained from William Wallace, UNH
Professor, 1977-1993
Includes copies of articles written by William Wallace | |
| Box 2, Folder 20 | Village Green research, general,
1856-1998
Includes notes, correspondence, maps, articles | |
| Box 2, Folder 21 | Village Green photographs: Alfred, ME, Acworth, NH and Alstead, NH, 1998-2010 | |
| Box 2, Folder 22 | Village Green photographs: Amherst, NH, Chelsea, VT and Chester, VT, 1997-2000 and undated | |
| Box 2, Folder 23 | Village Green photographs: Cornwall Glen, VT, Cushing, ME, Dorchester, NH and Dunbarton, NH, 1998-2000 and undated | |
| Box 2, Folder 24 | Village Green photographs: Goffstown, NH, Haverhill, NH, Hebron, NH and Hollis, NH, ca. 1990-2000 | |
| Box 2, Folder 25 | Village Green photographs: Jaffrey, NH, Merrimack, NH and Mont Vernon, NH, 1999-2000 | |
| Box 2, Folder 26 | Village Green photographs: Milford, NH, ca. late 1990s | |
| Box 2, Folder 27 | Village Green photographs: North Hampton, NH, Newfane, VT, Orwell, VT and Peterborough, NH, 1998 and undated | |
| Box 2, Folder 28 | Village Green photographs: Rumney, VT, Temple, NH and Washington, NH, 1999-2000 and undated | |
| Box 2, Folder 29 | Village Green photographs: Westmoreland, NH, miscellaneous and unknown, 1997-2001 | |
| Box 2, Folder 30 | Village Green photographs: negatives and slides, 1996 and undated | |
| Box 2, Folder 31 | Village Green photographs: unidentified negatives, undated | |
| Box 2, Folder 32-33 | The Development of Village Greens in New Hampshire and Vermont, Draft chapters, undated | |
| Box 3 | ||
| Box 3, Folder 1-2 | The Development of Village Greens in New Hampshire and Vermont, Figure layoutundated | |
| Box 3, Folder 3 | The Development of Village Greens in New Hampshire and Vermont, Draft, undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 4 | Research: Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Adams memorials, 2004 | |
| Box 3, Folder 5 | Article “The Life and work of Charles James” and research,
2009
Includes photographs of Charles James boyhood home and parish | |
| Oversize Box 1 | ||
| Oversize Box 1, Folder 1 | Article “The Unitarian Prophet in the British Israel,”
undated
Author not indicated, assumed to be Marion James | |
| Box 3 | ||
| Box 3, Folder 6 | Notes on Mughal India, undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 7 | Various notes on ancient civilizations, undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 8 | Maps of Kathmandu with notes, undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 9 | Miscellaneous notes, undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 10 | Articles about Marion James, 1940-2002 | |
| Box 3, Folder 11 | Art work: sketches, articles about and exhibits, 1976-1999 | |
| Box 3, Folder 12 | Membership in Durham, NH Historical Association, 1997-2000 | |
| Box 3, Folder 13 | Miscellaneous, undated | |
Series 2: Marion James’s work at UNH, 1936-2010
(0.50 cubic feet)Marion James was a professor of history at UNH from 1955-1986. In 2002, she was commissioned by UNH President Joan Leitzel to write a history of the university post-1950. This series contains her teaching materials and UNH course preparation, as well as drafts of the book she was commissioned to write, The University of New Hampshire: 1955-2002.
| Box 3, Folder 14 | UNH memorabilia, 1936-1940
Includes photographs, articles and memorabilia assumed to be collected for research purposes by Marion James | |
| Box 3, Folder 15 | UNH Class Syllabi and course preparation,
1968-1982
Includes History 575 | |
| Box 3, Folder 16 | UNH Course Syllabus and notes, 1975-1976 and
undated
Includes History 576 and 595 | |
| Box 3, Folder 17 | UNH Class Syllabus and notes, various, 1975-1983 and undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 18-19 | UNH Class Syllabus and notes, 1975-1987 and
undated
Includes History 797 and History 590 | |
| Box 3, Folder 20 | Course Syllabi and notes, Humanities 401, 1977-1978 | |
| Box 3, Folder 21-22 | UNH Modern History Class Syllabus and notes, 1982 and undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 23 | Book: The University of New Hampshire, 1955-2002: The Rise of Research, Introduction and Epilogue drafts, undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 24 | Book: The University of New Hampshire, 1955-2002: The Rise of Research, John McConnell presidency, draft chapter, undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 25 | Book: The University of New Hampshire, 1955-2002: The Rise of Research, Eugene Mills presidency, draft chapters, undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 26 | Book: The University of New Hampshire, 1955-2002: The Rise of Research, Thomas Bonner presidency, draft chapters, undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 27 | Book: The University of New Hampshire, 1955-2002: The Rise of Research, Evelyn Handler presidency, draft chapters, undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 28 | Book: The University of New Hampshire, 1955-2002: The Rise of Research, Gordon Haaland presidency, draft chapters, undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 29 | Book: The University of New Hampshire, 1955-2002: The Rise of Research, Dale Nitzschke presidency, draft chapters, undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 30 | Book: The University of New Hampshire, 1955-2002: The Rise of Research, Joan Leitzel presidency, draft chapters, undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 31 | Book: The University of New Hampshire, 1955-2002: The Rise of Research, Feedback
regarding draft chapters, 2006-2008
Includes correspondence and feedback from Joan Leitzel | |
| Box 3, Folder 32 | Book: The University of New Hampshire, 1955-2002: The Rise of Research, Final Copy (CD), 2010 | |
| Oversize Box 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Oversize Box 1, Folder 2 | Outstanding teacher award, 1961 | |
| Box 3 | ||
| Box 3, Folder 33 | University Trustee, 2008 and undated | |
Series 3: Charles “King” James Materials, 1900-1999
(0.35 cubic feet)Charles James was born in Earl's Barton, Northamptonshire, England in 1880. He was educated at University College in London from 1899-1904. He came to the United States in 1906 and was asked to join the faculty at the New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts as Assistant Professor of Chemistry in the same year. He went on to become head of the Chemistry Department in 1912 and remained in that position until his untimely death from cancer in 1928. He became internationally known for his work in the rare earths and for discovering several new compounds.
This series is arranged chronologically by topic. Topics include correspondence, photographs, and articles pertaining to his death and legacy.
| Box 3, Folder 34 | Letters from Charles James, 1911-1914 | |
| Box 3, Folder 35 | Letters to Charles James, 1916 and undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 36 | Charles James photographs, ca. 1900-1927 | |
| Box 3, Folder 37 | Charles James, death of and estate, 1928 | |
| Box 3, Folder 38 | Charles James death notices, 1928 | |
| Box 3, Folder 39 | Charles James, articles about,
1981-1999
Includes several articles relating to Conant Hall becoming a National Chemical Landmark | |
| Box 3, Folder 40 | Charles James miscellaneous,
1927-1968
Includes diploma for honorary doctorate (1927), a copy of his patent on the treatment of beryllium-bearing ores, and an itemized list of his rare earth collection | |
| Oversize Box 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Oversize Box 1, Folder 3 | Charles James exhibit photos, undated | |
Series 4: Marion Elizabeth (Templeton) James, 1876-1964
(0.40 cubic feet)Marion Elizabeth (Templeton) James was born in 1890 in Exeter, NH. A member of the Botany department at UNH, James married Charles "King" James in 1915. She was the mother of Marion James (1918-2015), and was a resident of Durham, NH until she died in 1964.
This series is arranged by topic. Topics include her family's vital records, her correspondence and photographs, and photographs and articles about her father, John Templeton, who was the long-time editor of the Exeter News Letter until his death in 1938.
| Box 3 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Box 3, Folder 41 | Marion Templeton James family vital records,
1876-1915
Includes marriage certificate for Charles James and Marion Elizabeth Templeton (1915), Marriage Certificate of John Templeton and Ella Gilman (1879) and John Templeton naturalization certificate (1876) | |
| Box 3, Folder 42 | Letters to Marion Templeton James, 1914-1951 | |
| Box 3, Folder 43 | Marion Templeton James family photos, ca. 1890s – 1930s | |
| Oversize Box 1 | ||
| Oversize Box 1, Folder 4 | John Templeton photographs, ca. 1938 | |
| Oversize Box 1, Folder 5 | John Templeton, news of death, 1938 | |
| Box 3 | ||
| Box 3, Folder 44 | Marion Templeton James, death of, 1964 | |
Series 5: Marion James's Slides, ca. 1960-2010
(9.0 cubic feet)This series is unprocessed. It contains a collection of slides from Marion James's many international trips, and also includes slides of artwork, architecture and Village Green research.
| Box 4 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Box 4, Item 1-30 | Slides of travels to Greece, Italy, Turkey, Malta, Afghanistan, Timbuktu, France, Yugoslavia, artwork and Village Green research, undated | |
| Box 5 | ||
| Box 5, Item 1-30 | Slides of travels to India, China, Burma, Japan, Thailand and Roman art, undated | |
| Box 6 | ||
| Box 6, Item 1-30 | Slides of travels to Wales, France, Ethiopia, Belgium, Spain and artwork, undated | |
| Box 7 | ||
| Box 7, Item 1-30 | Slides of travels to Italy, Iran, India, Israel, Burma, China, Mongolia, Russia and artwork, undated | |
| Box 8 | ||
| Box 8, Item 1-30 | Slides of travels to Thailand, Russia, Pakistan, India, Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen, Morocco and Tunisia, undated | |
| Box 9 | ||
| Box 9, Item 1-30 | Slides of travels to Rome, Italy, Spain, France, Burma, Portugal, and Turkey, undated | |
| Box 10 | ||
| Box 10, Item 1-30 | Slides of travels to Egypt, Syria, Greece, Near East, and archaic and Greek art, undated | |
| Box 11 | ||
| Box 11, Item 1-30 | Slides of travels to the USSR, Greece, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Spain, undated | |
| Box 12 | ||
| Box 12, Item 1-30 | Slides of travels to Italy, Iraq, Iran, Greece, India, Nepal and city architecture, undated | |
