Jerry Jurgensen Collection on William Dean Howells
SPEC.RARE.0370
Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
1.97 Cubic feet
circa 1860s-1986
As of 2026, William G. (Jerry) Jurgensen is the retired CEO of Nationwide and a former member of the Board of Trustees for The Ohio State University. William Dean Howells was an American novelist, literary critic, playwright, and diplomat. The Jerry Jurgensen Collection on William Dean Howells, dated circa 1860s-1986, contains literary works written by Howells, articles and reviews written about his work, and correspondence sent to family and friends.
(3) 5" letter document boxes; (3) oversize folders; (1) oversize flat box
English
Jurgensen, William G.
Arrangement of Materials
This collection is arranged in 3 series:
[Series 1: William Dean Howells Literary Works](ref12)
[Series 2: Literary Criticisms and Selected Readings of William Dean Howells](ref13)
[Series 3: Personal](ref14)
Acquisitions Information
Accession No. RARE.2021.0028: Jerry Jurgensen, 2021 January
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], Jerry Jurgensen Collection on William Dean Howells, SPEC.RARE.0370, Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, Ohio State University
Access to Materials
Materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the Thompson Library Special Collections reading room only.
Use of Materials
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.
Processing Information
Processed by: Sierra McGee, 2026 January; Sierra Sales, 2026 May; Finding aid written by: Sierra McGee, 2026 January; Sierra Sales, 2026 May
Biographical Note
As of 2026, William G. (Jerry) Jurgensen is the retired CEO of Nationwide and a former member of the Board of Trustees for The Ohio State University. He lives in Ohio and collects materials related to William Dean Howells. William Dean Howells (1837-1920) was an American novelist, literary critic, playwright, and diplomat. He grew up in Hamilton, Ohio and worked with his father’s newspaper by helping with typesetting and printing. In 1856, Howells was elected as a clerk in the State House of Representatives, and in 1858, he worked at the Ohio State Journal where he wrote poetry and short stories, and translated pieces from French, Spanish, and German. In 1860, Howells wrote Abraham Lincoln’s campaign biography and was appointed by Lincoln to become the United States Consul to Venice. After returning to the United States in 1865, Howells began working as an editor for The Atlantic Monthly, eventually becoming the editor until 1881. Howells works include:
The Sleeping Car,
The Rise of Silas Lapham, and
Christmas Everyday. He was close friends with his contemporaries Mark Twain and Henry James. Howells passed away on May 11, 1920.
Scope and Contents
The Jerry Jurgensen Collection on William Dean Howells, dated circa 1860s-1986, contains literary works written by Howells, articles and reviews written about his work, and correspondence sent to family and friends. Unpublished manuscript pages and poems from early in his writing career, photographs and drawings of Howells and his work, and edited drafts are also included.
Separated Materials
Jerry Jurgensen also donated a large collection of books related to William Dean Howells to the Rare Books and Manuscripts Library; the books are stored separately from this archival collection, can be found by searching the
Ohio State University Libraries online catalog for the William Dean Howells Collection.
Howells, William Dean, 1837-1920
American literature--19th century
Authors, American--19th century
Authors, American--20th century
Black-and-white photographs
Booklets
Books
Correspondence
Editors--United States--19th century
Literary criticism
Magazines (periodicals)
Manuscripts--Editing--19th century
Pen and ink drawings
Plays (performing arts compositions)
Playwriting--United States--19th century
Poetry--Editing--19th century
William Dean Howells Literary Works
Series 1
1870-1986
Scope and Contents
The William Dean Howells literary works series contains books, plays, and essays written by William Dean Howells. This series also contains copies of
The Atlantic Monthly and
The North American Review where Howells published some his earlier works, and some first editions of Howells' books and plays. Illustrated dust jackets for Howells' book,
Christmas Everyday, are also included. Materials are dated 1870-1986.
Arrangement of Materials
Materials are arranged chronologically. Materials from the same date are further arranged alphabetically by title.
The Atlantic Monthly
1
1
1870 July
Advertisement
1
2
1883
Samson: A Tragedy in Five Acts by Ippolito D'aste, translated by W.D. Howells (first edition)
1
3
1889
Harper's New Monthly Magazine
1
4
1891 November
A Masterpiece of Diplomacy ink sketch
Rare Shared 6
1
circa 1893
A Previous Engagement (first edition)
1
5
1897
The North American Review
1
6
1901 January
The Sleeping Car broadside
1
7
1901 January 31- February 1
The North American Review
1
8
1901 May
The North American Review
1
9
1901 December
Parting Friends - A Farce in One Act (first edition)
1
10
1911 June
Buying a Horse (first edition)
1
11
1916
Eighty Years and After, published in Harper's Magazine
1
12
1919 December
A Likely Story - A Farce in One Act (first edition)
1
13
1921
A Boy's Town dust jacket
1
14
circa 1925
The Flight of Pony Baker dust jacket
1
15
circa 1925
Christmas Everyday booklets and book jacket
1
16
1943, 1986
Literary Criticisms and Selected Readings of William Dean Howells
Series 2
1880-1979
Scope and Contents
The Literary Criticisms and Selected Readings of William Dean Howells series contains books, journal articles, literary critiques and reviews of Howells' literary works. The materials in this series feature selected readings of Howells, an analysis of Howells’ characters, like Silas Lapham and Bartley Hubbard, and comparisons between Howells and his contemporaries Mark Twain and Henry James.
The Youth’s Companion, a children’s magazine that promoted Howells' work, is also included. Materials are dated 1887-1979.
Arrangement of Materials
Materials are arranged chronologically. Materials from the same date are further arranged alphabetically by title.
Contemporary Review article "Mr. Howells"
2
1
1880 May
The Youth's Companion booklet
2
2
1882
The Youth's Companion booklet
2
3
1887
The Bang article "The Howells Masterpiece"
2
4
1917 March 26
Harvard Library Notes: William Dean Howells Collection
2
5
1938 May
Bibliography of William Dean Howells by William Gibson and George Arms
2
6
1948
The Voice of America Forum Lectures, "William Dean Howells, The Rise of Silas Lapham"
2
7
circa 1950s
"A Howells' Letter" by Paul Carter
2
8
1957 October
Howells and James: A Double Billing
2
9
1958
In Quest of America, A Study of Howells' Early Development as a Novelist
2
10
1958
Reprinted from
Bucknell Review Volume 7, Number 3: "American Nestor: Six Unpublished Letters From Howells" to Ade
2
11
1958 March
The Literary Manuscripts of W.D. Howells, A Descriptive Finding List
2
12
1958 June-July
Publications of the Modern Language Association of America (PMLA) Volume 74, Number 1: "Reality and Actuality in the March Family Narratives of W.D. Howells"
2
13
1959 March
"Howells and the Church of the Carpenter"
2
14
1959 June
Reprinted from
American Jewish Historical Quarterly: "Abraham Cahan and William Dean Howells The Story of Friendship"
2
15
1962 September
"Realism as Disinheritance: Twain, Howells and James"
2
16
1964
William Dean Howells: Dramatic Theories and Practices In His Plays and Selected Novels
2
17
1964 August
Colby Library Quarterly
2
18
1968 December
American Literary Realism 1870-1910, Howells' Bibliography
2
19
1969
Perspectives in American History: "Howell in the Nineties" by Kenneth S. Lynn
2
20
1970
Nineteenth Century Fiction, Volume 25, Number 1
2
21
1970 June
Ohio History, Volume 80, Number 2
2
22
1971
"Bartley Hubbard: The Rebel in Howells' A Modern Instance"
3
1
1971 December
American Literary Realism 1870-1910, Volume 6, Number 4
3
2
1973
"Some Patterns of Transcendence in Hawthorne and Howells by Henry Nash Smith"
3
3
1973
"On the Trail of the Truth" by Everett Carter
3
4
1975
"William Dean Howells and the Haymarket Era" by Sender Garlin
3
5
1979
Personal
Series 3
circa 1860s-1922
Scope and Contents
The Personal series contains correspondence, unpublished and edited drafts of Howells’ manuscripts and poems, black and white photographs of William Dean Howells, an interview, and a life portrait of Howells. Howells wrote two of the drafts while he was living in Venice, Italy as the United States Consul to Venice. The correspondence is written by Howells and addressed to several friends and family. Two memorial programs dedicated to Howells after his passing are also included in this series. Materials are dated circa 1860s-1922.
Arrangement of Materials
Materials are arranged chronologically. Materials from the same date are further arranged alphabetically by title.
Untitled manuscript leaf
3
6
circa 1860s
"A Poet" manuscript draft
3
7
circa 1860
Untitled manuscript written in Venice, Italy
3
8
circa 1861-1865
Untitled poem written in Venice, Italy
3
9
circa 1861-1865
Letter to E.C. Stedman, editor of New York World
3
10
1861 May 16
(Howells) Joseph letter
3
11
1864 September 5
Manuscript draft of "Mrs. Johnson"
3
12
circa 1867
(Longfellow) Henry W. letter to Howells
3
13
1867 May 20
Photographs
3
14
circa 1870-1917
Correspondence
3
15
1876-1916
Letters to Miss Elizabeth Dana
3
16
1876 September 24-1877 February 6
Letter to Howells' sister
3
17
1879 November 23
Letters written to Howells
3
18
1886-1907
Letter to Mr. Burdette
3
19
1886 March 12
Letters to Doctor James H. Jackson
3
20
1887-1890
American poets photograph frame
4
1
circa 1890
Letter to Miss Anne
3
21
1892 February 11
Letter to Mr. Hopkins
3
22
1895 February 15
Letter to Mrs. Van Rensslaer
3
23
1895 December 5
Letter to Mr. LeGallienne
3
24
1898 July 6
Letter to Mr. Johnson
3
25
1901 April 8
"William Dean Howells At His Summer Home" article
3
26
1902 June
"The Kishinev Massacre"; Proceeding of a meeting of the Citizens of New York
3
27
1903 May 17
Interview with James B. Morrow
1
1907 May 21
Direct Legislation League of Ohio leaflet
3
28
circa 1908
"Roman Holiday: A Praise of New Rome" galley proofs
3
29
1908
Letter to Elizabeth Atwood
3
30
1908 August 6
Life portrait drawing
Rare Shared 6
2
circa 1909-1920
John Bigelow Memorial Address Delivered Before the Century Association
3
31
1912 March
Dinner seat list
3
32
1912 March 2
Letter to Mr. Mitchell
3
33
1912 August 14
Letter and magazine articles
3
34
1913 July 2
Letter to Mrs. Kilmer
3
35
1915 October 9
Letter to Miss Anne
3
36
1916 October
Endorsed checks signed by Howells
3
37
1918-1919
The William Dean Howells Memorial Meeting program
3
38
1921 March 1
Public Meeting of the American Academy and the National Institute of Arts and Letters in honor of William Dean Howells
3
39
1922