Lighton Family Papers
Correspondence, photographs, manuscripts, and other papers
(1828-1987)
Manuscript Collection MC 779
Note: Box 31 contains oversize material from several series.
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The papers pertain primarily to William Rheem Lighton (1866-
1923), his wife Laura McMaken Lighton (1869-1948) and their
children, Dorothy (1893-1967), Louis Duryea (1895-1963), Suzanne
Chalfant (1905-1978), and Betty (b. 1912).
The Lightons came to Fayetteville, Arkansas, in 1908 and built
Happy Hollow Farm. An article ("The Story of an Arkansas
Farm," Saturday Evening Post, 22 January 1910) and later a book
about the farm (Happy Hollow Farm, New York: George H. Doran
Company, 1914) made W. R. Lighton and Fayetteville famous.
Although the family sold Happy Hollow Farm and moved to
California around 1919, the women of the family later returned to
Fayetteville, and all became prominent in the community. Laura
Lighton and Suzanne Chalfant (Peggy Sue) Lighton were active in
various local groups and the collection includes papers
pertaining to their activities in such organizations as the
Perennial Garden Club, the City Library, the Friday Social Club,
the Arkansas Bar Association, the Washington County Bar
Association, the Arkansas Democratic Women's Club, the League of
Women Voters, and the American Red Cross. See series and
subseries descriptions for further details on individual family
members.
Papers pertaining to the William Rheem Lighton family were
donated to Special Collections by Betty Lighton, Fayetteville,
Arkansas, December 1987.
Most of the papers were collected and saved by daughters Suzanne
and Betty. Included are materials pertaining to their extended
family, in particular, Dorothy Lighton's children and
grandchildren and Laura McMaken's father, Andrew Campbell
McMaken. These include papers pertaining to Andrew McMaken's
Civil War service; see Series 7 description for details. Also
included are some materials pertaining to close friends Lee
Seamster (a Fayetteville judge, later member of the Arkansas
Supreme Court, and Suzanne Lighton's legal mentor) and Henry
Tovey (music professor at the University of Arkansas).
RESTRICTIONS APPLY. Certain legal and
business records are restricted until the year 2038. Original
patient and personnel records and correspondence concerning
patients and personnel are restricted; in some cases photocopies,
with names obliterated, are provided for research use. Negatives
are restricted.
Processed by Nan Lawler, June 1990. Special Collections
Division, University of Arkansas Libraries, Fayetteville,
Arkansas.
Series 1. Correspondence. Boxes 1-
7.
Almost all correspondence in the collection is in this series.
It is arranged chronologically. Letters are mostly among members
of the immediate Lighton family, but also included is some
correspondence from Thomas A. Edison, Will Rogers, Jimmy Durante,
and Erma Bombeck.
The family was split much of the time. Willam Lighton courted
Laura McMaken largely through his letters, and after their
marriage (8 April 1890 in Atchison, Kansas) he traveled
extensively to support the family. During Laura Lighton's
confinement with their daughter Suzanne, the two older children
stayed with their aunt and corresponded almost daily. Son Louis
Duryea (Bud) went to New Mexico in 1916 to gather material (like
most of the Lightons, he wanted to be a writer), then joined the
Army, where he trained as a pilot, though World War I ended
before his training was complete. Daughter Suzanne (also called
Peggy Sue) went to Los Angeles after graduation from the
University of Arkansas, hoping to become a newspaper reporter.
Daughter Marjorie (Betty) joined the Red Cross during World War
II, serving in various camps and hospitals.
Many letters are incompletely dated. Dates that can be assumed
from incomplete dates, postmarks, or contents of letters are
shown in brackets.
Aside from a small collection of family letters dating from the
early nineteenth century (in Folder 1), the correspondence
pertains to William Lighton's courtship of Laura McMaken.
Box 1
- 23 May 1828 - 12 Nov 1880.
- 9 Aug - 9 Oct 1889.
- 11 Oct - 1 Nov 1889.
- 13 Nov - 19 Nov 1889.
- [22 Nov 1889] - 8 Oct [1889].
- 12 Jan - [12 and 13 Feb 1890.]
- 18 Feb - 23 Feb 1890.
- 25 Feb - 2 Mar 1890.
- 3 Mar - 5 Mar 1890, n.d.
Folders 1 and 2 contain letters pertaining to the marriage of
William Lighton to Laura McMaken (8 Apr 1890). Folders 3, 4, 7,
and 8 contain letters from William Lighton to Laura McMaken
Lighton as he moved about, trying to support the family. Folders
5 and 9 contain letters of condolence at the death of the
Lighton's sons William Andrew (1892) and David McMaken (1902).
Folders 9 through 12 contain letters to and from the two eldest
children, Dorothy and Louis (Bud), who stayed with their aunt
during Laura Lighton's confinement with Suzanne. Letters and
telegrams pertaining to the birth of the donor, Marjorie (Betty),
1912, are in Folder 14. Some correspondence also pertains to
William Lighton's writing.
Box 2
- 27 Mar - 7 Apr 1890.
- 7 Apr - 29 Apr 1890.
- 1 Mar - 7 Oct 1891.
- 12 Oct - 12 Dec 1891.
- 8 Feb 1892 - 25 Sept 1893.
- 29 Sept 1893 - 5 Nov 1894.
- 7, 8, and 10 Oct 1895 - [Dec 1895.]
- 16 Dec [1895] - 16 Oct 1901.
- 14 Jan 1902 - 18 July 1905.
- [18 July 1905] - 22 July 1905.
- [23 July 1905] - [26 July 1905].
- [26 July 1905] - 4 Aug [1905].
- 8 Aug [1905] - 3 Mar 1912, n.d.
- 16 Nov 1912 - 24 Dec 1914.
Folders 1-3 contain Louis (Bud) Lighton's letters from New
Mexico. Folders 4-8 contain his letters from various Army camps
(he was training as a pilot) during World War I.
Box 3
- [Apr 1916], n.d.
- [1916].
- 1916.
- [May 1917] - [12 June 1917], n.d.
- 12 May 1918 - 24 Sept 1918, n.d.
- 26 Sept 1918 - [1 Oct 1916], n.d.
- 1 - 17 Nov 1918, n.d.
- [17 Nov - 28 Nov 1918].
Folders 1 and 2 contain correspondence among family members,
especially after Laura Lighton returned to Fayetteville in 1919
in preparation for the family's return to Arkansas. Topics
include William R. Lighton's hopes for success in Los Angeles and
Louis (Bud) Lighton's marriage to Hope Loring (1920). Folder 3
contains letters pertaining to Suzanne Lighton's trip to
California in 1928. When the rest of the family moved back to
Fayetteville after William Lighton's death, Louis Lighton
remained in Los Angeles and became a successful writer and
producer. Folders 4-7 contain his letters from Hollywood and
include details about the movies he was making.
Box 4
- 1919-1920.
- December 1921 - 12 Jan 1926.
- 14 Feb 1927 -1928.
- [21 Dec 1929] - 13 Feb 1936.
- [21 Dec 1936] - [20 Dec 1938].
- 3 Mar 1939 - [28 Apr 1941].
- [Spring, 1941] - 20 Oct 1941.
Folders 1 and 2 contain letters from Louis (Bud) Lighton with
news of movies he was making and of the war's impact on
California. Folders 3-6 contain Marjorie (Betty) Lighton's
letters from her various Red Cross posts. Folders 7 and 8
contain letters from Louis (Bud) Lighton about his ranch and
movie making (Folder 8 also contains a serviceman's letter about
Lighton's movie, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn).
Box 5
- [Dec 1941] - [Aug 1942].
- [20 Dec 1942] - 21 Feb 1943.
- [23 Apr 1943] - 6 May 1943.
- 8 May [1943] -[15 June 1943].
- [19 June 1943] - 29 July 1943.
- [28 and 29 July 1943] - [29 Aug 1943].
- 17 Nov 1943 - [early 1944].
- 31 May 1944 - 16 Apr 1945.
Box 6 contains letters from Louis (Bud) Lighton about the movies
he was making, as well as letters from Greer Garson, Spyros P.
Skouras, and a serviceman praising A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and
A Bell for Adano. Folders 4 and 5 also include letters from
Marjorie (Betty) Lighton from her Red Cross post in Colorado.
Folders 1-5 of Box 7 pertain mainly to Laura Lighton's illness
and death. Folders 6-12 contain various family letters,
including Marjorie (Betty) Lighton's attempt to buy Happy Hollow
Farm in 1964 (Folder 10) and correspondence concerning Louis
(Bud) Lighton's Wine Glass Ranch in Arizona (Folder 12).
Box 6
- [15 Aug 1945] - 24 Dec 1945.
- 30 Mar 1946 - 18 July 1946.
- 19 Aug 1946 - 13 Dec 1946.
- [20 Feb 1947] - 4 July 1947.
- [12 Aug 1947] - 31 Oct 1947.
- 3 Nov 1947 - 24 Feb 1948.
Box 7
- [Feb or Mar 1948] - 28 May 1948.
- [8 June - 1 July 1948].
- [6 -24 July 1948].
- [28 July 1948] - 17 Aug 1948.
- [23 and 24 Aug 1948] - 15 Nov 1948.
- 21 Nov 1948 - Dec 1949.
- 25 Jan 1951 - Dec 1956.
- 12 June 1957 - 15 Sept 1959.
- 9 Jan 1962 - 15 Jan 1964.
- 1 Apr - 25 Apr 1964.
- [3 Jan 1967] - 13 Sept 1967.
- 27 Jan 1985] - 14 Aug 1987.
Return to "Contents of Collection"
Series 2. William Rheem Lighton. Boxes
8-13.
- Information about William Rheem Lighton and and contents of
Series 2.
- Subseries 1. Personal items, Happy Hollow Farm, movie
endeavors.
- Subseries 2. Manuscripts, notebooks and notes for books.
- Subseries 3. Galleys and typescripts.
- Subseries 4. Reprints and clippings.
- Subseries 5. Typescripts of stories and screenplays done in
collaboration with Louis Duryea (Bud) Lighton.
William Rheem Lighton (whose father was, in William Lighton's
words, a "musician and microscopist") was born 13 July 1866 in
Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, and grew up mostly in Nebraska. A
childhood injury kept him out of school for a number of years,
but he read voraciously and had already began writing by his
thirteenth year. He spent a year teaching school in western New
Mexico (not Arizona, as the 1901-02 Who's Who states), but was
apparently living with his parents and supporting himself by
office work (at least some of it in the business of his brother,
Louis) at the time of his marriage to Laura McMaken, 8 April
1890, in Atchison, Kansas.
The couple continued to live with the elder Lightons for several
years, during which William Lighton tried a number of
money-making schemes to support his family. He was an office
worker, stenographer, lawyer (he had apparently been admitted to
the bar in Kansas and Nebraska in 1891, though he did not
practice law for long), newspaperman, typing and shorthand
teacher, and court reporter. Around the turn of the century his
success as a freelance writer was established. He wrote regular
reports (including several on the 1906 San Francisco earthquake)
for the Boston Evening Transcript, sold stories--especially his
"Billy Fortune" stories--steadily to magazines, and produced a
few moderately successful novels.
In 1908 the Lightons came to Fayetteville, Arkansas, where they
bought a run-down farm and William Lighton turned his hand to
"scientific agriculture." He built a stone and log house for the
family (listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings in
1978) and wrote an article about their adventures for the
Saturday Evening Post, "The Story of an Arkansas Farm." The
story was enormously popular and resulted in queries from other
would-be "back to the landers," as well as a continual stream of
visitors to the Lightons' Happy Hollow Farm. The article was
reprinted by a number of railroads to encourage migration.
The popularity of the article lead to a full-length book, Happy
Hollow Farm, illustrated with photographs by early Fayetteville
art photographer J. H. Field (the friendship between the two
families continued--many later portraits of family members were
made by Field).
William Lighton was genuinely interested in new developments in
agriculture, and was making plans for a trip to Europe to study
latest techniques there when World War I broke out. At about
this time, the popularity of his stories also began to decline,
so when the opportunity arose to write for the movies, the family
sold Happy Hollow Farm and went to Los Angeles. William Lighton
wrote the screenplay for one of Will Rogers's earliest movies,
Water, Water Everywhere, with Will Rogers playing Billy
Fortune. Although both William Lighton and his son had
expectations of more movies, this did not happen.
The family decided to move back to Fayetteville and Laura McMaken
Lighton returned alone to attempt to buy back Happy Hollow Farm.
She could not and instead bought land nearby and built the house
known as "Green Tree in the Country." She and their three
daughters moved to Fayetteville (Suzanne had by then graduated
from Los Angeles High School), while William Lighton and their
son remained in California. Before he could join the women in
Fayetteville, William Rheem Lighton died suddenly in Los Angeles,
25 January 1923. He was cremated and the ashes scattered.
Subseries 1. Personal items, Happy Hollow Farm, movie
endeavors.
Included here also are items pertaining to the 1906 San Francisco
earthquake and book contracts.
Box 8
- Scrapbook [made by William Rheem Lighton as a child],
including a clipping of an 1881 letter to the editors of the
[Ottumwa, IA] Courier signed by "Will Lighton, Louis Lighton,
Robert E. Lynch, and others."
- Items and clippings pertaining to William Rheem Lighton in
general, 1899-1923. Includes two pieces of sheet music composed
by Lighton's father, one with words by W. R. Lighton, in oversize
box 31.
- Clippings and typescripts pertaining to John Whitcomb Riley
and other friends of the Lightons, 1915, n.d.
- List of William Lighton's writings [by Laura Lighton] and
information about his writings (by Suzanne Lighton),
correspondence with William Lighton's literary agent, contracts,
1904-1921, 1968, n.d.
- Items pertaining to Lighton's reporting of the San Francisco
earthquake, 1906 (see also Series 8, Photographs).
- Clippings of the San Francisco earthquake, 1906. See also
oversize box 31.
- Legal papers pertaining to Happy Hollow Farm, 1908-1910.
- Ledger containing financial records of Happy Hollow Farm, Aug
1908 - Oct 1910, including some notes on building.
- Notes by Laura Lighton on Happy Hollow Farm; manuscript, "The
Making of an Arkansas Farm."
- Clippings and reprints of Happy Hollow Farm article, 1910,
1914, n.d., including booklets by three railroads.
- Items pertaining to response to Happy Hollow Farm article and
life at Happy Hollow; contract for book about Happy Hollow Farm,
1910-1919.
- Clippings about Happy Hollow Farm (1950-1986); program for
dedication of Happy Hollow School (1972).
- Items pertaining to movie, Water, Water Everywhere,
starring Will Rogers. (See photographs in Series 8,
Photographs.)
- Items pertaining to William Lighton's other efforts in the
movie business. See also photographs in oversize box 31.
Subseries 2. Manuscripts, notebooks, and notes for books
(see also Volumes 12-15).
Box 9
- Manuscript: homemade notebook of William Lighton's writings,
1879-1880.
- Manuscript: "Ottumwa, Iowa, 1880. Journal of a Boy"
(autobiographical material, written at age 13).
- Manuscript: "The Life and Experiences of Jim Holmes" (1880).
Written by Lighton at age 14 and "Dedicated to my Mother."
- Three notebooks of story ideas (including notes for Shadow
of the Great Rock), clippings, some records of stories
submitted.
- Notebook containing poetry of William Lighton and 2 pages by
Suzanne Lighton (1923).
Subseries 3. Galleys and typescripts.
Box 10
- Galleys, "The Heart of a Man" for Ladies' Home Journal,
1905.
- Typescripts of poems, short essay.
- Typescripts: essays on writing and on stories.
- Typescript of Lewis and Clark.
- Typescripts of essays on economics, shipbuilding, and
agriculture (1913, n.d.).
- Typescript of essay, "The Relations of the Prairies to the
Orient."
- Typescripts of article, "The Mississippi Empire," two with
drafts of letter, 1919.
- Typescripts of essays and articles on the west.
- Typescripts of essays and articles on the west.
- Typescripts of "Letters to my Boy in Service" (I and II).
- Typescripts of stories.
- Typescripts of stories.
- Typescripts of stories (Arkansas settings or themes).
- Typescripts of stories [Arkansas settings or themes].
Box 11
- Typescripts of stories [Nebraska settings or themes].
- Typescripts of stories [Wyoming settings or themes].
- Typescripts of stories [Arizona and New Mexico settings or
themes].
- Typescripts of stories [other western settings or themes].
- Typescripts of Brad Betts stories (or start of novel?).
- Typescripts of Judge Jerry stories.
- Typescripts of Billy Fortune stories (includes one synopsis
for screenplay with letter, 1918).
- Typescripts of Billy Fortune stories (plus two fragments of
Billy Fortune stories).
- Typed story fragments.
- Typescripts and correspondence pertaining to book, The
Flaming Sword (1918).
Box 12
- "Preliminary Notes on a Study of Atrypa Reticularis, Linn."
(clipping from Bulletin of the Washburn College Laboratory of
Natural History), by W. R. Lighton (Willam Lighton or his
father?); Bound booklet: Essay of Protean Nature, by "The
Hermit of Leavenworth" [by Lighton?].
- Booklets, mostly reprints by railroads and other companies of
articles (1911-1918, n.d.).
- Clippings of articles, mostly on agriculture (1900-1914,
n.d.). Two clippings in oversize box 31.
- Clippings of stories (1893-1913, n.d.).
Subseries 5. Typescripts of stories and screenplays done in
collaboration with Louis Duryea (Bud) Lighton.
Box 13
- Billy Fortune stories.
- Other stories.
- Typescript and carbon copies of novel, The Rooftree: A
Story of Home.
- Screenplays.
Return to "Contents of Collection"
Series 3. Laura McMaken Lighton. Box
14.
Laura McMaken (sometimes called "Lola"), born 24 August 1869 in
Plattsburg, Nebraska, was from a pioneer family. Her father,
Andrew Campbell McMaken, was an early Nebraska settler, and her
uncle, Henry McMaken, participated in the first survey of the
Territory. Henry's tales of early Nebraska were later gathered
in William Lighton's book, Uncle Mac's Nebrasky.
Following her marriage in 1890, Laura McMaken Lighton gave birth
to four children who survived to adulthood: Dorothy, Louis
(usually called Bud), Suzanne (in her youth usually called Peggy
or Peggy Sue), and Marjorie (usually called Betty; the donor of
this collection). In addition, there were two sons who died in
childhood: William Andrew (1891-1892) and David McMaken (1899-
1902).
Laura Lighton's business skills became apparant after her
husband's death. She turned Green Tree in the Country into a tea
room (the Green Tree Inn) and also started building and buying
and selling property to support her daughters. One of her main
properties was the Green Tree Apartments, rented largely by
students who called her "Ma Lighton." She became involved in
community affairs, particularly the Perennial Garden Club (a
major project was the planting and beautification of Arkansas
Avenue as a memorial to Will Rogers), the City Library, and the
Friday Social Club. She died 8 September 1948.
Box 14
- Calling cards and other personal items.
- Scrapbook, Christmas present from Laura McMaken's mother,
1878.
- Clippings and pictures originally laid into scrapbook in
Folder 2.
- Items pertaining to Laura McMaken's marriage (photograph of
church in Series 8, Photographs).
- Notes Laura McMaken Lighton wrote on each anniversary, 1891-
1894, including events of the past year for each.
- Items pertaining to family and birthdays.
- Diaries, 1899-1902 and 1902; envelope containing locks of
children's hair; clippings pertaining to burial of William Andrew
Lighton (1892) and to Fayetteville women's activities during flu
epidemic (1918; Laura Lighton was a volunteer nurse).
- Personal and household accounts, 1898-1940 (see also Volumes
24-25 and oversize box 31).
- Papers pertaining to Laura Lighton's real estate dealings,
1920-1929.
- Notebook of Green Tree Inn expenses (see Volume 26 for Green
Tree guest book), chattel mortage for Green Tree Apartments
furnishings; sheet music inscribed by composer, a former resident
of Green Tree Apartments.
- Items pertaining to Laura Lighton's travels, 1934-1937.
- Items pertaining to Arkansas Avenue beautification, 1931-
1937, 1976.
- Items pertaining to Laura Lighton's last birthday (24 August
1948) and death (8 September 1948).
Return to "Contents of Collection"
Series 4. Louis Duryea Lighton. Box
15-16.
Louis Duryea Lighton (usually called Bud) was born 25 November
1895 in Florence, Nebraska. He traveled and worked in New Mexico
(William Lighton's parents were living in Albuquerque at the
time) and was in the army during World War I. When the rest of
the family moved back to Fayetteville after William Lighton's
death, Louis Lighton remained in Hollywood, married a script
writer, Hope Loring (born 1893), and became a successful writer
and producer. Among other movies, he produced A Tree Grows in
Brooklin, Captains Courageous, and A Bell for Adano. He had
no children, but adopted Hope Loring's daughter, Pat, who later
married Thomas H. (Mike) Sword. Louis Lighton and his wife owned
ranches in California and Arizona, raising race horses for a
while, and later cattle. They retired to Mallorca, Spain, where
both died, Hope Loring in 1959, Louis Lighton on 1 February 1963.
Box 15
- Personal and military papers, 1917-1941.
- Notes on short story ideas, short story, "Old Lady."
- Six notebooks of notes and ideas for scenes.
- "Desk Diary" containing notes and ideas for scenes,
clippings, and papers.
- Pages removed from looseleaf notebook, containing inventory
of works of art and books on horses and the west.
- Items pertaining to Louis Lighton's life work and death.
- Other personal items.
- Clippings, mostly about movies.
- Publicity for Flesh and Blood (from story by Bud, 1920?)
and program for The Circus, starring Charlie Chaplin (1927).
- Other items pertaining to movies: publicity, reviews,
programs. See Volume 27 for book, The Virginian, signed by
members of cast of Lighton's movie.
Box 16
- Script, Mr. Coronado (Arizona setting).
- Script, Soldiers Three, "copy for L. D. Lighton."
- Script, Lucky Night, "copy for L. D. Lighton"; "Script
okayed by: Mr. Lighton."
Return to "Contents of Collection"
Series 5. Suzanne Chalfant Lighton.
Boxes 17-19.
Suzanne Chalfant Lighton (frequently called Peggy Sue) was born
24 July 1905 in Omaha, Nebraska. After graduation from the
University of Arkansas in 1925, and her unsuccessful attempt to
become a newspaper reporter in California, she did some
free-lance writing, then read law with Judge Lee Seamster of
Fayetteville and became a lawyer in 1933. She was active in
politics (she organized the Arkansas State Democratic Women's
Club) and community affairs (in particular, Red Cross blood
drives, the Arkansas Bar Association, various social services
organizations, and city beautification). She died 15 November
1978.
Box 17
- Personal items pertaining to Suzanne Lighton's birth,
childhood, high school, and college, 1905-1931. See also
Manuscript Collections Oversize Box 8.
- Mementos of family and friends, including greeting cards,
1938-1969.
- Items pertaining to Suzanne Lighton's "shower," 1951 (see
associated photographs in Series 8, Photographs).
- Other personal items and items pertaining to family and Happy
Hollow Farm, 1938-1978 (see associated photographs in Series 8,
Photographs).
- Notes, correspondence, deed, and photos pertaining to the
installation of grave markers for the McMaken grandparents,
William Andrew Lighton, and David McMaken Lighton, Plattsmouth,
Nebraska, 1967-1968. Death certificate for Lydia Lighton and
bill for burial, Fayetteville, 1936.
- Four diaries and journals: 1 Jan 1922 - 8 Nov 1923, 24 July
1924; 1934 trip west (see associated photographs in Series 8,
Photographs); 1936 Democratic National Convention; 1964 trip to
England.
- Suzanne Lighton's accounts, Feb 1933 - Dec 1950: income from
freelance writing and legal work, expenses for business.
- Papers and accounts pertaining to house at 424 N. Willow,
Fayetteville.
- Notes for and fragments of stories by Suzanne Lighton.
Box 18
- Notes, typescripts, photocopies of Suzanne Lighton's
published articles on fox hunting. See also photo in Series 8,
Photographs.
- Notes and typescript of article, "The Old Record Book," about
1829 Washington county record book (2 versions). See photo in
Series 8, Photographs.
- Other articles and fragments by Suzanne Lighton (see
associated photos in Series 8, Photographs.)
- Short story, "Cockles for Barley," including several versions
and two pages of criticism by [Charles Morrow Wilson].
- Courtroom proceedings; stories or fragments, mostly with
courtroom or law enforcement setting.
- Clippings on local history and local color; notes on Arkansas
and local history.
- Items pertaining to Suzanne Lighton's law career: attorney's
license, Ft. Smith, January 24, 1941; samples of her stationery
and business cards; clippings (1933-1978), letters regarding
juvenile court (1978). See also Manuscript Collections Oversize
Box 8.
- [Papers pertaining to the sale of her law business, 1967-
1969, are restricted until the year 2038.]
- Material (1957-1967) pertaining to activities in the Arkansas
Bar Association and the Washington County Bar Association
(Suzanne Lighton was President 1958-1959).
- Materials pertaining to politics (1937-1977).
- Materials pertaining to the Arkansas Democratic Women's Club
(1937-1956).
- Materials pertaining to League of Women Voters (1963-1967).
- Material pertaining to Estate Planning Council of Northwest
Arkansas, 1966-1967.
Box 19
- Card, certificate, stationery, correspondence pertaining to
the Red Cross, 1962-1975.
- Bylaws, annual reports, minutes, notes pertaining to the Red
Cross, 1952-1967.
- Information, notes on recruitment of donors, procedures
pertaining to the Red Cross blood program.
- Printed matter on the Red Cross blood program; clippings and
lists of donors for Red Cross Bloodmobile visits, 1973-1976.
- Material pertaining to urban renewal, Child-Family Guidance
Service, Child Welfare Department, mental health, "Exploring"
program (1960-1965, n.d.).
- Correspondence, clippings, press releases, printed matter,
and notes pertaining to the Arkansas Chapter, Arthritis and
Rheumatism Foundation, 1962-1967.
- Material pertaining to Economic Opportunity Study Committee
for Washington County, 1965-1966.
- Material pertaining to the Ozark Society, especially efforts
to save Buffalo River; includes many letters from J. William
Fulbright, Winthrop Rockefeller, and others in answer to Suzanne
Lighton's letters, 1965-1967.
- Material pertaining to the Citizens' Association of
Fayetteville, 1965-1967.
- Material pertaining to the Planning, Urban Renewal, and
Public Housing Information Committee, Fayetteville, Arkansas,
1966.
- Material pertaining to the County Conference on Social
Services, 1966.
- Material pertaining to Downtown Fayetteville Unlimited, Inc.,
1966-1967; Suzanne Lighton's literacy tutoring certificate, 1974;
clippings and correspondence concerning landscaping of Arkansas
Avenue median, 1975. See Oversize Folder 1 for blueprint of
landscape plan.
Return to "Contents of Collection"
Series 6. Marjorie (Betty) Lighton.
Box 20-23.
The donor, Marjorie Lighton (usually called Betty), was born in
Little Rock, Arkansas, 15 November 1912. She graduated from the
College of Industrial Arts (now Texas Women's University) in
Denton, Texas, with a major in speech in 1934. That summer she
traveled across the country with her mother and sister Suzanne,
visiting the Nine Bar Ranch in Wyoming and her brother Louis in
Hollywood. Betty Lighton worked for the Triangle Producing
Company of Greensboro, North Carolina, in the summer of 1937,
producing "home talent" plays--a sort of community theater--and
also directed Blackfriar plays at the University of Arkansas.
She performed and taught dancing in Fayetteville, was a legal
secretary, took radio and speech courses at Northwestern
University (summer 1939), and was a court reporter before joining
the Red Cross during World War II. In the Red Cross she served
at O'Reilly General Hospital, Springfield, Missouri; Camp Crowder
Station Hospital, Neosho, Missouri; Bruns General Hospital, Santa
Fe, New Mexico; Fitzsimons General Hospital, Denver, Colorado;
and traveled throughout fourteen states as Recreation Consultant.
Her eyesight began to fail (she and Louis Lighton had the same
disability), and she began to seek a career that she could handle
with her disability. She worked for the Girl Scouts as a Council
Advisor, working out of the Regional Office in Memphis,
Tennessee, then was Executive Director of the Knoxville
(Tennessee) Girl Scout Council (later enlarged to an Area
Council, Tanasi Girl Scout Council). She won a fellowship from
the American Foundation for the Blind to the University of
Tennessee Graduate School of Social Work, Nashville, 1958-1960,
doing field work at the Senior Citizens' Center and the Council
of Community Agencies there. After graduation she became
Associate Executive Director of the YWCA, Dayton, Ohio, until her
retirement back to Fayetteville in 1964.
Box 20
- Items pertaining to Betty Lighton's childhood, including
early poems.
- Clippings, notes, programs from Betty's high school days (see
related photos in Series 8, Photographs) and dance performances
(1929 and 1930).
- Records and programs pertaining to studies at Texas State
College for Women, College of Industrial Arts, Denton (CIA),
1930-1934. Diploma in Manuscript Collections Oversize Box 8.
- Betty Lighton's notes and reports, CIA, 1933, n.d.
- Poems and materials collected as part of speech work at CIA.
- Class notes; copied poems, plays, and essays from speech or
drama classes at CIA.
- Items pertaining to plays studied or performed and copies of
plays with production notes.
Box 21
- Typed carbon copies of plays with notes on production.
- Notes for speeches, CIA.
- Program and scripts for "The Painted Doll," a "Musical
Extravaganza" presented by junior and senior classes, CIA, 1933.
See related photo in Series 8, Photographs.
- Clippings, letters, notes, mostly pertaining to Betty
Lighton's activities with CIA Students' Association, 1933-1934.
- Handwritten resume of jobs, 1934-1939; grades, letters,
clippings, and certificates pertaining to jobs, 1935-1939.
- Grades, clippings, play programs, notes, and class handouts
from Northwestern University, 1939.
- Plays with production notes.
- Article, "The 'Lost Generation' Speaks Back," by "Betty
Marjorie Lighton" (1936), radio script; notes and letter
containing local color for planned radio scripts.
- Typed transcript from Betty Lighton's days as a court
reporter, kept for story material.
- Series of radio plays, "Jedge Lem's A-Courting Today," done
for class at Northwestern University, 1939.
- "Plan for Series of Broadcasts" and synopses for 25 plays for
"Jedge Lem's A-Courtin' Today" series. (At least some of these
were based on Fayetteville cases, especially Suzanne Lighton's.)
- Rewritten versions of the "Jedge Lem's A Courtin' Today"
series of radio plays.
- Journal of trip to Chicago and other items pertaining to the
start of World War II and Betty Lighton's entering the Red Cross,
1940-1943.
Box 22
- Schedules, programs, newsletters, reference lists pertaining
to Red Cross work as Recreation Worker at O'Reilly General
Hospital, Springfield, Missouri (1943-1944) and as Head
Recreation Worker at ASF Regional Hospital, Camp Crowder, Neosho,
Missouri, (1944-1945); letter of resignation from Red Cross
(1945).
- Mimeographed information sheets for Red Cross workers on
mental hygiene, psychotic psychoneurotic patients, recreation
programs, and supervision; mimeographed instructions for games
and quizzes.
- Memos, notes, bibliographies, information sheets pertaining
to work as Area Recreation Consultant (14-state territory) for
Red Cross, St. Louis, Missouri.
- Papers Betty Lighton was working on regarding integration of
case work and recreation, recreation, and music as therapy.
- Notes from different hospitals visited as Recreation
Consultant.
- Clippings, memos, brochures, letters, and papers pertaining
to Red Cross work as Head Recreation Worker, Bruns General
Hospital, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1946-1946.
- Reports, 1946.
- Positive photocopies of letter and patient records, Bruns
General Hospital (patients' names have been obliterated on
copies; original letters available for research only with special
permission), 1946.
- Manuals, brochures, programs, letters pertaining to Red Cross
work as Head Recreation Worker, Fitzsimons General Hospital,
Denver, Colorado, 1946-1947.
- Memos concerning cut-back in employees, Betty Lighton's
letter of resignation, work performance reviews, cards, and
letters, 1947-1948 (for all employee records, positive
photocopies with names obliterated are provided for research;
originals are available only with special permission).
- Papers, cards, health report, and certificate for Red Cross
service during World War II.
Box 23
- Correspondence and clippings pertaining to activities after
leaving Red Cross, search for a new job, work with Girl Scouts,
1947-1955.
- Material pertaining to Tanasi Girl Scout Council, including
correspondence (1979) regarding anniversay of Tanasi.
- Material, primarily pertaining to work with Girl Scouts,
1949-1958.
- Materials pertaining to Betty's fellowship and studies at
University of Tennessee School of Social Work, 1958-1960.
- Correspondence and clippings pertaining to summer work, 1959.
- Betty's thesis, 1960, University of Tennessee Graduate School
of Social Work, with copies of survey letter and questionnaire
used by Betty for thesis, approval of thesis topic, invitation to
commencement exercises.
- Materials pertaining to job search and employment with YWCA,
Dayton, Ohio, 1960-1963.
- Clippings, correspondence, and minutes pertaining to Betty
Lighton's activities after retirement; her education and
employment history (written October 1987).
- Other clippings and historical items.
Return to "Contents of Collection"
Series 7. Dorothy Lighton, Laura
McMaken Lighton's extended family, and friends of the Lightons.
Box 24
Dorothy Lighton was born 21 April 1893 in South Omaha, Nebraska.
After several years as Assistant to the Registrar, University of
Arkansas, Dorothy married (12 February 1929) Sidney Wright
Benton, a 1917 graduate of the University. They had two
children, Meah Elizabeth (Betsy) and William Briant. Betsy
married Wiley Washington Murrell, Jr., 6 June 1949, in
Fayetteville, and had three children, Wiley Washington III,
Rebecca Jane (Becky), and Laura Ann. A number of items, mostly
newspaper clippings, pertain to Dorothy Lighton Benton's children
and grandchildren. Dorothy Benton died 14 January 1967.
Laura McMaken Lighton's extended family played an important part
in William Lighton's writings. Her uncle, Henry McMaken,
participated in the first survey of Nebraska Territory, and his
tales of early Nebraska were the basis for William Lighton's
book, Uncle Mac's Nebrasky. William Lighton's fictitious
"Billy Fortune" was based upon Laura Lighton's cousin, Dan
Chalfant. His sister, Alice Chalfant Wolfe, and her family
homesteaded in Wyoming, establishing the Nine Bar Ranch near
Lusk. While visiting the Nine Bar, William Lighton met Dan
Chalfant, who had homesteaded the adjoining property. William
Lighton returned to the Nine Bar later, in company with an
illustrator, to gather further information for his Billy Fortune
stories. Much of the material was gathered or saved by Suzanne
Lighton, who was interested in family history. During Laura
Lighton's last illness, Suzanne Lighton questioned her and took
notes on family history.
Included are papers and correspondence pertaining to A. C.
McMaken's Civil War service. Andrew McMaken, Company A, First
Nebraska Cavalry, enlisted as a private but was promoted to
sergeant in October 1861. In December 1863, he resigned in order
to accept a commission as second lieutenant of Company C, Sixty-
second United States Colored Infantry. During his tour of duty
with the Sixty-second, McMaken survived the sinking of the
steamboat Planet on February 1, 1864, on the Mississippi River
near St. James Parish, Louisiana. McMaken resigned his
commission on July 4, 1864, and returned to Nebraska. There he
reenlisted as a private with the First Regiment of Nebraska
Veteran Volunteer Cavalry and saw service at Fort Kearney,
Nebraska, as a quartermaster sergeant. Other than his notice of
resignation from the Sixty-second U. S. Colored Infantry, no
letters of McMaken from 1861 to 1865 are in the collection, but
there are numerous supply returns from Fort Kearney dated 1864
and a report of equipment lost during the sinking of the
Planet. Some of McMaken's letters from the late nineteenth
century mention his war exploits, and there are numerous pension
documents. The collection also includes one letter, dated
November 11, 1864, written from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, by
Private H. A. Seiffert, Company M, Second Colorado Cavalry.
Seiffert, apparently writing to McMaken, describes in detail his
experiences during the battle of Westport, Missouri, October 23,
1864, and his regiment's subsequent pursuit of General Sterling
Price's retreat toward Arkansas.
Friends include the North Family (neighbors and good friends of
Laura McMaken Lighton's in Atchison, Kansas), Judge Lee Seamster
(Suzanne Lighton's friend and mentor), and Henry Tovey (a music
professor at the University of Arkansas and a close friend of the
Lighton family). Like Suzanne Lighton, Seamster was interested
local color, and many of his resesarch notes and papers were
saved by Suzanne Lighton. Most Seamster material was separated
and incorporated into MC 637, Lee A. Seamster Papers.
Box 24
- Printing plate for Dorothy's calling cards; card from Betsy
to Laura; invitation to Betsy's wedding, 1949; clippings.
- Pages from family Bible and additional family information
(mostly written by Suzanne).
- Materials pertaining to Andrew Campbell McMaken's Civil War
service, 1864-1909, including explanation by Suzanne Lighton
(1968) and correspondence concerning where McMaken served (1946).
See also oversize box 31 and Manuscript Collections Oversize Box
8.
- Obituaries, clippings, cards, notices, etc., pertaining to
Andrew Campbell McMaken and his family, 1872-1951.
- Clippings pertaining to the North family. See also
photograph album in Series 9.
- Papers pertaining to Lee Seamster and Henry Tovey. See also
photographs in Series 8, Photographs.
Return to "Contents of Collection"
Series 8. Photographs. Boxes 25-
28.
- Subseries 1. Primarily photographs pertaining to William
Rheem Lighton.
- Subseries 2. Primarily photographs pertaining to Laura
McMaken Lighton.
- Subseries 3. The Lighton family.
- Subseries 4. Primarily photographs pertaining to Dorothy
Lighton and her family.
- Subseries 5. Primarily photographs pertaining to Louis
Duryea (Bud) Lighton.
- Subseries 6. Primarily photographs pertaining to Suzanne
Lighton.
- Subseries 7. Primarily photographs pertaining to Marjorie
(Betty) Lighton.
- Subseries 8. Laura McMaken Lighton's extended family; the
North family, Henry Tovey, and other friends; and Fayetteville
scenes.
- Subseries 9. Betty Lighton's 35 mm proof sheets.
Box 25
Subseries 1. Primarily photographs pertaining to William
Rheem Lighton.
- Photographs 1-4. Portraits of William Rheem Lighton's
grandmother and uncle; early portraits of Lighton.
- Photographs 5-10. Portraits of William Rheem Lighton.
- Photographs 11-29. Photographs from the San Francisco
earthquake, 1906, some with captions by Lighton (see Box 8,
Folder 5).
Subseries 2. Primarily photographs pertaining to Laura
McMaken Lighton.
- Photographs 30-36. Portraits of Laura McMaken, 1880-1922.
- Photographs 37-44. Snapshots of Laura McMaken Lighton, 1928-
1948.
- Photographs 45-55. The Lighton family before move to
Arkansas, including portraits of children.
- Photographs 56-62. Happy Hollow Farm, including several
views of exterior and interior of house and many J. H. Field
photographs.
- Photographs 63-80. Stills from movie, Water, Water
Everywhere, starring Will Rogers and snapshots taken on the set.
See also Box 8, Folder 13.
- Photographs 81-94. Green Tree in the Country, the Lighton
daughters and their friends.
Subseries 4. Primarily photographs pertaining to Dorothy
Lighton and her family.
- Photographs 95-101. Dorothy Lighton.
- Photographs 102-108. Dorothy Lighton Benton's children,
including (103) J. H. Field photographs of Betsy and Bill Benton.
- Photographs 109-118. Dorothy Lighton Benton's children.
- Photographs 119-122. Dorothy Lighton Benton's grandchildren.
Box 26
Subseries 5. Primarily photographs pertaining to Louis
Duryea (Bud) Lighton.
- Photographs 123-127. Childhood and college, including (127)
on steps of Old Main.
- Photographs 128-130. World War I.
- Photographs 131-208. Movie stills and photographs at movie
locations, including (131-136) Bud's silent movie, Alice in
Wonderland, (137-177) The Virginian (silent version), and
(200-208) unidentified aerial photo of landing strip in arid
landscape and postcards of Marrakesh (location for The Black
Rose).
- Photographs 209-228. Bud, Hope, and their Hollywood friends
and activities, including (219, 220) Amelia Earhart and (221)
Spencer Tracy. See oversize box 31 for portrait of Bud (210).
- Photographs 229-261. Rancho Monserate (Bud's California
ranch), including buildings, people, animals, 1939-1941, n.d.
- Photographs 262-295. Wine Glass Ranch, Paulden, Arizona:
buildings, animals, Bud, Hope, and friends, including (271-277)
working cattle on horseback.
- Photographs 296-310. Bud, Hope, and dogs in Los Angeles and
on the ranches, 1949, 1951, n.d.
- Photographs 311-362. Mallorca, Spain, 1956-1963, including
(352-362) cemetery and stones for Hope and Bud.
Subseries 6. Primarily photographs pertaining to Suzanne
Lighton.
- Photographs 363-369. Formal portraits of Suzanne.
- Photographs 370-373. Formal portraits of Suzanne. See also
oversize box 31.
Box 27
- Photographs 374-388. Snapshots and activities, including
(378-381) Suzanne's "shower" at Mountain Inn, 1951 (see Box 17,
Folder 3) and (386-387) 1975 reunion of U of A class of 1925 (see
Box 17, Folder 4).
- Photographs 389-460. From trip across country with Laura and
Betty, 1934 (see Box 17, Folder 6). The photographs are numbered
(some missing) and with information on verso written by Suzanne.
- Photographs 461-481. Pertaining to Suzanne's writing and
local color (see Box 18, Folders 1-3, 6).
Subseries 7. Primarily photographs pertaining to Marjorie
(Betty) Lighton.
- Photographs 482-498. Childhood, high school (see Box 20,
Folder 2), and dance performances, including portraits by (482)
B. E. Grabill, 1913, and (483) J. H. Field; (484-486) Happy
Hollow Farm; and (490-491) group portraits of Betty's high school
sorority (see Box 20, Folder 2).
- Photographs 499-505. Formal portraits (1928-1934) and
college activities (see Box 21, Folder 2), including (499-500)
portraits by J. H. Field and (503) performance of "The Painted
Doll" (see Box 21, Folder 3).
- Photographs 506-516. After college: (506) parade in Lusk,
Wyoming, probably 1934 and (507-516) photographs from plays
directed by Betty (ca. 1935-1936) for Blackfriars, an honorary
drama group at the University of Arkansas.
- Photographs 517-554. Horses, Dixie Stables (owned by Andy
Jones, on corner of Leverett and North Streets, Fayetteville),
riding, late 1930s - 1940s.
- Photographs 555-599. Primarily Betty's horses: (555-570)
her first mare and other horses at Dixie Stables; (571-574) horse
postcards sent to Betty when she fell off horse in 1941 and broke
her pelvis; and (575-599) Betty, her mare Lady, and Lady's colt
(Stinker).
- Photographs 600-645. Saddle-Bow Riding Club, organized ca.
1940, and other events and rodeos.
- Photographs 646-670. Trail rides, including (649-657) one to
White Rock, 1943 or 1944, Fayetteville and Fort Smith groups.
- Photographs 671-723. Dogs and other friends.
- Photographs 724-741. Red Cross, including (726-735) military
drills at O'Reilly, Springfield, Missouri, 1943, and (737-741)
activities and people at Camp Crowder, Neosho, Missouri, 1944.
- Photographs 742-769. Red Cross: pictures taken when Betty
was Area Recreation Consultant, based in St. Louis, including
(743-747) party at [Borden Hospital, Chickasha, Oklahoma], ca.
1945; pictures taken when Betty was Head Recreation Worker at
Bruns General Hospital, Santa Fe, New Mexico, June 1946 - Nov
1946, including trip to (751-755) El Paso, Texas, and (757-759) a
wedding at one of the pueblos near Santa Fe.
Box 28
- Photographs 770-805. Red Cross: pictures taken when Betty
was Head Recreation Worker at Fitzsimons General Hospital,
Denver, Colorado, Nov 1946 - Nov 1947, including (770-786)
picnics and (787-801) trips out from Denver.
- Photographs 806-821. Girl Scouts, 1948-1950s, including
(810) lodge dedicated as "Lighton Lodge."
- Photographs 822-823. University of Tennessee Graduate School
of Social Work, Knoxville. Photographs 824-825. Dayton, Ohio
(Betty on YWCA staff there). Photographs 826-837. Mt. Sequoyah,
Fayetteville, Arkansas, in the snow.
Subseries 8. Laura McMaken Lighton's extended family; the
North family, Henry Tovey, and other friends; and Fayetteville
scenes.
- Photographs 838-847. Portraits of Chalfants, McMakens, and
Zolls.
- Photographs 848-873. Laura McMaken Lighton's cousins Alice
Chalfant Wolfe, Dan Chalfant, and the Nine Bar Ranch.
- Photographs 874-891. Friends, including (874-879) old
friends of Laura's from Nebraska, (880) Lt. Frank Ellis and
granddaughter (had peach orchard on Mt. Kessler when Lightons at
Happy Hollow Farm, used to meet at Baptist Ford for picnics),
(885-891) pictures of Henry Tovey (see also Box 24, Folder 6).
- Photographs 892-903. Other photographs pertaining to Henry
Tovey, his family, friends, house, and car, (902 and 903 in
oversize box 31).
- Photographs 904-914. Other scenes of Fayetteville and
vicinity; other people. Includes (905) J. H. Field photographs
of Ida Gregg's garden; (910) tintype of unidentified black man,
possibly Fayetteville native William Pettigrew; and (914) copy
photograph of Union soldiers in Fayetteville during the Civil War
(on display in reading room).
Subseries 9. Betty Lighton's 35 mm proof sheets.
At the time that Betty Lighton was taking 35 mm photographs, it
was customary to have the roll developed and contact proofs made.
The customer would then order enlargements (about 3" x 4 1/2" was
common) from chosen negatives.
The collection includes both contact proofs and negatives. In
only a few cases are there negatives without proofs or proofs
without negatives. Relatively few enlargements were made; those
in the collection are noted on the proofs.
The 35 mm proofs have been put in negative file sheets. With few
exceptions, each file sheet (sometimes with an additional file
strip) represents one roll of film and is numbered with "35-" as
a prefix. (Corresponding negatives have also been put in file
sheets and numbered the same, with "n" as a suffix.)
Box 28 (cont.)
- File sheets 35-1 through 35-8, including family, friends,
dogs, horses, Saddle Bow Riding Club, Mt. Sequoyah, trail ride.
- File sheets 35-9 through 35-16, including trail ride, Mt.
Sequoyah in the snow, horses, rodeos, family, and cats.
- File sheets 35-17 through 35-25, including puppy, rodeos,
Betty's colt, swimmers, and Mt. Sequoyah.
- File sheets 35-26 through 35-31 (proof sheets only; no
negatives), including friends, pets, horses, and snow.
- Sample of envelopes from photo processing establishments,
including decorative printed envelope from Sowder Studio,
Fayetteville.
Return to "Contents of Collection"
Series 9. William Lighton's works,
scrapbooks, albums, and other books. Boxes 29-30, Volumes 1-
41.
Subseries 1. William Lighton's works.
Louis D. Lighton had many of the published works of William R.
Lighton bound. In most cases, the entire magazine the work
appeared in was included. Volume 11 (unnumbered by Louis
Lighton) is a bound copy of a manuscript. Volumes 12-15 are
ledgers containing manuscripts. Volumes 16-22 are published
books containing William Lighton's work.
- Volume 1.
- "William R. Lighton Collected Works, Vol. 1," including short
stories (some in collaboration with Louis D. Lighton), poem, and
serialized versions of The Ultimate Moment and The Shadow of a
Great Rock.
- Volume 2.
- "William R. Lighton Collected Works, Vol. 2," including short
stories.
- Volume 3.
- "William R. Lighton Collected Works, Vol. 3," including short
stories.
- Volume 4.
- "William R. Lighton Collected Works, Vol. 4," including short
stories and an article.
- Volume 5.
- "William R. Lighton Collected Works, Vol. 5," including short
stories, mostly Billy Fortune.
- Volume 6.
- "William R. Lighton Collected Works, Vol. 6," including Billy
Fortune and other short stories.
- Volume 7.
- "William R. Lighton Collected Works, Vol. 7," including Billy
Fortune and other short stories (some in collaboration with Louis
D. Lighton).
- Volume 8.
- "William R. Lighton Collected Works, Vol. 8," including short
stories, sheet music, and articles (including series, "From
Father to Son").
- Volume 9.
- "William R. Lighton Collected Works, Vol. 9," including Billy
Fortune, Judge Jerry, and other short stories and serialized
version of Happy Hollow Farm.
- Volume 10.
- "William R. Lighton Collected Works, Vol. 10," including
Billy Fortune, Judge Jerry, and other short stories (some in
collaboration with Louis D. Lighton) and an article.
- Volume 11.
- "William R. Lighton Collected Works," containing record book
with manuscript first chapter of The Holy Graft: A Novel, by
William R. Lighton, 1907, and other fragments.
- Volume 12.
- Ledger containing notes and manuscripts for The Ultimate
Moment (1901) and other notes and articles.
- Volume 13.
- Ledger containing notes and manuscripts for The Ultimate
Moment (1902) and other notes and articles.
- Volume 14.
- Ledger containing fiction notes and manuscripts for The
Rooftree.
- Volume 15.
- Ledger containing manuscripts for The Rooftree, partial
inventory of music sound recordings, and site plan for farm.
- Volume 16.
- Bound issues of Back to the Land ("A Magazine of Modern
Farming for the Man ["or Woman" added with vol. 1, no. 3 issue,
Dec 1910) Who Wants to Make a Profitable, Modern Farm-Home"),
edited by William R. Lighton, vol. I, no. 1 (Sept 1910) through
vol. II, no. 6 (Nov 1911).
- Volume 17.
- Love. New York: McClure, Phillips & Co., 1901. A
collection of five stories, one, "The State Against Ellsworth,"
by William R. Lighton. Inscribed "To my dear wife in remembrance
of the days when 'Ellsworth' had birth. Will. Feb. 19, 1901.
- Volume 18.
- William R. Lighton. Uncle Mac's Nebrasky. New York:
Henry Holt and Company, 1904. Bookplate inside front cover:
"Suzanne Chalfant Lighton. Fayetteville. Dec 25--38."
- Volume 19.
- William R. Lighton. The Shadow of a Great Rock. New York:
G. P. Putnam's Sons (The Knickerbocker Press), 1907. Inscribed
"Suzanne Chalfant Lighton With love from Mother. Fayetteville.
January 25--1942."
- Volume 20.
- William R. Lighton. Billy Fortune. Toronto: Thomas
Langton, 1912. Inside front cover: "Suzanne Chalfant Lighton.
Fayetteville, Arkansas. August, 1951."
- Volume 21.
- William R. Lighton. Letters of an Old Farmer to His Son.
New York: George H. Doran Compnay, 1914. Bookplate inside front
cover: "Suzanne Chalfant Lighton. Fayetteville. Dec 25--38."
- Volume 22.
- William R. Lighton. Happy Hollow Farm. New York: George
H. Doran Company, 1915. Illustrated with photos, at least some
J. H. Field. Inside front cover: "Mrs. L. [T.] Lighton" and
(different color ink) "For Peg."
- Volume 23.
- Scrapbook containing WRL's press clippings, poems,
illustrations from stories, some copies of contracts, etc. Also
includes letters, notes by Laura on Will's writings, and some
clippings originally laid in; ca. 1898-1914.
- Volume 24.
- Notebook of Laura McMaken Lighton's, containing a few
household accounts (1902) and notes on travels around Boston.
- Volume 25.
- Notebook of Laura McMaken Lighton's, containing
household accounts for 1906-1908.
- Volume 26.
- Green Tree Inn guest book, 1922-1925.
- Volume 27.
- Copy of Owen Wister, The Virginian (New York: The
Macmillan Company, 1905), signed by members of cast of Louis
Lighton's movie.
- Volume 28.
- (In box 29; many pictures loose.) Photo album pertaining to
Bud: movie location, "Pat" Hope's daughter by previous marriage,
Mike = Mike Sword--married Pat), friends (including Amelia
Earhart), animals, airplanes.
- Volume 29.
- Scrapbook of clippings and photos pertaining to Bud.
Includes photos of airplanes, Happy Hollow Farm; clippings laid
in. [reviews of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn removed to Series 5.]
Also includes typed carbon copy of list of contents of scrapbook.
- Volume 30.
- Bud's scrapbook from Wine Glass Ranch, Arizona and from
ranch in California (had two-story house; ranch in Arizona had
one-story house). Gift from step-daughter Pat Sword, 1934.
- Volume 31.
- Bud's scrapbook--wood cover with marquetry horse branded with
Wine Glass brand--mostly from California ranch--also some
airplanes, Amelia Earhart, Hollywood people, etc.
- Volume 32.
- (In oversize box 31.) Photo album of baby pictures of
Suzanne, apparently put together by photo studio, 1905.
- Volume 33.
- (In Box 30.) "My Vacation Days" Photo album, ca.1919-1929.
Happy Hollow Farm, Los Angeles, Fayetteville & U of A (including
some trick double exposures), Green Tree in the Country,
Fayetteville Centennial.
- Volume 34.
- (In Box 29.) Photo album, 1923-1926. Green
Tree in the Country (including 2 Field photos).
- Volume 35.
- (In oversize box 31; falling apart, so taken
apart, pages numbered, and put in folder.) Betty's scrapbook
from college (College of Industrial Arts, Denton, Texas),
1931-1934.
- Volume 36.
- (In oversize box 31; falling apart, so taken
apart, pages numbered, and put in folder.) Betty's photo album,
1931-ca. 1940 (CIA, Northwestern, Green Tree Apartments,
swimming, horses, elatives, friends).
- Volume 37.
- (In Box 30.) Photo album containing 25 cabinet
photos and 11 cartes de visite, small tintype laid in. Mostly
portraits of North and Lukens families--friends of Laura's in
Atchison.
Subseries 3. Betty Lighton's college yearbooks, 1931-
1934.
Four volumes of The Daedalian, yearbook of the Texas State
College for Women, College of Industrial Arts, Denton, Texas.
Volumes include many inscriptions to Betty.
- Volume 38.
- 1931.
- Volume 39.
- 1932.
- Volume 40.
- 1933.
- Volume 41.
- 1934.
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