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Letters, photocopies, photographs, and other research materials
 

Manuscript Collection 818

• Information about the Collection
• Contents of the Collection

INFORMATION ABOUT THE COLLECTION

Robert Cochran (1943-  ) is a University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, professor of English and folklore specialist.  He met Vance Randolph in 1976 and eventually published two books about the famous Ozark folklorist: For Love and For Money: The Writings of Vance Randolph (1979) and Vance Randolph, an Ozark Life (1983).  Cochran visited with Randolph frequently during the final years of Randolph's life and from him received much of the materials in this research collection.  As a result, the collection contains materials written and received by both Vance Randolph and Robert Cochran.

Letters, photocopies, photographs, and other research materials pertaining to the life and work of Vance Randolph were donated to Special Collections by Robert Cochran of Fayetteville, Arkansas, on July 31, 1986.

The collection has been divided into two series.  Series one, topical files, contains letters, photocopies, and documents pertaining to the individual folder subject title.  Series two, photographs, contains 35 identified photographs and drawings of Randolph, his family, and his acquaintances.

Processed by Kim Allen Scott, Special Collections Division, University of Arkansas Libraries, Fayetteville, Arkansas, in February, 1992.

CONTENTS OF THE COLLECTION
 .6 linear feet (2 containers)

Series 1.  Topical files, ca. 1915-1980s (Boxes 1-2)
Series 2.  Photographs, 1865-1980 (Box 2, folders 4-9)

Series 1.  Topical files, ca. 1915-1980s (Boxes 1-2)

Letters, photocopies, clippings, manuscript verse, contracts, and other materials collected by Cochran during his research on Vance Randolph.  The folders have been topically labeled and, where possible, given inclusive dates.

Box 1

 1. Letters; VR to Bob Cochran, 1977 and n.d.
 2. Letters between VR and Herbert Halpert, 1939-1952
 3. Letters between VR and Herbert Halpert, 1953-1964
 4. Letters between VR and Herbert Halpert, 1964-1979
 5. Letters; from and pertaining to Irene Carlisle, 1950
 6. Letters from Gershon Legmon, 1975-1980
 7. Letters and documents pertaining to Jay Taylor, 1921-1982
 8. Letters, 1974-1978; correspondents include Sam Bayard, Henry Glassie, John Jacob Niles, Peggy Seeger, and D.K. Wilgus
 9. VR book contracts and agreements, 1925-1938
 10. VR book contracts and agreements, 1946-1977
 11. Army pension documents, 1917-1970
 12. Photocopies, clippings, letters and articles pertaining to W.J. Randolph, John Randolph and Theresa Gould Randolph.
 13. Photocopies of legal documents, interviews, and articles pertaining to VR.
 14. Scrapbook materials pertaining to VR including membership cards, interview transcripts, school transcripts, and autobiographical paragraphs.

Box 2

 1. Letters and brochure pertaining to Rose O'Neill
 2. Handwritten poetry by VR, n.d.
 3. Poetry written or collected by VR, ca. 1915-1958

 Series 2.  Photographs, 1865-1980 (Box 2, folders 4-9)
 
Original and copied photographs of Vance Randolph, his family, and his acquaintances.  The photographs have been individually titled and numbered.  The first number following a semicolon after the photograph title refers to the order in which the image appears in the plates of Vance Randolph, an Ozark Life.  The second number following a semicolon after the photograph title which is preceded by the symbol "p." refers to the page number on which the image appears in I.  Letters and photocopies in folder 9 are from the collections of the School of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri.

Box 2 (con'td)

 4. Photographs 1-5

   1. W. J. Randolph, 1865
   2. Mrs. W.J. Randolph, ca. 1860s
   3. Susan Sayre Gordon, ca. 1870s
   4. John R. Randolph, ca. 1880s; 1
   5. Vance Randolph, ca. 1895; 2

 5. Photographs 6-14

   6. VR and friends, ca. 1910
   7. VR and friends, ca. 1920s
   8. VR, ca. 1920s; 3; p. 61
   9. VR, ca. 1920s
   10. VR, horseback, ca. 1920s; p. 62
   11. VR, horseback, ca. 1920s
   12. VR, ca. 1920s
   13. VR, in covered wagon, ca. 1932
   14. VR, in covered wagon, ca. 1932; p. 63

 6. Photographs 15-21

   15. VR, ca. 1930s; 4; p. 64
   16. VR, recording music, ca. 1940s; 5; p. 65
   17. VR, ca. 1940s
   18. VR, ca. 1940s
   19. VR and Rose O'Neill, ca. 1950s; 6
   20. VR, ca. 1950s
   21. "Liar's Bench," 1958; 7

 7. Photographs 22-28

   22. VR, ca. 1960s
   23. VR and Mary P. Randolph, ca. 1970s; p. 67
   24. VR, drawing by George Fisher, 1976; 8; p. 68
   25. VR, 1978; 9
   26. VR, 1979
   27. VR, 1979
   28. Mary P. Randolph, 1979

 8. Photographs 29-35

   29. Nils Larson, ca. 1920
   30. C.F. Lee, ca. 1910s
   31. Georgia Lee, 1917
   32. Georgia Lee, 1913
   33. Fred High, ca. 1950s
   34. Ruth Tyler, ca. 1950s
   35. Farwell Gould, ca. 1910s

 9. School of the Ozarks photocopies and letters.