Jennie Lorenz
A Register of Her Collection Relating to Charlotte Cushman in
the Library of Congress
Prepared by Laura J. Kells
Manuscript Division,
Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
2008
Contact information:
http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/mss/address.html
Finding aid encoded by Library of Congress Manuscript Division,
2008
Finding aid URL: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadmss.ms008083
Title: Jennie Lorenz Collection
Relating to Charlotte Cushman
Span Dates: 1830-1960
ID No.: MSS81445
Collector:
Lorenz, Jennie,
1886-1962
Extent: 1,750
items;
5 containers;
2.5 linear feet
Language: Collection material in
English
Repository:
Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress,
Washington, D.C.
Abstract: Educator.
Correspondence, research notes, reproductions of correspondence and portraits,
and printed materials relating to Lorenz's research on the life of actress
Charlotte Cushman.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this
collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped by name of person
or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed
alphabetically therein.
Personal Names
Cushman,
Charlotte, 1816-1876.
Lorenz,
Jennie, 1886-1962.
Subjects
Actresses--Biography.
Occupations
Educators.
Provenance: The Jennie Lorenz Collection Relating to Charlotte Cushman was given
to the Library of Congress by Lorenz's estate in 1963.
Processing History:The collection was arranged and described in 1991. The finding aid was
revised in 2008.
Copyright Status:The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Jennie Lorenz
is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).
Preferred Citation:Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the
following information: Container number, Jennie Lorenz Collection Relating to
Charlotte Cushman, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
| Date |
Event |
| 1886, July 6 |
Born, Sheboygan, Wis. |
| 1905 |
Graduated from Milwaukee State Normal School, Milwaukee,
Wis.
|
| 1911 |
Bachelor of arts degree, University of Wisconsin, Madison,
Wis.
|
| 1929 |
Master of arts degree in speech, University of Iowa, Iowa
City, Iowa
|
| 1905-1933 |
Completed the junior course at the American Academy of
Dramatic Arts, New York, N.Y., and the two-year special course at the Curry
School of Expression (location unknown).
Taught in Sheboygan grade schools, in several Wisconsin high
schools, and in the Phoenix Union High School, Phoenix, Ariz.
|
| 1933-1934 |
Associate professor, Louisiana Polytechnic Institute, Ruston,
La.
|
| 1934 |
Instructor, Winona State Teachers' College, Winona,
Minn.
|
| 1935 |
Instructor, Texas State College for Women, Denton, Tex.
|
| 1936 |
Privately published doctoral dissertation, "Consistency of
Auditory Acuity or Variability of Individuals Among Four Tests with the 2A
Audiometer," written for Ph.D. at Columbia University, New York, N.Y.
Assistant professor of speech, University of Maryland,
College Park, Md.
|
| 1937 |
Traveled to England and conducted research on Charlotte
Cushman
|
| 1962, Dec. 31 |
Died, Phoenix, Ariz. |
Jennie Lorenz was an educator with an interest in the theater. Her
papers consist of the accumulation of research on the life of actress Charlotte
Cushman (1816-1876) and span the years circa 1830-1960. The Cushman material
consulted in Lorenz's research dates from circa 1830-1890 and the bulk of the
documents generated during this project span the years 1927-1960. Lorenz wrote
a master's thesis on Cushman in 1929. In later years she collected material
about Cushman and the theater of the period for a biography which she never
completed. Most of her research notes appear to have been made between 1950 and
1960. The papers have been organized into three series:
General
Correspondence,
Research
Notes, and
Miscellany.
The
General
Correspondence file, 1927-1960, consists of correspondence relating to
Lorenz's research on Cushman. A major portion of the correspondence includes
responses from individuals and repositories regarding inquiries about Cushman
material. There is also correspondence from descendants of the Cushman family,
including those in England with whom Lorenz visited in 1937 as part of her
research. Also included are letters from two other prospective Cushman
biographers, Lyman Beecher Stowe and Helen Thomson.
The largest portion of this collection is the
Research
Notes file, circa 1830-1960, which Lorenz compiled from about 1930 to
1960. This section contains notes on the holdings of approximately twenty-five
repositories, including the New York Public Library, Harvard University, and
the Folger Shakespeare Library, as well as notes on material in the possession
of individuals, including Cushman descendants in the United States and England.
Lorenz also took extensive notes on the Cushman papers in the manuscript
collections of the Library of Congress, but these notes were not retained
because the originals are available for study here in the Manuscript Division.
The Research Notes file contains notes on Cushman correspondence, other related
correspondence, collections, playbills and programs, Cushman portraits, and
exhibits of Cushman items. These are arranged alphabetically by the name of the
repository. There are also notes on Cushman genealogy, books, newspapers and
magazines, and plays.
Lorenz's notes on Cushman's correspondence consist principally of
handwritten copies of letters, which date from 1836 to 1876 and touch on the
actress's friendships, her acting engagements in the United States and abroad,
and her later work giving dramatic readings. Copied from Johns Hopkins
University are letters, 1876, to Sidney Lanier in which Cushman describes
suffering from breast cancer in the last weeks of her life. The miscellaneous
correspondence file includes letters from people close to Cushman, including
her sister Susan, with whom Charlotte acted for a time. Letters from Emma
Stebbins to Lanier describe Stebbins's effort to compile and publish a
biography of Cushman after the actress's death.
The file of notes on collections contains information on material
other than correspondence available in the repositories Lorenz visited. This
material includes scrapbooks and clipping collections. There are also notes on
a couple of Cushman's costumes at the Smithsonian Institution and on Cushman's
annotated copy of
Henry V at the Folger Shakespeare Library.
Notes on playbills available in the Rare Book and Special Collections
Division and on portraits in the Prints and Photographs Division of the Library
of Congress were not retained because the originals are available for study
here at the Library. The notes on other playbills relate not only to Cushman's
performances but also to other productions of plays in which she frequently
acted and the performances of other actors and actresses of the period. The
largest collection of notes on playbills covers the holdings of the Brander
Matthews Museum at Columbia University.
The notes on books relate to those books which are not available in
the Library of Congress collections. A large portion of these books concerns
the theater.
The
Miscellany
file includes Lorenz's master's thesis completed in 1929, "Charlotte Cushman: A
Study in Acting," notes containing thoughts for a biography of Cushman, printed
matter, and a few reproductions of portraits and Cushman correspondence. There
are two items dating from the period of Charlotte Cushman's lifetime: a
November 1871 playbill from the Globe Theatre in Boston for
Henry VIII in which Cushman played Katharine and an
engraving of Charlotte and Susan Cushman as Romeo and Juliet.
This collection is arranged in three series:
| Container |
Series |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| BOX 1
|
|
|
Correspondence relating to Lorenz's research on Charlotte
Cushman.
|
|
Arranged chronologically. |
|
| BOX 1-5
|
|
|
Notes taken circa 1930-1960 on Charlotte Cushman correspondence
and miscellaneous correspondence dating from circa 1830-1890, and on
collections, playbills and programs, portraits, and exhibits arranged
alphabetically by repository.
|
|
Notes on genealogy and books arranged alphabetically by name of
ancestor or author. Notes on newspapers and magazines arranged alphabetically
by title and chronologically therein.
|
|
| BOX 5
|
|
|
Master's thesis, notes and writings, printed matter, and
reproductions.
|
|
Arranged by type of material. |
| Container |
Contents |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| BOX 1
|
General Correspondence,
1927-1960
|
|
Correspondence relating to Lorenz's research on Charlotte
Cushman.
|
|
Arranged chronologically. |
|
| BOX 1
|
1927-1960, n.d.
|
|
(2
folders)
|
|
| BOX 1-5
|
Research Notes,
circa 1830-1960
|
|
Notes taken circa 1930-1960 on Charlotte Cushman correspondence
and miscellaneous correspondence dating from circa 1830-1890, and on
collections, playbills and programs, portraits, and exhibits arranged
alphabetically by repository.
|
|
Notes on genealogy and books arranged alphabetically by name of
ancestor or author. Notes on newspapers and magazines arranged alphabetically
by title and chronologically therein.
|
|
| BOX 1
|
Notes on Charlotte Cushman
correspondence
|
|
| BOX 1
|
American Antiquarian Society,
Worcester, Mass.
|
|
| BOX 1
|
Charlotte Cushman Club,
Philadelphia, Pa.
|
|
| BOX 1
|
Chicago Historical Society,
Chicago, Ill.
|
|
| BOX 1
|
Cleveland Public Library,
Cleveland, Ohio
|
|
| BOX 1
|
Columbia University, Brander
Matthews Museum, New York, N.Y.
|
|
| BOX 1
|
Duke University, Durham,
N.C.
|
|
| BOX 1
|
Folger Shakespeare Library,
Washington, D.C.
|
|
| BOX 1
|
Harvard University, Cambridge,
Mass.
|
|
| BOX 1
|
Historical Society of
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.
|
|
| BOX 1
|
Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, Md.
|
|
| BOX 1
|
Library Company of
Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa.
|
|
| BOX 1
|
Massachusetts Historical
Society, Boston, Mass.
|
|
| BOX 1
|
Missouri Historical Society,
St. Louis, Mo.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Museum of the City of New York,
New York, N.Y.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
New York Public Library, New
York, N.Y.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
New York State Library, Albany,
N.Y.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
New-York Historical Society,
New York, N.Y.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Old State House, Boston,
Mass.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Pierpont Morgan Library, New
York, N.Y.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Princeton University,
Princeton, N.J.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, Pa.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Yale University, New Haven,
Conn.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Notes on miscellaneous
correspondence
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Harvard University, Cambridge,
Mass.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, Md.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Various
repositories
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Notes on collections |
|
| BOX 2
|
Boston Public Library, Boston,
Mass.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Chicago Historical Society,
Chicago, Ill.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Columbia University, Brander
Matthews Museum, New York, N.Y.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Cooper Union Museum, New York,
N.Y.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Detroit Public Library,
Detroit, Mich.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Folger Shakespeare Library,
Washington, D.C.
|
|
(2
folders)
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Harvard University, Cambridge,
Mass.
|
|
(2
folders)
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Historical Society of
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, Md.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Missouri Historical Society,
St. Louis, Mo.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Museum of the City of New York,
New York, N.Y.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
New York Public Library, New
York, N.Y.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
New York State Library, Albany,
N.Y.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Old State House, Boston,
Mass.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Princeton University,
Princeton, N.J.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Private collections |
|
| BOX 2
|
Smithsonian Institution,
Washington, D.C.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Yale University, New Haven,
Conn.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Notes on exhibits |
|
| BOX 2
|
Notes on playbills and
programs
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Albany Institute of History and
Art, Albany, N.Y.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Boston Public Library, Boston,
Mass.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Charlotte Cushman Club,
Philadelphia, Pa.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Chicago Historical Society,
Chicago, Ill.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Columbia University, Brander
Matthews Museum, New York, N.Y.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Duke University, Durham,
N.C.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Folger Shakespeare Library,
Washington, D.C.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Harvard University, Cambridge,
Mass.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Museum of the City of New York,
New York, N.Y.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
New-York Historical Society,
New York, N.Y.
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Notes on portraits |
|
| BOX 2
|
Repositories |
|
| BOX 2
|
Miscellaneous
locations
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Notes on genealogy |
|
| BOX 2
|
Notes on books |
|
| BOX 2
|
Books relating to
theater
|
|
| BOX 2
|
Authors A-L |
|
| BOX 2
|
Authors M-Z |
|
| BOX 2
|
Miscellaneous topics
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Notes on newspapers and
magazines
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Albany Argus,
1836-1837
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Albany Daily Advertiser,
1836-1837
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Albany Evening Journal,
1836, 1838
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Albany Microscope,
1837
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Anglo-American,
1843-1845
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Appleton's Journal,
1874
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Boston American Traveller,
1833-1835
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Boston Daily Advocate,
1835
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Boston Daily Atlas,
1835
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Boston Daily Evening Transcript,
1835-1837, 1872
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Boston Mercantile Journal,
1833-1836
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Boston Morning Post,
1833-1836
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Boston Notion,
1840-1846
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Bostonian,
1894-1895
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Buffalo Daily Courier,
1873
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Buffalo Daily Star,
1837
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Chicago Daily Democrat,
1851, 1858
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Chicago Daily Journal,
1851
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Le Courrier de la Louisiane,
1835
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Detroit Daily Advertiser,
1837
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Detroit Democratic Free Press,
1837
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Detroit Free Press,
1837
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Detroit Journal and Courier,
1837
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Detroit Morning Post,
1837
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Detroit Semi-Weekly Free Press,
1837
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Emerson Quarterly,
1939-1940
|
|
| BOX 3
|
The Era (London),
1844, 1848-1850, 1905
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Gleason's Pictorial Drawing Room Companion,
1851
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Illustrated London News,
1845-1876
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Ladies' Companion,
1849-1864
|
|
| BOX 3
|
Lady's Book (Godey's),
1837
|
|
| BOX 3
|
New Orleans Bee,
1835-1836
|
|
| BOX 3
|
New Orleans Bulletin,
1876
|
|
| BOX 3
|
New Orleans Commercial Bulletin,
1836
|
|
| BOX 3
|
New Orleans True American,
1836
|
|
| BOX 3
|
New York Albion,
1836-1838, 1849
|
|
| BOX 3
|
New York Daily Express,
1837
|
|
| BOX 3
|
New York Daily Graphic,
1874
|
|
| BOX 3
|
New York Daily Tribune,
1876
|
|
| BOX 3
|
New York Evening Mirror,
1844-1845
|
|
| BOX 3
|
New York Evening Post,
1836-1838
|
|
| BOX 3
|
New York Evening Star,
1837
|
|
| BOX 4
|
New York Herald,
1837-1842
|
|
(4
folders)
|
|
| BOX 4
|
New York Mirror,
1836-1842
|
|
| BOX 4
|
New York New Mirror,
1843-1844
|
|
| BOX 4
|
New York Weekly Herald,
1840-1846
|
|
| BOX 4
|
New York Weekly Mirror,
1844-1847
|
|
| BOX 4
|
New York Times,
1851, 1915, 1924, 1925
|
|
| BOX 4
|
New York Times & Commercial Intelligencer/Times and
Evening Star,
1838-1840
|
|
| BOX 4
|
Newburyport Daily Herald (Mass.),
1832-1843
|
|
| BOX 4
|
Newburyport Herald (Mass.), Semi-weekly,
1825-1847, 1872
|
|
| BOX 4
|
Philadelphia Public Ledger,
1840
|
|
| BOX 4
|
Philadelphia Sunday Dispatch,
1861-1863
|
|
(2
folders)
|
|
| BOX 5
|
Scotch Thistle,
1858, 1866
|
|
| BOX 5
|
Spirit of the Times,
1841, 1843, 1850-1851, 1856, 1858, 1863,
1876
|
|
| BOX 5
|
Tallis's Democratic Magazine and assorted
Tallis's publications,
1850-1857
|
|
| BOX 5
|
Theatrical Journal,
1853-1854
|
|
| BOX 5
|
Theatrical Times,
1846-1848
|
|
(2
folders)
|
|
| BOX 5
|
Miscellaneous periodicals,
1825-1957
|
|
| BOX 5
|
Notes on plays |
|
| BOX 5
|
Miscellany |
|
| BOX 5
|
Miscellany,
1871-1959
|
|
Master's thesis, notes and writings, printed matter, and
reproductions.
|
|
Arranged by type of material. |
|
| BOX 5
|
Master's thesis, "Charlotte
Cushman: A Study in Acting,"
1929
|
|
(6
folders)
|
|
| BOX 5
|
Notes and writings |
|
| BOX 5
|
Suggestions for Cushman
biography,
undated
|
|
| BOX 5
|
Working material for master's
thesis,
undated
|
|
| BOX 5
|
Printed matter |
|
| BOX 5
|
Clippings,
1921-1959, n.d.
|
|
| BOX 5
|
Hall of fame,
1933-1936, n.d.
|
|
| BOX 5
|
Information on
repositories
|
|
| BOX 5
|
Maps of Mt. Auburn cemetery,
Cambridge, Mass., annotated
|
|
| BOX 5
|
Playbill, Globe Theatre,
Boston, Mass.,
1871
|
|
| BOX 5
|
Miscellaneous,
1951-1955, n.d.
|
|
| BOX 5
|
Reproductions |
|
| BOX 5
|
Charlotte Cushman
correspondence,
1830, 1841, 1950
|
|
| BOX 5
|
Charlotte Cushman
portraits
|
|
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