%eadnotat; ]> 5064holm An Inventory of the Jesse Herman Holmes Papers, 1905-1973 Finding Aid Prepared by FHL staff Encoding made possible by a grant by the Gladys Kriebel Delmas Foundation to the Philadelphia Consortium of Special Collections Libraries Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. 1970 Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by Apex Data Services, December 2000. ENG Jesse Herman Holmes Papers, 1905-1973 FHL staff Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. 1970 Descriptive Summary Papers, 1905-1973 RG 5/064 Jesse Herman Holmes (1864-1942) 1 box; 0.5 linear ft. Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College.
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081-1399 U.S.A.
For current information on the location of materials, please consult the Library's online catalog. Jesse Herman Holmes (1864-1942), was a Quaker philosophy professor at Swarthmore College, 1900-1937. Holmes was an active participant in AFSC relief after World War I, travelling to oversee work in reconstruction throughout Europe. Holmes was the president of the National Federation of Religious Liberals and an active member of the Socialist party. Collection contains correspondence, biographical data, writings, and sermons. Also audio cassettes of reminiscences of friends, former students, and others, compiled by Albert J. Wahl, and relating to Holmes' life and career as an influential philosophy professor at Swarthmore College (1900-1937).

Repository:

Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College

500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081-1399

Phone: (610) 328-8496 FAX: (610) 690-5728

 BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL NOTE

Jesse Herman Holmes was born 1864 in Iowa, the son of Jesse and Sara Morgan Paxson Holmes. He attended Nebraska State University and John Hopkins University, where he received a Ph.D. in Chemistry. He married Rebecca S. Webb, daughter of William B. and Rebecca [Turner] Webb in 1892. Holmes taught at Sidwell Friends School in Washington D.C. and then George School in Bucks County, PA until 1899, when he set sail for Oxford to prepare to teach philosophy at Swarthmore College. He became Professor of the History of Religion and Philosophy at Swarthmore College in 1899 and Professor of Philosophy in 1922. He continued to teach at the College until 1937. After his retirement, he became professor emeritus. Holmes was an active participant in AFSC relief after World War I, travelling to oversee work in reconstruction throughout Europe. Holmes was the president of the National Federation of Religious Liberals and an active member of the Socialist party.

Jesse and Rebecca had three children, Elizabeth Webb, Robert Sinclair, and Jesse Herman Holmes Jr. [III]. Elizabeth died at 16 of complications from diabetes. The family lived in Swarthmore, and Jesse attended Swarthmore Meeting. He died in 1942.

TIME LINE 1864 Born in Iowa 1892 Married Rebecca Webb 1892-1899 Taught at Sidwell Friends School and George School 1899 Studied in Oxford 1899-19237 Taught at Swarthmore College 1942 Died, 1942

SCOPE AND CONTENT OF THE RECORDS

Collection contains correspondence, biographical data, writings, and sermons. Also audio cassettes of reminiscences of friends, former students, and others, compiled by Albert J. Wahl, and relating to Holmes' life and career as an influential philosophy professor at Swarthmore College (1900-1937).

 Arrangement

The collection is divided into four series:

Biographical Correspondence Writing Tape records ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Accession information

Donor: Gift of Franklin S. Wambold, 1965.

Gift of Eleanor Stabler Clarke, 1966.

Gift of unknown donor, 1970 and earlier.

Gift of William H. Cleveland, Jr., 1970.

Gift of George W. Stewart, 1975.

Gift of Albert J. Wahl, 1979.

This collection was compiled from various sources.

 Access

Collection is open for research.

 Use Restrictions

Copyright has not been assigned to Friends Historical Library All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in to the Director. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Friends Historical Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by reader.

 Preferred Citation

[Indicate the cited item or series here], Jesse Herman Holmes Papers, RG5/064, Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College

 Processing information

Materials received before 1970 originally catalogued as separate MSS. In 1970 papers from various sources, including PG 7 Biographical and genealogical files, were combined into an RG 5 collection. Later gifts added in 1975 and 1979.

 Bibliography Wahl, Albert. Jesse Herman Holmes, A Quaker's Affirmation for Man. BX7796 +.H765 W2 Related Material

See also:

Holmes-Webb Family Papers, RG 5/065 SELECTED SEARCH TERMS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Friends Historical Library (TRIPOD). Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings:

College teachers -- Pennsylvania Reminiscences Sermons Philosophy -- Study and teaching Quakers -- Pennsylvania Quakers -- Social service Universities and colleges -- Pennsylvania Pennsylvania -- Education -- Universities and colleges Swarthmore (Pa.) -- Education -- Universities and colleges Swarthmore College -- Faculty -- Personal and professional papers Wahl, Albert John, 1909- Holmes, Jesse Herman, 1864-1942 Audio cassettes -- Reminiscences DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE RECORDS

Note to Researchers: To request materials, please note both the location and box numbers shown below:

 Ser. 1. Biographical material Obituaries, etc. 1 Anecdotes pertaining to Jesse Holmes 1 Ser. 2. Correspondence, 1905-1933 2/4/1905Letter from Jesse H. Holmes to Ernest Cotterell 1 4/5/1933Letter from Jesse H. Holmes to Clarence S. Platt 1 Ser. 3. Writings, 1941, n.d. Two sermons from newspapers 1 “Retired Philosopher” column from the Liberal Press n.d. 1 Philosophy manuscript, “A philosophy is any general system...” August, 1941. 1 typewritten 1st copy

Includes miscellaneous preliminary drafts.

 “Our 'Christianity'?”, essayn.d. 1 typescript Ser. 4. Tape recordings, 1972-1973, n.d. 10 cassettes Tape recordings of research interviews by Albert J. Wahl 1

Used by Wahl in preparation of his book, Jesse Herman Holmes, 1864-1942: A Quaker's Affirmation for Man (Richmond, Ind.: Friends United Press), 1979.

 Interviews with: Mr. and Mrs. Harold F. Carter, Lansdowne, PA May 18, 1972 1 cassette 1 Mr. and Mrs. Jesse H. Holmes, III, Washington, D.C June 7, 1973 2 cassettes 1 Mr. and Mrs. Howard Tompkins, Indiana, PA May 25, 1973 1 cassette 1 Rebecca Timbres Clark, Moorestown, New Jersey July 20, 1972 1 cassette 1 Eleanor Stabler Clarke, Swarthmore, PA April 12, 1972 1 cassette 1 Margaret Byrd Rawson, Frederick, MD May 16, 1972 3 cassettes 1 Margaret L. Price, Media, PA April 12, 1972 1 cassette 1