Elizabeth and Melville Jacobs papers, 1860-2002

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Jacobs, Elizabeth Derr
Title
Elizabeth and Melville Jacobs papers
Dates
1860-2002 (inclusive)
Quantity
7 boxes and 6 audio cassettes (7.27 cubic feet )
Collection Number
6131 (Accession No. 6131-001)
Summary
A collection of photographs, personal, legal, and academic papers related to Elizabeth and Melville Jacobs
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on access.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Melville Jacobs (1902-1971) was an anthropologist who was known for his work on Northwest Coast languages and folklore. He did much to document the languages, cultures, oral traditions, and music of Pacific Northwest tribes. He studied under Franz Boas at Columbia, and, with funds from Boas, was able to pursue fieldwork for half the year from 1928-1936. He received his PhD. in anthropology in 1931, the same year he married Elizabeth "Bess" Derr Langdon (1903-1983). Elizabeth, who had no formal training in anthropology, was trained by her husband, and was particularly known for her work on the Nehalem Tillamook, whom she studied in the 1930s. She pursued a career as a psychotherapist, but returned to anthropology after her retirement in 1975. Melville's fieldwork lasted until 1939, and much of his research time after that was spent publishing his phonetically transcribed texts and translations. Melville was a member of the faculty at the University of Washington from 1928 until his death in 1971, one year shy of retirement. He was a member of the Communist Party from 1935-1945, which almost cost him his position at UW and slowed his advance to full professor. After his death, Bess began making small grants to scholars working on projects she believed her husband would have approved of, and was eventually able to form the Jacobs Research Fund, which supports anthropological research in the Pacific Northwest.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection contains papers from anthropologists Melville and Elizabeth Jacobs, including notes, academic papers, photographs, correspondences, and other personal and professional ephemera.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged in 9 series.

  • Series 1, Academics, 1915-1971
  • Series 2, Personal, 1930-1960
  • Series 3, Associations and Organizations, 1957-1971
  • Series 4, Financial and legal documents, 1940-1972
  • Series 5, Jacobs Research Fund, 1972-1983
  • Series 6, Research, 1885-1975
  • Series 7, Correspondence and Miscellaneous, 1928-2002
  • Series 8, Photographs, 1860-1970
  • Series 9, Audio cassettes, 1934-1995

Acquisition Information

Donated by William Seaburg, 2016-11-03

Related Materials

Elizabeth Derr Jacobs papers (Mss Coll 3416-001-19)

Melville Jacobs papers (Mss Coll 1693)

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Series 1:  Academics, 1915-1971Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
School transcripts and records
1930-1949
1/2
Graduate School-Social Work assignments
1944-1948
1/3
Graduate School, Essays by Elizabeth D. Jacobs
1945-1948
1/4
Problems of Preschool Children, Elizabeth D. Jacobs
1949
1/5
Graduate School, Social Work course notes
1944-1949
1/6
Social Work notebook
circa 1930-1945
1/7
Essays and articles
circa 1950
1/8
Lecture notes
1945-1948
1/9
Anatomy drawings and notes
circa 1930
1/10
Psychology notes and dramatic ideas
undated
1/11
Anthropology notes
circa 1960
4/1
Profiles, professors
circa 1925-1965
5/5
Certificates
1915-1971

Series 2:  Personal , 1930-1960Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/12
Patients-case notes
circa 1960
1/13
Personal Data on Mr. M
1931
1/14
Personal notebooks
1940-1960
1/20
Employment correspondence
1942-1959
1/21
Notebooks II and III
circa 1930
1/22
Manuscript
undated
1/23
Manuscript draft
undated
1/24
Recipes
undated
5/3
Employment
1949-1958

Series 3:  Associations and Organizations, 1957-1971Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/15
National Association of Social Workers newsletters
circa 1960
1/16
National Association of Social Workers membership
1957-1962
1/17
American Folklore Society
1971
1/18
Seattle Committee on Alcoholism
1960
1/19
Brochures and pamphlets
1957-1966

Series 4:  Financial and legal documents, 1940-1972Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
3/1
Melville Jacobs Estate, Legal documents
1972
3/2-3/15
Income Tax and receipts
circa 1940-1970
5/1
Real Estates
1957-1971
5/4
Melville Jacobs- Will and Testament
1971-1972
5/8
Tax return
1971

Series 5:  Jacobs Research Fund, 1972-1983Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2/1-2/13
Jacobs Research Fund- Research proposals
1972-1983
2/14
Whatcom Museum- Jacobs Research Fund correspondence
1977

Series 6:  Research, 1885-1975Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2/15
Vi Hilbert's First notebook translation
1975
2/16
Upper Coquille Athabaskan Ethnographic notes, Elizabeth D. Jacobs
1975
2/17
Pacific and Asian Linguistic Instititute, Research Proposal
1970
2/18-2/19
Photocopied notes on language study
undated
4/15
Reports
1948-1950
5/9-5/11
Census of the Indians on Siletz Indian reservation
1885-1888
5/13
Semiology
1971-1972
5/15
Wenatchi
circa 1960
5/16
Field data- Wenatchi
1969
5/17
Wenatchi- Carlton, Washington
1965
5/18
Wenatchi- Monse, Washington
1966
5/19
Wenatchi- Pateros, Washington
1966-1967
5/20-5/21
Columbian text
1966-1969
5/22
Photocopied notes on language study
undated
5/23
Language study, notes
undated

Series 7:  Correspondence and Miscellaneous, 1928-2002Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
4/2-4/14
Correspondence and letters
1930-1981
4/16-4/21
Notes and memos
1930-1960
4/22-4/23
Miscellaneous
1940-1970
5/2
Newspaper clippings
1940-1960
5/6
Booklets
1928-1950
5/7
Seaburg
1960-2002
5/12
Harold Pinter
1971
5/14
M. Dale Kinkade correspondence
1966-1970
5/24
Miscellaneous
undated

Series 8:  Photographs, 1860-1970Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
6/1-6/9
Blau-Jacobs family
1860-1930
6/10
Melville and Elizabeth Jacobs family
1900-1920
6/11-6/12
Clarks Fork, Idaho- Derr Family
1890-1930
6/13-6/14
Melville Jacobs portraits
1920-1964
6/15-6/16
Elizabeth Derr Jacobs
1930-1960
6/17
Elizabeth and Jacob Melville portraits
1941
6/18-6/19
Friends and students
1950-1960
6/20
"English to foreigners" class
1923
6/21
Wilbur (Bill) and Emma Moss
1950
6/22
Burke family
1950-1960
6/23
Chase Reno, WWII
1942-1944
6/24
Thailand
circa 1950
6/25
Clippings, profiles
1970
6/26
Unlabeled photographs
undated
6/27
Negatives
circa 1960
7/1
John O. Derr, Album
1900
7/2
Derr and Blau families
circa 1900
7/3
Elizabeth D. Jacobs, class photographs
circa 1920
7/4
Lenna Eby portrait
circa 1920
7/5
Album
circa 1920-1960
7/6
Melville and Elizabeth Jacobs, portraits
1964
7/7
Elizabeth and Melville Jaobs, Album
circa 1900-1950

Series 9:  Audio cassettes, 1934-1995Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
item
Tapes 963-966
Interview with Elizabeth D. Jacobs
1995
Tape 967
Melville Jacobs Collection, Recordings of Clara Pearson
undated
Tape 968
Melville Jacobs- Tillamook Salish
1934

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Anthropologists--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Anthropologists--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives
  • Anthropology--Study and teaching--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Linguistics--Study and teaching--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • University Archives/Faculty Papers (University of Washington)
  • Wenatchi Indians--Research

Personal Names

  • Jacobs, Elizabeth Derr--Archives
  • Jacobs, Elizabeth Derr--Photographs
  • Jacobs, Melville, 1902-1971--Archives
  • Jacobs, Melville, 1902-1971--Photographs

Corporate Names

  • Jacobs Research Funds

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Jacobs, Elizabeth Derr, (creator)
    Corporate Names
    • University of Washington. University Archives