James Taylor Harwood papers

James Taylor Harwood papers, 1892-2001

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Harwood, James Taylor, 1860-1940
Title: James Taylor Harwood papers
Dates: 1892-2001 (inclusive)
18922001
Quantity: 12.25 linear feet
Collection Number: MS 0507
Summary: The James Taylor Harwood papers (1892-2001) consist of original and photocopied materials pertaining to Harwood (1960-1940), his artistic profession, and his personal life. Included in the collection are works of art, correspondence, biographical information, poetry, exhibition catalogs, diaries, notebooks, news articles, and other materials.
Repository: University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860

Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu
Access Restrictions: Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
Languages: English, French

Historical NoteReturn to Top

James Taylor Harwood was born in Lehi, Utah, in 1860. His father was a saddle and harness maker. James began drawing as a child, making pictures of animals and portraits of his schoolmates. In his boyhood, he formed lifelong friendships with artists John Hafen and Cyrus E. Dallin. In his teens, Harwood carried mail and worked in his father's shop to earn enough money to go to art school. At the age of 25, he entered the San Francisco School of Design. At the end of one year, he won a gold medal for the best painting of the year. In 1886, he returned to Utah, opened a studio, and taught art. Two years later he had saved enough money to go to France and enter the Ecole des Beaux Arts. From 1891 to 1893 he studied at the Academie Julian in Paris where he won a medal for painting. In 1891, Harwood married one of his art students, Harriet Richards. They settled in Salt Lake City, after their sojourn in France, where he taught at East and West high schools. They had five children. During the next twenty-five years, the Harwoods divided their time between France and Utah. In 1920, the family moved to California due to Harriet's poor health. She died in 1922 and the family returned to Salt Lake City. Harwood became head of the art department at the University of Utah in 1922. He held that position until 1931, when he resigned in order to devote more time to his painting. At the university, he taught the first class in color etching ever given in the United States. In 1929, Harwood married Ione Godwin. They traveled to Europe for two years where Harwood developed his impressionist painting technique. He became famous in Europe as well as in the United States and won many honors for his works. The Harwoods returned to California in 1939 with their two children. In 1940, the University of Utah assembled the James Taylor Harwood art exhibition. This exhibit was in honor of his 80th birthday and represented his life's work. He died in Salt Lake City on 16 October 1940.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The James Taylor Harwood papers (1892-2001) consist of original and photocopied materials pertaining to Harwood (1860-1940), his artistic profession, and his personal life. Included in the collection are works of art, correspondence, biographical information, poetry, exhibition catalogs, diaries, notebooks, news articles, and other materials. The collection has been organized with the original donated materials placed first, then subsequent donations placed after, in chronological order according to donation date.

The first group of donated materials (boxes 1-3) consists of photocopied correspondence between Harwood and Ione Godwin, his second wife; typescripts and a photocopy of Harwood's autobiography, A Basket of Chips; an autobiography of his father, James Harwood; art-related materials; and poetry, news articles, and miscellaneous items.

The second donation (box 4) only has one item. It is a scrapbook put together for Lark Harwood by her mother, Ione. It is a combination journal and photo album describing the life of Lark and her parents, Ione and James Taylor Harwood. Ione writes of sights, her feelings, the family's activities, of their homes, and of the extended family. Where possible, photographs were removed and transferred to the Multimedia Section of Special Collections.

The third and fourth donations (boxes 5-6) consist mostly of correspondence. The first box holds correspondence entirely between Ione and James Taylor Harwood, much of it while they were first dating. The rest of the correspondence is between various individuals and is arranged alphabetically by the person associated with it. Some poetry, a diary, and other materials are also included in these boxes.

The fifth donation (boxes 7-12) includes a variety of items, including original works of art and sketches by Harwood. The artwork, located in boxes 10-11, is representative of most of Harwood's artistic career. Other materials found with this donation are diaries, notebooks, correspondence, exhibition catalogs, artwork and poetry by Ruth Harwood, and a descriptive commentary by James V. Harwood of this donation's contents, among other things.

The sixth donation (boxes 13-21) is almost entirely made up of correspondence. Some poetry, news clippings, and other items are also included in some of the folders. Original groupings for this last donation were kept as much as possible. It is organized alphabetically, generally by the correspondent's last name. Some correspondence may fit with other groupings, though.

The last donations (box 22) includes correspondence to a Mr. D. Brown, a scrapbook which consists mainly of news clippings, and a sketchbook of human anatomy.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library's Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Preferred Citation

Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Related Materials

See also the June Rose Harwood papers (MS 0543), the Ruth Harwood papers (MS 0375), and the Madge Tomsic papers (MS 0672).

Separated Materials

Photographs were transferred to the Multimedia Division of Special Collections (P0117).

Acquisition Information

Boxes 1-3 were donated by Willard R. Harwood in 1973.

Box 4 was donated in 1989.

Boxes 5-6 were donated in 1991.

Box 6, folder 19, and boxes 7-12 were donated in 2001.

Boxes 13-21 were donated in 2002.

Box 22, folders 1-2 were donated by David Carroll of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts in 2013.

Box 22, folder 3 was donated by Rose Petersen (on behals of her brother James T. Harwood) in 2013.

Processing Note

Processed by Jennifer Braeden and Lisa DeMille in 1989-2002.

Addenda (box 22) processed by Betsey Welland in 2013.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Correspondence and Biographical MaterialsReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box
1		Correspondence This box contains photocopied correspondence mostly between James Taylor Harwood and his second wife, Ione Godwin.	1923-1931
2		Correspondence This box also contains photocopied correspondence between James Taylor Harwood and Ione Godwin. Undated correspondence is in the last folder.	1933-1940
	Folder
3	1	A Basket of Chips bound copy
3	2-3	A Basket of Chips typescript copy with handwritten edits Folder 3 contains a photocopy of this typescript copy.
3	4	Biographical Papers Includes several biographies of Harwood as well as a typescript of his funeral services.
3	5	Autobiography of James Harwood Includes a photocopy and a typescript of the original of James Taylor Harwood's father.
3	6	Art Manuscript This is an essay draft written by Harwood on art and what it is. The handwritten original and a photocopy of it are included.
3	7	Poetry
3	8	Art Exhibition Catalogs	1940
3	9	Photocopies of Art and Photographs
3	10	News Articles	1928-1940
3	11	Miscellaneous
4		Scrapbook	1932-1935
5		Correspondence This correspondence is original and is entirely between Ione Godwin and James Taylor Harwood.	1927-1940
	Folder
6	1	Almira Marie D'Martin, Correspondence	1936
6	2	Jeanette Godwin, Correspondence	1929-1939
6	3	Mabel Godwin, Correspondence	1928-1929
6	4	Mrs. E. A. Harwell, Correspondence	1928
6	5	James Harwood, Correspondence	1902-1904
6	6	June Harwood, Correspondence	1939
6	7	Lark and Vern Jim Harwood, Correspondence	1939
6	8	Ruth Harwood, Correspondence and Poetry	1939-1952
6	9	B. F. Larsen, Correspondence	1938
6	10	Rose Welch, Correspondence	1939-1940
6	11	Mahonri Young, Correspondence	1930
6	12	University of Utah, Letter Draft	1931
6	13	Poetry by Ione Godwin Harwood	1927-1940
6	14	WPA (Works Progress Administration) Type Class, Report This report was typed by Ione who took the class.	1934
6	15	Family Christmas Card, Photocopy	1930s
6	16	Art Exhibition Catalog	1940
6	17	National Arts Club Bulletin	1928
6	18	Miscellaneous
6	19	Diary The notations in this diary were written by James Taylor Harwood.	1938-1939
7		Correspondence This box also contains addressed envelopes to and from Harwood.	1921-1989

Personal and Family MaterialsReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
8	1	Biographical Information
8	2	Utah Territorial Fair Medal	1892
8	3	Checks	1939-1940
8	4	Lists of Paintings
8	5-6	Blank Postcards
8	7	Programs and Announcements	1904-1985
8	8	News Clippings	1905-1985
8	9-10	Ruth Harwood Included are artwork prints, poetry, and Temple Builders by Ruth Harwood.	1938
8	11	James V. Harwood, Collection Commentary	2001
8	12	Miscellaneous
9		Diaries and Notebooks	1917-1945

Artwork MaterialsReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box
10	Artwork The bulk of this box consists of Harwood's sketchbooks. Several of them have inscriptions to his second wife, Ione, dating 1933. The last folder also holds some photocopies and prints of various paintings.	1929-1933
11	Artwork Most of the works of art in this box are original sketches, watercolors, and oils.	1900s-1930s
12	Exhibition Catalogs The bulk of these catalogs are from Paris art exhibitions.	1918-1933

People FilesReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
13	1-5	Jeanette Campbell	1924-1979
13	6	Lawrence Godwin	1928-1963
14	1-6	Mabel Godwin	1924-1937
14	7	Verne Godwin	1924-1961
15	1-2	Godwin Family	1923-1947
15	3-5	Lark Harwood Grace	1944-1956
16	1-8	Lark Harwood Grace	1957-1977
17	1	Shirley Gudmundsen	1935-1972
17	2-5	Ione Harwood	1923-1990
18	1-2	Ione Harwood	1931-1970s
18	3-9	James V. Harwood	1952-1967
19	1-3	James V. Harwood	1974-1978
19	4-5	Ruth Harwood	1923-1957
19	6	Willard Harwood	1961-1973
19	7	Alice Olsen	1926-1979
19	8-9	Dell Peterson	1939-1948
20	1-5	Dell Peterson	1953-1964
20	6	Rose Adelle Peterson	1959-1979
21	1	LeVinz Tanner	1949-1973
21	2	Silvio Valdettaro	1968-1977
21	3-4	General Correspondence	1925-1979
21	5	Blank Postcards
21	6	Miscellaneous

General MaterialsReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
object
1		Harwood Family Art Works CD Contains scanned images of Harwood's art works, prepared and donated by his son, James V. Harwood. This item is located in the Manuscripts Division CD case.	2002
Box	Folder
22	1	Correspondence	1929-1939
22	2	Scrapbook	1940
22	3	Sketchbook This sketchbook consists of human anatomy sketches by Harwood.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Artists--Utah--Salt Lake City--Archives
Painters--Utah--Biography

Personal Names

Godwin, Ione
Harwood, James Taylor, 1860-1940--Archives
Harwood, James Taylor, 1860-1940--Family--Archives
Harwood, Ruth, 1896-1959

Form or Genre Terms

Autobiographies (literary works)
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
Diaries
Illustrated works
Manuscripts
Oil paintings (visual works)
Personal correspondence
Sketches
Watercolors

Archives West Finding Aid

Table of Contents