OHY_Mss2987 Guide to the J. Allen Gilbert Papers 1888-1990 Gilbert (J. Allen) Papers Finding aid compiled by Andrew Bryans Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Oregon Historical Society, Research Library © 2006
1200 SW Park Avenue Portland, Oregon 97205 Phone: 503-306-5240 Fax: 503-219-2040 E-mail: libreference@ohs.org
Finding aid encoded by ArchProteus 2006 Finding aid is in English Finding aid based on DACS ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard) Oregon Historical Society, Davies Family Research Library Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue Portland, Oregon 97205 Phone: 503-306-5240 Fax: 503-219-2040 E-mail: libreference@ohs.org
Mss 2987 Gilbert, J. Allen (1867-1948) J. Allen Gilbert Papers circa 1888-1990 1.5 linear feet (3 document cases and 1 scroll) J. Allen Gilbert (1867-1948) was a medical doctor and physiology professor. The papers consist of correspondence (1926-1948) from Gilbert to his daughter Dorothea Gilbert. The correspondence also includes brother Jess B. Gilbert, father-in-law Jacob G. Zerwekh, Abbie Plum, Nan Britton, and various friends and acquaintances. The collection contains photocopies of Gilbert's correspondence with Dr. Carl Gustav Jung and related materials (1926-1967), and photocopies of a few letters between Gilbert and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1922). The material includes several of Gilbert's published and unpublished articles for professional journals (circa 1897-1938), an unpublished manuscript "The Curse of Intellect" (1934), and a copy of his book, True and False Sex Alarms (1916). A Gilbert family genealogy (circa 1910) and ephemera are contained in the collection. Languages(s): Most of the material in the collection is in English. Some of the documents are in German. Biography of J. Allen Gilbert:

J. Allen Gilbert (April 5, 1867-April 18, 1948) was a medical doctor and physiology professor who resided in Portland, Or. Raised in Dayton, Ohio, Gilbert attended several schools, including the Union Biblical Seminary and Yale University. He attained his medical degree in 1901. In 1901, after Gilbert married Florence A. Zerwekh, the couple relocated to Portland, Or., where he started his career as a Professor of Physiology at the Dental School of North Pacific College (later the University of Oregon Dental School). Their daughter, Dorothea, was born in 1906. Florence Gilbert died on December 17, 1917, which prompted her husband to undertake a worldwide search for her spirit. However, after seven years he called off the quest, declaring it a failure. Gilbert and his daughter wrote extensively to each other from the 1920s to the 1940s. He corresponded with various individuals during his lifetime, including Dr. Carl Gustav Jung and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Materials consist of correspondence (1926-1948) from J. Allen Gilbert to his daughter Dorothea Gilbert. Letters document Gilbert's professional and personal relationships and provide details about his travels around North America and Europe. Other correspondents include brother Jess B. Gilbert, father-in-law Jacob G. Zerwekh, Abbie Plum, Nan Britton, and various friends and acquaintances. The collection contains photocopies of Gilbert's correspondence with Dr. Carl Gustav Jung and related materials (1926-1967), and photocopies of a few letters between Gilbert and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1922). Gilbert's correspondence with Dorothea addresses many topics, including medical techniques, psychology in social work, personal relationships, and family affairs. Letters also contain Gilbert's opinions on sociology, philosophy, spiritualism, public welfare, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and racism in the South. The material reflects his somewhat volatile relationships with Dorothea, other family members, and friends. The collection includes several of Gilbert's published and unpublished articles for professional journals (circa 1897-1938), and an unpublished manuscript "The Curse of Intellect" (1934). Gilbert's articles address the topics of psychology, human values in education, spiritualism, and treatment of homosexuality. A copy of Gilbert's book, True and False Sex Alarms (1916), a Gilbert family genealogy (circa 1910), and ephemera are included in the collection.

The correspondence and professional writings are arranged chronologically in folders.

The collection is open to the public.

The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library before any publication use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

J. Allen Gilbert Papers, Mss 2987, Oregon Historical Society Research Library

Gift of Dr. Frederick E. Ellis, 1995 and 1998 (Accession numbers 22443 and 23770).

Papers were originally received in two donations and assigned two manuscript numbers, Mss2987 and Mss2987-1. Materials have been consolidated under manuscript number Mss2987. The correspondence in folders 2/5, 2/6 and 2/7, and the book True and False Sex Alarms were originally designated as Mss2987-1.

The collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings:

Gilbert, J. Allen (Joshua Allen), 1867-1948--Correspondence. Gilbert, Dorothea---Correspondence. Gilbert, Jess B.--Correspondence. Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir, 1859-1930--Correspondence. Jung, C. G. (Carl Gustav), 1875-1961---Correspondence. Plum, Abbie---Correspondence. Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945. Gilbert Family. University of Oregon. Dental School. Clinical health psychology--Oregon--Portland. Educational psychology. Psychiatric social work--Oregon--Portland. Psychoanalysis and homosexuality. Physicians--Oregon--Portland--Correspondence. Public welfare--Oregon--Portland. Racism--Southern States. Sex instruction--Oregon--Portland. Southern States--Race relations. Spiritualism--Oregon--Portland. Oregon Portland City and Town Life Colleges and Universities Home and Family International Relations Medicine and Health Religion Science Sexuality Articles. Genealogies. Letters. 1/1 Correspondence--San Francisco trip July-August 1926

J. Allen Gilbert to Dorothea Gilbert and Eugene C. and Evelyn L. Horton

 1/2-4 Correspondence--London trip September 1926

J. Allen Gilbert to Dorothea Gilbert

 1/5-7 Correspondence--London and Scotland trips October 1926

J. Allen Gilbert to Dorothea Gilbert

 1/8 Correspondence--London, Paris & Zurich trips November-December 1926

J. Allen Gilbert to Dorothea Gilbert

 1/9 Correspondence 1928-1929

J. Allen Gilbert and Annie L. Sears to Dorothea Gilbert

 1/10 Correspondence 1930-1939

J. Allen Gilbert to Dorothea Gilbert

 1/11 Postcards from cross-country trips & Portland, Or. 1926 1935-1939

J. Allen Gilbert and Annie L. Sears to Dorothea Gilbert

 1/12 Correspondence 1940-1947

J. Allen Gilbert to Dorothea Gilbert

 1/13 Correspondence undated

J. Allen Gilbert to Dorothea Gilbert and Eugene C. and Evelyn L. Horton

 2/1 Correspondence--J. Allen Gilbert 1922 1931

Photocopies of correspondence with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Dr. Charles Clark Sweet of Sing Sing Prison

 2/2 Correspondence--Dr. Carl Gustav Jung 1926-1967

Photocopies of correspondence between J. Allen Gilbert and Jung.

Correspondence between Dorothea Gilbert and Dr. Gerhard Adler.

 2/3 Correspondence--J. Allen Gilbert & Abbie M. Plum 1936-1937 2/4 Correspondence--J. Allen Gilbert 1921-1947

H. Godwin Baynes, Nan Britton, Katherine L. Bush, Ruth Gilbert (?), Eleanor Gile, Arthur Stanley Riggs, Mr. Skiff, publishing company representatives, and others

 2/5-7 Correspondence 1939-1948

J. Allen Gilbert to Dorothea Gilbert, Jess B. Gilbert, Mr. and Mrs. Skiff, Jacob G. Zerwekh, and others. Jess B. Gilbert to J. Allen Gilbert. Jacob G. Zerwekh to J. Allen Gilbert and unidentified niece.

 2/8 Correspondence--Dorothea Gilbert circa 1929-1956

Harriet Bartlett, Harry S. Bressler, Annie L. Sears, and others.

Photographs of Dorothea, house, and nurse with baby.

 2/9 Professional writings--Dorothea Gilbert circa 1937-1945

"The Dilemma of Social Work" and notes

 2/10 Correspondence and obituaries--Florence Gilbert 1904-1917

Florence Gilbert to Annie L. Sears

 2/11 Writings--Florence Gilbert circa 1910

"Spiritual Development of the Child in the Home" and notes

 2/12 Correspondence--Jacob G. Zerwekh 1941

Zerwekh, father of Florence Gilbert, to J. Allen & Dorothea Gilbert

 2/13 Correspondence--fragments circa 1925-1945 2/14 Professional writings--J. Allen Gilbert circa 1897-1921

Articles in University of Iowa Studies in Psychology. Reprints of articles from American Medicine, Medical Record, Medical Sentinel, and unidentified journals.

 2/15 Professional writings--J. Allen Gilbert circa 1910-1938

Article in the Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research, draft of preface and first chapter for unidentified manuscript, and fragments of articles.

 2/16 Professional writings--J. Allen Gilbert circa 1910-1920

Manuscripts of articles, "The Discouragements of Social Work" and "Am I a Church Member?"

 3/1 Professional writings--J. Allen Gilbert circa 1920

Reprint of article from the Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases, "Homo-sexuality and its Treatment," in which Gilbert describes his treatment of Alberta Lucille Hart/Dr. Alan L. Hart. Photocopy of manuscript of article, "Human Values in the Public School."

 3/2 Manuscript, "The Curse of Intellect" by J. Allen Gilbert 1934

Preface by Dr. Carl Gustav Jung

 3/3 Book, True and False Sex Alarms by J. Allen Gilbert 1916 3/4 Newspaper clippings circa 1926-1956

Article about Dorothea Gilbert and editorials

 3/5 Degrees and academia 1889 1897-1898

Otterbein University, Almae Universitatis Lipsiensis, and Univerfität Leipzig

 3/6 Ephemera circa 1888-1967

Materials include London tour map, photograph of Dorothea Gilbert and others at party, and photograph of child

 3/7 Poems undated

Poems by M. H. Wallace and unidentified

 3/8 Cosmopolitan Magazine article clippings circa 1985-1990

"How Does One Really Touch a Man?" and "Money & Marriage"

 Gilbert family genealogy by J. Allen Gilbert circa 1910

Data recorded on scroll.