James M. Guiher, Jr. Papers A&M 3579

West Virginia and Regional History Center

1549 University Ave.
P.O. Box 6069
Morgantown, WV 26506-6069
Business Number: 304-293-3536
wvrhcref@westvirginia.libanswers.com
URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu

Staff of the West Virginia & Regional History Center

Repository

West Virginia and Regional History Center

Identification

A&M 3579

Title

James M. Guiher, Jr. Papers 1835-2014 1927-1976

URL:

https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/196128

Quantity

26.63 Linear Feet, 26 ft. 7.5 in. (13 document cases, 5 in. each); (3 document cases, 2.5 in. each); (12 records cartons, 15 in. each); (3 oversize records cartons, 17 in. each ); (1 small flat storage box, 3 in.); (1 small flat storage box, 5 in.); (1 flat storage box, 1 in.); (1 artifact tray, 2.5 in.); (1 oversize folder, 1 item); (1 framed item, 0.5 in.); (9 unboxed pieces of artwork)

Creator

Guiher, James M., Jr.

Location

West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / Fax: 304-293-3981 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/

Language

English

Abstract

Personal papers of James M. Guiher, Jr. (1927- ), Editor and Head of Textbook Division of Prentice-Hall books, and son of James M. Guiher, Sr. (1897-1965), a prominent lawyer, politician, and community leader from Clarksburg, West Virginia. Includes autobiographical material, correspondence, publications, photographs, and other material regarding growing up in Clarksburg, attending Washington Irving High School (Clarksburg, WV), serving in the U.S. Army during WWII, attending Princeton and Harvard Universities, his career at Prentice-Hall, as well as his writings (including essays and plays). The writings regard an evolving view of life influenced by art, existentialism, and experiences in Italy and Greece. There are publications regarding the history of, and places and events in Clarksburg and Harrison County (including booklets, pamphlets, programs, maps, clippings, and post cards; ca. 1953-1999). There is also a group portrait photograph of his father James M. Guiher, Sr. as a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity, West Virginia University, 1917. There is a book of historical autographs collected by Guiher, Jr., including those of George Washington and Martha Custis Washington, John and Abigail Adams, and Benjamin Franklin, among others. There are also addendums including five portrait photographs (2014-02-24); papers relating to the Guiher, Davis, and Hart families, and related subjects; James M. Guiher Sr.'s service in WWI; four paintings and two artworks (2014-08-29); and three paintings (2015-08-17).

Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.

Conditions Governing Access

No special access restriction applies.

Preferred Citation

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], James M. Guiher, Jr. Papers, A&M 3579, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.

Scope and Contents

There are eleven series in this collection:

1) Biographical Information;
2) Family and Childhood;
3) Washington Irving High School, Clarksburg, WV;
4) Family Bibles and Genealogy;
5) Army and Education;
6) Writings and Correspondence;
7) Prentice-Hall Career;
8) Plays and Manuscripts;
9) West Virginia Publications and Prospectuses;
10) Publications; and
11) Oversized

Addendum of 2014/02/24, 1918-1955, undated, 0.5 in. (2 folders) is located in box 10, folder 7, and in an unnumbered oversize box; it consists of five black and white portrait photographs of James M. Guiher, Jr. (undated), James M. Guiher, Sr. (1918, 1955), John W. Davis (undated), and Lloyd Pickney Sounders (undated). The 1918 photograph of James M. Guiher, Sr. shows him in military uniform at Chatillon-Sur-Seine, France. The photograph of John W. Davis is inscribed "to James M. Guiher with sincere regards" and is signed by Davis. Lloyd Pickney Sounders (1873-1934) was the grandfather of James Guiher, Jr., and the co-founder, with Arthur Parsons, of Parsons-Sounders Department Store, Clarksburg, WV.

Addendum of 2014/08/29, ca. 1900-1990, 19 ft. 1.5 in. is located in boxes 11-30; it consists of papers relating to the Guiher, Davis, and Hart families, and related subjects, four land grants, and six paintings.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Bibles
Clarksburg (W. Va.)
Guiher, James M., Jr.
Guiher, James M., Sr.
Harrison County (W. Va.)
World War, 1914-1918 -- Military training camps
World War, 1914-1918 -- Photography
World War, 1914-1918 -- Soldiers' letters

Significant Persons Associated With the Collection

Guiher, James M., Jr.
Guiher, James M., Sr.

Significant Places Associated With the Collection

Clarksburg (W. Va.)
Harrison County (W. Va.)

Container List

Series 1. Biographical Information, Box 1, Folder 1a

2007-2014

Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 1a
Autobiographical statement by James M. Guiher (16 pp.); obituary for Guiher; program for Guiher's funeral service
2007, 2014
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 1a
Obituaries for Harriette Behringer Fussell (born in Clarksburg, WV; Washington Irving High School class of 1943) and her husband Paul Fussell; James F. Brown III of Charleston, WV; Ouida Caldwell Davis of Huntington, Charleston, and White Sulphur Springs, WV; and "Deedie" Sara Diane Sounders of Clarksburg
2009, 2012-2013

Series 2. Family and Childhood, Box 1, Folders 1b-6, unfoldered

1917-1945, 2011, undated

Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 1b
Artifacts--Garrison caps (1. School Safety Parade, Washington DC, 1939; 2. Sons of the American Legion, n.d.)
1939, undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 1c
Funeral program for Elizabeth "Liddy" Hart Guiher (1928/10/9 - 2011/08/17)
2011
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 2
James M. Guiher, Sr. -- Group Portrait Photograph of Sigma Nu Fraternity, West Virginia University, 1917 and Poem, 1934 (from Dusty Ash, n.d.)
1917, 1934
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 3
Certificates, awards and recognitions given to James M. Guiher, Jr. (includes school, church, and summer camp)
1933-1945
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 4
Grade school report cards of James M. Guiher, Jr.
1933-1939
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 5
Summer camp, church, and vacations (includes memorabilia, booklets and correspondence)
1936-1940
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Childhood drawings -- by James M, Guiher, Jr. and family; 1927-1936 Box 1; unfoldered; Photograph--26th Annual Senior Assembly Methodists Youth Fellowship, Buchannon, West Virginia
1942
Mixed Materials Box: 1 unfoldered
Booklets (1.'Souvenir Book of The Queens Dolls House', 1928; 2.'Souvenir Album - New York', 1936
1928, 1936

Series 3. Washington Irving High School, Clarksburg, WV, Box 2

1941-1946

Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 1
High school speeches, papers, grades, pay stubs, and memorabilia
1941-1945
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 2
'Important High School Work' of James M. Guiher, Jr. (includes plays, personal reflections, poems, compositions)
1941-1945
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 3
Washington Irving High School newspaper, 'The Hilltop', containing James M. Guiher, Jr.'s column, 'Just In Passing' (23 issues, incomplete)
1941/10-1943/12
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 4
Washington Irving High School newspaper, 'The Hilltop', containing James M. Guiher, Jr.'s column, 'Just In Passing' (17 issues, incomplete)
1944/01-1945/04
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 5
Compositions by James M. Guiher, Jr. (includes photograph of James M. Guiher, Jr., ca. 1944)
1942-1945
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 6
Drawings by James M. Guiher, Jr.
1942-1944
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 7
Random notes and thoughts of James M. Guiher, Jr. (recorded in a 1916 US Army Field Message book belonging to Lt. James M. Guiher, Sr.)
1942
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 8
Drama and Thespian productions, commencement and diploma (includes programs, and memorabilia)
1943-1945
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 9
'Boys State'--Jacksons Mill 1944/6 (includes 2 editions of 'The Mountaineer' newspaper, James M. Guiher, Jr., Editor-in-Chief)
1944/06
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 10
Correspondence--from 'The Institute of Mental Physics'
1942-1944

Series 4. Family Bibles and Genealogy, Boxes 3A-3C

1835-1987

Mixed Materials Box: 3A
Books -- 1. Holt-Cresap Family Bible, ca. 1835, 2. 'The History of The Cresaps', 1987
ca. 1835-1987
Mixed Materials Box: 3B
Bible containing family record for Holmes family and photographs of children; published by James B. Smith and Company
1861-1907
Mixed Materials Box: 3B
Bible owned by David Williams, containing family record of Guiher, Brownfield, Williams, and other families; published by McCarty and Davis
1835
Mixed Materials Box: 3C
"Pronouncing Parallel Bible" given to Bessie Poland by her mother; published by E. Gately and Company
1897

Series 5. Army and Education, Box 4

1945-1952

Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 1
Army papers (includes induction notice, separation orders, and correspondence)
1945-1947
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 2
Princeton University papers (includes grades, financial statements, memorabilia)
1947-1951
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 3
Princeton University papers (includes manuscripts, essays, political and philosophical comparisons and arguments)
1951
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 4
Princeton University Diploma
1951
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 5
Harvard Law School papers (includes grades, student directory, law briefs)
1951-1952
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 6
Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, and Boston Museum School of Fine Arts papers (includes grades, correspondence, photographs, catalogues, and clippings)
1952
Mixed Materials Box: 4 unfoldered
Photographs (2 copies)-- 1945/8, Fort Knox, Ky, James M. Guiher, Jr.'s Company D, 5th Armored Replacement Battalion
1945/08

Series 6. Writings and Correspondence, Box 5

1924, 1951-1964, 2003-2008

Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 1
Miscellaneous (includes journaling of thoughts and ideas, dialogues, short stories and drawings; photographic postcard of the Clarksburg Public Library announcing exhibit by West Virginia artist Justina Hart, 1952; 6 November 1924 letter from politician John W. Davis to R.M. Browne of Wheeling regarding election loss; and a 30 October 2013 email [with accompanying 31 October 2013 note] from Jim Guiher to Bettyruth Walter regarding a penthouse sold in New York, where John W. Davis lived in 1954)
1924, 1951-1956, 2013
Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 2
Writings and skits (includes James M. Guiher, Jr.'s autobiography, an essay titled, 'Beauty and Justice' and a skit, 'At the West Portico of the Pantheon')
ca. 1952-1961
Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 3
Writings, essays, short plays, conversations, poems by James Guiher, Jr.
1953
Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 4
Jack Greenes publication, 'Newspaper' (6 issues, incomplete) (includes correspondence of James M. Guiher, Jr. to the 'Newspaper' and with Jack Jones, a feature writer in the publication)
1959-1964
Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 5
Publications (includes the 'Newspaper' (3 issues, incomplete), the 'Liberation' magazine, summer 1959, correspondence of James M. Guiher, Jr., Jack Jones and Paul Tillet)
ca. 1959-1964
Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 6
Essay, 'The Eclipse', by James M. Guiher, Jr.
1963
Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 7
Letter from friend regarding conversations with sculptor Frank Gaylord; also includes photos from Gaylord with Gaylords captions; Gaylord designed and sculpted the Korean War Monument in Washington, D.C.
2008

Series 7. Prentice-Hall Career, Box 6

1954-1977

Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 1
Book-layout, 1955 (includes stretches, photographs, captions, and several West Virginia photographs, ca. 1932-1946 of farms, landscape and structures)
1955
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 2
Photographs excluded from book-layout (includes West Virginia photographs ca. 1932-1946, of landscapes, farms and structures)
1955
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 3
Papers pertaining to James Guiher, Jr.'s publishing career as editor, Editor-in-Chief, and General Manager of the Educational Book Division (includes correspondence, company newsletters, catalogues, photographs and clippings)
1954-1976
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 4
James Guiher, Jr.'s resignation from Prentice-Hall (includes correspondence, farewell memorabilia, reports which prompted him to 'fire' himself and later contracts establishing James M. Guiher, Jr. as a consultant to Prentice-Hall)
1976
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 5
'Whos Who in America' listing James M. Guiher, Jr., 1976-1977
1976-1977
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 6
Newspaper accounts of the Allegheny Airlines plane crash, in Pennsylvania, 1965/7, James M. Guiher, Jr. was a passenger
1965/07
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 7
Allegheny Airlines plane crash, 1965/7 in Pennsylvania, James M. Guiher, Jr. was a passenger (includes correspondence, records, receipts, investigations and eyewitness accounts of the crash, copy of the Civil Aeronautics Board Accident Report)
1965/07-ca. 1966/Fall

Series 8. Plays and Manuscripts, Box 7

1951-2004

Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 1
Untitled play by James M. Guiher, Jr., written at Princeton University, The Tower Club
1951
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 2
Untitled and unfinished play by James M. Guiher, Jr.
ca. 1960
Mixed Materials Box: 7 unfoldered
Manuscripts of plays by James M. Guiher, Jr. (includes 'The Crises of the Common Man', ca. 1960, 'Aphrodite', 1999 (2 copies), 'Candoo!', 2004, 'Good Friends', 2004 (3 copies)
ca. 1960-2004

Series 9. West Virginia Publications and Prospectuses, Box 8

1926, 1944-1999

Mixed Materials Box: 8 Folder: 1
Booklets (includes 'The Jewel of the Hills', 1926 and 'True Story of the Hatfield and the McCoy Feud', 1944 (2 copies)
1926, 1944
Mixed Materials Box: 8 Folder: 2
Harrison County and Clarksburg history, events and places of interest (includes booklets, programs, maps, pamphlets, clippings, postcards)
ca. 1953-1999
Mixed Materials Box: 8 Folder: 3
West Virginia prospectuses (includes booklets and pamphlets regarding West Virginia tourism featuring places and things of interest, such as festivals, outdoor activities, etc.)
ca. 1953-1989
Mixed Materials Box: 8 Folder: 4
West Virginia road and tour maps
ca. 1960-1975
Mixed Materials Box: 8 unfoldered
Book "History of Harrison County" by Dorothy Davis with Christmas Card and note from Guiher's mother
1971

Series 10. Publications, Box 9

1943-1964, 1982

Mixed Materials Box: 9 unfoldered
Book (soft-bound), 'One World', author Wendell L. Willkie
1943
Mixed Materials Box: 9 unfoldered
British publication, 'The Illustrated London News'
1956
Mixed Materials Box: 9 unfoldered
National magazines (includes Life, 9 issues, 1953-1963, Time, 4 issues, 1956-1963, TV Guide, 1964/1, Town and Country, 1957/3 and The Saturday Evening Post, 1960/2, which contains a feature story, 'West Virginia: Poverty Amid Splendor')
1953-1964
Mixed Materials Box: 9 unfoldered
Miscellaneous (includes 'The Delta', Sigma Nu Fraternity magazine (1957/09) and 'Princeton Alumni Weekly' (1952/01)
1957, 1952
Mixed Materials Box: 9 Folder: 1
Miscellaneous
1982, undated

Series 11. Oversized, Box 10

ca. 1500-1980, 2007, undated

Mixed Materials Box: 10 Folder: 1
Original editions of Pittsburgh newspapers reporting the flood of 1936 in the city and surrounding areas (includes 1. 'The Pittsburgh Press', March 19, 20 and April 18, 1936 (3 editions), 2. 'The Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph', March 19, and 21, 1936 (2 editions)
1936
Mixed Materials Box: 10 Folder: 2
Original 'Home Coming Edition' of Clarksburg's 'The Sunday Telegram', June 10, 1923
1923
Mixed Materials Box: 10 Folder: 3
Reprints of 'The New York Morning Post', November 7, 1783 (includes General Washington's Farewell to the Troops speech) and 'Ulster County Gazette', January 4, 1800 (includes accounts of George Washington's funeral, eulogies and memorials from Congress and President Adams)
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 10 Folder: 4
Copies of 'The New York Morning Post', November 7, 1783 and 'The Ulster County Gazette', January 4, 1800
2007
Mixed Materials Box: 10 Folder: 5
Original issue of 'The Literary Digest', 1915/07/31 (includes 'A History of the First Year of the War...') and a reprint of Time Magazine's first issue, 1923/03/03 as a supplement of the 1938/02/28 issue of Time
1915, 1938
Mixed Materials Box: 10 Folder: 6
'Book of Famous Signatures' (includes historical autographs of George Washington and Martha Custis Washington, John and Abigail Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Queen Elizabeth I, Oliver Cromwell, Queen Victoria, and Mark Twain, among many others)
ca. 1500-1900
Mixed Materials Box: 10 Folder: 7
Addendum of 2014/02/24 (four black and white portrait photographs of James M. Guiher, Sr., James M. Guiher, Jr., and John W. Davis)
1918-1955, undated
Mixed Materials Box: 10 unfoldered
Certification by the Daughters of the American Revolution that Mrs. Bessie Poland Sauders 'because of her descent from Michael and Thomas Cresap, Captain and Patriot ... to the cause of American Independence during the Revolutionary War...is a regularly approved member of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.'
1909
Mixed Materials Box: 10 unfoldered
Scrapbook of Famous People, by James M. Guiher, Jr.
1942
Mixed Materials Box: 10 unfoldered
Adam's Synchronological Chart or Map of History, by James Ussher, ca. 1880-1890. The foldout chart features detailed, full-color drawings of various stages of history, from Adam and Eve to the late 19th century; 20th century reproduction of late 19th century publication; part of the first page is missing
ca. 1950-1980
Mixed Materials Box: 10 unfoldered
Bicentennial issue of "The West Virginia Hillbilly"
1976

Addendum of 2014/02/24, Oversized Composite Box

undated

Mixed Materials A&M Composite Box
One photographic portrait of Lloyd Pickney Sounders (1873-1934)
undated

Addendum of 2014/08/29, Boxes 11-31, 40, and Unboxed

Mixed Materials Box: 11
"Richest Man in the World" -- manuscript by James Guiher, Jr.
Mixed Materials Box: 11
Metal box that was original container of items in boxes 30 and 31
Mixed Materials Box: 12
James M. Guiher, Sr. -- Pre-1925 Items (topics includes West Virginia University, Harvard Law School, Sigma Nu Fraternity, photographs, etc.)
Mixed Materials Box: 13
John Davis Hart and Other Materials
Mixed Materials Box: 14
Note Sheets, Newspaper Clippings, and Bicentennial Plates
Mixed Materials Box: 15
World War I Books Related to Service of James M. Guiher, Sr.
Mixed Materials Box: 16
"The Silent Goddess" -- manuscript by James Guiher, Jr.
Mixed Materials Box: 17
"Candoo, The Play 1981-1984" -- manuscript by James Guiher, Jr.
Mixed Materials Box: 18
Guiher family genealogies/papers and J.H. Davis estate
Mixed Materials Box: 19
"Fantasies Are Forever" -- manuscript by James Guiher, Jr.
Mixed Materials Box: 20
John Hart -- papers
Mixed Materials Box: 21
John Davis Hart -- articles
Mixed Materials Box: 22
"50/50 1979" -- manuscript
Mixed Materials Box: 23
James Guiher, Jr. -- letters while in army
Mixed Materials Box: 24
Cresap Society
Mixed Materials Box: 24
John Davis Hart -- papers
Mixed Materials Box: 25
John Hart -- papers
Mixed Materials Box: 26
John Hart -- papers
Mixed Materials Box: 26
John Hart -- biography by James Guiher, Jr.
Mixed Materials Box: 27
"Aphrodite" -- manuscript by James Guiher, Jr.
Mixed Materials Box: 28
Various Play Scripts by James Guiher, Jr.
Mixed Materials Box: 28
Photograph of John Davis Hart
Mixed Materials Box: 29
"Candoo" -- manuscript by James Guiher, Jr.
Mixed Materials Box: 30
James M. Guiher, Sr. -- WWI-related material, including correspondence, photographs, maps, and ephemera (includes historical information regarding the 79th Infantry Division)
Mixed Materials Box: 31
James M. Guiher, Sr. -- WWI dog tags and medals, including Guiher's Purple Heart. Also includes documentation for medals.
Mixed Materials Box: 40
Three land grants and one indenture for land in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
1786-1787, 1793
Mixed Materials unboxed
Order of Vandalia Award to James Guiher, Jr.
Mixed Materials unboxed
Oil painting of James M. Guiher, Sr.
Mixed Materials unboxed
Oil painting of Ruth S. Sounders (in high fur collar) by Frank Gaylord
Mixed Materials unboxed
Oil painting of Guiher gardens and fish pond at 316 Buckhannon Avenue by Virginia Wood
1939
Mixed Materials unboxed
Oil painting of James M. Guiher, Jr.
Mixed Materials unboxed
Japanese print
Mixed Materials unboxed
Etching of Paris Street by Feliz Buhot

Addendum of 2015/08/17

1950-1955, undated

Mixed Materials unboxed
Painting by James M. Guiher, Jr. "New York" (red abstract)
1955
Mixed Materials unboxed
Painting by James M. Guiher, Jr. (blue abstract)
1950
Mixed Materials unboxed
Painting by James M. Guiher, Jr. (four figures)
undated