Papers of Martha Linsley Spencer, Hartford resident and poet, 1875-1954. Spencer served as editor of The Hartford Times poetry column, "Poet's Corner" and also as Chairperson of the program committee of the Poetry Club of Hartford.

The Martha Spencer collection contains papers dealing with Spencer's work as poet, as editor of "Poet's Corner" and as Chairperson for the Poetry Club program committee. It contains manuscript poetry and prose by Spencer (as well as preservation copies of the more fragile pieces) including poems used in her published work Remembered Years; collection also contains proofs of this work. The remainder of the collection encompasses her work and interests in her contemporary poetry scene, including correspondence and ephemera related to various minor poets.

Series I: Background

Series II: Manuscript writings

1. Poems

1. Holograph

--Originals

--Preservation photocopies

2. Typed poems

2. Prose

1. Holograph

--Originals

--Preservation photocopies

2. Typed prose

3. Manuscript notes and fragments (unsorted)

Series III: Proofs

--Remembered Years, Collected Poems. (Hartford, CT: Finlay Bros., 1954. limited edition, 500 copies). Two sets, one
with holograph manuscript pages.

Series IV: Printed works

1. Poems

2. Christmas cards

Series V: Correspondence

1. Letters from Spencer

2. Letters to Spencer

1. From Notables--Robert Frost, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Wallace Stevens, and W.B. Yeats

2. Personal letters

3. Letters regarding Spencer's writing (i.e acceptance for publication; advice)

4. Letters "From poets[;] do not destroy at present" (her file, left intact rather than interfiled with other letters)

5. Letters regarding "Poet's Corner" poetry column in The Hartford Times (mainly about poetry submissions), in
chronological order

--(undated); 1937-1952

Series VI: Files related to specific poetry groups and publications (note: these files created by Spencer; related papers added by processor)

1. Poetry Club of Hartford

--Correspondence

--Ephemera

2. Connecticut Troubador

--Draft pages, including "duplicate reviews" (poetry book reviews by Spencer?)

--Correspondence

--Ephemera

Series VII: Files related to individuals (note: these files were created by Spencer and contain various items, from correspondence and ephemera to books published by the individual, apparently collected by Spencer herself)

1. Muna Lee

2. Denis A. McCarthy

3. Francesca Falk Miller

4. Joseph F. Murphy

5. William Vincent Sieller

6. Caroline Parker Smith

nnie Eliot Trumbull

Series VIII: Periodicals and articles collected by Spencer

1. Related to Spencer (i.e. with reviews by Spencer)

2. Unrelated to Spencer

--Complete periodicals

--Articles and clippings

3. Newspaper clippings (unsorted)

Series IX: Ephemera (note: not directly related to Spencer, but collected by her, perhaps in her position as poetry editor for The Hartford Times)

1. Poetry contests

2. Press releases/publicity regarding poets

3. Advertisements

4. Programs

5. Book jackets

Series X: Miscellaneous

1. Prose writing--holograph, typed and printed

1. Authors other than Spencer

2. Authors unknown

2. Other

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Prepared for electronic publication by Michael J. Breen '99, July 1999.