Conditions Governing Use:

Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Conditions Governing Access:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Preferred Citation:

Merritt Ierley Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Acquisition Information:

Additional gifts received in: 1985, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014 and 2016.

Processing Information:

Processed by Elizabeth Engelken in 1989.

Biographical Information:

Merritt Ierley is a social historian, the author of seven books on American history and technology. Further information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special Collections Research Center Wiki: .

Scope and Contents

The Merritt Ierley papers record his literary and musical career. Ierley is an alumnus of the College of William and Mary. His works include The Year that Tried Men's Souls , With Charity for All , Traveling the National Road , and Wondrous Contrivances .

The material includes research notes, original manuscripts, critiqued manuscripts, page proofs and printed copies. The papers also include reviews and articles written by Ierley. As a musical composer, Ierley has written musical scores and hymns, including music performed by the William and Mary Choir. In the collection are pencil sketches, manuscripts, production proofs, printed copies and publisher's catalogs listing Ierley's music and hymns. There are also programs and reviews of Ierley's performances and musical material. The collection includes surveys sent to and responses from curators of historic houses for Ierley's books, Open House and The Comforts of Home.

Arrangement of Materials:

1985 accessions combined, processed and inventoried as one accession. Further additions processed separately, but shelved together under Mss. 85 Ie7.

Related Material

Audio visual material was separated from the collection in 2009 and re-incorporated into the collection in 2016.  Housed in the audio visual cabinets.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• American literature--20th century
• Authors, American--20th century
• Choir and Chorus
• College of William and Mary--Alumni and alumnae
• Correspondence
• Manuscripts (document genre)
• Programs

General

Other Information:

A PDF document of this inventory is available online.

Additional information may be found at http://scrc.swem.wm.edu/findingaids/85_Ie7_Ierley.pdf