John James Piatt, 1880 - 1917
Scope and Contents
Approximately 130 letters and other assorted ephemera associated with American poet and diplomat John James Piatt dated between 1880 and 1917. The majority of the collection is made up of correspondence sent from Piatt to his friend Alexander Hill, an editor at Robert Clarke & Company in Cincinnati, Ohio, to whom Piatt’s book Little New-world Idyls (1893) is dedicated. Also included are two letters from Piatt’s children Frederick and Marian, as well as several pieces of printed ephemera, news clippings, and one printed manuscript of a poem. The contents of the letters are a mix of personal news and literary discussion, including the works of Piatt’s wife, noted American poet Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt (1836-1919).
Dates
- 1880 - 1917
Conditions Governing Access
Most manuscripts collections at the Georgetown University Booth Family Center for Special Collections are open to researchers; however, restrictions may apply to some collections. Collections stored off site require a minimum of three days for retrieval. For use of all manuscripts collections, researchers are advised to contact the Booth Family Center for Special Collections in advance of any visit.
Biographical / Historical
John James Piatt (1835-1917) was an American poet, librarian, and diplomat born in James’ Mill, Indiana. He began his career writing for several magazines including The Atlantic Monthly, before becoming a librarian at the US House of Representatives in Washington DC. He published a number of books of poetry, including two with his wife, noted poet Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt, and eventually served as United States consul in Cork and Dublin, Ireland. He died in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1917.
Extent
From the Collection: 30 Cubic Feet (68 boxes)
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
From the Collection: Latin
From the Collection: French
From the Collection: Italian
From the Collection: Welsh
From the Collection: Danish
From the Collection: Swedish
From the Collection: Spanish
From the Collection: German
From the Collection: Norwegian
From the Collection: Persian
From the Collection: Japanese
From the Collection: Russian
From the Collection: Greek, Ancient (to 1453)
Creator
- From the Collection: Scheetz, Nicholas B., 1952-2016 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Georgetown University Manuscripts Repository
Lauinger Library, 5th Floor
37th and O Streets, N.W.
Washington DC 20057
speccoll@georgetown.edu