Charles H. Dennis papers
Collection
Identifier: Midwest-MS-Dennis
Scope and Content of the Collection
The collection consists of correspondence and miscellaneous items primarily related to Dennis's professional life.
Outgoing letters are from the mid-to-late 1920s, and incoming letters are primarily from the early-to-mid 1920s. The topics are mostly related to the Chicago Daily News, the activities of the journalists and foreign correspondents, and the administration of the paper (relations with newspaper syndicates and other papers, for example). Notable correspondents include George Ade, Ray Stannard Baker, Eugene Field, Henry Blake Fuller, Victor Lawson, John T. McCutcheon, Hiram K. Moderwell, Edgar Mowrer, Paul Scott Mowrer, Hal O'Flaherty, Wallace Rice, Walter Robb, Graham Taylor, LeRoy T. Vernon, and Junius B. Wood. Foreign correspondents during this time reported back on major world events, such as the Spanish-American War (in both the Caribbean and in the Philippines), and various political campaigns in Europe, India, and Japan.
The subject files consist of items relating to the Chicago Daily News, including its sale in 1925, works by Dennis, and material relating to Eugene Field, including checklists of books by and about him. There are a few photographs in the final series of the collection.
Outgoing letters are from the mid-to-late 1920s, and incoming letters are primarily from the early-to-mid 1920s. The topics are mostly related to the Chicago Daily News, the activities of the journalists and foreign correspondents, and the administration of the paper (relations with newspaper syndicates and other papers, for example). Notable correspondents include George Ade, Ray Stannard Baker, Eugene Field, Henry Blake Fuller, Victor Lawson, John T. McCutcheon, Hiram K. Moderwell, Edgar Mowrer, Paul Scott Mowrer, Hal O'Flaherty, Wallace Rice, Walter Robb, Graham Taylor, LeRoy T. Vernon, and Junius B. Wood. Foreign correspondents during this time reported back on major world events, such as the Spanish-American War (in both the Caribbean and in the Philippines), and various political campaigns in Europe, India, and Japan.
The subject files consist of items relating to the Chicago Daily News, including its sale in 1925, works by Dennis, and material relating to Eugene Field, including checklists of books by and about him. There are a few photographs in the final series of the collection.
Dates
- 1868-1942
- Majority of material found within 1885 - 1929
Creator
- Dennis, Charles Henry (Person)
Language
Materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
The Charles H. Dennis papers are open for research in the Special Collections Reading Room; 1 box at a time (Priority III).
Ownership and Literary Rights
The Charles H. Dennis papers are the physical property of the Newberry Library. Copyright may belong to the authors or their legal heirs or assigns. For permission to publish or reproduce any materials from this collection, contact the Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections.
Biography of Charles H. Dennis
Chicago newspaper editor.
Born in Decatur, Illinois, in 1860, Charles Henry Dennis was a newspaperman all his life. After graduation from the University of Illinois, he began his career as a reporter and in 1882 joined the staff of the Chicago Daily News which was owned by Melville Stone and Victor F. Lawson. When Lawson became sole owner of the News in 1891, he made Dennis the managing editor of the morning edition known as the Chicago Record. When that newspaper was sold in 1901, Dennis became associate editor and chief editorial writer of the Daily News, where he continued to be Lawson's chief editorial assistant until Lawson's death in 1925. After the Daily News was bought by Walter A. Strong in 1925, Dennis continued as editor until he retired in 1934.
For forty years Dennis wrote and/or edited important editorials for the Daily News, and he was particularly influential in organizing and managing American commentators and correspondents in major foreign news areas, such as Edward Price Bell, John T. McCutcheon, Edgar Mowrer, Paul Scott Mowrer, LeRoy T. Vernon, and Junius B. Wood. Dennis was the author of two books, Eugene Field's Creative Years (1924) and Victor Lawson, His Time and Work (1935). He belonged to many clubs, including the American Society of Newspaper Editors and the National Press Club of Washington, D.C., received two honorary degrees, and was greatly esteemed by his associates. Married twice, Dennis had four children. He died in Evanston, Illinois, in 1943.
Born in Decatur, Illinois, in 1860, Charles Henry Dennis was a newspaperman all his life. After graduation from the University of Illinois, he began his career as a reporter and in 1882 joined the staff of the Chicago Daily News which was owned by Melville Stone and Victor F. Lawson. When Lawson became sole owner of the News in 1891, he made Dennis the managing editor of the morning edition known as the Chicago Record. When that newspaper was sold in 1901, Dennis became associate editor and chief editorial writer of the Daily News, where he continued to be Lawson's chief editorial assistant until Lawson's death in 1925. After the Daily News was bought by Walter A. Strong in 1925, Dennis continued as editor until he retired in 1934.
For forty years Dennis wrote and/or edited important editorials for the Daily News, and he was particularly influential in organizing and managing American commentators and correspondents in major foreign news areas, such as Edward Price Bell, John T. McCutcheon, Edgar Mowrer, Paul Scott Mowrer, LeRoy T. Vernon, and Junius B. Wood. Dennis was the author of two books, Eugene Field's Creative Years (1924) and Victor Lawson, His Time and Work (1935). He belonged to many clubs, including the American Society of Newspaper Editors and the National Press Club of Washington, D.C., received two honorary degrees, and was greatly esteemed by his associates. Married twice, Dennis had four children. He died in Evanston, Illinois, in 1943.
Extent
7.2 Linear Feet (14 boxes, 1 oversize box)
Abstract
Correspondence and miscellaneous items relating to Charles H. Dennis, managing editor of the Chicago Daily News.
Organization
Papers are organized in the following series
- Series 1: Correspondence-Outgoing, 1923-1929
- Boxes 1-6
- Series 2: Correspondence-Incoming, 1888-1942
- Boxes 7-13
- Series 3: Subject Files, 1880-1939
- Box 14
- Series 4: Photographs, 1868-1925
- Box 14
Collection Stack Location
1 14 3; 1 16 5
Provenance
Gift of Mr. And Mrs. William A. Dennis, 1947, with subsequent additions.
Processed by
Virginia H. Smith, 2004; Alison Hinderliter, 2008.
- Ade, George, 1866-1944
- Baker, Ray Stannard, 1870-1946
- Bell, Edward Price, 1869-1943
- Chicago Daily News, Inc. -- Employees
- Correspondence -- 1851-1900
- Correspondence -- 1901-1950
- Dennis, Charles Henry
- Field, Eugene
- Foreign correspondents
- Foreign news
- Fuller, Henry Blake
- Journalists -- Illinois -- Chicago
- Manuscripts, American -- Illinois -- Chicago
- McCutcheon, John T. (John Tinney)
- Moderwell, Hiram Kelly
- Mowrer, Edgar Ansel
- Mowrer, Paul Scott
- Newspaper editors -- Illinois -- Chicago
- Newspaper publishing -- Illinois -- Chicago
- O'Flaherty, Hal
- Photographs -- 1851-1900
- Photographs -- 1901-1950
- Rice, Wallace
- Robb, Walter
- Spanish-American War, 1898
- Syndicates (Journalism) -- United States
- Taylor, Graham, 1851-1938
- Vernon, LeRoy T.
- Wood, Junius B. (Junius Boyd), 1877-1957
Creator
- Dennis, Charles Henry (Person)
- Title
- Inventory of the Charles H. Dennis papers, 1868-1942, bulk 1885-1929
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Virginia H. Smith
- Date
- ©2008.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 08/17/2011: Revised again and additions incorporated by Alison Hinderliter, 2015.
Repository Details
Part of the The Newberry Library - Modern Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
60 West Walton Street
Chicago Illinois 60610 United States
312-255-3512
reference@newberry.org
60 West Walton Street
Chicago Illinois 60610 United States
312-255-3512
reference@newberry.org