J. Scott Williams collection
Collection — Folder: S3171
Identifier: S3171
Scope and Contents
This collection includes papers and correspondence from J. Scott Williams regarding his career as an artist in the creation and installation of murals and stained glass windows inside public and private buildings. Collection materials were created in New York and Indianapolis from 1959 to 1966. Correspondence includes instructions on cleaning the existing murals in the Indiana State Library and the potential project of a stained glass window depicting Abraham Lincoln. Additional papers include notes on Williams' career and information about the leaded glass in Fendrick's Terminal Restaurant in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Dates
- 1959-1966
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
John Scott Williams was born in Everton, Liverpool, England on August 18, 1877 to Richard and Mary J. Williams. He came to the United States in 1885 and studied nights at the Art Institute of Chicago. He was a photographic retoucher and commercial artist while attending school and went on to illustrate for the New York Herald Tribune from 1927-1934, the Saturday Evening Post, Redbook, Collier's, and Ladies' Home Journal.
In 1906 he married Clara Elsene Peck and they had two children together, Ayvard and Conway. Clara was an American illustrator and painter known for her women and children illustrations during the early 20th century. Peck and Williams shared similar styles and collaborated often. In 1930, Williams and Peck divorced. Williams went on to marry Mina Van Bott on June 30, 1930 in Leonia, New Jersey.
Williams maintained a studio in Greenwich Village. He also served as head of the fine arts department at Wyoming State University from 1948-1952. He organized the American Artists' Professional League and served as president from 1955-1957. His major works include the stained glass windows and murals of the Indiana State Library and Historical Building in Indianapolis, Indiana; stained glass windows for the library of the University of Illinois in 1925; stained glass windows for the King Memorial Main Reading Room and the Gilman Memorial at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.
Williams died in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in November 1975.
Sources:
Ancestry.com.
Hudson River Valley Heritage Historical Newspaper Project: http://news.hrvh.org/.
National Academy Museum: Artists and Architects database: http://www.nationalacademy.org/ collections/artists/detail/614/.
Williams maintained a studio in Greenwich Village. He also served as head of the fine arts department at Wyoming State University from 1948-1952. He organized the American Artists' Professional League and served as president from 1955-1957. His major works include the stained glass windows and murals of the Indiana State Library and Historical Building in Indianapolis, Indiana; stained glass windows for the library of the University of Illinois in 1925; stained glass windows for the King Memorial Main Reading Room and the Gilman Memorial at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.
Williams died in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in November 1975.
Sources:
Ancestry.com.
Hudson River Valley Heritage Historical Newspaper Project: http://news.hrvh.org/.
National Academy Museum: Artists and Architects database: http://www.nationalacademy.org/ collections/artists/detail/614/.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by subject.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Existence and Location of Copies
Digitized materials from the collection are available online in the ISL Digital Collections (http://digitalcollections.library.in.gov): https://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16066coll44/search/searchterm/l624
Processing Information
Collection processing completed in 1999 by Philip N. Williams. EAD finding aid created 2019/08/28 by Lauren Patton.
Creator
- Title
- J. Scott Williams collection
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
