A Guide to the Emmett Peter, Jr. Papers
Finding aid prepared by John R. Nemmers
University of Florida Smathers Libraries - Special and Area Studies Collections
August 2004
Descriptive Summary |
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| Provenance: | Peter, Emmett B., Jr. | |
| Title: | Emmett Peter, Jr. Papers | |
| Dates: | 1895-1993 | |
| Bulk: | 1954-1969 | |
| Extent: | 0.8 linear ft. 2 Boxes | |
| Identification: | MS Group 153 | |
Biographical/Historical Note
Journalist and author. Emmett B. Peter, Jr. was born in Leesburg, Florida, on November 19, 1919. He studied journalism and history at Emory University before transferring to Stetson University in Deland to study English literature and political science. He quit school in his junior year to become editor of the Eustis Lake Region News, which he bought in 1940 and published until his enlistment in the Air Force in 1942.
Peter continued his career in journalism in 1947 as editor and co-publisher of the Lake County Citizen and the Leesburg Leader. Over the next forty years, he held various editorial and columnist positions for several publications, including the Tampa Tribune, the Lakeland Ledger, the Detroit Free Press, the Orlando Sentinel, and the Daily Commercial in Leesburg. He was a charter member of the Florida Society of Editors and twice served as its president.
Peter was the author of several "New Republic" articles pertaining to racism and rural poverty, a pictorial history of Lake County, and short stories in "Florida Review," "Other Voices," and "Carolina Quarterly." As a longtime researcher and biographer of James Branch Cabell, he was also the author of several published and unpublished writings on the Southern writer. He died June 22, 1994.
Scope and Content
The papers of Emmett Peter, Jr. primarily relate to his biographical research and writings on the Virginia author, James Branch Cabell. The first series consists of correspondence and general files, including news clippings, writings about Cabell by other authors, as well as reproductions of Cabell's early writings. Correspondents include Margaret Cabell, Joe Lee Davis, William Godshalk, and the Cabell Society. Also included are reproductions of correspondence between Cabell and Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.
The second series is comprised of published and unpublished writings by Emmett Peter on Cabell. Of particular interest are the typescripts of Peter's unpublished Cabell biography entitled, The Gentle Rebel. In addition to a complete typescript of this work, there are several files containing fragments of earlier drafts and notes. Also included in this series is a published article by Peter entitled, "Cabell: The Making of a Rebel," as well as a bibliography created by John Bellamy and revised by Peter.
Access or Use Restrictions
Access
Collection is open for research.
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Emmett Peter, Jr. Papers, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Acquisition Information
The Emmett Peter Papers were donated in 1996 by Melanie Peter, daughter of Emmett B. Peter, Jr.
Processing History
The collection donated by Melanie Peter in 1996 included approximately fifty books authored by or related to James Branch Cabell. These titles were separated from the Peter Papers and incorporated into the Department's Rare Book Collection. Several notebooks containing loose pages (primarily typescript fragments) were also included among the materials. These pages were removed from their notebooks and transferred to folders. Although the titles of these notebooks did not provide much information as to the nature of the contents, the titles were recorded on each folder accordingly.
For further information, please contact: Special Collections Access Services.
