Guide to the Inez Puckett McEwen Papers 1885-1985
Cage 48

Summary Information

Repository
Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Creator
McEwen, Inez Puckett
Title
Inez Puckett McEwen Papers
ID
Cage 48
Date [inclusive]
1885-1985
Extent
16 containers., 8 linear feet of shelf space.
Language
Collection materials are in English.
Abstract
Diaries, correspondence, and manuscripts of Puckett's books.

Preferred Citation

[Item Description]. Cage 48, Inez Puckett McEwen Papers. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

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Biography/History

Inez Puckett McEwen, 1899-1987, was born in Oyens, Iowa. Her parents then moved to Wyoming, Idaho, and California while she was still a child. McEwen went to school in California, attending USC, Pomona, and Scripps, and earning a B.A. in dramatics and also winning an art scholarship. After her formal education, she became a newspaper reporter and feature writer, radio reporter and private speech instructor. She also taught school both in California and later in Alaska. In 1943 McEwen moved to a ranch in Idaho with her husband and it was there that she wrote the popularly acclaimed book, So This Is Ranching. She also wrote scripts for a serial program, "Hodgepodge," that ran on a Twin Falls radio station. McEwen also spent the early 1960s in Somalia, Africa from where she penned her impressions of a culture different from her own. Moving in circles with regional writers, McEwen became acquainted with Vardis Fisher, the Idaho novelist. Apparently the two became romantically involved, as suggested by correspondence included in the papers.

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Scope and Content

The papers of Izez Puckett McEwen consist largely of McEwen's writings, correspondence, journals, and memorabilia.

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Arrangement

The collection is organized in eight series: Career, Correspondence, Journals, Manuscripts, Miscellaneous, Newsclippings, Writings, and Added Materials (2010).

The Career series is one folder materials pertinent to McEwen's career as an author, particularly the promotion of So This Is Ranching.

The Correspondence series contains McEwen's letters including a group mailed from her African experience as well as some relevant to her relationship with Vardis Fisher.

The Journals are penned by McEwen and commence when she was still in her teens. These copious writings make up a large part of the collection inasmuch as McEwen chronicled her life well into her senior years.

The Manuscripts series is also lengthy and includes the professional writing that McEwen completed for both publication and radio broadcast.

The Miscellaneous series includes historic photographs from Idaho and also two photograph albums and one autograph album which belonged to McEwen's father Nelson Crowell Puckett.

The Newsclippings series contains miscellaneous clippings that McEwen complied and includes a file on Vardis Fisher. The Writings series includes work from both McEwen and several other individuals including her father Nelson Puckett, who penned his life story. McEwen's early prose is included in this series, as well as a limited verse.

The added material includes correspondence with Caxton Printers, Washington State University, and others, primarily concerning McEwen's writing; a folder of letters from McEwen to the Hicks family; and McEwen's journals from 1966 to 1985.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections  © 2012

http://www.libraries.wsu.edu/masc/

Terrell Library

P.O. Box 645610

Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA

509-335-6691

mascref@wsu.edu

Restrictions on Access

This collection is open for research use.

Acquisition Information

Inez Puckett McEwen donated her papers to Washington State University in three installments, in 1959, 1960, and 1968. Her daughter, Shannon M. Foster, donated additional materials in 1995 and 2010 (MS.2010.28), and her grandson, Craig Foster, donated additional materials in 2016 (MS.2016.28). In 2010, Joan English donated the letters from McEwen to the Hicks family (folder 91).

Processing Information

Jean Johnson processed the collection in 1995.

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Related Materials

Related Material

Related material is included in the Vardis Fisher Papers, 1922-1970 ( Cage 229).

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Names and Subjects

Occupation(s)

  • Authors, American -- 20th century--Correspondence

Personal Name(s)

Creator(s) :
  • McEwen, Inez Puckett --Archives
Subject(s) :
  • Taylor, Zachary, 1784-1850

Subject(s)

  • Literature
  • International Relations
  • Idaho

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Detailed Description of Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series 1: Career 
box folder

Inez Puckett 1945-1958 

 1 1

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Series 2: Correspondence 
box folder

Caxton/Fisher/Etc. 1948-1970 

 1 2

Craig, La Vivd 1979 

 1 3

Fan Mail 1947-1952 

 1 4

Keeley, Henry (Educator in Southern California) 1945-1949 

 1 5

Miscellaneous 1941-1980 

 1 6

Somali 1960-1965 

 1 7

Washington State University 1960-1980 

 2 8

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Series 3: Journal 
box folder

 1913 

 2 9

 1916 

 2 10

 1917 

 2 11

 1918 

 2 12

 1918-1919 

 3 13

 1919 

 3 14

 1932-1933 

 3 15

 1933-1934 

 3 16

 1934 

 3 17

 1935 

 4 18

 1936 

 4 19

 1936-1938 

 4 20

 1938 

 4 21

 1938-1939 

 4 22

 1939-1940 

 4 23

 1940 

 4 24

 1941 

 5 25

 1941-1942 

 5 26

 1942-1943 

 5 27

 1943-1944 

 5 28

 1944 

 5 29

 1945-1946 

 6 30

 1946-1949 

 6 31

 1950-1952 

 6 32

 1952-1953 

 6 33

 1953-1954 

 6 34

 1955-1956 

 6 35

 1956 

 6 36

 1957-1958 

 7 37

 1958-1959 

 7 38

 1959 

 7 39

 1960 

 7 40

 1960-1962 

 7 41

 1961 

 7 42

 1961-1962 

 7 43

 1962 

 7 44

 1962-1963 

 8 45

 1963 

 8 46

 1963-1964 

 8 47

 1964 

 8 48

 1964-1965 

 8 49

 1969 

 9 50

 1970 

 9 51

 1970-1971 

 9 52

 1971 

 9 53

 1972 

 9 54

 1973 

 10 55

 1973-1982 

 10 56

 1975 

 10 57

 1976 

 10 58

 1982 

 10 59

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Series 4: Manuscripts 

McEwen, Inez Puckett 
box folder

Hodgepodge 1954 and undated 

 11 60

Lend Me Your Ears 1956 

 11 61

Lend Me Your Ears, draft undated 

 12 62

Love Comes But Once, or  For Sinners Only, draft undated 

 12 63

Miscellaneous undated 

 12 64

Railroad Baby 1961 

 13 65

So This Is Ranching 1941 

 13 66

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Series 5: Miscellaneous 
box folder

Autograph Book, Puckett, Nelson Crowell 1885 

 13 67

Old-time South Idaho Pictures 1906-1955 and undated 

 13 68

Photograph Album, Puckett, Nelson Crowell  

 box
 folder
box folder

 1916-1921 

 14 69

 1918-1920 

 14 70

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Series 6: Newsclippings 
box folder

McEwen, Inez Puckett 1946-1955 

 14 71

Miscellaneous  

 box
 folder
box folder

on Vardis Fisher 1968-1978 

 14 72

1979 and undated 

 14 73

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Series 7: Writings 
box folder

Bryant, Rose 1932 and undated 

 15 74

McEwen, Inez Puckett 
box folder

Editorial 1960 

 15 75

Miscellaneous undated 

 15 76

Note of Old-time Telegraph Operator for Use in Railroad Baby undated 

 15 77

Notes on Teaching at Clark County High School, Dubois, Idaho 1957-1958 

 15 78

Vardis Fisher As I Knew Him undated 

 15 79

Verses 1915-1923 

 15 80
box folder

Mildred 1975 

 15 81

Puckett, Inez 
box folder

Sunshine and Shadows 1915 

 15 82

 1911 

 15 83
box folder

Puckett, Nelson Crowell undated 

 15 84

Smith, Bess Foster 
box folder

The Family Album 1968 

 15 85

Just Kid Talk 1981 

 15 86

Woman Talk 1978 

 15 87

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Series 8: Added material (correspondence and journals) 
box folder

Caxton Printers 

 16 88

Washington State University 

 16 89

Others 

 16 90

Letters from Inez Puckett McEwen to the Hicks family 1961-1985 and undated 

 16 91

Journals (7 volumes) 1966-1985 

 16 92-98

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