Collection ID: LMC 2001
Printable View Printable View

Collection context

Summary

Creator:
Stone, Meta Fuller, 1880-1964
Abstract:
The Stone mss., 1888-1965, are the papers of Meta (Fuller) Stone. They consist of her writings, including an autobioraphical novel and poetry, and her correspondence with her friends and with her (ex-)husband Upton Beall Sinclair, 1908-1917, much of it concerned with her divorce.
Extent:
1 Box (1 standard)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Item], Stone mss., Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

Background

Biographical / Historical:

Meta Fuller was born on February 7, 1880, at San Francisco, California, daughter of William and Mary (Eaton) Fuller, a descendant of one of the First Families of Virginia. One October 18, 1900, she married Upton Beall Sinclair, socialist writer best known for the exposé on Chicago meat packing plants, The Jungle (1906). Together they had one child, a son, David, born December 1, 1901. After the sale of The Jungle, Sinclair set up a communal living experiment called Helicon Hall in New Jersey; it burned down in 1907, leaving the family impoverished and causing Fuller to be sent to the sanitarium at Battle Creek. Both Sinclair and Fuller had extramarital affairs, and in 1911 Fuller left Sinclair for Sinclair's friend, "Tramp Poet" Harry Kemp.

On January 9, 1916, Fuller married Lester Keene in New York City, and together they had one son, Lester. The couple moved to Florida in 1932 and lived at Coral Gables until 1934 when they removed to St. Petersburg, where Lester Keene died on February 12, 1947. She remarried on August 18, 1947 in Newport, Tennessee to John A. Stone.

Fuller was a member of the National Association of American Pen Women. She served five years as president of the Poets League and later president of the Poetry League in St. Petersburg. She died on September 3, 1964 in St. Petersburg.

Scope and Content:

Among the writings in the collection are numerous drafts of Thyrsis and Corydon, autobiographical novel, or sections of it, part of the manuscript for John the Baptist, A Plea for the Silent Drama, Shall Capital Punishment be Abolished?, poems, and notes.

Correspondents represented in the collection include John W. Armistead, David Belasco, Edwin August Bjorkman, C.F. Cazenove, Floyd Dell, William Frend De Morgan, Frederik Willem van Eeden, Mrs. Julia (Davis) Frankau, George David Herron, Mrs. Luise (Ronsperger) Kautsky, Harry Kemp, Mitchell Kennerley, Mrs. Henrietta D. Kimball, Alfred B. Kuttner, Frances Maule, Dell H. Munger, Eden Phillpotts, Mrs. Rose Harriet (Pastor) Romaine, David Sinclair, Mrs. Mary Craig (Kimbrough) Sinclair, May Sinclair, Upton Beall Sinclair, George Sterling, and John A. Stone.

Included in the collection are photographs of Mrs. Mary (Eaton) Fuller, William Fuller, Mrs. Meta (Fuller) Stone; snapshots of Upton Beall Sinclair, Upton and Meta, Lester, Meta, and Lester F. Keene, and David and Jean Sinclair; newspaper clippings; and printed material.

Acquisition information:
Purchase: 1968
Arrangement:

The collection is organized into the following series: Correpsondence, Writings, Printed Material, and Photographs.

Physical location:
Lilly - Stacks

Access

RESTRICTIONS:

This collection is open for research.

Many collections are housed offsite; retrieval requires advance notice. Please make an appointment a minimum of one week in advance of your visit.

TERMS OF ACCESS:

Photography and digitization may be restricted for some collections. Copyright restrictions may apply. Before publishing, researchers are responsible for securing permission from all applicable rights holders, then filling out the Permission to Publish form.

PREFERRED CITATION:

[Item], Stone mss., Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

CAMPUS:
Indiana University Bloomington
LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
1200 East Seventh Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47405-5500, USA
CAMPUS:
Indiana University Bloomington
CONTACT:
(812) 855-2452
liblilly@indiana.edu