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George D. Herron Papers

Call Number

TAM.008

Date

1905-1922, inclusive

Creator

Herron, George Davis, 1862-1925

Extent

0.25 Linear Feet in 1 half manuscript box.

Language of Materials

Materials are in English.

Abstract

George D. Herron was at one time a Christian Socialist minister, a founder of the Rand School of Social Science, a member of the Socialist Party, and the author of books and pamphlets on social and religious issues. The Papers contain his correspondence with leading U.S. socialists and others.

Biographical Note

One of the prime movers in the founding of the Rand School of Social Science was a Christian Socialist minister named George D. Herron (1862-1925). After attending Ripon College in Wisconsin, Herron served as pastor of the Congregational Church in Lake City, Minnesota, and the First Congregational Church in Burlington, Iowa. In 1890 he rose to prominence after delivering the address, "The Message of Jesus to Men of Wealth," to the Minnesota Congregational Club, identifying himself with the emerging Social Gospel movement, of which he was to become a leader. On of his parishioners was Mrs. E.D. Rand, who became close friends with Herron and in 1893 endowed for him a chair of Applied Christianity at Iowa College, now Grinnell College. Herron served on the faculty until 1900 when differences with university officials over his national advocacy of the social gospel led to his resignation.

Upon leaving the university, Herron worked to unify various socialist groupings into the Socialist Party, founded in 1901, and he was subsequently the author of the Party's 1904 platform. Also in 1901, he divorced his wife and married the daughter of Mrs. E.D. Rand, Carrie Rand, principal of women at Iowa College, and along with her mother, a philanthropist dedicated to progressive causes. Mrs. E.D. Rand, who died in 1905, established a trust fund for causes dear to her, used by trustees Carrie (Rand) Herron and Morris Hillquit, a leader of the Socialist Party, to establish the Rand School of Social Science, so-named in her honor.

Adverse public reaction to George D. Herron's divorce and his subsequent remarriage to Carrie Rand Herron had led the couple to move to Florence, Italy, where Carrie raised their two children and where she died in 1914, while Herron pursued an active writing and public speaking career until his death in 1925. With the outbreak of World War I, Herron broke with the pacifist wing of the socialist movement and relocated to Geneva because Switzerland was not a combatant state. He soon became employed by the U.S. State Department as a secret negotiator and an unofficial diplomatic adviser, keeping in close contact with British and American foreign offices. He worked with Colonel House, President Wilson's close adviser, in Paris during the negotiations that led to the Versailles Treaty, and was one of the two Americans appointed by Wilson as delegates to the Prinkipo conference.

Arrangement

The files are grouped into 1 series.

Folders are arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

The George D. Herron Papers, 1905-1922, consist of approximately 60 letters. Many of these letters were written to George H. Strobell, Algernon Lee, and Morris Hillquit. Some of the topics discussed in the correspondence pertain to socialism, World War I, and Eugene V. Debs.

The only items which were not filmed in this collection were two photostat copies of articles written by George D. Herron.

Conditions Governing Access

Materials are open without restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Materials in this collection, which were created in 1905 to 1922, are in the public domain. Permission to publish or reproduce is not required.

Preferred Citation

Identification of item, date; George D. Herron Papers; TAM 008; box number; folder number or item identifier; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.

Location of Materials

Materials are stored offsite and advance notice is required for use. Please request materials at least two business days prior to your research visit to coordinate access.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Materials found in repository. There is no documentation concerning the provenance of these materials. The accession number associated with this collection is 1974.013.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Due to the fragile nature of the original materials, researchers must use the microfilmed version; microfilm call number is Film R-7124, Reel 57.

Related Material at the Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives

Rand School of Social Science Records (TAM 007)

Socialist collections in the Tamiment Library, 1872-1956 : a guide to the microfilm edition / edited by Thomas C. Pardo. Sanford, N.C. : Microfilming Corp. of America, c1979. 181 p. (Call number: Tam Ref HX81 .T36).

Socialist Collections in the Tamiment Library, 1872-1956 (Film R-7124)

Collection processed by

Tamiment Staff

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-20 16:45:45 -0400.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: Description is in English

Processing Information

An acid-free spacer was added to the box to prevent slumping.

Revisions to this Guide

January 2019: Edited by Amy C. Vo for compliance with ACM Required Elements for Archival Description

Edition of this Guide

This version was derived from Herron Guide.doc

Repository

Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
2nd Floor
New York, NY 10012