TABLE OF CONTENTS
Series Descriptions/Container Listing
Allen Tupper True and True Family
A Finding Aid to the Allen Tupper True and True Family Papers, 1841-1987, in the Archives of American Art
by Jean Fitzgerald
1994
- Contact Information
- Reference Department
- Archives of American Art
- Smithsonian Institution
- Washington. D.C. 20560
- www.aaa.si.edu/askus
Collection Overview | ||
| Creator: | Allen Tupper True and True family | |
| Title: | Allen Tupper True and True family papers | |
| Dates: | 1841-1987 | |
| Abstract: | The Allen Tupper True and True family papers date from 1841 to 1987 and measure 7.8 linear feet. The collection presents a good overview of True's personal life and and his career as mural painter and illustrator specializing in Western themes. | |
| Extent: | 7.8 linear feet | |
Administrative Information
Provenance
The Allen Tupper True and True family papers were donated in February and April 1988 by True's daughter Jane True Mueller and his son, Frank True.
Processing Information
The collection was processed and the finding aid written by Jean Fitzgerald, February 28, 1994. The finding aid was modified by Stephanie Ashley in 2002 during EAD conversion.
Preferred Citation
The Allen Tupper True and True family papers, 1841-1987
Alternative Forms Available
The collection is available on microfilm reels 4891-4898. The microfilm is available for interlibrary loan.
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Restrictions
Restrictions on Access
The collection is open for research. Patrons must use microfilm copy.
Ownership and Literary Rights
The Allen Tupper True and True family papers are owned by the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Literary rights as possessed by the donor have been dedicated to public use for research, study, and scholarship. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
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Index Terms | ||
| This collection is indexed in the online catalog of the Archives of American Art under the following index terms. People, families and organizations are listed under "Subjects" when they are the topic of collection contents and under "Names" when they are creators or contributors. | ||
| Subjects: | ||
| Brangwyn, Frank, Sir, 1867-1956 | ||
| Pyle, Howard, 1853-1911 | ||
| Wyeth, N. C. (Newell Convers), 1882-1945 | ||
| Subjects-Topical: | ||
| Artists' studios -- Photographs | ||
| Illustrators -- Colorado -- Denver | ||
| Indians of North America -- Portraits | ||
| Mural painting and decoration, American | ||
| Muralists -- Colorado -- Denver | ||
| Types of Materials: | ||
| Cartoons (working drawings) | ||
| Christmas cards | ||
| Diaries | ||
| Drawings | ||
| Illustrated letters | ||
| Photographs | ||
| Sketchbooks | ||
| Sketches | ||
| Works of art | ||
| Names: | ||
| Borglum, Gutzon, 1867-1941 | ||
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Biographical Note
Allen Tupper True (1881-1955) was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1881. He was a student at the University of Denver, and studied at the Corcoran School of Art, Washington, D.C. between 1901 and 1902. In 1902, he was accepted into Howard Pyle's classes in Chadd's Ford, Pennsylvania, and studied there until 1908, befriending classmates George Harding, Gordon McCouch, Thornton Oakley, and N.C. Wyeth. Through Pyle, True began his career as a magazine illustrator.
From approximately 1913-1915, True worked with British muralist Frank Brangwyn, assisting Brangwyn in the execution of murals at the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco, California.
After marrying Emma Goodman Eaton in 1915 (divorced 1934), True launched his career as a mural painter. His most notable works include the mural decorations in the state capitol buildings of Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wyoming, as well as murals for the Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company Building and the Civic Center in Denver, Colorado. True specialized in depicting Western and Native American themes.
From 1934-1945, True acted as consultant for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, in charge of and designing all decoration and color schemes for the Boulder Dam power plant, Grand Coulee Dam, and the Shasta Dam, among others.
True was a Unitarian Mason, and a member of the Mural Painters of America, Beta Theta Pi, Cactus Club of Denver, and the Author's Club, London. He died in 1955.
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Scope and Content Note
The Allen Tupper True and True family papers date from 1841 to 1987 and measure 7.8 linear feet. The collection presents a good overview of True's personal life and and his career as mural painter and illustrator specializing in Western themes. Through art work, project files, photographs, and printed material, the collection offers a rich resource, both textually and visually of True's research and work on documenting early twentieth century Native Americans cultural traditions. The papers also document True's childhood and his relationship with his family through various family papers, such as correspondence, genealogies, subject files, photographs, and a scrapbook. The collection is a particularly rich resource for the study of Allen Tupper True's work, as well as original documentation of the American West and Native American culture.
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Series Descriptions/Container Listing
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1895-1964, undated (box 1, 7 folders) |
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This series includes family genealogies, biographical accounts, passports, school papers, an award medal for horsemanship, membership cards, and copies of True's will. |
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Box |
Reel |
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| 1 | 4891 | True family genealogies, 1964, undated | |||||||
| Biographical accounts for Allen Tupper True, 1959, undated | |||||||||
| Passports (4), 1923-1950 | |||||||||
| School papers, 1895-1899 | |||||||||
| Award medal for horsemanship, 1909 | |||||||||
| Membership cards (2), 1948-1949 | |||||||||
| Copies of True's will, 1926-1951 | |||||||||
Series 2: Subject Files, 1873-1955 (box 1, 16 folders) |
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This series includes letters, journals and autobiographical accounts, notes, ephemera, printed material, and legal documents such as mining and stock certificates and wills, concerning members of the True family and organizations with which they were associated. |
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Files relating to Margaret Allen Tupper True contain: an undated journal written by Margaret Tupper True's mother, Ellen Smith Tupper (transcript precedes handwritten journal); receipts for purchase of land, 1879-1892; and a diary, 1881-1888, which contains entries primarily concerning Allen Tupper True as a baby, and includes 2 photographs of True, a lock of his hair, and a cyanotype of Franklin School, El Paso, Texas. The files also contain a diary from 1891-1926, that includes entries primarily concerning Katherine Goodrich True as a baby, and includes a family tree chart; notes about the family; 4 photographs of Katherine True, 1891-1905; 1 photograph of Allen Tupper True, 1905; a composition by Katherine True; a notebook on conditions in various schools, 1907-ca. 1911; 4 real estate deeds, 1908-1913; and inheritance tax documents, 1926. The Cactus Club file contains undated miscellaneous writings by True. |
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See also Series 9: Photographs, and Series 12: Artifacts. |
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Box |
Reel |
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| 1 | 4891 | Margaret Allen Tupper True (True's mother), 1873-1926 (5 folders) | |||||||
| Henry Alphonso True (True's father), 1883-1925 (2 folders) | |||||||||
| Ira Goodrich True (True's uncle), 1904-1914 | |||||||||
| James Polk True (True's uncle), undated | |||||||||
| Mary Josephine True (True's aunt), 1888-1918 | |||||||||
| Eliza Tupper Wilkes (True's aunt), 1879-1917 | |||||||||
| James Beaman True (True's brother), 1878-1920 | |||||||||
| American Smelting & Refining Company, 1880-1916 | |||||||||
| Author's Lodge (Masons), 1908-1955 | |||||||||
| Cactus Club, 1929-1947 | |||||||||
| Central City Opera House Association, Colorado, 1933-1948 | |||||||||
Series 3: Correspondence, 1841-1956 (boxes 1-4, 3.5 linear ft.) |
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This series is organized into two subseries: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3.1: Correspondence Between Family Members, 1841-1955 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3.2: Correspondence With Business Associates, Colleagues, and Friends, 1902-1956 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3.1: Correspondence Between Family Members, 1841-1955 |
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This subseries documents True's thoughts concerning his career and the interaction among members of the True family. Various individuals discuss Tupper and True family business and events. Allen Tupper True describes his art classes at the Corcoran Gallery School, 1901-1902, Howard Pyle's class, 1902-1904, which included George Harding, Gordon McCouch, Thornton Oakley, and N. C. Wyeth, and his work with Frank Brangwyn in 1914. True also discusses his travels and projects. |
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The following letters contain photographs: 04 Nov 1901 (1 photo of Harry True, Jr.); 08 Dec 1901 (13 photos of family members); May 1902 (1 cyanotype of Pyle's class); 27 Jun 1902 (1 photo of True in front of the U.S. Capitol); 22 Feb 1914 (1 photo of True and his work in his studio and 1 photo of Murphy in True's studio); 30 May 1914 (1 photo of the Robinsons' home); 09 Jun 1914 (1 photo of the Orchestre Louis Berki); 30 Jan 1915 (1 panorama photo of the Panama-Pacific Exposition); 26 Mar 1915 (1 photo of Peggie); 07 Aug 1924 (5 photos of family in an orchard) |
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| 1 | 4891 | Correspondence between family members, 1841-1888, undated (11 folders) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1 | 4892 | Correspondence between family members, 1888-1900 (6 folders) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 2 | 4892 | Correspondence Between Family Members, 1901-Nov. 1913 (58 folders) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 2 | 4893 | Correspondence between Family Members, Nov. 1913-Jan. 1914 (6 folders) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 3 | 4893 | Correspondence between Family Members, Feb. 1914-May 1935 (61 folders) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 4 | 4894 | Correspondence Between Family Members, May 1935-1955 (37 folders) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3.2: Correspondence With Business Associates, Colleagues, and Friends, 1902-1956, |
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This subseries focuses more directly on the events of True's career. Fourteen illustrated letters from True to his wife and daughter can also be found here. Notable correspondents are listed below. |
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| 4 | 4894-4895 | Correspondence With Business Associates, Colleagues, and Friends, 1901-1980, undated (36 folders) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Series 4: Business Records, 1903-1951 (box 4, 4 folder) |
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This series consists of stocks and a deed for Colorado real estate, miscellaneous receipts, insurance policies, and a studio lease and inventory. |
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Box |
Reel |
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| 4 | 4895 | Stocks and deed for Colorado real estate, 1903-1942 | |||||||
| Receipts for miscellaneous goods and hotels, 1904-1946 | |||||||||
| Insurance policies, 1933-1949 | |||||||||
| Studio lease and inventory, 1951 | |||||||||
Series 5: Notes, 1902-1920 (box 5, 10 folders) |
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This series include an address book, lists of art work, and seven notebooks documenting travel, work with Frank Brangwyn, and a record of mural work, and notes on technique. The travel journal include sketches and drawings. |
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Box |
Reel |
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| 5 | 4895 | Address book, undated | |||||||
| Chemistry notebook, undated | |||||||||
| "Notes in the Field" and notebook containing miscellaneous notes, undated | |||||||||
| Notebook containing thoughts and observations on travel to England, undated | |||||||||
| Notebook Cover, 1902-1915 | |||||||||
| Notebook containing thoughts and observations on Frank Brangwyn, 1902-1915 | |||||||||
| Notebook containing miscellaneous thoughts and observations, 1904-1908 | |||||||||
| Notebook containing a record of murals and notes on techniques, 1920 | |||||||||
| Lists of works, undated | |||||||||
| Miscellaneous notes, undated | |||||||||
Series 6: Writings, 1896-1926 (box 5, 5 folders) |
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Material in this series consists of childhood writings, miscellaneous writings by True, and poems. |
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Box |
Reel |
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| 5 | 4895 | Miscellaneous childhood writings, 1896-1899 | |||||||
| "The Mountain Pony" by Allen Tupper True, 1906 | |||||||||
| Miscellaneous writings by True, 1906-ca. 1910 | |||||||||
| Essay by True on article from the Museum Journal, "Another Fresco from Moon Hill Monastery" by Helen Fernald, 1926 | |||||||||
| Poems, undated | |||||||||
Series 7: Artwork, 1897-1923 (boxes 5, 10 and OV folder, 0.5 linear ft.) |
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This series consists of a sketchbook, cartoons and caricatures, sketches and drawings, paintings on cardboard, designs based on Native American pottery and artifacts, designs for murals in Denver Civic Center, the Colorado State Capitol, the U.S. National Bank building, Boulder Dam, and the Voorhies Memorial Arch in Denver. There are also original Christmas cards, illustrated letters in the Correspondence Series, an illustrated travel journal, a print by Frank Brangwyn, and miscellaneous art work by others. |
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Box |
Reel |
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| 5 | 4895 | Sketchbook, undated | |||||||
| Cartoons and caricatures (13), 1897-1898 | |||||||||
| Drawings (6) (see also sol box 10 ), undated | |||||||||
| Paintings (2) (see also ov folder), 1908 (2 folders) | |||||||||
| Designs based on Native American pottery (54) (see also sol box 10), undated (5 folders) | |||||||||
| Designs based on Native American artifacts (25) (see also sol box 10), 1923 | |||||||||
| Art work for Christmas cards (6 drawings), 1913-1921 | |||||||||
| Art work by Frank Brangwyn (1 print), undated | |||||||||
| Miscellaneous art work by others, undated | |||||||||
Series 10: Scrapbook, 1934 (box 7, 1 volume) |
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Box |
Reel |
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| 7 | 4898 | Scrapbook containing clippings of newspaper serial of Charles Dickens' "The Life of Our Lord," 1934 | |||||||
Series 11: Printed Material, 1875-1981 (box 7, 10 folders) |
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This series includes clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs for True and for others, reproductions of works, programs, booklets, and miscellaneous items. |
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Reel |
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| 7 | 4898 | Clippings, 1879-1981 (10 folders) | |||||||
| Exhibition announcements and catalogs for True, 1908-1980 | |||||||||
| Exhibition announcements and catalogs for others, undated, 1908 | |||||||||
| Reproductions of works of art by True, undated | |||||||||
| Christmas cards designed by True, undated | |||||||||
| Programs, 1875-1950 | |||||||||
| Brochures, 1921-1939 | |||||||||
| Constitutions and by-laws for the Architectural League of New York and the National Society of Mural Painters, 1931, 1936 | |||||||||
| Booklets: "One Hundred Years of the Locomotive," "Art in Denver," and "The Rights of Man" by Harold Laski, 1916-1940 | |||||||||
| Picture postcards, undated | |||||||||
| Miscellaneous printed material, undated, 1950 | |||||||||
Series 12: Artifacts, ca. 1863 (box 10, 9 items) |
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This series includes the following: five bullets and fragments, 2 buttons, a small piece of marble, and a fragment of a flat wooden stick that have not been microfilmed. They were housed together and accompanied by three notes reading: "Found by Henry on Look Out Mtn on Oct 1898 where the battle above the clouds was fought in 1863;" "Springfield rifle balls, Spanish American War;" and "Found on Chickamauga battlefield." Also found are the following, which have not been filmed:The following artifacts have not been microfilmed: a pocket knife with initials "FET;" two small pocket compasses; a metal badge saying "Columbian Exposition, 1893;" and a small, undecorated metal disk. |
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Box |
Reel |
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| 10 (sol) | 4898 | Artifacts, ca. 1863 | |||||||
Series 13: Glass Negatives, undated (boxes 8-9, 0.4 linear ft.) |
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Box |
Reel |
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| 8 (pam) | unfilmed | Allen Tupper True, undated | |||||||
| Paintings of Cowboys, undated (2 folders) | |||||||||
| Paintings of Settlers, undated | |||||||||
| Paintings of Native Americans, undated (2 folders) | |||||||||
| Murals, undated (2 folders) | |||||||||
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Reel |
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| 9 (pam) | unfilmed | Mural from Montana National Bank, undated | |||||||
| Warren Branch Library Mural, undated | |||||||||
| American Theatre Murals, undated | |||||||||
| Colorado National Bank Murals, undated (2 folders) | |||||||||
| Denver Civic Center Murals, undated | |||||||||
| Denver Public Library Mural, undated | |||||||||