Name/Title
Manuscripts of Jesuit Missions ...Manuscript for 1959 edition and correspondence and notes for 1st and 2d. ed.Entry/Object ID
1985.002.0276Scope and Content
1 box ; 13"w x 15 3/4"l x 13"d
Box 16A: Manuscript for the 1959 edition, with a typewritten copy and a xeroxed copy in the box. Previously stapled, clipped, etc. bundles are now in paper wrappers and must be handled with great care.
Folder 1: Catalog of priests. Letter of October 5, 1948 from Father O'Donnell to Mr. Beitzell sending a tenative list of Newtown priests and then several hand written and much revised lists of priests
Folder 2: Correspondence re 1st published edition. Beginning in 1956, friends and acquaintances helped Mr. Beitzell with ideas on finishing the research and publishing his book. There is no explanation for the decision of the Society of Jesus not to publish the book. Mr. Beitzell financed the publishing himself, had it done by Kirby Lithography in Washington, D.C. and had the copies in hand in June 1960. There are letters from satisfied readers all over the country. Mr. Beitzell also sent review copies to any publication he could think of. By 1962 he had only a few copies of the 500 book run left.
Folder 3: Correspondence with bookstores and small publishers re 1st published edition. There is considerable correspondence with the Newman Bookstore in Westminster, MD. Mr. Beitzell made a list of likely bookstores in Washington as well.
Folder 4: Jesuit Seminary News (July-August 1938). This unbelievably moth-eaten little journal issue focuses on the Jesuit missions in southern Maryland, especially the black churches.
Folder 5: Miscellaneous. Statement of March 25, 1960 called "Some Facts About the Author" and a similar statement of the same date called "Facts About the Book." June 7, 1960 carbon copy, with an authenticating embossed stamp, of the Registration of a Claim to Copyright for Jesuit Missions ... Letter written by Mr. Fenwick for a brochure about the book. It is addressed to the superintendents of high schools, urging them to buy the book, auction list of books included Jesuit Missions ... 1st ed.
Folder 6: Notes from Mr. Fenwick about church buildings. Many of the sheets are transcription of the text of wills leaving land or money to a church
Folder 7: Orders for the 1st edition. There is a sample of the order book Mr. Beitzell used and a 4 sheet typed list of the libraries, religious institutions, and bookstores that ordered copies of the book. Only correspondence of special interest has been retained about these orders. Letters for personal orders were retained, arranged chronologically. These orders began coming in March, 1960. He ran out of copies in April, 1964 and even sold a few of those he had reserved for grandchildren.
Folder 8: Orders for 1st edition--Accounting. One sheet shows the number of copies sold by date of sale. Another list shows the sales by type of purchaser--individuals, libraries, clergy, newspapers and the next sheet has a more detailed breakdown by buyer as of April 1961. 60 copies were provided to Mr. Fenwick to sell the Historical Society members. Mr. Beitzell did a profit and loss statement in December 1960, 6 months after publication, showing the income from books sold was $1358.06, that each book, including all expenses, cost $5.64 and his net profit so far was
$139.72. There was also a sheet showing geographic distribution of buyers. There are invoices from Kirby Lithography and a statement from the bank account Mr. Beitzell used for the book.
Folder 9: Reviews of the 1st edition. This folder has correspondence between Beitzell and various journals as he tried to get his book reviewed and has copies of the reviews as they appeared. He was not thrilled with all of them.
Folder 10: Construction of the 2d. edition. There are estimates to print, directions for printing and bills for printing. There are directions for the copy for the dust jacket and lists of illustrations. lists of corrections, samples of typefaces, etc.
Folder 11: Correspondence re 2d edition. This is mostly from 1974-1976 with various archives and religious institutions, but there are some individuals represented as well, as Beitzell tried to iron out details of the 2d. edition.
Folder 12: Illustrations for 2d edition, p. 1-229. As many illustrations as were found are in individual envelopes and are in the folder in order of appearance in the book.
Folder 13: Illustrations for 2d edition, p. 230-end. As many illustrations as were found are in individual envelopes and are in the folder in order of appearance in the book.
Folder 14: Notes for 2d edition. 41 page article on county religious schools by Regina Hammett, many hand written notes and a printed history of Our Lady's Chapel at Beauvue.
Folder 15: Orders for 2d edition. There is an undated list of people with their names checked off--this may be people to whom Mr. Beitzell sent a complimentary copy. Mr. Beitzell maintained a running total of books sold and money received from May 1977 to July 1984. He began with 1000 copies and had sold 663 by the last entry. Mr. Beitzell also made a list of the name and address of anyone who purchased the book--27 pages long. [Only samples were retained]. The headnote says '2nd edition May 12, 1976 1010 copies," but the first book sold was on May 14, 1977, so perhaps 1976 was an error. There is also a list of where the book went on consignment. On May 25, 1977, Kirby Lithography invoiced Mr. Beitzell for 1009 copies for $8037. Mr. Beitzell paid this off by April of 1979. There are 6 letters from various people in the spring and summer of 1978 placing orders for the new edition. Next are orders for 1983 and 1984, long after the book's publication.
Folder 16: Newtown register of marriages, baptisms, and burials ... 63 sheet photocopy of the register and then Mr. Beitzell's hand written transcription of the information
Folder 17: Other publications about Jesuits. There is the catalog of a 1976 exhibit mounted by the Special Collections Division at Georgetown University Library called "The American Mission : Maryland Jesuits from Andrew White to John Carroll," including a letter from Jon Reynolds, the archivist there. The 2nd item is a slick paper, full-color booklet of 68 pages titled "The Maryland Jesuits 1634-1833" and autographed by one of the 3 authors. There is a color picture of St. Francis Xavier Church at Newtown on the cover.Collection
Edwin Warfield Beitzell CollectionArchive Items Details
Date(s) of Creation
1948 - 1978Location
Container
Edwin Beitzell Collection, Box 16Shelf
Rack 09, Shelf 5Rack
Rack 09Wall
North wallRoom
Archives 2Building
Tudor HallRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Beitzell, Edwin Warfield (1905-1984)Person or Organization
Fenwick, Charles Edward (1910-1993)Person or Organization
Hammett, Marion Regina