English
Special Collections and University Archives
15 Lippitt RoadKingston, RI 02881-2011Tel: 401-874-4632email: archives@etal.uri.edu
Miller, William Davis, 1887-1959
William Davis Miller Papers
1884-1953
2 box(es)
These papers focus on the life of William Davis Miller a noted writer, historian of the Narragansett and South Kingston areas, and an active member of the Rhode Island Historical Society in the 1930s. The collection contains some of Miller’s manuscripts, speeches, correspondence, and photographs.
Mss. Gr. 11
Biographical note
William Davis Miller (1887-1959) was the son of Augustus S. and Mary Lemoine (Davis) Miller. His father was mayor of Providence from 1902-1905. His grandfather on his mother’s side, William Dean Davis, was successful in the woolen business, owning several mills. William Davis Miller graduated from Providence High School and later Brown University in 1909. He also attended Harvard Law School. He married Mary H. Chew before 1929 and she survived him. He enlisted in the Navy in 1918 and was later a Lt. Commander in the U.S. Volunteer Naval Reserve. He had the rank of Commander in Section 6, Volunteer Communications Reserve, First Naval District.
Miller was also known as an historian of Rhode Island, primarily the Narragansett and South Kingston area. He was a member of and/or office holder of several historical organizations. Miller was especially active in the Rhode Island Historical Society, serving as its President from 1932-1934, and later as its Secretary. He served as President of the Providence Athenaeum from 1928 to 1933, and was a trustee of the Brown University Libraries. Papers relating to his activities in the Walpole Society, the Club of Odd Volumes, the Society of Colonial Wars, and the Grolier Club are also present in this collection. Miller wrote several books including The Silversmiths of Little Rest and Early Houses in the King’s Province in Narragansett County. Miller also gave several speeches and published many articles in Rhode Island Historical Society publications. Manuscripts of some of his writings are included in these papers.
Any qualified person doing scholarly research is permitted to use material housed in the Special Collections Unit.
Terms governing use and reproduction: Photocopying and scanning of materials is a fee based service available in the repository and is allowed at the discretion of the Archivist when in compliance to the Unit's policy on copyright and publication.
Preferred Citation
William Davis Miller Papers, Mss. Gr. 11, University of Rhode Island.
Scope and Content
The papers are arranged into three series: Manuscripts, Correspondence, and Miscellaneous. The largest series consists of Miller’s manuscripts including notes, handwritten drafts, and typed copies of his writings and speeches. These date from 1926 to 1041. The second series, Correspondence, includes mainly letters received and is most concentrated in the years 1933-1934 and 1944 but includes letters from 1918 to 1944. The Miscellaneous series includes a few legal and financial papers, printed programs, printed writings of William Davis Miller and others, a manuscript sent to him, newspaper clippings, a pencil sketch, and some photographs.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in three series as follows:
- 1. Manuscripts
- 2. Correspondence
- 3. Miscellaneous
Administrative information
Acquisitions Information
These papers were given to the university of Rhode Island in 1953 by William Davis Miller. He also gave reprints of some of his writings, most of which have been removed from the this collection and cataloged in the RI Collection.
Names
Miller, William Davis, 1887-1959
Subjects
Miller, William Davis, 1887-1959
RIAMCO Browsing Terms
Rhode Island/Local Interest
Inventory
Series 1
1
1-24
Manuscripts1926-1944
The manuscript series contains copies of handwritten and typed manuscripts of articles and speeches written by William Davis Miller from 1926 to 1944. Manuscripts with titles which appeared in printed from are arranged alphabetically by title. Untitled manuscripts which were not found in printed from are given subject titles in parentheses. Notes and notebooks are filed in folders labeled “Notes” and are arranged alphabetically. Two one-page fragments are in a folder labeled “Fragments.
Printed copies of his work which were found in the collection in 1974 are in a folder in Series III, Miscellaneous labeled “Printed Writings. Miller, William Davis.” Others may be found in the publications of the Rhode Island Historical Society and through the HELIN Catalog.
Abbreviations used in this series:
AMS: Autograph manuscript (handwritten, one copy)
AMSs: Autograph manuscript (handwritten, multiple draft)
TM(s): Typewritten manuscript(s)
Inc: Incomplete
Cop: Copies
1
1
1938 Jun 8
"Address at the graduation exercises of the Memorial Hospital School of Nursing"
1
2
1934 Jan 2
"Address delivered at the opening of the South County Museum in Wickford"
1
x-ref
undated
(Biographical Sketches) See: Notes in Notebooks. Biographical sketches.
1
3
1933?
"Biscuit City"
1
x-ref
undated
"Capture of His Majesty's Ship Siren" See: Series III. Printed writings. Miller, William Davis.
1
4
undated
"Cat Inspector of South Kingstown"
1
5
1941?
"Early Houses in the King's Province in the Narragansett County. Introduction."
1
6
1941?
"Early Houses in the King's Province in the Narragansett County" (specific houses)
1
7
undated
"Enjoyment of local history and legend" (radio speech)
1
8
1937 May 12
(Fragments) "Address to Newcomen Society"
1
9
undated
(Fragments) "Kingston, from the ice age to colonial times"
1
x-ref
undated
Memorial Hospital School of Nursing, Address to. See "Address at the Graduation…"
1
10
undated
(Narragansett, dispute with Connecticut, 1660)
1
x-ref
undated
(Newcomen Society, address to.) See: Fragments
1
11
1929?
(Notes. From other sources)
1
12
undated
(Notes. In notebooks. Biographical sketches)
1
13
1928?
(Notes. In notebooks.) "State Papers Colonial" "Notes Re: Perkins, Casey, Waite"
1
14
1937?
"Notes and queries concerning the early bounds and divisions of the township of East Greenwich"
1
15
undated
(Revolutionary days in Little Rest)
1
16
undated
"The Rogues of Little Rest" (untitled fragment about Samuel Casey as a counterfeiter)
1
x-ref
undated
"The Rogues of Little Rest" See also: "Thomas Mount"
1
x-ref
undated
Sewell, Samuel. See: (Notes. In notebooks. Biographical sketches)
1
x-ref
undated
"Silversmiths of Little Rest" See: (Notes. In notebooks.) "Notes re: Perkins, Casey, Waite"
1
17
1931?
"Some Ancient Roads in the Pettaquamscutt Purchase"
1
18
undated
"Some Historical Aspects of the Narragansett Country"
1
x-ref
undated
South County Museum, Address. See: "Address delivered at the opening of…"
1
19
undated
(Speech at the dedication of a new legislative (?) building)
1
20
undated
"Talk in East Greenwich (2nd Proof)"
1
21
1927?
"Thomas Mount"
1
22
undated
"Village of Kingston 1826-1833"
1
x-ref
undated
"Walpole Society: A Tribute" See: Series III. Printed Writings. Miller, William Davis.
1
23
undated
Village of Kingston about 1905-1910
1
24
undated
"Volumes from book shelves in 1938, Old South County"
Series 2
1
1-3
Correspondence1918-1944
The correspondence series includes handwritten and typed letters received by William Davis Miller from 1918 to 1944, concentrated in 1933-1934 and 1944 and scattered through the other years. Few responses are included and these are filed under the name of the institution or person to whom they were sent of meant to be sent. All letters are arranged alphabetically by the name of the person or organizations which corresponded with William Davis Miller. Usually, letters sent from a person representing an institution are filed under the name of the institution and vice versa. Letters from officials in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Naval Reserve are filed under “U.S. Navy” or “U.S. Naval Reserve.”
The correspondence deals with historical subjects, family matters, naval duties, and book collecting. The correspondent most represented is William B. Goodwin, who wrote mainly about historical topics. Others include Chauncey Nash, John Hill Morgan, and Colonial Williamsburg (Harold Shurtleff).
1
1
1933 Nov 2
Admiralty, Britain, Librarian
1
1
1924 Apr 28
Antiquarian Book Company, Stratford-on-Avon, Britain
1
1
1944 May 26?
Bayley, W.W. (?)
1
1
1933?
Bird, Harrison Ken. Jr.
1
1
1928 Jan 20
B, GA (Blumer, G. Alder?) of the Providence Athenaeum
1
1
1944 Jun 23
Brown University. John Carter Brown Library
1
1
1933
Colonial Williamsburg, Inc.
1
1
1935 Mar 20
Congdon (?), Leon C.
1
1
1933 Dec 5
Crichton & Co., Ltd., Goldsmiths and Silversmiths, New York
1
1
1933 Nov 14
Fielding, Mantle
1
2
1933
Goodwin, William B. (one item is a copy)
1
2
1924 Apr 15
Industrial Trust Company, Providence
1
2
1944 Oct 3
Irving & Sasson- A.H. Davenport Co. (furniture manufacturer)
1
x-ref
undated
Isham, Norman Morrison. See: Series III. Pictures.
1
2
1934 Apr 24
LaFayle (?), Christopher
1
2
1944
Lolly (?), U.S. Navy Yard stationary
1
2
1944 Sep 4
Lowry (?), Bob, First naval District
1
2
1933 Nov 1
Luce, A. A., Trinity College, Dublin
1
2
1933 Oct 19
Maggs, Frank B., Maggs Bros., London
1
2
undated
Mary (?)
1
0
undated
Merrymount Press. See: Updike, D.B.
1
2
1933 Oct 3
Metropolitan Museum of Art
1
2
1930 Nov 24
Miller, Elizabeth Lemoine Davis (mother). See also: Series III, Miller family.
1
2
1929
Miller, Mary Chew (wife)
1
x-ref
undated
Miller, William Davis, Letters sent. See: U.S. Naval Reserve. Wilbour, Mr.
1
2
1933 Dec 7
Morgan, John Hill. See also: Series III. Miller family.
1
3
1933
Nash, Chauncey (?) C.
1
3
1934 Aug 28
Nolton, C.K.
1
3
1933 Nov 1
Providence Athenaeum
1
3
undated
Rhode Island Historical Society. See: Series I. Notes.
1
3
1944 Sep 6
Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art
1
x-ref
undated
Shurtleff, Harold R. See: Colonial Williamsburg
1
x-ref
undated
Skelton, E. See: Antiquarian Book Company.
1
x-ref
undated
Smith, D.B. See: Admiralty, Britain, Library
1
x-ref
undated
Taylor, W.D. See: Series III. Manuscript writings of others
1
3
1934 Sep 6
Updike, D. B., Merrymount Press
1
3
1938, 1941
U.S. Naval Reserve. First Naval District
1
3
1918 Nov 12
U.S. Navy (copy)
1
3
1933 Dec 1
Wickham, J.C., Colonel in the British Army
1
3
undated
Wilbour, Mr. (to be sent to)
1
3
1933 Jan 14
William H, Robinson, Ltd., Dealers in Rare and Fine Books
1
3
1933 Nov 17
Woolsey, John
1
x-ref
undated
Wroth, Lawrence B. See: Brown University. John Carter Brown Library
Series 3
2
1-13
Miscellaneous1884-1953
This series contains items other than manuscripts, manuscripts notes, or letter sent to William Davis Miller. These items include financial and legal papers, letters sent to his mother (Miller family folder), a manuscript sent to him, printed copies of his own works and works of others, newspaper clipping, photographs, and programs of meetings. The dates begin in the 1800s with the newspaper clippings. Folders are arranged alphabetically by title.
2
1
1949, 1921, 1934, 1949
Financial: bank accounts, receipts, bond
2
2
1924, 1925, 1933
Legal documents
2
3
undated
Manuscript writings of others: Taylor, W.D. "Memorys" pages 1-63
2
4
undated
Taylor, W.D. "Memorys" pages 64-finish.
2
5
1922, undated
Miller family (see folder for more info)
2
6
1884, 1893, undated
Newspaper clippings
2
7
1889?
Newspaper clippings, Kingston, State Agricultural College
2
8
1922, 1903?
Newspaper clippings, obituaries (see folder for names)
2
9
1944
Newspaper clipings, Misc.
2
10
1921, undated
Pictures (see folder for more info)
2
11
1923, 1940
Printed writings. Miller, W.D. "The Capture of His Majesty's Ship Syren," "The Walpole Society: A Tribute"
2
12
1936, 1934
Printed writings of others (see folder for more info)
2
13
1909, 1940-1941, 1951-1953, 1930
Programs