Jane Merchant Collection (Addendum)
This collection is composed primarily of materials related to Jane Merchant's death on January 3, 1972, including an obituary, an announcement for her funeral, and the text for a eulogy by the Reverend Gordon A. Sterchi. It also contains two letters that Jane wrote, one of which contains a number of details about her early life, and two photographs of Jane, one of which pictures her with her mother and sister Elizabeth.
Dates
- 1957-1972
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite, and a minimum of 2 business days are needed to retrieve these items for use. Researchers interested in consulting any of the collections are advised to contact Special Collections.
Conditions Governing Use
The copyright interests in this collection remain with the creator. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library.
Extent
0.1 Linear Feet
Abstract
This collection deals primarily with Jane Merchant's death, and constitutes an addition to the Special Collections Library's existing holdings dealing with her life and work.
Biographical/Historical Note
Jane Hess Merchant was born in 1919 in Inskip, Tennessee. She was confined to her bed at the age of twelve from the congenital bone disease Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which also caused her to go deaf at the age of twenty-three. From her bedroom, Merchant was able to write more than 3,000 poems, more than 2,000 letters, dozens of prose pieces, and to publish ten collections of her poetry. In addition to her published works, she also maintained continual correspondence with friends and fans throughout her life. Merchant died in 1972.
Arrangement
Collection consists of a single folder.
Acquisition Note
The Special Collections Library purchased this collection in October of 2004.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository