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COLLECTION Identifier: HOLLIS 8515811

Elinor Ferry papers

Overview

The papers of Elinor Ferry were compiled between the late 1940's to the early 1960's, during which period Ferry researched the Alger Hiss-Whittaker Chambers case. The intended outcome of this research were a book, "The political history of Whittaker Chambers, agent-provocateur", and the creation of a defense for Alger Hiss. Neither was realized.

Dates

  • Creation: 1944 - 1988

Conditions Governing Access

Access to these papers is governed by the rules and regulations of the Harvard Law School Library. This collection is open to the public, but is housed off-site at Harvard Depository and requires 2 business-day advance notice for retrieval. Consult the Special Collections staff for further information.

Conditions Governing Use

The Harvard Law School Library holds copyright on some, but not all, of the material in our collections. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be directed to the Special Collections staff. Researchers who obtain permission to publish from the Harvard Law School Library are also responsible for identifying and contacting the persons or organizations who hold copyright.

Extent

20 boxes

The papers of Elinor Ferry were compiled between the late 1940's to the early 1960's, during which period Ferry researched the Alger Hiss - Whittaker Chambers case. The intended outcome of this research were a book, The Political History of Whittaker Chambers, Agent-Provocateur, and the creation of a defense for Alger Hiss. Neither was realized. Ferry's objective was to refute the evidence brought before the House Committee on Un-American Activities by Chambers, whose testimony she regarded as largely the fabrication of journalist Isaac Don Levine. Ferry was a member of the Communist Party and Secretary of the Emergency Civil Liberties Committee.

The collection is composed of newspaper and magazine clippings, correspondence, press releases, pamphlets, memos, and drafts of Ferry's book.

Historical/Biographical Information

ca. 1912 b. Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

1930's was one of the first female sports reporters (wrote under the name "Betty Moore") for the Pittsburgh Sun Telegraph.

Married to George Kirstein for ten years (her second marriage).

Resided mostly in Mamaroneck, New York.

Secretary of Emergency Civil Liberties Union.

Worked for Steel Workers Organizing Committee.

Died in the mid 1990's.

Physical Location

Harvard Depository

Immediate Source of Acquisition

In September 1998, Bruce Craig gave the Law School Library a collection of materials he acquired while writing his dissertation (American University) on Harry Dexter White, a high-ranking Treasury Department official accused of being a Soviet spy. These materials, accumulated by George A. Eddy, comprised three separate collections: the research papers of Elinor Ferry -given to Eddy by Ferry's son James in 1992-the William Henry Taylor case files -given to Eddy by Bryan Scott in October 1973-and the papers of George A. Eddy himself. Although a single gift, these three collections have been processed and inventoried as distinct collections.

Processing Information

Processed by Amy E. Moore January - May 2000.

Title
Ferry, Elinor. Papers, 1944-1988: Finding Aid.
Author
Harvard Law School Library, Cambridge, MA 02138
Language of description
und
EAD ID
law00051

Repository Details

Part of the Harvard Law School Library, Historical & Special Collections Repository

Harvard Law School Library's Historical & Special Collections (HSC) collects, preserves, and makes available research materials for the study of the law and legal history. HSC holds over 8,000 linear feet of manuscripts, over 100,000 rare books, and more than 70,000 visual images.

Contact:
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Cambridge MA 02138 USA
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