Joseph Medill Patterson's papers consist of correspondence, memoranda, a wide variety of personal and business financial records, cartoons, and other materials. They relate to Patterson's career as co-publisher and publisher of the Chicago Tribune, the New York Daily News, and Liberty magazine, the papers; to Patterson's and his family's extensive financial interests; his military service, career as a playwright, and other aspects of his personal life. The collection also contains information about Patterson's relationships with his family, especially his cousin, Col. Robert R. McCormick, publisher of the Chicago Tribune, his mother, his wife, his sister (the publisher Eleanor "Cissy" Patterson), and to his three daughters.

In documenting the daily operation of the Chicago Tribune, the New York Daily News, and Liberty magazine, the papers include Patterson's directives to managerial staff members Max Annenberg, Edward S. Beck, Harvey Deuell, William H. Field, Roy C. Holliss, and Philip A. Payne, among others; and Patterson's correspondence with leading American journalists and cartoonists as James O'Donnell Bennett, Arthur Brisbane, Floyd Gibbens, Arthur Sears Henning, Herb Martin, Carrey C. Orr, Col. Henry J. Reilly, George Seldes, and Sidney Sutherland. Correspondence of Lord Beaverbrook, Ben Hecht, General William E. "Billy" Mitchell, and other famous Americans is also present.

The collection has been basically organized and maintained by Joseph Medill Patterson and as received from his son, James J. Patterson. The papers are arranged in six series.

It is important to note the interrelated nature of the materials found in various series in the Patterson Papers, e.g family business papers are found in every series of the collection; papers of Col. Robert R. McCormick are found in Series 2 (his own papers, in Series 1, deals with Joseph Medill Patterson's publishing enterprises, and in small quantities in Series 5, which contains family papers).

In light of this, it is advisable to consult the container list for the collection when conducting research on a specific person or topic.

Series 1. Publishing Enterprises, 1909-1946, (Boxes 1-50) This series is comprised of correspondence, memoranda, financial records, reports, etc. relative to the day-to-day operation of the Chicago Tribune from 1909-1946, the New York Daily News from 1919-1946, and Liberty magazine from 1925-1931. The papers are Joseph M. Patterson's personal files relative to his management of these publishing companies, and include records of the Chicago Tribune/New York News Syndicate, 1941-1946, and minutes of meetings of the Chicago Tribune Company and Subsidiaries, 1927-1946. This series is arranged in 9 subseries:

Subseries 1-6. Chicago Tribune, 1909-1925, and New York Daily News, 1919-1946. (Boxes 1-39). These materials include correspondence, memoranda, reports, and other items arranged first by time period, then alphabetically by correspondent (occasionally, by topic) thereafter. They include Patterson's directives to managerial employees relative to the style and content of the papers and to personnel matters; considerable correspondence with reporters and cartoonists relative to their work, national and international news stories covered, and their working arrangement with the Chicago Tribune and the New York Daily news, and letters expressing the public's reaction (pro and con) to stories and features that appeared in the two papers. Random personal correspondence with friends and associates and appears in this subseries.

Subseries 1 and 2 (Boxes 1-14) concern the Chicago Tribune and include directives to managerial staff members Max Annenberg, Edward S. Beck, D.M. Deininger, and R.R. Jones, among others. Journalists and cartoonists represented include James O'Donnell Bennett, Arthur Brisbane; foreign correspondents Col. Henry J. Reilley, Henry Wales, and Floyd Gibbens from Paris, and George Seldes from Moscow; Arthur Sears Henning of the Tribune's Washington Bureau, and cartoonist Carey C. Orr. Correspondence of Medill, McCormick, and materials relative to Pacific and Atlantic photos also present.

Subseries 3 thru 6 (Boxes 15-39) involve the New York Daily News, its staff managerial members Max Annenberg, Business Manager J.W. Barnhart, Managing Editor Harvey Deuell, William H. Field of the Illustrated Daily News, general Manager Roy C. Holliss, Philip A. Payne, and Circulation manager James A. Sullivan. Correspondence of and about Lord Beaverbrook, Arthur Brisbane, cartoonist Herb Martin, and random letters from Paul Gallico Ben Hecht, and New York City Mayor Firoello H. LaGaurdia are also present. many letters from the reading public are found in Boxes 31-32 and 37-38, and there are also materials relative to newspaper ownership of radio stations and to the Tribune-News Employees' Trust.

Subseries 7. Liberty Magazine, 1925-1931. (Boxes 40-44). This subseries contains correspondence, financial reports, research data, and other materials relative to securing articles for the magazine (many of them aviation related pieces), the general operation of the magazine, and the sale of Liberty to Bernarr McFadden in 1931. The subseries includes correspondence with Achmed Abdulla, Max Annenberg, James O'Donnell Bennett, Robert N. Chambers, Arthur Brisbane, Floyd Gibbons, General William E. "Billy" Mitchell, Tom Mooney, Col. Henry J. Reilly, Carl Sandburg, Capt. Elliot White Springs, Sidney Sutherland, Henry Wales, and John N. Wheeler. A number of article manuscripts by Sutherland are also present. This subseries is arranged alphabetically by person or subject heading.

Subseries 8. Chicago Tribune/New York Syndicate, 1941-1946. (Boxes 45-47). These materials consist of correspondence relative to the syndication of articles, cartoons, and comic strips, along with detailed reports on overall and individual syndication sales and royalties. Includes correspondence and materials about cartoonists Chester Gould, Herb Martin, and Sidney Smith; plus a few letters relative to public reactions in favor of and in opposition to specific comic strips. This subseries is arranged chronologically.

Subseries 9. Chicago Tribune Company and Subsidiaries, 1927-1946. (Boxes 49-50). These files consist of recorded minutes of meetings (arranged chronologically) sent to Patterson, which furnish considerable information on the business affairs of the company, particularly relative to the Ontario Paper Company, Ltd.

Series 2. Colonel Robert R. McCormick Papers, 1903-1946. This chronologically arranged series is almost entirely devoted to Col. McCormick's correspondence with his cousin, Joseph Medill Patterson, on the publishing business, particularly on the availability and purchase of newsprint, and, to a lesser extent, on stories to be covered; and on personal and business affairs of the family, including matters relative to their publishing enterprises income. Some expressions of the Colonel's views on world affairs and local politics are present, along with commentary on Marshall Field's establishment of the Chicago Sun in 1941 and Field's relationship with the Associated Press.

Series 3. Kirkland, Fleming, Green, Martin, and Ellis Papers, 1914-1946. (Box 55). This correspondence, which is chronologically arranged, is devoted primarily to the law firm's handling of Joseph Medill Patterson's personal taxes, family trusts, and other business concerns. Some of the earlier papers relate to publishing business affairs.

Series 4. Joseph Medill Patterson Personal Papers, 1901-1950. (Boxes 56-68). This series of correspondence and other sundry personal papers is arranged in two subseries:

Subseries 1. General Papers, 1901-1950. (Boxes 56-64). These files are arranged alphabetically according to topic or correspondent. They include significant business and personal correspondence in the "Interesting Letter" files in Box 58, along with materials on Patterson's interest in aviation and airships, his military service, the 149th Field Artillery , Patterson's Libertyville, Illinois farm and Ossining, New York estate, his last wills and testaments, 1906 Socialist Party membership card, and U.S. passports; along with correspondence with Katrina Barnes, James Keeley of the Chicago Record, and with theatrical friends Helen Hayes, Florenz Ziegfeld, and Ruth Gordon.

Subseries 2. Theatrical Plays, 1909-1939. (Boxes 65-68). This subseries consists of Patterson's correspondence with theatrical producer George C. Tyler and others relative to the production of plays he has written, along with royalty and other information concerning same. Some of these materials are filed chronologically; others are arranged by play title. Scripts of plays written by Patterson, along with a few scripts of plays by other authors, are also present. These materials are filed alphabetically by play title.

Series 5. Family Papers, 1910-1946. (Boxes 69-80). This series consists of correspondence (chiefly with Joseph Medill Patterson), financial records, newsclippings, etc. of and about various members of the Patterson family. The papers concern marriages, divorces, health matters, family relationships and activities, as well as trusts and other family investments and income.

The series is arranged in 7 subseries, nearly all of which are filed chronologically, with a few topical files present. The first subseries (Box 69) contains biographical data on Joseph Medill Patterson, genealogical data on the family, and sundry family letters, including correspondence with Ruth Hanna McCormick.

Subseries 2-7 (Boxes 70-80) contain papers of the following people in the immediate Patterson family: Elinor Medill Patterson--Joseph M. Patterson's mother (Boxes 70-72); Eleanor Medill "Cissy" Patterson--Patterson's sister (Boxes 73-74); Alice Higenbotham Patterson--Patterson's wife (Box 75); and Patterson's three daughters. Alicia (Boxes 76-77), Elinor (Boxes 78-79), and Josephine (Box 80). Eleanor "Cissy" Patterson's papers, to some extent, concern her career in publishing; materials on the acting career of Patterson's daughter, Elinor, are in her files.

Series 6. Personal Business Papers, 1913-1946. (Boxes 81-145). This series is composed of correspondence, legal papers, financial documents, blueprints, photographs, maps, check records, paid invoices, and other records. These materials relate to the personal financial affairs of Joseph Medill Patterson, including, to a lesser degree, those of other family members, particularly his mother, Elinor M. Patterson, and his daughters, Alicia, Elinor, and Josephine. This series has been divided into 6 subseries as follows:

Subseries 1. Real Estate, 1923-1946 (Boxes 81-88) These files consist of correspondence, real estate analyses, financial records, legal documents, blueprints, survey maps, photographs, and other papers relating to the purchase and sale, subdivision and development, construction, maintenance and furnishing, as well as personnel concerns pertaining to Joseph Medill Patterson's real estate investments in New York and Illinois.

Bentro Realty Corporation, a New York corporation, of which Joseph Medill Patterson was President and S.W. Stubbings, Secretary, was the main vehicle through which Patterson's New York real estate investments were managed. These included Villard Hall, which was subdivided and developed into "A Restrictive Residence Colony," at Dobbs Ferry in Westchester County, New York; a New York City apartment building erected at 3-5 East 84th Street; his estate in Ossining, New York; a Sands Point, Long Island home for his daughter Alicia; and property at Riverdale on the Hudson River. These properties were later handled by Brooks and Kupillas.

Clark and Trainer, a Chicago real estate firm, was the agent for Patterson in his real estate dealings in Chicago, and also managed his properties at 1356-1364 North LaSalle Street in Chicago and in Glenview at Lake Avenue and Waukegan Road near Winnetka Road during the 1920s. Clark and Trainer records also contain materials on New York real estate. The real estate investment at LaSalle and Wacker Drive also received the detailed attention of Clark and Trainer.

The subseries is arranged alphabetically by the name of the firm that managed Joseph Medill Patterson's real estate investments. Thereunder, materials are arranged chronologically with those pertinent to particular properties highlighted thereafter.

Subseries 2. Trusts, 1919-1946 (Boxes 89-94). This subseries contains correspondence, trust agreements, financial documents, and authorizations for purchases and sale of stocks and bonds relating to trusts established by Patterson and his mother, Elinor M. Patterson, for various family members, particularly Patterson's sister Eleanor "Cissy" Patterson, and his daughters Alicia, Elinor, and Josephine. These papers are arranged alphabetically by financial institution and thereafter chronologically.

Subseries 3. Banks, 1918-1945. (Boxes 95-96). These papers are composed of correspondence, statements, stock analyses, and various other records relative to the financial affairs of Patterson and his mother, Elinor Medill Patterson. Subjects covered include real estate, Liberty Loans, checking and savings accounts, stocks, bonds, and trusts for Elinor M. Patterson's four granddaughters, Felicia Gizycka and Elinor, Alicia, and Josephine Patterson. This subseries is filed alphabetically according to the name of the bank.

Subseries 4. Sundry Financial Records, 1926-1948. (Boxes96-98). Correspondence, confirmations of sales of securities, financial statements, lists of stocks and their dividend dates, insurance premium receipts, monthly expense statements of Patterson and his secretary Katherine Higgens, and Joseph Medill Patterson's personal account books comprise the materials in this series.

Materials relating to the securities are the first items in this subseries. They are followed by records relating to insurance, expenses, expense books, and personal account books. The materials are arranged chronologically.

Subseries 5. Income Taxes, 1913-1945. (Boxes 99-107). This subseries provides income tax returns, supporting data, and related correspondence pertaining to the income taxes of Joseph Medill Patterson, his wife Alice H. Patterson, and his mother, Elinor M. Patterson. Supporting data includes considerable information relating to trusts, securities, and banking matters, and other personal financial concerns which overlap materials found in other subseries of this series. Subseries 5 is arranged chronologically with folders relating to particular financial institutions as well as contributions delineated.

Subseries 6. Check Books, 1920-1946. Boxes 108-113). These materials are composed of check registers for the personal checking accounts of Joseph Medill Patterson, and his mother Elinor Medill Patterson. National City Bank of New York check registers are arranged chronologically and are followed by other banks listed alphabetically and chronologically therein.

Subseries 7. Bank Statements and Cancelled Checks, 1922-1946. (Boxes 114-130.) Bank statements and cancelled checks of Joseph Medill Patterson comprise this subseries. They are arranged alphabetically by name of the financial institution and chronologically thereunder.

Subseries 8. Receipted Bills, 1937-1946. (Boxes 131-145.) This subseries is composed of paid invoices and other receipted bills pertaining to the personal financial affairs of Joseph Medill Patterson, his household, and the New York News, arranged chronologically with the location (Ossining, New York; New York City; Chicago) to which they pertained delineated thereunder.

The Wood Family Papers comprises the story of J. Howard Wood as a student at Lake Forest College from 1918-1922 as well as his life as a graduate student at Harvard from 1922-1926. This collection includes maps and town information of where the family lived, genealogical information such as birth, death, and marriage records, family photographs, and hand written as well as typed letters of correspondence. Most important to this collection is Howard Wood’s correspondence with his father (John), mother (Julia), brother (Rob), and sister (Mildred). In these letters, the reader will develop a sense of how close this family was with one another, Howard Wood’s student life and his financial struggles, and his journey into a his career at the Chicago Tribune.

This collection contains photocopied portions of a Rumsey family history written and edited by Jean Rumsey. Rumsey’s writing and the original documents she incorporated into the family history produced a document 1,350 pages in length. Examples of original documents Rumsey integrated into the history include family correspondence, inventories, newspaper clippings, familial records, and other memorabilia. While only some of the almost 1,400 pages of her work reside as photocopies in this collection, they nonetheless provide a good picture of the Rumsey family.

In addition to the family history, the collection contains another work written by Rumsey titled, "Tour of Lake Forest, Ill. via the 1900 census.” The work speaks to the Rumsey's connection with other Lake Forest residents.

This collection holds materials related to the exhibition held at Lake Forest College entitled “A Retrospective Art Exhibition of the sculpture of Sylvia Shaw Judson, 1897-1978.” The exhibition was planned and executed by students enrolled in a course at the college called History 348: Museums and Exhibitions taught by Dr. Virginia Stewart in the fall of 1998. The exhibit was open to the public from November 12-December 1, 1998.

The collection contains student’s research information collected on Sylvia Shaw Judson, student assignments related to the exhibit, planning materials and design and installation ideas for the exhibit, art gallery labels, as well as photographs, slides and negatives of both Judson and of the exhibit.

The collection further contains loan requests asking other institutions for Judson sculptures to put in the exhibit. Additionally the collection contains general materials collected about the exhibit’s opening and the almost month it was up, including guest books, the exhibition catalogue and publicity package. There are also several oversized materials, including enlarged black and white photographs used in the exhibition, as well as the main title cards attached to the wall during the exhibit. One of the more unique items in the collection is a 1928 edition of a poetry book, “Songs of a Baby’s Day,” written by Frances Shaw (Sylvia’s mother) and illustrated by Judson.

This collection consists of a photo album containing black and white photographs, mostly of Riverside Farm, some with people. There are also small black and white photographs of unknown people, each contained within an envelope labeled with photographer information and subject matter on the outside.

Additionally in the collection are several documents pertaining to the Hoffman family and the history of the farm, as well as a figuring book that contains annual financial reports and contact information for various individuals listed alphabetically.

This collection contains newspaper clippings, including those about Robert Seyfarth's death, his son Robert Jr. and his wife, Mary Hays Seyfarth, as well as the Brewster Shirt Factory.

Additionally, the collection contains documents and correspondence to Mary K. Seyfarth (Robert Sr's granddaughter), regarding her grandfather and her career as an artist.

The collection also features family photographs and brochures for Robert Seyfarth home tours.

This collection consists of one black leather three-ring binder labeled as a price book. It contains mostly business-related handwritten sheets of lists, arranged alphabetically under tabs. The lists record McCutcheon's financial transactions, annual income, as well as inventories of his assets, such as works of art.

The one folder in the collection contains three items, a bill for a firescreen, an accompanying pencil drawing of this item and also a list of fifteen rooms of furnishings of Jessie McCutcheon Nelson, George’s sister (2 carbon copies of the latter).

This collection features correspondence, a petition, and memoranda handwritten by Marvin Kent.

This collection includes postcards sent to Samuel Rosenthal from friends and family. It also contains materials on the Ravinia Festival.

The Chicago Athletic Association Collection contains a number of governance records, including bound volumes of minutes from Board of Director meetings and annual reports dating back to 1890, committee meeting minutes, as well as bound ledgers with financial records.

Other financial and legal records include income statements, contracts, deeds of trust, safe deposit box records, and files regarding trademarks owned by the Association.

The collection also contains documents related to the Association’s acquisition and sale of art, largely oil paintings.

Additionally, the collection boasts a large number of membership materials. These include bound volumes of membership registers, as well as membership resignations and several binders addressing Association privileges and conduct.

The collection also contains typed correspondence, brochures and programs and historical information about the Association, as well as life membership records.

There is an extensive collection of member photographs dating back to the late 1890s.

Unique to the collection are materials related to Olympic athlete and Association member Joie Ray. These include a poster created in support of Ray, a scrapbook with newspaper clippings of his athletic achievements, photographs, race programs, his Association membership cards, a National Track and Field Hall of Fame certificate from 1976 and one of his race uniforms.

This collection contains materials related to the city of Lake Forest. This includes brochures, newsletters and numerous other materials from organizations and institutions in the city, political documents, as well as City of Lake Forest directories, briefings, council meeting minutes and a resident handbook. The collection also contains documents regarding Lake Forest public schools, Lake Forest Academy, Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart and Barat College. The collection also contains a number of records related to Market Square.

This collections consists of three binders noting sightings of plants and their identification. Plants from all over the country are recorded in the binders, though there are a significant amount from the Illinois Dunesland.

This collection also contains newspaper clippings about or written by Elizabeth T. Lunn. Additionally, the collection has documents related to Lunn and her tenure at Lake Forest College. These documents include faculty questionnaires and news releases, among other records.

This collection consists of papers, photographs and items donated by Susan Dart detailing her research and later published book, "Market Square" on the architect Howard Shaw and his work in Lake Forest.
For more information or questions, please contact the Lake Forest College Archivist.

The collection consists of research papers of Nancy A. Nichols, the author of Lake Effect: Two Sisters and a Town's Toxic Legacy (2008). The collection includes notes on interviews and readings; obscure government reports and publications with annotations by the author; photographs relating to the particular situation at Waukegan Harbor; and the general case of modern industrial pollution and health in the U.S.

The collection consists of personal and professional papers of the architect Edward H. Bennett. The collection is arranged into two series. Series 1 includes correspondence, drafts, and plans from throughout Bennett's career. The most significant part of the collection is the correspondence between Daniel Burnham and Bennett, that reveals some of Burnham's thoughts regarding the 1909 Plan of Chicago. There are letters with other professional colleagues as well. The photographs span both  the professional and personal realms, including many photographs of three generations of the Bennett family and many photographs Bennett took or acquired to inform his architectural projects. There are several sketchbooks and scrapbooks and also several books of study photographs.

This collection contains materials related to calligraphy. The bulk of the collection is made up of journals and newsletters from various calligraphy organizations. It also includes Adamson correspondence and member directories for the Friends of Calligraphy organization.

A substantial portion of the Weber & Weber Collection contains documents relating to the Ravinia Festival Park as Bertram Weber worked on a number of architectural projects at the park. These documents include correspondence and architectural proposals and plans for work on the Pavilion, West Parking Lot, Murray Theater, Gate Building, First Aid Building, and West Toilet Building, among others. Related to Ravinia, there are also financial documents, annual reports, festival publications, art exhibit documents, festival flag designs, as well as Board of Trustee and Executive Committee meeting minutes.

Also in the collection are personal documents of Bertram Weber. This includes correspondence between he and clients and family and friends, as well as documents related to the various clubs and associations to which Weber belonged. The collection also contains architectural tools used by both Bertram and John Weber.

The collection contains a number of building plans and blueprints from projects designed by Weber. These projects include both private residences and public buildings, such as churches, schools and retirement homes. Highlighting two major projects on which Weber worked, there are two series devoted to the Aurora and Exmoor Country Clubs. They contain documentation ranging from designs and contracts to a drawing log, cost estimates and test reports.

This collection contains various Caxton Club materials. These include constitution and by-law records, meeting minutes, directories and other member documents, correspondence, Publication Committee records and program invitations. It also includes a small amount of Caxtonian newsletters published in the mid 1990s and materials related to the Caxton Club’s Centennial celebration.