MERTON'S CORRESPONDENCE WITH:
Merton, Owen, 1887-1931
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Descriptive Summary
Record Group: Section A - Correspondence
Dates of materials: 1909-1926
Volume: 73 item(s); 292 pg(s)
Scope and Content
The bulk of this file contains letters from Owen Merton to his parents and siblings, but other miscellaneous letters are to and from Evelyn Scott and others. Some letters concern his son, Thomas Merton, and his wife, Ruth Jenkins Merton.
Biography
Owen Merton was Thomas Merton's father. He was born in New Zealand, studied art in Paris, and traveled in Europe, Bermuda, the United States, and northern Africa to make a living as a landscape painter.
Usage Guidelines and Restrictions
Related Information and Links
Other Finding Aids
If the person in correspondence with Merton has full text records in the Merton Center Digital Collections, there will be a numeric link to them below.
Series List
Container List
| Series | Date | Type | To/From | First Lines | Pub | Full Text | Notes |
| 1 | 1909/12/15 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Alfred | We do not often write letters to each other. But I must thank you very much for being so good | |
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| 1 | 1910/02/02 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Alfred | Many thank for your note enclosing the money order from | |
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| 1 | 1911/03/24 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Alfred | I am just writing a hurried line because I want to thank you for helping that show along as you have | |
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| 1 | 1911/12/10 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Alfred | I can give myself some hard names for not having written long ago. I believe I owe you no less than | |
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| 1 | 1912/11/21 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Alfred | This won't get you by Christmas, but I hope you have had the book I sent. I think Meredith's essay | |
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| 1 | 1913/05/07 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Alfred | I will go on writing to you, instead of to mother, because it all comes to the same thing, and she | |
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| 2 | 1909/12/14 | HLS[x] | from Merton, Beatrice Katherine | This is only a very hasty note to thank you for yours of today's mail. It was a grand letter and did | |
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| 2 | 1910/06/15 | HLS[x] | from Merton, Beatrice Katherine | I got your letter yesterday - and now very glad to hear cheerful news of a Canterbury College Dance | |
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| 2 | 1910/11/17 | HLS[x] | from Merton, Beatrice and Sybil | I cannot get used to the thought of you as twins - so you have about | |
| [to Beatrice Katherine (Ka) and Sybil Merton] |
| 2 | undated/no/no | HLS[x] | from Merton, Beatrice and Sybil | I am afraid I don't quite know what will come for your birthday, but whatever it is remember | |
| [to "twins" - in the November 17, 1910 letter, Owen seems to refer to Beatrice Katherine (Ka) and Sybil Merton as twins] |
| 3 | 1910/01/08 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | A very welcome letter came this week to answer me you were all well. Unfortunately I had heard from | |
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| 3 | 1910/01/19 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | Your last letter gave me a moment's start - as it was written in pencil. But I soon realized you | |
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| 3 | 1910/01/25 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | Thanks also for another letter by last mail and I cannot tell you what a joy your letters are to me | |
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| 3 | 1910/02/08 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | The mail got in early last week and I sought a letter written from | |
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| 3 | 1910/02/11 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I hardly know how to begin this. There is much news this week. When I was at Aunt Maud's last Sunday | |
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| 3 | 1910/02/15 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | Your letter came on Monday. It always seems to me such a misfortune that it takes three months to | |
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| 3 | 1910/03/22 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I was glad to have your further chummy news, that Gwynn was at home again, and that everything else | |
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| 3 | 1910/03/29 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | Thanks so much for a grand letter which came this morning. The only thing is you are too kind about | |
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| 3 | 1910/03/31 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I have a [..] half [..] the mail in. I did not realize it was so late. And I have not written | |
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| 3 | 1910/04/05 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | Last mail thought we a very cheery letter. You make very light of your accident - but it is | |
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| 3 | 1910/04/19 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | Your last letter has come this morning- and its most cheerful and stimulating. I wish I would make | |
| [date either April 17th or 19th] |
| 3 | 1910/04/24 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I am writing to you expecting a letter from you tomorrow. It's a Sunday, and I have had young Roger | |
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| 3 | 1910/05/03 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I am just writing the weekly account, which comes to much the same as usual. I am just quietly | |
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| 3 | 1910/05/12 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | Today having been very wet and stormy I have been mostly indoors. I have had plenty to do, and have | |
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| 3 | 1910/05/15 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | Your letters got to me this morning. (Sunday.) | |
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| 3 | 1910/05/24 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | Letter came this morning. (It seems to be a lifetime since then. The days are so wonderfully long.) | |
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| 3 | 1910/05/29 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | It was a very welcome letter - Of course you know it is all not talking like that about the R.B.A. | |
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| 3 | 1910/05/31 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I am just adding a short note to say I am going off tomorrow for | |
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| 3 | 1910/06/02 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I am here now, and very glad I came. It is a very good thing to have a complete change | |
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| 3 | 1910/06/14 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I think you so much for your letter which came yesterday enclosing the draft for | |
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| 3 | 1910/06/23 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I have only time to scrawl a very hasty note to you from here today. I am off tomorrow, and have | |
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| 3 | 1910/06/26 | HL[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I am back here - and it is a Sunday, and I am writing now before having letters from you. | |
| [no signature - possible missing pages or was continued and sent with June 29th letter] |
| 3 | 1910/06/29 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I am just writing now in a great hurry before going off tomorrow. I have a lot to do today. | |
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| 3 | 1910/07/06 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I am in Ealing till Friday evening when it seems it will be the only chance of my getting across | |
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| 3 | 1910/07/08 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I just write today I hope you will get the seeds and the book all right and will like both. | |
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| 3 | 1910/08/31 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | We have got here tonight, and are in this hotel. Here we shall be for a couple of days. | |
| [letterhead of the Grand Hôtel du Cheval Blanc, Angers, France] |
| 3 | 1912/02/30 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I got back last night at 12:30 and have been glad to be in Paris again, and at work. | |
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| 3 | 1912/03/08 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | Only can I send you half a dozen lines this morning to tell you all is going as well as possible. | |
| Owen Merton announces his engagement to Ruth Jenkins |
| 3 | 1912/03/12 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | You must be wanting to know more of my words, which I was so foolish as to just give you in such | |
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| 3 | 1912/03/29 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | Apologies are useless. I have been too much absorbed these last weeks to even write you more than | |
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| 3 | 1912/04/11 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I am here as you see. I came across by Saturday night boat from Dieppe, and I am very glad to be | |
| [writing from Ealing] |
| 3 | 1912/04/19 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | Just a line to say I am off again to Paris this evening. Alban arrives on Sunday morning early, | |
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| 3 | 1912/06/27 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | By a mischance I let mail day go by last week. I got so in the habit of thinking Friday was the day | |
| [writing from Northiam, Sussex, England] |
| 3 | 1912/07/17 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | Last week again you had no letter. I keep thinking today it is Wednesday, when it's really Thursday, | |
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| 3 | 1912/08/02 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | It seems to me that we are the queerest lot of people here. Here I could write quite well, but I | |
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| 3 | 1912/08/28 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I think this is only going to be a short note. One seems to have had a good deal to do this work. | |
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| 3 | 1912/08/no (#01) | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | Here when all is going on so well. I have some further grand news from you to say you have sold some | |
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| 3 | 1912/08/no (#02) | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | Now I have had what I deserved, a letter from you to say you feel it that I do not unite | |
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| 3 | 1912/09/05 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I write now on the morning. I have taken a holiday - being quite disinclined for work. I don't know | |
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| 3 | 1912/12/28 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | It is already mail day, and I forgot completely until just the minute - It is always the way | |
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| 3 | 1913/04/30 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I have been wondering whether after all my letter of last week reached you, I thought. I posted it | |
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| 3 | undated/no/no (#01) | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | Your last letter came on Monday. I am making up my mind to whom here instead | |
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| 3 | undated/no/no (#02) | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | Your last letter came on Monday. I am making up my mind to whom here instead | |
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| 4 | 1922/08/02 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gertrude | I have been wondering whether after all my letter of last week reached you, I thought. I posted it | |
| [missing page(s)] |
| 4 | 1923/04/25 | telegram[x] | to Scott, Evelyn | SO HAPPY BLESS YOU LOUISE ARRIVES PARIS FRIDAY NIGHT LOVE MUTT = | |
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| 4 | 1923/06/26 | HLS[x] | to Scott, Evelyn | Well your letter made me very happy oh how I am so glad | |
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| 4 | 1926/09/06 | HLS[x] | to Scott, Evelyn | Forgot today some things - of course I know how fine Beeky was - it was a long time before I knew | |
| [writing on stationery of the Grand Hotel, Saint-Antonin, France] |
| 4 | 1926/10/19 | HLS[x] | to Scott, Evelyn | Do you know - in all my knowing of you, getting your first letter from Portugal was as happy a time | |
| [writing from Saint-Antonin, France] |
| 4 | undated/04/02 | HLS[x] | to Scott, Evelyn | Evelyn don't please read my letter to Mary. I sent you some writings of Ruth's in a big envelope | |
| [includes a photograph of himself at 3 years old] |
| 4 | undated/no/no (#01) | HLS[x] | to Scott, Evelyn | I have taken Narcissus with me - because I am very excited - I don't know what I will get - but I | |
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| 4 | undated/no/no (#02) | HLS[x] | to Scott, Evelyn | I have just finished reading the Nanon House - and I feel I want to tell you how | |
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| 4 | undated/no/no (#03) | HLS[x] | to Scott, Evelyn | I just had your letter and am working over the | |
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| 5 | 1909/06/03 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gwynedd | Many thanks for all your letters which I got when I got here on Saturday. | |
| [writing from London] |
| 5 | 1910/09/28 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gwynedd | I fancy we are about quit in the matter of lettter we write to one another. So I am not going | |
| [writing from Paris] |
| 5 | 1911/03/14 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gwynedd | Thank you so very much for your last letter, when you were again in Christchurch. How grand it is to | |
| [writing from Paris] |
| 5 | 1911/10/17 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gwynedd | Here are so many mail gone, and no word yet to you. The worst of it is, that at Oñate, I did write | |
| [written from Pasajes (Pasaia), Spain] |
| 5 | 1913/05/21 | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gwynedd | Mother's letter has just come today, a week later than it should have arrived, saying she had got | |
| [written from Amalfi, Italy] |
| 5 | undated/no/no (#01) | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gwynedd | Got a short note from you this morning - saying | |
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| 5 | undated/no/no (#02) | HLS[x] | to Merton, Gwynedd | I have not a moment to write you a line. This is mother's which I am returning. Yours ever | |
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| 6 | 1910/12/12 | HLS[x] | to Merton, William | I must write at once and congratulate you are getting through your examination so well. I think you | |
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| 6 | 1911/06/25 | HLS[x] | from Cousin Laura | Your letter arrived before we left and I was glad to know | |
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| 6 | 1920/06/03 | HLS[x] | from Black, Robert | Mr. Randall has sent me your letter of May 30th, in which you ask for prompt action | |
| [from Rev. Robert M.W. Black, Rector of Zion Episcopal Church, Douglaston, New York] response to Owen Merton's letter of resignation |
| 6 | 1923/04/12 | HLS[x] | from Moore, Marianne | My mothers and I have just returned from the Daniel Gallery where we saw your paintings. | |
| [writing from St. Luke's Place, New York] |
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