Biographical note

Scope and contents

I. Series One -- Correspondence

Boxes 1 -- 3

II. Series Two -- Karlton and William Kelm

Boxes 4 -- 7

III. Series Three -- Karlton Kelm

Boxes 7 -- 15

IV. Series Four -- William Kelm

Box 15

Karlton Kelm (1908 -- 1987) was born in Portage, Wisconsin. He and his older brother William attended Columbia College (now Loras) in Dubuque, Iowa. Kelm published his first short story on the day he graduated from college. He would go on to publish over fifty short stories and two books. In the 1930s, Kelm and his brother were the editors of their own literary magazine, the Dubuque Dial. Later, moving to New York, they continued to write separately and as a team. Three of their plays made it to the Broadway tryout stage. However, disappointed by what they perceived as a lack of success in playwriting, they quit writing altogether and found other work. William Kelm died in 1953. Karlton Kelm did not return to writing until 1982 when he began again to publish short stories in journals such as the North American Review. He died on January 12, 1987.

The papers of Karlton and William Kelm are arranged in four inter-related series, and relate primarily to the literary efforts of the two Kelm brothers. Series one contains correspondence written by and to both Karlton and William Kelm. There are letters from: Edward J. O'Brien, Wilbur Schramm, Jean Toomer, Erling Larsen, Raymond Kresensky, Lee Ver Duft, Meridel Le Sueur, and August Derleth. The next section is made up of the works on which the two brothers collaborated. Series three consists of both manuscripts and the published writings of Karlton Kelm, while the final grouping concerns William’s works. Materials relating to their literary magazine, the Dubuque Dial, are found throughout the collection.

Box 1

1928 -- 1931. Including letters from: Victor Francis Calverton, John T. Frederick, Margery Latimer, H.L. Mencken, Lewis Mumford, and Samuel Putnam.

1932. Including letters from: H.L. Mencken, Edward J. O’Brien, Samuel Putnam, Jose Garcia Villa, Margery Latimer, and William Carlos Williams.

1933. Including letters from: Jack Conroy, Malcolm Cowley, John T. Frederick, Lincoln Kirstein, H.L. Mencken, Samuel Putnam and Jean Toomer.

January -- March 1934. Including letters from: Carroll D. Coleman, Jack Conroy, Thomas Duncan, Josephine Herbst, John Kemmerer, Raymond Kresensky, Erling Larsen, Meridel LeSueur, Frank Luther Mott, Ferner Nuhn, Philip Rahv, Eleanor Saltzman, Sadie Seagrave, Jay G. Sigmund, Phil Stong, and Jean Toomer.

April -- June 1934. Including letters from: August Derleth, Harry Hansen, Raymond Kresensky, Erling Larsen, H.L. Mencken, Philip Rahv, Jay Sigmund, and Lee Ver Duft.

July -- October 1934. Including letters from: William E.M. Campbell, David C. DeJong, John Fante, Langston Hughes, Erling Larsen, Meridel LeSueur, Janet Lewis, George Perry, William Saroyan, Mark Shorer, Jean Toomer, and Lee Ver Duft.

November -- December 1934. Including letters from: John Kemmerer, Dale D. Kramer, Raymond Kresensky, Erling Larsen, Edward J. O’Brien, George Perry, and Roland A. White.

January -- February 1935. Including letters from: Kay Boyle, Jack Conroy, David DeJong, William Gibson, Dale Kramer, Raymond Kresensky, Erling Larsen, Edward J. O’Brien, Philip Rahv, Allen Seager, Jay Sigmund, and William Carlos Williams.

March -- April 1935. Including letters from: David C. DeJong, Paul Horgan, Jane Hutchins, Frank Luther Mott, Edward J. O’Brien, Jay G. Sigmund, and Jean Toomer.

May -- August 1935. Including letters from: Kay Boyle, Erling Larsen, Wilbur L. Schramm, Lee Ver Duft, Leo R. Ward, and Roland A. White.

September -- December 1935. Including letters from: David C. DeJong, Milton Lomask, Edward J. O’Brien, and Wilbur Schramm.

January -- June 1936. Including letters from: August Derleth, Frank Luther Mott, Edward J. O’Brien, Wilbur L. Schramm, Lee Ver Duft, Robert Penn Warren, Roland A. White.

July -- December 1936. Including letters from Meridel LeSueur and Sadie Seagrave.

1937. Including letters from Louise Braden and Susan Glaspell.

1938 -- 1939.

1940 -- 1954. Including letters from Wilbur L. Schramm.

1983.

1984.

1985 -- 1986.

Undated

A -- G. Including letters from: Nelson Algren, Charles Angoff, Harry Brown, Victor F. Calverton, August W. Derleth, and James T. Farrell.

H -- M. Including letters from: Josephine Herbst, Ronald Kirkbridge, Dale D. Kramer, Raymond Kresensky, Erling Larsen, Margery Latimer, Meridel LeSueur, Victoria Lincoln, H.L. Mencken, and Tillie Lerner Olsen.

N -- Z. Including letters from: Samuel Putnam, Lee Ver Duft, Jose Garcia Villa, and William Carlos Williams.

Box 4

Newspaper and magazine clippings, 1932 -- 1936 and undated.

The Windsor Quarterly, vol. 1, no. 1 (Spring 1933) (2 copies)

“Wren” by Karlton Kelm, pp. 62 -- 68.

“Those Nice Minters” by William Eulberg Kelm, pp. 75 -- 79.

The Magazine, vol. 1, no. 3. (Feb. 1934)

“Thoughts” by Karlton Kelm, pp. 96 -- 104.

“The Bright Morning” by William Eulberg Kelm, pp. 88 -- 90.

Dubuque Dial, no. 1 (June -- Dec. 1934)

“Hat Story” by Karlton Kelm, pp. 20 -- 23.

“In an Art Store” by William Eulberg Kelm, pp. 8 -- 10.

Medalion, vol. 1, no. 2 (Aug. -- Sept. 1934)

“Retired” by Karlton Kelm, pp. 34 -- 39.

“Difference in Age” by William Eulberg Kelm, pp. 17 -- 20.

Modern Story Selections, vol. 1, no. 2 (Nov. 1935)

“Brother” by Karlton Kelm, pp. 85 -- 94.

“Why He Married Her” by William Eulberg Kelm, pp. 19 -- 20.

Dubuque Dial, no. 2 (Dec. 1934)

“Greetings” by Karlton Kelm, pp. 45 -- 49.

“He Got Married” by William Eulberg Kelm, pp. 42 -- 43.

Dubuque Dial, no. 4 (Dec. 1935)

“The Living Dead” by Karlton Kelm, pp. 101 -- 103.

“The Torb Indias” by William Eulberg Kelm, 104 -- 107.

The Southwestern Journal, vol. 15, no. 3 (Winter 1935)

“Words” by Karlton Kelm, pp. 6, 31.

“Mr. and Mrs. Potscheider” by William Eulberg Kelm, pp. 20 -- 21, 34.

Literature, year 3, no. 1

“To the Accompaniment of Quiet Rain” by Karlton Kelm, pp. 1, 5.

“Marrying” by William Eulberg Kelm, pp. 1,6.

Dubuque Dial. Notes, memos, copyrights, and 4 issues (1934 -- 1935).

“The Bright Cloud” Typescript carbons of a play. (2 copies)

Brother

Original typescript version.

Typescript carbon. (2 copies)

Second version typescript, 1947.

Second version typescript (under title: A House Possessed).

Third version typescript (under title: The Other Woman). (2 folders)

Brother (cont.) Contracts, 1947 -- 1948.

“Faith, Hope, and Cherry” Draft of play in progress that was abandoned.

“Happy New Century” Typescript carbon of a play. (2 copies)

“The Little One” Typescript draft of a play in progress that was abandoned.

“The Love Blow” Typescript of a play, with copyright. Entry in the 1982 Colonial Players Biennial Playwright Contest. (2 copies)

“September Planting” Typescript carbon of a play, 1947. (2 copies)

“Water Wings” Typescript carbon of a play.

“Winter Wheat - A Drama in Three Acts”

Original typescript version, carbon.

Second typescript version (new title: "Homestead of the Free").

“Winter Wheat - A Drama in Three Acts” (cont.)

Third typescript version, carbon (new title: “September Planting”).

Typescript with holograph notes and revisions of a prose version of the play.

Typescripts with holograph notes of the play, various drafts (2 folders).

Contracts, 1947.

“Alone” Short story with holograph revisions.

“Bee” Typescripts of a short story with holograph revisions and various titles.

“Blame Marvin” Typescript of a story.

“Brian” Typescript of a short story.

“Bright Cloud” Holographs of a play (prose form) written on the verse of Hope Chest for a Shroud by Mae Howley Barry and Oh, Promise Me by La Fon and White.

“The Bright Cloud” Typescript carbon of a play. Entry in the 1982 Colonial Players Biennial Playwright Contest. (3 copies with correspondence)

The Cherry Bed. Copyright.

“Crazy” Various typescript drafts of a short story.

“Day Off” Typescript of a short story with holograph revisions.

“Dry Run” Holograph draft of a short story.

“Dummy at Bridge” Typescripts of a short story.

“Fathers Day” Typescript of a short story.

“Finding Out About Dad” Typescript and photocopies of a short story. Various drafts and titles.

“First Sentences” Incomplete holograph of a short story.

“Grief and Happiness at Home” Typescript of a short story. (photocopy)

“Happy New Century” Typescript carbon of a play, with correspondence, 1982.

“Heavy Cream” Typescript of a short story.

“The Holy Family” Typescript of a short story.

“Home Away From” Typescript of a short story.

“House in the Country” alternate title: “The Little One” Two typescript versions of a play with holograph notes.

“Identity” Typescript of a short story.

“January Thaw” Typescripts of a short story.

“The Last of Great Ladies” Holograph draft of a short story.

“The Little One” Holograph of a short story.

“London Bridge” Typescripts of a short story.

“Love” Typescripts of a short story.

“The Love Blow” Typescript of a play. Entry in the 1982 Colonial Players Biennial Playwright Contest. (2 copies)

“Miss Florence Normandy” Various typescript versions of a short story with holograph revisions.

“Mr. Mitcheson” Holograph draft of a short story.

“Moving” Typescript of a short story. (photocopy)

“My Brother Bill” Typescript of a short story with corrections and revisions.

“My Fair Lady” Revised short story.

“My Son Dorothy” Typescript holograph drafts of a short story.

“Nocturne” Typescript of a short story.

“An Old Man Remembers” Typescript of a short story.

“Poor Mama, Poor Mother Cat” Typescript of a short story.

“Redford, Bedford” Typescript of a short story.

“Religion at the Home” Typescript of a short story. (photocopy)

“Ricky’s Wife” Typescripts of a short story.

“The Ring” Typescript of a story with holograph revisions.

“A Rose for Rose” Photocopy of a short story typescript.

“Second Honeymoon” Various typescripts of a short story.

“Sun Roof” Typescript of a short story.

“Three Tombstones” Typescript of a short story.

“To the Proud” Revised short story.

“The Water Bugs” Typescript of a short story.

“The Water Lilies” Typescript of a television play including graded copies.

“Wenzels of Winnebago”

Typescript drafts of play

Part 1.

Part 2.

Revised version.

Miscellaneous pages, with numerous revisions.

“What Happened to Thursday” Typescripts of a short story.

“Wind and Confusion” Typescript of a short story.

Winter Kill. Typescript draft of a novel (incomplete).

“Words” Typescripts of a short story.

Miscellaneous incomplete typescripts of short stories and plays. (2 folders)

Development of the short story in America. Notes.

Famous Writers School, 1965 -- 1966. Volumes 1 -- 4, including aptitude test, assignments, teachers’ comments, etc. (3 folders)

Grant application, 1986. National Endowment for the Arts.

Biographical material, 1934 -- 1985.

List of short story and play submissions to publishers.

Quotations collected by Karlton Kelm.

Story ideas and notes.

Published works

“In Darkest Iowa,” The College Spokesman, vol. 25, no. 2 (Winter 1928), pp. 67 -- 75.

“One of the Family,” The College Spokesman, vol. 25, no. 3 (Spring 1928), pp. 163 -- 171.

“Hollywood Comes to Black Bottom - A Playlet," The College Spokesman, vol. 26, no. 2 (Winter 1928), pp. 106 -- 116.

“In Darkest Iowa - Part II,” The College Spokesman, vol. 26, no. 3 (1928 -- 1929), pp. 127 -- 138.

Published works (cont.)

“The Tuesday Club,” The College Spokesman, vol. 27, no. 1 (1929 -- 1930), pp. 47 -- 55.

“Cut-Outs,” The College Spokesman, vol. 27, no. 2 (1929 -- 1930), pp. 110 -- 114.

“The House,” The College Spokesman, vol. 27, no. 2 (1929 -- 1930), pp. 130 -- 134.

“Diary of the Old Lady of Dubuque,” The College Spokesman, vol. 27, no. 3 (1929 -- 1930), pp. 154 -- 176.

“Emile,” The College Spokesman, vol. 27, no. 4 (1929 -- 1930), pp. 260 -- 265.

“Purple Perfume,” Tambour, no. 8 (June 1930), pp. 44 -- 46.

“The Cherry Bed,” The American Mercury, vol. 23, no. 90(June 1931), pp. 223 -- 226.

“Bill and Carrie,” This Quarter, vol. 4, no. 3 (March 1932), pp. 511 -- 516.

“Morning Sun,” Pagany, vol. 3, no. 2 (Spring 1932), pp. 117 -- 121.

“The Water Lilies,” The American Mercury, vol. 26, no. 103(July 1932), pp. 369 -- 375.

“About Love,” Pagany, vol. 3, no. 4 (Fall-Winter 1932 -- 3), pp. 83 -- 88.

“Married Ten Years,” The Canadian Forum, vol. 13, no. 154 (July 1933), pp. 378 -- 382.

“It’s a Swell Day,” The Outlander, no. 3 (Summer 1933), pp. 47 -- 48.

“Wind and Confusion - A Story,” Fantasy, no. 2 (Autumn 1933), pp. 11 -- 14.

“My Father,” The Magazine, vol. 1, no. 1 (Dec. 1933), pp. 20 -- 21.

“Bless Me, Father,” Windsor Quarterly, vol. 1, no. 4 (Winter 1933 -- 34), pp. 322 -- 332.

“First Night of Summer,” A Year Magazine, section 2 (Dec. 1933 -- Apr. 1934), pp. 183 -- 185.

Published works (cont.)

“Yes, Mother,” The Little Magazine, vol. 1, no. 2 (Feb. -- Mar. 1934), pp. 24 -- 25.

“Ladies at the Home,” The Frontier and Midland, vol. 14, no. 3 (Mar. 1934), pp. 207 -- 211.

“Tinkle and Family Take a Ride,” International Literature, no. 6 (Mar. 1934), pp. 76 -- 79.

“Moon Mad,” Pollen, no. 1 (Mar. -- Apr. 1934), pp. 13 -- 15.

“A Little Girl Knocks at Your Door,” The Anvil, (Mar. -- Apr. 1934), pp. 19 -- 20. (pages missing from journal)

“My Fair Lady,” The Calithump, vol. 1, no. 3 (May 1934), pp. 1 -- 8.

“The Doctor and the Doll,” Debate, vol. 1, no. 4 (May 1934), pp. 23 -- 25.

“Please Omit Flowers,” The Monthly Review, vol. 1, no. 1 (June 1934), pp. 41 -- 43.

“The Three Tombstones,” The Calithump, vol. 2, no. 7 (Sept. 1934), pp. 12 -- 16.

“To the Proud,” The Monthly Review, vol. 1, no. 3 (Oct. 1934), pp. 19 -- 21.

“The Pillow,” Kosmos, vol. 3, no. 2 (Oct. -- Nov. 1934), pp. 16 -- 17.

“Pink Soap,” North American Review, vol. 238, no. 5 (Nov. 1934), pp. 406 -- 413.

“Religion in the Home,” Characters, vol. 1, no. 6 (Nov. -- Dec. 1934), pp. 173 -- 176.

“Out of Love,” The Latin Quarterly, vol. 1, no. 2 (Winter 1934), pp. 83 -- 84.

“Before Dinner,” HUB, vol. 1, no. 1 (1934), pp. 7 -- 9.

“Aunt Coe Allen,” The Tanager, vol. 10, no. 3 (Feb. -- Mar. 1935), pp. 17 -- 22.

“Chipped Beef,” Kosmos, vol. 3, no. 3 (Feb. -- Mar. 1935), pp. 20 -- 22.

“Red Ribbon Gone,” North American Review, vol. 239, no. 3 (Mar. 1935), pp. 234 -- 238.

“Wives,” The Southwestern Journal, vol. 15, no. 2 (Spring 1935), pp. 11, 23.

“Wisconsin Family After Supper,” The New Day, vol. 9, no. 39 (June 29, 1935), p. 2.

“Go and Sin No More,” Literary America, vol. 2, no. 8 (Aug. 1935), pp. 560 -- 572.

“No Word Spoken,” Manuscript, vol. 2, no. 5 (Sept. -- Oct. 1935), pp. 76 -- 79.

“The Misfit,” Literature, vol. 3, no. 2 (Nov. -- Dec. 1935), p. 5.

“Brother,” Prairie Schooner, vol. 9, no. 1 (Winter 1935), pp. 1 -- 12.

“The Woman Who Died Laughing,” American Prefaces, vol. 1, no. 8 (May 1936), pp. 119 -- 122.

“Turn Off the Radio,” American Prefaces, vol. 1, no. 9 (June 1936), pp. 134 -- 135.

“Father’s Day,” The North American Review, vol. 267, no. 4 (Dec. 1982), pp. 27 -- 30.

Published works (cont.)

“The Water Lilies,” The Hoboken Terminal, vol. 1, no. 2 (Fall 1982), pp. 50 -- 62.

“Children’s Corner,” The Hoboken Terminal, vol. 2, no. 1 (1983), pp. 60 -- 63.

“Brief Memoirs of the Great Depression,” The Literary Review, vol. 27, no. 1 (Fall 1983), pp. 12 -- 17.

“False Armistice,” Ascent, vol. 8, no. 3 (1983), pp. 36 -- 46.

“Women,” Wind, Literary Journal, vol. 13, no. 49 (1983), pp. 89 -- 95.

“Short Men Go a Long Way,” The Great Lakes Review, vol. 9, no. 2 (Fall 1983); vol. 10, no. 1 (Spring 1984), pp. 76 -- 87.

“The Two Arclights,” River City Review, no. 4 (Spring 1984), pp. 51 -- 57.

“Uncle Joey,” The Hoboken Terminal, vol. 3, no. 1 (1984), pp. 40 -- 53.

“Neighbors,” Re: Artes Liberales, vol. 10, no. 2 (Spring 1984), pp. 37 -- 44.

“Joe and Miss Florence Normandy,” Piedmont Literary Review, vol. 9, no. 2 (Summer 1984), pp. 14 -- 18.

“Musical Evenings,” The Literary Review, vol. 28, no. 1 (Fall 1984), pp. 23 -- 33.

“The Water Bugs,” Re: Artes Liberales, vol. 11, no. 1 (Fall 1984), pp. 35 -- 44.

“Identity,” South Dakota Review, vol. 22, no. 4 (Winter 1984), pp. 76 -- 84.

“Roof Garden,” The Medocino Review, vol. 8 (1984) pp. 165 -- 167.

“Brian,” WIND Magazine, vol. 14, no. 52 (1984), pp. 73 -- 82.

“Religion at the Home,” The Sun, no. 112 (Mar. 1985), pp. 20 -- 21.

“Love,” The Sun, no. 117 (Aug. 1985), p. 37.

“Dad and the Doctor,” The Chattahoochie Review, vol. 5, no. 4 (Summer 1985), pp. 13 -- 22.

“Redford, Bedford,” River City Review, vol. 4, no. 1 (Spring/Summer 1985), pp. 12 -- 13.

“Dummy at Bridge,” River City Review, vol. 4, no. 1 (Spring/Summer 1985), pp. 13 -- 16.

“The Choice,” AURA, no. 19 (Fall 1985), pp. 68 -- 76.

“Moving,” Re: Artes Liberales, vol. 12, no. 1 (Fall 1985), pp. 45 -- 50.

“Grief and Happiness at the Home,” The Sun, no. 121 (Dec. 1985), pp. 20 -- 23.

“Blame Marvin,” NO, no. 3 (1985), pp. 32 -- 35.

“Affection,” Touchstone, vol. 11, no. 1 (Spring 1986), pp. 16 -- 17.

“The Mother Cat,” The American Voice, no. 3 (Summer 1986), pp. 23 -- 28.

Published works (cont.)

“Words,” Ceilidh, vol. 3, no. 4 (Summer 1986), pp. 18 -- 22.

“Heavy Cream,” Wisconsin Academy Review, vol. 32, no. 4 (Sept. 1986), pp. 20 -- 23.

“What Happened to Thursday,” A.I.D. Review, vol. 2, no. 1 (1986), pp. 45 -- 48.

“A Rose for Rose,” Scripsit, vol. 1 (1986), pp. 21 -- 30.

“The Holy Family,” WIND Magazine, vol. 16, no. 56 (1986), pp. 78 -- 93.

“The Ring,” Confrontation, no. 33/34 (Fall/Winter 1986 -- 87), pp. 69 -- 82.

Copyrights, William Eulberg Kelm, 1919 -- 1944.

Published works

“The Lonely” Typescript of a short story with holographic revisions.

“The Wedding,” This Quarter, vol. 4, no. 4 (June 1932), pp. 637 -- 647.

“Company,” Pagany, vol. 3, no. 3 (Summer 1932), pp. 77 -- 82.

“Why He Married Her,” Panorama, no. 6 (Mar. 1934), p. 2.

“Immortality,” Kosmos, vol. 2, no. 2 (Mar. -- Apr. 1934), pp. 19 -- 22.

“Secrets of the Gods - A Story,” Fantasy, 4th year, no. 1 (Summer 1934), pp. 23 -- 27.

“The Comb,” Panorama, no. 10 (July 1934), p. 4.

“You are the Blessed,” Panorama, vol. 1, no. 12 (Sept. 1934), p. 7.

“Enough,” The Lance, vol. 2, no. 2 (Mar. -- Apr. 1935), pp. 14 -- 15.

“At Market,” Dubuque Dial, no. 3 (June 1935), pp. 78 -- 80.

“The Start,” The New Day, vol. 9, no. 46 (Aug. 17, 1935), p. 5.

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