Papers: 1918-1974
Linear Feet: 1.4
Restrictions: None
Biographical note
Lowry Nelson was born in Ferron, Utah in April of 1893. He attended college in
Utah and later earned a Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin. During his lifetime he
became a world known sociologist.
Nelson earned a B.S. degree at Utah State University in 1916. He spent the next
two decades working mainly in Utah. He served as the County Agricultural agent in
Sanpete County, Utah in 1919, he became the field agriculturist for the People's Sugar
Company in 1920 and edited the Utah Farmer from 1920-1922. He was associated with
Brigham Young University from 1921-1935. During the Depression he worked for the Utah
Relief Administration in 1934, he was regional advisor to the Federal Emergency Relief
Administration, and in 1935 became director of the Resettlement Administration. He was
then director of the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station at Logan. In 1937 he received
a position at the University of Minnesota in the Sociology Department.
During his tenure at the University of Minnesota, Nelson began to develop an
international reputation as a rural sociologist. In 1944 he did a study for the State
Department on rural life in the Caribbean. In 1945 he received a Fullbright to study rural
life in Italy. Dr. Nelson continued his international work taking an interest in different
aspects of Canadian rural life.
Dr. Nelson's works include several monographs and a multitude of articles and
papers ranging from rural life in Latin America, the United States and Canada as well as
studies on various Mormon Villages in Utah. Dr. Nelson died in Provo, Utah in 1986.
Scope and Content Note
This collection consists of the writings and correspondence of Lowry Nelson. The first box contains various articles by Nelson. The second box holds the carbon copy of his book, The Birth and Growth of a Science, and some smaller studies. Box three consists of reprints and seminar materials, and also contains notes for his class on Latin America. The fourth box holds Nelson's personal papers consisting mostly of correspondence. There are also some reprinted articles and two books in this box as well. This last box contains materials added to the collection after the first three boxes were already processed.
Inventory
Box I - 10 Items
Books
Book 1: Rural Sociology, copyright 1955, second edition.
Book 2: American Farm Life, copyright 1954.
Papers
1. Collected Papers (bound) 1948 - 1957.
2. "The Education of Commercial Fishermen in Manitoba", by Lowry Nelson and S. E. Sigurdson.
3. "Some Social Aspects of Agrarian Reform in Mexico, Bolivia, and Venezuela", by Lowry Nelson. 1964.
4. "Area Development in the Interlake, Problems and Proposals", by Lowry Nelson.
5. "Rural Sociology: Some Inter-American Aspects", by Lowry Nelson, July 1967.
6. "The Rise of Rural Sociology: The Pre-Purnell Period", by Lowry Nelson, December 1965.
7. "On George Edgar Vincent: Rural Social Scientist", by Lowry Nelson, December 1966.
8. "Social Change in Goodhue County, 1940 - 1965", by Lowry Nelson and George Donohue, 1966.
Box II - 25 Items
Fd 1: The Birth and Growth of a Science (Chapter 1) - The Social Climate in
America, 1870 - 1908. Carbon copy, p(1 page)-34.
Fd 2: The Birth and Growth of a Science (Chapter 2) - The Country Life
Association. Carbon copy, pp. 35-55.
Fd 3: The Birth and Growth of a Science (Chapter 3) - The Herald-Evangelists of
Rural Life. Carbon copy, pp. 56-78.
Fd 4: The Birth and Growth of a Science (Chapter 4) - Early Development of the
Social Sciences. Carbon copy, pp. 79-93.
Fd 5: The Birth and Growth of a Science (Chapter 5) - Influence of Agricultural
Economics and General Sociology. Carbon copy, pp. 94-122.
Fd 6: The Birth and Growth of a Science (Chapter 6) - Charles Josiah Galpin
(1864-1947). Carbon copy, p(1 page)23-150.
Fd 7: The Birth and Growth of a Science (Chapter 7) - Sending Down the Roots.
Carbon copy, p(1 page)51-185.
Fd 8: The Birth and Growth of a Science (Chapter 8) - The Growth and the
Spread. Carbon copy, p(1 page)86-219.
Fd 9: The Birth and Growth of a Science (Chapter 9) - Church-Sponsored Rural
Studies. Carbon copy, pp. 220-238.
Fd 10: The Birth and Growth of a Science (Chapter 10) - How They Became Rural
Sociologists: Some Memoirs. Carbon copy, pp. 239-284.
Fd 11: The Birth and Growth of a Science (Chapter 11) - Post-Galpin Federal
Support for Sociology. Carbon copy, pp. 285-318.
Fd 12: The Birth and Growth of a Science (Chapter 12) - Scope and Content of
Rural Sociology. Carbon copy, pp. 319-368.
Fd 13: The Birth and Growth of a Science (Chapter 13) - The Profession. Carbon
copy, pp. 369-400.
Fd 14: The Birth and Growth of a Science (Chapter 14) - Rural Sociologists
Abroad. Carbon copy, pp. 401-429.
Fd 15: The Birth and Growth of a Science (Chapter 15) - Progress - Problems -
Perspectives. Carbon copy, pp. 430-453.
Envelope #1: Printer's proof - Cuba: The Means of a Revolution, p(1 page)-206.
Envelope #2: Brigham Young University Studies and Some Other Rural Studies.
BYU Studies
1) Some Social and Economic Features of American Fork, Utah.
2) The Mormon Village: A Study in Social Origins.
3) The Utah Farm Village of Ephraim.
4) A Social Survey of Escalante, Utah.
Other Studies
1) The Mormon Settlements in Alberta.
2) The Green River Drought Relief Project of 1939.
3) Intermarriage Among Nationality Groups in a Rural Area of
Minnesota.
4) How Satisfying is Rural Life?
5) Distribution Age and Mobility of Minnesota Physicians, 1912 -
1936.
Box III - 134 Items
Fd 1: Reprints - Lowry Nelson publication reprints, mostly from Rural Sociology.
Fd 2: Community Theory and Development Seminars - Seminar Outlines, Reports,
and Notes.
Fd 3: Seminar Material: Comparative Rural Societies in Europe - (Part 1) Outline
and reports of Seminar given by Lowry Nelson at the University of Minnesota.
Fd 4: Seminar Material: Comparative Rural Societies of Europe (part 2).
Fd 5: Chile Notes: Notes are miscellaneous material or collected by Lowry Nelson
when he was Consultant to Aid, 1960 (April - June).
Fd 6: Course on Latin America, Notes - (Part 1) Lowry Nelson notes and
bibliography for course on land, people, and institutions of Latin America including maps
and reprints on the subject.
Fd 7: Course on Latin America, Notes (Part 2).
Box IV Personal Papers
Fd 1 Incoming Correspondence from Delta Nu Fraternity brothers
1 Note by Lowry Nelson giving background of correspondents 1974
2 Letter from Langton Barber (Bud) (1 page) September 18, 1918
3 Letter (consisting of three postal cards mailed in one envelope) from Verne Oberhansley October 5, 1918
4 Letter from Clyde Stratford (1 page) October 5, 1918
5 Post card from Langton Barber December 23, 1918
6 Letter from Bernard (Trolley) Nichols (2 page) February 11, 1919
7 Letter from Bernard (Trolley) Nichols (2 page) June 4, 1919
Fd 2 Incoming and Outgoing Correspondence with officials of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on the Negro Issue.
8 Incoming letter from Heber Meeks (1 page) June 20, 1947
9 Outgoing letter to Heber Meeks (1 page) June 26, 1947
10 Outgoing letter to Pres. George Albert Smith (1 page) June 26, 1947
11 Copies of four letters on one page
a.) Incoming letter form Joseph Anderson July 1, 1947
b.) Incoming letter from Joseph Anderson July 17, 1947
c.) Incoming letter from George Albert Smith, J. Reuben Clark, Jr., and David O. McKay July 17, 1947
d.) Incoming letter from George Albert Smith November 12, 1947
12 Copy of Outgoing letter to the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (2 page) October 8, 1947
13 Incoming letter from Joseph Anderson May 23, 1952
Fd 3 Incoming and Outgoing Correspondence with USU individuals - mostly in connection with L. Nelson Collection.
14 Outgoing letter to Pres. Dean Taggart (1 page) September 24, 1968
15 Outgoing letter to "the librarian. USU" (1 page) November 7, 1969
16 Incoming letter from Pres. Glen L. Taggart (1 page) May 1, 1974
17 Incoming letter from Pres. Glen L. Taggart (1 page) May 3, 1974
18 Outgoing letter to Sorenson (1 page) May 13, 1974
19 Outgoing letter to Pres. Glen L. Taggart (1 page) May 13, 1974
20 Outgoing letter to Jeff Simmonds (1 page) May 20, 1974
Fd 4 Miscellaneous Writings
1 Explanatory Note - 1974, Report of the First Annual Encampment of Troop 6, Logan, Utah August 1917
2 Explanatory Note, talk for church meeting "If This Council" presented Nov. 1917
3 Notes on parts of Utah during WWI July 15, 1918-June 20, [1919]
4 Poetry written by Lowry Nelson, included in Poems of the West published 1925
5 Copy of commencement address at the University of Utah, August 30, 1950, as printed in the Western Humanities Reviews.
6 Explanatory Note - May 1974, copy of article "The Mormons and the Negro" as submitted to The Nation in which it was published May 24, 1952
Fd 5 Miscellaneous
1 Note from Pres. Peterson
2 Invitation to party given in honor of L. Nelson
3. Article from "Utah Extension News " - March 1921 "New Grape Juice in an Old bottle"
4. Notice of Appointment - April 27, 1937
5. Notice of Termination - March 8, 1920
6. Picture of USU Agronomy Field Day - July 31, 1937
(Removed to USU Photograph Archive)
Articles and books that include references to Lowry Nelson - located in Box IV after folders:
Shapes for the Deep Unrest
Three Essays: The Radiant Apex, Wright and his Helix, Mold of Fire by Carlton Culmsee - November 1970
Culture Change in Brazil: An Analytical Model by H. W. Hutchinson Reprint from Journal of Inter-American Studies Vol. VI, No. 3, July 1964
Value Orientations and Northeast Brazilian Agro-Industrial Modernization by H. W. Hutchinson -Reprint from Inter-American Economic Affairs Vol. 21, No. 4
Federal Government Efforts to "Americanize" Utah Before Admission to Statehood
By Gustive O. Larson -Reprint from BYU Studies, Winter 1970
Integrity in Politics - Common Cause Report From Washington, Extra Edition: December 1973 - January 1974 Vol. 4, Number 2
Cuban Studies Newsletter Vol. 4, December 1973, Center for Latin American Studies University Center for International Studies, University of Pittsburgh
The Poets of the Future: A College Anthology for 1915-16, Edited by Henry T. Schnittkind, Ph.D., The Stratford Co., Publishers: Boston, 1916.
The Poets of the Future: A College Anthology for 1916-17, Edited by Henry T. Schnittkind, Ph.D., The Stratford Co., Publishers: Boston, 1917.
Register Updated by: Jolyn Hunting
Update Completed: May 2000
For more information: 435/797-2663; Manuscript Librarian.
Special Collections & Archives, Merrill Library, Utah State University Libraries, Utah State University 84322-3000
