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Theron H. Luke papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2393

Scope and Contents note

Contains a collection of Luke's manuscripts, newspaper articles, and university course lectures. Includes photographs of and correspondence with family and business associates. Also includes newspaper clippings and correspondence relating to historical events throughout Luke's life. Contains photocopies of Luke's newspaper column, "As It Looks To Luke," printed in The Daily Herald and Deseret News (1980-1986 inclusive). Also includes original newspaper clippings of his article "Off the Beat" from 1965-1975. Also includes a collection of the manuscripts Luke submitted for publication in various magazines, occasionally under the pseudonym of Louise Howard. Also includes letters from publishers. Large portions of the collection are devoted to correspondence with daughters Jayne, Virginia, and Barbara Ellen (1958-1987 inclusive). Included are original photographs of Luke and his immediate and extended family. Contains personal correspondence and newspaper clippings from 1953-1990 and a list of books contained in his personal library. The papers also contain correspondence with Samuel Taylor, to whom Luke sent copies of his manuscripts for editing; work-related correspondence, including that exchanged with Robert Redford; and documents regarding certain points of LDS doctrine. Included are Luke's scrapbook notes and certificates/awards received from various historical societies. The collection holds twelve videorecordings of lectures, prepared by Luke, surveying the early history of Utah, and the notes used to compile the lectures.

Dates

  • approximately 1887-1990

Creator

Conditions Governing Access note

Open for public research.

Conditions Governing Use note

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from the Theron H. Luke papers must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Board of Curators.

Biographical History

Theron H. Luke (1912-1987) was a historian, newpaper editor, and aspiring writer.

Theron H. Luke, born and raised in Utah, was a historian, newspaper editor, and aspiring writer. He attended Brigham Young University for three years, working on the university newspaper, and married Zelda Louise Morley in 1934. His early professional career took them to Anchorage, Alaska, where he worked for the local radio station and newspaper. Upon returning to Utah four years later, Luke accepted employment at the Provo Daily Herald, where he would work until retiring in 1977. While at the Daily Herald, Luke served as the city editor and wrote a weekly column entitled "Off The Beat". He later penned the column "As It Looks To Luke" on a part-time basis for both the Daily Herald and the Deseret News following his retirement. Luke was a trustee of the Utah State Historical Society and a member of the Utah State Board of History. He was an instructor in early Utah and Mormon history for many years at Utah Valley Technical College in Provo, Utah. An aspiring writer, Luke submitted numerous short stories for publication; unfortunately, few were accepted. Following a battle with cancer, Luke died in 1987.

Extent

3 boxes (1.5 linear feet)

13 cartons (13 linear feet)

1 oversize box (0.75 linear feet)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Contains a collection of Luke's manuscripts, newspaper articles, and university course lectures. Includes photographs of and correspondence with family and business associates. Also includes newspaper clippings and correspondence relating to historical events throughout Luke's life. Contains photocopies of Luke's newspaper column, "As It Looks To Luke," printed in The Daily Herald and Deseret News (1980-1986 inclusive). Also includes original newspaper clippings of his article "Off the Beat" from 1965-1975. Also includes a collection of the manuscripts Luke submitted for publication in various magazines, occasionally under the pseudonym of Louise Howard. Also includes letters from publishers. Large portions of the collection are devoted to correspondence with daughters Jayne, Virginia, and Barbara Ellen (1958-1987 inclusive). Included are original photographs of Luke and his immediate and extended family. Contains personal correspondence and newspaper clippings from 1953-1990 and a list of books contained in his personal library. The papers also contain correspondence with Samuel Taylor, to whom Luke sent copies of his manuscripts for editing; work-related correspondence, including that exchanged with Robert Redford; and documents regarding certain points of LDS doctrine. Included are Luke's scrapbook notes and certificates/awards received from various historical societies. The collection holds twelve videorecordings of lectures, prepared by Luke, surveying the early history of Utah, and the notes used to compile the lectures.

Arrangement

Carton 1 of the collection contains manuscripts submitted for publication, editing correspondence with Samuel Taylor, and rejection letters from publishers. Carton 2 contains newspaper clippings, photographs, and other information recognizing historical figures. Also includes personal correspondence, newspaper clippings, and original manuscripts. Carton 3 contains work-related correspondence, as well as that exchanged with Robert Redford and daughters Jayne and Virginia, from 1958-1988 inclusive. Carton 4 contains correspondence with daughter Ellen from 1960-1987 inclusive. Carton 5 contains photocopies of Luke's newspaper columns, scrapbook notes, lectures, personal correspondence, certificates and awards received, and photographs of his family. Carton 6 contains original photographs of Luke's early life, his professional career, later life, and other family/ancestors. The oversized box 7 contains a scrapbook of various newspaper articles and letters. Carton 8 contains oral histories, photographs, articles, pamphlets, sheet music, newspaper clippings (copies), maps, and cassette tapes concerning Mt. Timpanogos and other trails, and geology studies, dated circa 1853, 1911-1983. Carton 9 contains articles, newspapers, and cassette tapes, mostly concerning Luke's research on Timpanogos, dated 1922-1985. Box 10 contains the newspaper Off the Beaten Path, containing Theron’s column in BYU Sports Magazine, dated 1978-1981, 1987. Boxes 11-17 contains Luke's files, A-W and his course materials.

Other Finding Aids

Box-level inventory available online. http://files.lib.byu.edu/ead/XML/MSS2393.xml

Custodial History note

Cartons 7 and 8 and box 9 were donated by Zelda Luke in 1991. Boxes 11-17 were donated by Zelda Luke in 1988.

Immediate Source of Acquisition note

Donated; Zelda Luke; 1988, 1991.

Appraisal note

Utah and American West and LDS cultural, social, and religious history (20th Century Western & Mormon Manuscripts collection development policy, 5.VII, 2007).

Related Materials

Additional materials available in previous Luke Family Papers: Accession #A88-017: 7 boxes containing assorted personal papers and documents on Mormonism. Accession #A91-045: 1 box containing Brigham Young University Sports newspapers and an 1889 edition of the Salt Lake Herald Accession #A91-004: 2 boxes containing personal papers, audio tapes, and photographs Accession #A88-142: 2 boxes containing audio tapes of Luke's lectures and newspaper articles.

Processing Information note

Processed; Melissa Cowles, student processor, and John Murphy, curator; 2008.

Title
Register of Theron H. Luke papers
Status
Completed
Date
2008
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English in Latin script.

Repository Details

Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository

Contact:
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo Utah 84602 United States