Eli Lilly
Papers, 1937–1961

Processed by

Charles Latham and Betty Alberty
Paul Brockman, Supervisor
30 March 2005
Visuals Revised by Dorothy Nicholson
August 2006

Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269

www.indianahistory.org

COLLECTION INFORMATION

VOLUME OF COLLECTION:	8 Manuscript Boxes; 1 Box of Photographs, 14 Negatives
COLLECTION DATES:	1937–1961
PROVENANCE:	Eli Lilly, Indianapolis IN 2 March 1976
RESTRICTIONS:	None
COPYRIGHT:
REPRODUCTION RIGHTS:	Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society.
ALTERNATE FORMATS:
RELATED HOLDINGS:	SC 971, small amount of Mr. Lilly's correspondence; SC 2000, application for marriage license, 1907.
ACCESSION NUMBER:	1976.0304
NOTES:

Eli Lilly (1885-1977) was born in Indianapolis, the son of Josiah Kirby Lilly and Lilly Maria Ridgely Lilly. He graduated from Shortridge High School in 1904, and three years later earned a degree as Pharmaceutical Chemist from Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. In 1935 he received a Ph. M. degree from the same institution.

In 1907 he began work at Eli Lilly and Company, the pharmaceutical firm founded by his grandfather. From 1909 to 1915 he was superintendent of the manufacturing division; from 1915 to 1920 he was general superintendent; from 1920 to 1932 vice president; and from 1932 to 1948 president. He served as board chairman from 1948 to 1961 and from 1966 to 1969, and as honorary board chairman from 1961 to 1966 and from 1969 until his death. During his lifetime, and largely because of his efforts, the company grew to a billion-dollar-a-year business.

Mr. Lilly had several intense interests outside his business. One was philanthropy. In 1937 he initiated the establishment of Lilly Endowment, which became the third largest philanthropic foundation in the country. Dying without immediate family, he left generous bequests to many organizations, particularly religious and educational institutions in Indianapolis, which had a major effect on their outlook and operation.

He was also actively interested in archaeology and history, and became a respected participant in both fields. In cooperation with Glenn Black, he worked on the prehistory of Indiana, and produced two books, Prehistoric Antiquities of Indiana (1937) and Walam Olum (1954). A continuing interest in Greek archaeology resulted in Schliemann in Indianapolis (1961). A lifelong love of Lake Wawasee led him to write Early Wawasee Days (1960). The Civil War was also an area of interest to him, and he led the local chapter of the Loyal Legion, meeting in Foster Hall at the Lilly Orchard, to become a sort of Civil War round table. When he bought a large farm outside Noblesville in order to raise Percheron horses, he discovered that the farmhouse had belonged to pioneer William Conner, and worked to restore the building.

Mr. Lilly was also a religious man, quite active in the affairs of Christ Church (Episcopal). He contributed to the restoration of the church building, erected in 1859, and to having it made the diocesan cathedral. He wrote a history of the church, The Little Church on the Circle (1957). During the 1950s and 1960s he worked, in a partnership which was not always easy, with activists Bishop John P. Craine and Dean Paul Moore, Jr. (later Bishop of New York).

An interest in inculcating religious values through education brought him to espouse the ideas of Ernest M. Ligon (b. 1897), whose The Psychology of Christian Personality (Macmillan, 1935) claimed to "interpret the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount in terms of psychology."

Sources:

Who Was Who in America, Vol. 7.

Indiana State Library, Indiana Biographical Series, Vol. 69 p. 14, Vol. 84, pp. 80-84.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection contains typed manuscripts of books, and a small amount of related correspondence, research notes, and photographs and drawings. The books were published between 1937 and 1961. The collection is arranged by book.

Lilly’s materials relating to his Early Wawasee Days book consist of two typescripts of the publication. Also contained within this section is a carbon typescript of a book on early education by Leona J. Smith. Each chapter is headed by a quotation from Ernest M. Ligon, and the general theme of the book is the inculcating of Christian values in young children up to the age of nine.

Materials for Schliemann in Indianapolis consist of a photocopied typescript of the book. Illustrations for this book, line drawings and portraits of Schliemann and his wife, are stored with Visual Collections.

Items for Prehistoric Antiquities of Indiana consist of a carbon typescript of the manuscript. Photographic illustrations for this book, mainly of pottery and arrowheads, are stored with Visual Collections.

Lilly’s material for Little Church on the Circle contains the original typescript, with many editorial changes. Photographic illustrations for this book are stored with Visual Collections. Also included with this publications materials are typed cards with research notes for the book.

series CONTENTS

Series 1: Early Wawasee Days Manuscript

CONTENTS	CONTAINER
Early Wawasee Days, pp 1-25	Box 1, Folder 1
Early Wawasee Days, pp.26–67	Box 1, Folder 2
Early Wawasee Days, pp. 68–95	Box 1, Folder 3
Manuscript of Leona J. Smith, pp. 1–71	Box 1, Folder 4
Manuscript of Leona J. Smith, pp. 72–167	Box 1, Folder 5
Manuscript of Leona J. Smith, pp. 168–231	Box 1, Folder 6
Manuscript of Leona J. Smith, pp. 232–289	Box 1, Folder 7
Manuscript of Leona J. Smith, pp. 290–343	Box 1, Folder 8
Manuscript of Leona J. Smith, pp. 344–391	Box 1, Folder 9
Lilly fishing party, ca. 1937	Photographs: Box 1, Folder 8

Series 2: Schliemann in Indianapolis Manuscript

CONTENTS	CONTAINER
Schliemann in Indianapolis , Photocopy of Typescript, pp 1–17	Box 1, Folder 10
Schliemann in Indianapolis , Photocopy of Typescript, pp. 18–50	Box 1, Folder 11
Schliemann in Indianapolis , Photocopy of Typescript, pp. 51–73	Box 1, Folder 12
Schliemann in Indianapolis , Photocopy of Typescript, pp. 74–100	Box 1, Folder 13
Schliemann in Indianapolis , Photocopy of Typescript, pp. 101–125	Box 1, Folder 14
Schliemann in Indianapolis , Photocopy of Typescript, pp. 126–157	Box 1, Folder 15
Schliemann in Indianapolis , Photocopy of Typescript, pp. 158–183	Box 1, Folder 16
Schliemann in Indianapolis , Photocopy of Typescript, pp. 184–206	Box 1, Folder 17
Schliemann in Indianapolis , Correspondence	Box 1, Folder 18
Schliemann in Indianapolis , Illustrations	Photographs: Box 1, Folder 1
Heinrich Schliemann Transcripts, 1869, 1872	Box 8, Folder 1
Heinrich Schliemann Transcripts, 1869, 1872	Box 8, Folder 2
Heinrich Schliemann Transcripts, 1870	Box 8, Folder 3
Heinrich Schliemann Transcripts, 1870	Box 8, Folder 4
Heinrich Schliemann Transcripts, 1870	Box 8, Folder 5
Heinrich Schliemann Transcripts, 1870	Box 8, Folder 6
Heinrich Schliemann Transcripts, 1868–71	Box 8, Folder 7
Heinrich Schliemann Transcripts, 1868–69	Box 8, Folder 8
Heinrich Schliemann Transcripts, 1869	Box 8, Folder 9

Series 3: Prehistoric Antiquities of Indiana, Manuscript

CONTENTS	CONTAINER
Prehistoric Antiquities of Indiana, Carbon Typescript, pp. 1–46	Box 2, Folder 1
Prehistoric Antiquities of Indiana, Carbon Typescript, pp. 47–88	Box 2, Folder 2
Prehistoric Antiquities of Indiana, Carbon Typescript, 90–130	Box 2, Folder 3
Prehistoric Antiquities of Indiana, Carbon Typescript, pp. 131–182	Box 2, Folder 4
Prehistoric Antiquities of Indiana, Carbon Typescript, pp. 183–236	Box 2, Folder 5
Prehistoric Antiquities of Indiana, Carbon Typescript, pp. 237–297	Box 2, Folder 6
Prehistoric Antiquities of Indiana, Carbon Typescript, pp. 298–348	Box 2, Folder 7
Prehistoric Antiquities of Indiana, Illustrations (1 of 5)	Photographs: Box 1, Folder 2
Prehistoric Antiquities of Indiana, Illustrations (2 of 5)	Photographs: Box 1, Folder 3
Prehistoric Antiquities of Indiana, Illustrations (3 of 5)	Photographs: Box 1, Folder 4
Prehistoric Antiquities of Indiana, Illustrations (4of 5)	Photographs: Box 1, Folder 5
Prehistoric Antiquities of Indiana, Illustrations (5 of 5)	Photographs: Box 1, Folder 6

Series 4: Little Church on the Circle, Manuscript

CONTENTS	CONTAINER
Little Church on the Circle, Typescript, pp. 1–35	Box 2, Folder 8
Little Church on the Circle, Typescript, pp. 36–95	Box 2, Folder 9
Little Church on the Circle, Typescript, pp. 96–158	Box 2, Folder 10
Little Church on the Circle, Typescript, pp. 159–199	Box 2, Folder 11
Little Church on the Circle, Typescript, pp. 200–238	Box 2, Folder 12
Little Church on the Circle, Typescript, pp. 239–282	Box 3, Folder 1
Little Church on the Circle, Typescript, pp. 283–322	Box 3, Folder 2
Little Church on the Circle, Typescript, pp. 323–368	Box 3, Folder 3
Little Church on the Circle, Typescript, pp. 369–416	Box 3, Folder 4
Little Church on the Circle, Typescript, pp. 417–465	Box 3, Folder 5
Little Church on the Circle, Typescript, pp. 466–538	Box 3, Folder 6
Little Church on the Circle, Typescript, pp. 539–599	Box 3, Folder 7
Little Church on the Circle, Typescript, pp. 600–646	Box 3, Folder 8
Little Church on the Circle, Typescript, Index	Box 3, Folder 9
Little Church on the Circle, Typescript, Illustrations	Box 3, Folder 10
Little Church on the Circle, Photographs for Illustrations	Photographs: Box 1, Folder 7
Little Church on the Circle, Negatives for Illustrations of Church interiors	8 x 10 Acetate Negatives Negatives [1–13]
Little Church on the Circle, Negatives for Illustration of Bishop Talbot	5 x 7 Acetate Negatives Negative [14]
Little Church on the Circle, Research Note Cards for Years 1821–46	Box 4
Little Church on the Circle, Research Note Cards for Years 1847–60	Box 5
Little Church on the Circle, Research Note Cards for Years 1861–63	Box 6
Little Church on the Circle, Biographical History and Battle of the Thames, 1806–35	Box 7

CATALOGING INFORMATION

For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:

1. Go to the Indiana Historical Society's online catalog: http://opac.indianahistory.org/

2. Click on the "Basic Search" icon.

3. Select "Call Number" from the "Search In:" box.

4. Search for the collection by its basic call number (in this case, M 0184).

5. When you find the collection, go to the "Full Record" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.

Collection #

M0184

Eli Lilly Papers, 1937–1961