Indiana Historical Society - Manuscripts & Archives
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Biographical Sketch
Scope and Content Note
Folder List
Cataloguing Information
Processed by
Charles Latham
7 April 1995
VOLUME OF COLLECTION: 1 small manuscript box
COLLECTION DATE: ca 1960
PROVENANCE: Unknown
RESTRICTIONS: None
REPRODUCTION RIGHTS: Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained in writing from the Indiana Historical Society
ALTERNATE FORMATS: None
OTHER FINDING AIDS: None
RELATED HOLDINGS: None
ACCESSION NUMBER: 95.0323X
Mary Steele Owen (b. 1913) was born in Indianapolis, the daughter of Perceval W. and Meta (Steele) Owen. She graduated from Franklin College, and earned master's and doctoral degrees from Indiana University.
From 1937 to 1943 Owen taught in high schools. She then taught at Indiana University (1943-1946) and at Butler University (1946-1948). In 1948 she returned to Franklin College, becoming a full professor there in 1954. She later was chairman of the history department at Sam Houston State College in Huntsville, Texas.
Sources: Indiana Lives, 592
Personalities of the West and Midwest (1979), 418
This collection contains one item, the carbon copy of a book manuscript based on Mary Steele Owen's 1954 doctoral dissertation at Indiana University, entitled "The American Frontiersman: A French Portrait." Since the latest bibliographic reference is 1959, this revision was probably done about 1960. It discusses the American frontier as seen by French travelers and commentators of the period.
Folder
1: Chapter I The appeal of the West: Motives for migration
2: Chapter II Human ingredients: Foreign nationalities
3: Chapter III American element: Yankee and Virginian
4: Chapter IV The frontier setting
5: Chapter V The frontier family at home
6: Chapter VI Hunting and farming
7: Chapter VII Businesses and professions
8-9: Chapter VIII Character and personality
10: Chapter IX The portrait
11: Bibliography
MAIN ENTRY: Owen, Mary Steele, 1913-
SUBJECT ENTRIES: Frontier and pioneer life--United States
Pioneers--United States
French--United States
Travelers--United States
Northwest, Old--Description and travel
United States--Description and travel--To 1783
United States--Description and travel--1783-1848
END