M87-08
The papers of Harold M. Sherman consist of correspondence, publications, family papers, photographs, both audio and visual recordings and memorabilia. They reflect the long and prolific life of the author, lecturer and humanitarian, Harold Sherman, and reveal the family ties between Harold, his wife Martha and their two daughters, Mary and Marcia. He wrote numerous books and magazine articles on a variety of subjects ranging from sports stories for boys to self‑help books, and books dealing with psychic phenomena and ESP. He also wrote many plays, some of which were produced on Broadway. The screenplay for the movie "Mark Twain" produced by Warner Brothers was also to his credit, as well as the movie "Are We Civilized." He was world renowned in the field of psychic research and conducted experiments with such prominent persons as Sir Hubert Wilkins, famous Artic explorer, Dr. J. B. Rhine of Duke University who coined the terms parapsychology and ESP, and astronaut Neil Armstrong. Not among the least of his accomplishments were his activities for the betterment of Stone County and Arkansas, his adopted state.
Harold Morrow Sherman was born July 13, 1898 in Traverse City, Michigan. Graduating in 1916 from Traverse City High School, he attended the University of Michigan until his career there was terminated by World War I. He married Martha Bain, also of Traverse City, on September 26, 1920. Shortly afterward he launched a writing career that took him to Chicago and eventually New York, Hollywood and finally to Arkansas. He continued to write in his little home near Mountain View almost until his death on August 19, 1987 at age 89.
An energetic person, Harold Sherman was interested in local, state and national politics and was avidly interested in world affairs. These interests and activities, however, did not prevent his involvement in helping individuals from throughout the world. Volumes of correspondence came from those in distress from all stations of life; and each letter was thoughtfully answered. The citizens of Stone County can be grateful to Harold Sherman for road improvement, the development of recreation areas and tourism and for electricity being brought to the Kahoka and Ben areas in 1950. In residence in Arkansas since 1947, the Sherman's have been contributors to, and staunch supporters of their adopted state.
The correspondence covers a period of 80 years with the earliest documented being dated in 1907. However the bulk of the correspondence begins in the 1920s.
Note: When requesting materials please specify collection number [M87‑8], series number, sub series number if applicable, box number and file number.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in four series including (1) Correspondence (2) Publications (3) Audio Visuals (4) Oversize and Memorabilia.
Series I ‑ Correspondence
Subseries I ‑ Family: Family letters, biographical material, business papers and greeting cards.
Subseries II ‑ Personal: Correspondence with personal friends.
Subseries III – Political and Arkansas Correspondence: Begins in 1942 after the Sherman’s first trip to Arkansas when they purchased their farm at Mountain View. It contains correspondence with prominent Arkansas politicians such as Governor Sid McMath, Governor Orval Faubus, Senator J.W. Fulbright, Congressman Wilbur Mills and others.
Subseries IV ‑ Political: Contains correspondence with prominent national political figures, the most extensive and significant being Senator Burton K. Wheeler of Massachusetts who was known for his opposition to U.S. involvement in World War II.
Subseries V ‑ Publications, Projects, Producers, and Agents: Correspondence with publishers, producers, agents and with various others who sponsored Sherman's ideas and projects.
Subseries VI ‑ Psychic and ESP: Correspondence from all over the world dealing with every aspect of psychic phenomena and ESP.
Series II ‑ Publications
Subseries I ‑ Published Books: Bound volumes of all Harold Sherman's books.
Subseries II ‑ Periodicals: Copies of periodicals in which articles by Harold Sherman appear.
Subseries III ‑ Plays and Movie Scripts
Subseries IV ‑ Book and Short Story Manuscripts: Some unpublished material.
Subseries V ‑ Printed Material Relating Primarily to Matters of a Psychic Nature (various authors)
Series III ‑ Audio/Visual
Subseries I ‑ Cassettes, Reel to Reel Tapes, Records, Video Cassettes and Movie Film. Materials are mostly of a psychic nature but does contain folk music from Mountain View area as well as a TV Pilot, "The Adventures of My Dog Sheppy" and other materials.
Subseries II ‑ Photographs: Consists of family photo- graphs, friends and many photographs taken on lecture tours to various places in the U.S. and in the world. Also contains many local photographs of landscapes of Blanchard Springs and the Mountain View areas.
Series IV ‑ Memorabilia and Oversize: Contains oversize posters and paste‑ups for advertising lectures, plays and movies, and oversize photographs and recordings. Also includes scrap- books and two boxes of personal memorabilia.
Series V - Business paper and miscellaneous material
Tracings
Blanchard Springs
Bumpers, Governor Dale
Carnes, Jack and Gressie
Cities and Towns ‑ Mountain View
Counties ‑ Stone
Driftwood, Jimmy
Electrical Service ‑ Stone County
Extra Sensory Perception
Faubus, Governor Orval E.
Folklore
Folk Music
Forests and Forestry
Fulbright, Senator J.W.
Image and Reputation
McMath, Governor Sid
Mills, Congressman Wilbur D.
Ozark Folk Center
Politics and Government
Pollard, Al
Psychic Phenomena
Public Utilities ‑ Electricity
Sherwood, Diana
Stone, Clement
Tourism
Transportation ‑ Highways
Wheeler, Senator Burton K.
Writers
Photograph Tracings
Blanchard Springs
Counties ‑ Stone
Driftwood, Jimmy
Psychic Phenomena
Psychic Surgery
Sherman, Harold M.
Sherman, Harold M. ‑ Family
Chronology
July 13, 1898 ‑ Harold Sherman born
December 5, 1898 ‑ Martha Bain (Sherman) born
October 13, 1914 ‑ Edward Sherman (Harold's brother) died following an accident.
1916 ‑ Harold Sherman's article "The Settlement of Traverse" won a DAR essay contest and was published by the Michigan Historical Commission.
September 26, 1920 ‑ Harold and Martha married
March 1, 1921 ‑ Thomas H. Sherman (Harold's father) died of brain tumor.
October 3, 1921 ‑ Mary Alcinda (daughter) born
1924 ‑ Sherman moved to New York City
August 26, 1929 ‑ Marcia Anne (daughter) born
December 1933 ‑ Harold Sherman goes to California to work on the movie "Are We Civilized"
1937 ‑ Sir Hubert Wilkins/Sherman experiment in mental telepathy
December 1938 ‑ Martha's mother (Mary Ellen Bain) died
1941 ‑ Sherman moved to Hollywood
May 1942 ‑ Sherman's first trip to Arkansas, bought property at Mountain View
1942 ‑ Thoughts Through Space published
May 9, 1943 ‑ Mary Sherman's married Bernard Joseph Kobiella
February 18‑24, 1947 ‑ "Mark Twain" performed on stage at Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida.
May 1947 ‑ Sherman move to Mountain View from Chicago
February 13, 1949 ‑ Marcia Sherman married Wendell Ray Smith
May 1950 ‑ Martha Sherman suffers from Rocky Mountain spotted fever
May 25, 1950 ‑ Electricity arrives at Kahoka ‑ Ben areas
September 1950 ‑ Aunt Flora Baldwin died
September 1950 ‑ Mrs. Alcinda Sherman (Harold's mother) moves to Mountain View
1951 ‑ Play, "Hocus Pocus" opened in Los Palmas Theater, Hollywood
June 28, 1964 ‑ Alcinda Sherman (Harold's mother) died
April 1965 ‑ Harold Sherman had gall bladder surgery and adhesions repaired from a 1916 appendectomy.
December 13, 1982 ‑ Wendell Smith, Maria'a husband died
October 1984 ‑ Harold Sherman suffered a head injury in an auto accident
1985 ‑ Thomas Authur Sherman (Harold's brother) died of Leukemia
August 19, 1987 ‑ Harold Sherman died at his home at Mountain View, Arkansas
Box 1
File 1 ‑ Family Documents, Records and Newspaper Clippings
File 2 ‑ Early Correspondence (1907‑1920) and early creative writing
File 3 ‑ Biographical Sketches of Harold Sherman (file 1 of 2)
File 4 ‑ Biographical Sketches of Harold Sherman (file 2 of 2)
File 5 ‑ Life Reading and Graphoanalysis of Harold Sherman
File 6 ‑ Correspondence with Monty Gideon, would-be Biographer of Harold Sherman,
1984‑1987
File 7 ‑ Manuscripts by Monty Gideon on life and Philosophy of Harold Sherman
File 8 ‑ Who's Who Correspondence, 1942‑1954
File 9 ‑ Family Correspondence Nov. 1914 ‑ Dec. 1917
File 10 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ March 1918
File 11 ‑ Family Correspondence April ‑ May 1918
File 12 ‑ Family Correspondence June ‑ Oct. 1918
File 13 ‑ Family Correspondence Nov. ‑ Dec. 1918
File 14 ‑ Family Correspondence 1919
File 15 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. 1920 ‑ May 1920
File 16 ‑ Family Correspondence June 1920 ‑ Dec. 1920
File 17 ‑ Family Correspondence 1921 ‑ 1923
File 18 ‑ Family Correspondence 1924
END OF BOX 1
Series I ‑ Correspondence
Subseries I ‑ Family
Box 2
File 1 ‑ Family Correspondence 1925
File 2 ‑ Family Correspondence 1926
File 3 ‑ Family Correspondence 1927‑1929
File 4 ‑ Family Correspondence 1930‑1933
File 5 ‑ Family Correspondence 1934‑1935
File 6 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ Aug. 1936
File 7 ‑ Family Correspondence Sept. 1936
File 8 ‑ Family Correspondence Oct. 1936
File 9 ‑ Family Correspondence Nov. 1936
File 10 ‑ Family Correspondence Dec. 1936
File 11 ‑ Family Correspondence 1937
END OF BOX 2
Series I ‑ Correspondence
Subseries I ‑ Family
Box 3
File 1 ‑ Family Correspondence 1938
File 2 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ Feb. 1939
File 3 ‑ Family Correspondence March ‑ July 1939
File 4 ‑ Family Correspondence Aug. ‑ Dec. 1939
File 5 ‑ Family Correspondence 1940
File 6 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ May 1941
File 7 ‑ Family Correspondence June 1941
File 8 ‑ Family Correspondence July ‑ Dec. 1941
File 9 ‑ Family Correspondence 1942
File 10 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ Aug. 1943
File 11 ‑ Family Correspondence Sept. ‑ Oct. 1943
File 12 ‑ Family Correspondence Nov. ‑ Dec. 1943
File 13 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ Feb. 1943
File 14 ‑ Family Correspondence March 1944
File 15 ‑ Family Correspondence April 1944
File 16 ‑ Family Correspondence May ‑ June 1944
File 17 ‑ Family Correspondence July ‑ Aug. 1944
File 18 ‑ Family Correspondence Sept. ‑ Dec. 1944
File 19 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ Feb. 1945
END OF BOX 3
Series I ‑ Correspondence
Subseries I ‑ Family
Box 4
File 1 ‑ Family Correspondence March 1945
File 2 ‑ Family Correspondence April ‑ June 1945
File 3 ‑ Family Correspondence July 1945
File 4 ‑ Family Correspondence Aug. ‑ Sept. 1945
File 5‑ Family Correspondence Oct. ‑ Nov. 1945
File 6 ‑ Family Correspondence Dec. 1945
File 7 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ Feb. 1946
File 8 ‑ Family Correspondence March ‑ April 1946
File 9 ‑ Family Correspondence May ‑ June 1946
File 10 ‑ Family Correspondence July 1946
File 11 ‑ Family Correspondence Aug. ‑ Sept. 1946
File 12 ‑ Family Correspondence Oct. ‑ Dec. 1946
File 13 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ March 1947
File 14 ‑ Family Correspondence April 1947
File 15 ‑ Family Correspondence May 1947
File 16 ‑ Family Correspondence June 1947
END OF BOX 4
Series I ‑ Correspondence
Subseries I ‑ Family
Box 5
File 1 ‑ Family Correspondence July ‑ August 1947
File 2 ‑ Family Correspondence Sept. ‑ Oct. 1947
File 3 ‑ Family Correspondence Nov. ‑ Dec. 1947
File 4 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. 1948
File 5 ‑ Family Correspondence Feb. 1948
File 6 ‑ Family Correspondence March 1948
File 7 ‑ Family Correspondence April 1948
File 8 ‑ Family Correspondence May 1948
File 9 ‑ Family Correspondence June ‑ July 1948
File 10 ‑ Family Correspondence Aug. ‑ Sept. 1948
File 11 ‑ Family Correspondence Oct. 1948
File 12 ‑ Family Correspondence Nov. 1948
File 13 ‑ Family Correspondence Dec. 1948
File 14 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. 1949
File 15 ‑ Family Correspondence Feb. 1949
File 16 ‑ Family Correspondence March 1949
File 17 ‑ Family Correspondence April 1949
File 18 ‑ Family Correspondence May 1949
File 19 ‑ Family Correspondence June 1949
File 20 ‑ Family Correspondence July 1949
File 21 ‑ Family Correspondence August 1949
File 22 ‑ Family Correspondence Sept. 1949
File 23 ‑ Family Correspondence Oct. 1949
END OF BOX 5
Series I ‑ Correspondence
Subseries I ‑ Family
Box 6
File 1 ‑ Family Correspondence Nov. 1949
File 2 ‑ Family Correspondence Dec. 1949
File 3 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ April 1950
File 4 ‑ Family Correspondence May ‑ June 1950
File 5 ‑ Family Correspondence July ‑ Dec. 1950
File 6 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ Feb. 1951
File 7 ‑ Family Correspondence March 1951
File 8 ‑ Family Correspondence April ‑ July 1951
File 9 ‑ Family Correspondence Aug. ‑ Sept. 1951
File 10 ‑ Family Correspondence Oct. ‑ Dec. 1951
END OF BOX 6
Series I ‑ Correspondence
Subseries I ‑ Family
Box 7
File 1 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ March 1952
File 2 ‑ Family Correspondence April 1952
File 3 ‑ Family Correspondence May ‑ June 1952
File 4 ‑ Family Correspondence July ‑ Dec. 1952
File 5 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ Feb. 1953
File 6 ‑ Family Correspondence March 1953
File 7 ‑ Family Correspondence April ‑ June 1953
File 8 ‑ Family Correspondence July ‑ Dec. 1953
END OF BOX 7
Series I ‑ Correspondence
Subseries I ‑ Family
Box 8
File 1 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ June 1954
File 2 ‑ Family Correspondence July ‑ Dec. 1954
File 3 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ July 1955
File 4 ‑ Family Correspondence Aug. ‑ Dec. 1955
File 5 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. 1956
File 6 ‑ Family Correspondence Feb. ‑ April 1956
File 7 ‑ Family Correspondence May 1956
File 8 ‑ Family Correspondence June 1956
File 9 ‑ Family Correspondence July ‑ Sept. 1956
END OF BOX 8
Series I ‑ Correspondence
Subseries I ‑ Family
Box 9
File 1 ‑ Family Correspondence Oct. ‑ Dec. 1956
File 2 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ May 1957
File 3 ‑ Family Correspondence June 1957
File 4 ‑ Family Correspondence July ‑ Aug. 1957
File 5 ‑ Family Correspondence Sept. ‑ Dec. 1957
File 6 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ May 1958
File 7 ‑ Family Correspondence June 1958
File 8 ‑ Family Correspondence July ‑ Dec. 1958
File 9 ‑ Family Correspondence 1959
File 10 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ March 1960
File 11 ‑ Family Correspondence April ‑ Dec. 1960
File 12 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ May 1961
File 13 ‑ Family Correspondence June ‑ Dec. 1961
END OF BOX 9
Series I ‑ Correspondence
Subseries I ‑ Family
Box 10
File 1 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ June 1962
File 2 ‑ Family Correspondence July ‑ Dec. 1962
File 3 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ May 1963
File 4 ‑ Family Correspondence June ‑ Dec. 1963
File 5 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ Aug. 1964
File 6 ‑ Family Correspondence Sept. ‑ Dec. 1964
File 7 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ Feb. 1965
File 8 ‑ Family Correspondence March ‑ June 1965
File 9 ‑ Family Correspondence July ‑ Dec. 1965
File 10 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ June 1966
END OF BOX 10
Series I ‑ Correspondence
Subseries I ‑ Family
Box 11
File 1 ‑ Family Correspondence July ‑ Dec. 1966
File 2 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ June 1967
File 3 ‑ Family Correspondence July ‑ Dec. 1967
File 4 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ May 1968
File 5 ‑ Family Correspondence June ‑ Dec. 1968
File 6 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ June 1969
File 7 ‑ Family Correspondence July ‑ Dec. 1969
File 8 ‑ Family Correspondence 1970
File 9 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ July 1971
File 10 ‑ Family Correspondence Aug. ‑ Dec. 1971
File 11 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ May 1972
File 12 ‑ Family Correspondence June ‑ Dec. 1972
END OF BOX 11
Series I ‑ Correspondence
Subseries I ‑ Family
Box 12
File 1 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ June 1973
File 2 ‑ Family Correspondence July ‑ Dec. 1973
File 3 ‑ Family Correspondence 1974
File 4 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ June 1975
File 5 ‑ Family Correspondence July ‑ Dec. 1975
File 6 ‑ Family Correspondence Jan. ‑ June 1976
File 7 ‑ Family Correspondence July ‑ Dec. 1976
File 8 ‑ Family Correspondence 1977
File 9 ‑ Family Correspondence, Harold Sherman's
80th Birthday, July 1978
File 10 ‑ Family Correspondence 1978
File 11 ‑ Family Correspondence 1979
File 12 ‑ Family Correspondence 1980‑1986
File 13 ‑ Condolence Letters 1987
File 14 ‑ Condolence Letters 1987
File 15 ‑ Harold Sherman, Obituaries and Remembrances written by Gov. Orval Faubus
File 16 ‑ Family Correspondence undated
File 17 ‑ Family Correspondence undated and poems by Flora Baldwin
END OF BOX 12
Series I ‑ Correspondence
Subseries I - Family
Box 13
File 1 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1916‑1929
File 2 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1930‑1936
File 3 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1937‑1939
File 4 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1940‑1942
File 5 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1943‑1945
File 6 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1946‑1947
File 7 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1948
File 8 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1949
File 9 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1950
File 10 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1951
File 11 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1952
File 12 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1953
File 13 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1954
END OF BOX 13
Series I ‑ Correspondence
Subseries I ‑ Family
Box 14
File 1 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) Financial Statements 1937 ‑ 1953
File 2 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1955‑1957
File 3 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1958
File 4 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1959
File 5 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1960‑1964
File 6 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1965‑1969
File 7 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) 1970‑1983
File 8 ‑ Family Correspondence (Personal Business) undated
File 9 ‑ Warranty Deed, Deeds of Trust and Personal Loans
File 10 ‑ Statement of Income for 1963 and 1965, Income Tax Returns for 1963, 1964, and 1967 and 1968
END OF BOX 14
Series I ‑ Correspondence
Subseries I ‑ Family
Box 15
File 1 ‑ Greeting Cards From Harold to Martha
File 2 ‑ Greeting Cards From Harold to Martha
File 3 ‑ Greeting Cards From Harold to Martha
File 4 ‑ Greeting Cards From Harold to Martha
File 5 ‑ Greeting Cards From Harold to Martha
File 6 ‑ Greeting Cards From Martha to Harold
File 7 ‑ Greeting Cards From Martha to Harold
File 8 ‑ Greeting Cards From Martha to Harold
END OF BOX 15
Series I ‑ Correspondence
Subseries I ‑ Family
Box 16
File 1 ‑ Greeting Cards from daughter, Marcia Sherman
Smith and Family to Harold and Martha
File 2 ‑ Greeting Cards from daughter, Marcia Sherman Smith
and Family to Harold and Martha
File 3 ‑ Greeting Cards from daughter, Marcia Sherman
Smith and Family to Harold and Martha
File 4 ‑ Greeting Cards from daughter, Mary Sherman
Kobiella and Family to Harold and Martha
File 5 ‑ Greeting Cards from daughter, Mary Sherman
Kobiella and Family to Harold and Martha
File 6 ‑ Greeting Cards from daughter, Mary Sherman
Kobiella and Family to Harold and Martha
File 7 ‑ Greeting Cards from daughter, Mary Sherman
Kobiella and Family to Harold and Martha
File 8 ‑ Greeting Cards from Mother Sherman and
brother, Arthur Sherman to Harold and Martha
File 9 ‑ Greeting Cards from Mother Sherman and
brother, Arthur Sherman to Harold and Martha
File 10 ‑ Greeting Cards from Bains (Martha's Family)
to Harold and Martha
File 11 ‑ Harold Sherman Family Personal Greeting Cards
File 12 ‑ Miscellaneous Greeting Cards
File 13 ‑ Miscellaneous Greeting Cards
END OF BOX 16
Subseries II – Correspondence with Friends
Box 1
File 1 ‑ John Matter, 1924‑1936
File 2 ‑ John Matter, 1937
File 3 ‑ John Matter, 1938
File 4 ‑ John Matter, 1939‑1944
File 5 ‑ John Matter, 1946
File 6 ‑ John Matter, 1947
File 7 ‑ John Matter, January ‑ March, 1948
File 8 ‑ John Matter, April ‑ September, 1948
File 9 ‑ John Matter, October ‑ December, 1948
File 10 ‑ John Matter, 1949 and Correspondence with his wife and daughter after his
demise, 1949- 1956
File 11 ‑ Charlie Whitmore, 1937‑1938
File 12 ‑ Charlie Whitmore, 1939‑1949
File