Floyd Weston Stafford [RG3896.AM]

NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID

RG3896.AM:  Floyd Weston Stafford, 1886-1976

Papers:  1952-1974
David City, Butler County, Nebraska; and Salt Lake City, Utah:  Poet, writer
Size:  0.25 cu.ft.; 1 box

BACKGROUND NOTE

Floyd Weston Stafford was born on October 7, 1886 in David City, Nebraska.  He was a recognized poet, author, and biographer. Though he was born in Nebraska, he spent his productive writing years in Salt Lake City, Utah.  During his lifetime he wrote over “20,000 poems, composed 375 Italian and Shakespearean sonnets on the subject of ‘love’,” and “105 children’s stories, and 25 yearbooks.”  His output was remarkable because he was a life-long victim of cerebral palsy and wrote on a typewriter using only his big toe.  The International Business Machine Corporation built a special shifting lever for his typewriter to facilitate his toe typing.

Stafford was a member of the International Institute of Arts and Letters.  The Royal Blue Book of London, England listed him in their book 2000 Men of Achievement for his poetry.  Floyd Weston Stafford died in Salt Lake City in May of 1976.  He and his wife Isabel are buried in Lake Hills Cemetery, Sandy, Utah.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection consists mostly of writing and genealogical materials relating to Floyd Weston Stafford.  The materials are arranged in four series:  1) Writings, which include published poems and poetry manuscripts, as well as some prose; 2) Correspondence, 1952-1974 (some poetry is included with the letters); 3) Genealogy; and 4) Miscellaneous materials.  Mr. Stafford sent the materials to the Nebraska State Historical Society with cover letters; those letters have been placed in front of the items they accompanied.

Note:  See the library collection for a copy of Floyd W. Stafford’s My Literary Autobiography [921 S779].

INVENTORY

Series 1 – Writings
Sub Series 1:  Poetry
Box 1
Folder

1. Published Poetry [booklets]
2. Manuscript, “The Passing Years,” 1971
3. Manuscript, “A Ranch Girl’s Soliloquy to Her Diary”
4. Manuscripts, Miscellaneous poetry [with cover letter]

Sub Series 2:  Prose

1. Manuscript, “The Spirit of Christmas”

Series 2 – Correspondence, 1952-1974

1. 1952-1974 [includes some poetry]

Series 3 – Genealogy

1. Genealogy, c.1967 [with cover letter]
2. Genealogy and Longfellow Materials, c.1971
3. Genealogy, c.1973 [with cover letter]

Series 4 – Miscellaneous

1. Clippings

Subject headings:

Authors — Nebraska
Poetry
Poets
Stafford, Floyd Weston, 1886-1976

AK/kfk                  05-07-1997
Revised TMM      03-08-2019