http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.afc/eadafc.af012006 CAPTAIN PEARL R. NYE COLLECTION AFC 1937/002 Prepared by Marcia K. Segal American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
December 4, 2012 Guides to the Collections in the Archive of Folk Culture

Contact information: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.afc/folklife.contact

Catalog Record: http://lccn.loc.gov/2004447752

Finding aid encoded by Marcia K. Segal, December 2012 Finding aid written in English. Collection Summary Captain Pearl R. Nye Collection1937-1944 AFC 1937/002 Archive of American Folk Song Nye, Pearl R., 1872-1950 18 folders total (Folders 1-16 and Folder 18 in 1 box, plus Folder 17, oversize). 22 sound discs : analog ; 12 in. 7 photographic prints : black and white, color ; various sizes. Collection material in English. Archive of Folk Culture, American Folklife CenterLibrary of Congress
Washington, D.C.
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.afc/folklife.home The collection is comprised of field recordings made in Akron, Ohio, by John A. Lomax (on June 27-28, 1937), and Alan Lomax and Elizabeth Lomax (on November 3, 1937), of songs performed by Pearl R. Nye related to life on the Ohio and Erie Canal, plus photographs of canal life (some hand-decorated by Nye), and correspondence between Nye and Harold Spivacke of the Library of Congress, and manuscript and typed transcriptions of song lyrics sung and collected by Pearl R. Nye. Selected Search Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject and listed alphabetically therein.

 People Lomax, Alan, 1915-2002, collector. Lomax, Alan, 1915-2002--Correspondence. Lomax, John A. (John Avery), 1867-1948, collector, interviewer. Lomax, John A. (John Avery), 1867-1948--Correspondence. Nye, Pearl R., 1872-1950, collector, interviewee. Nye, Pearl R., 1872-1950--Correspondence. Waterhouse, Helen Stocking, 1892-1965 -- Correspondence. Organizations American Folklife Center. Archive of American Folk Song, collector. Library of Congress.National Digital Library Program. Subjects Ballads, English--Ohio. Canals--Ohio--Songs and music. Field recordings--Ohio. Folk music--Ohio. Folk songs, English--Ohio. Popular music--1931-1940. Revival hymns--Ohio. Places Ohio--Akron--Social life and customs Ohio and Erie Canal (Ohio)--Songs and music. Titles Captain Pearl R. Nye, life on the Ohio and Erie Canal Pearl R. Nye collection Form/Genre Correspondence. Photographic prints. Sound recordings. Interviews. Field recordings. Administrative Information Arrangement

Organized by format into the following series: I. Manuscripts; II. Sound Recordings; III. Graphic Materials.

 Acquisition

Subsequent to the field trips, the sound recordings were accessioned at the Library of Congress. Communications between Pearl Nye and Library of Congress staff accumulated as they were received at the Library (rather than being sent as a unit, at a later date). According to correspondence, in the 1940s Nye sent more transcriptions to the Library, which were microfilmed, then returned to him. These are presumed to be the documents on the microfilm reel.

 Accruals

No further accruals are expected.

 Processing History

The collection was processed by the American Folklife Center staff between 2003 and 2009. Marcia K. Segal revised and coded the collection finding aid in EAD format in December 2012.

 Related Material

Autograph manuscript containing song texts by Pearl R. Nye, with a few letters to Alan Lomax and to Harold Spivacke is available on microfilm [Songs of the Ohio canal, 1938], Library of Congress Music Division, MUS-12.

 Electronic Format

A substantial portion of the collection is available as "Captain Pearl R. Nye, life on the Ohio and Erie Canal," an American Memory online presentation compiled by the National Digital Library Program of the Library of Congress. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.afc/collafc.af000019

Access and Restrictions

Collection is open for research. To request materials, please contact the Folklife Reading Room at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.afc/folklife.contact

Preferred Citation

Captain Pearl R. Nye Collection (AFC 1937/002), Archive of Folk Culture, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

 Collection Concordance by Format Quantity Physical Extent (original) Item Numbers Manuscript Materials 17 folders Box 1, Folders 1-16, 18 1 folder Folders 17, oversize Sound Recordings 22 12-inch lacquer-coated aluminum audio discs AFS 01001-01009, AFS 01603-01615 4 12-inch aluminum audio discs AFS 01005_dupe, AFS 01007_dupe, AFS 01605_dupe, AFS 01606_dupe Graphic Materials 7 photographic prints : black and white, color ; various sizes Box 1, Folder 18
Scope and Content

The Captain Pearl R. Nye Collection consists of materials that document the professional relationship between Pearl R. Nye and the Library of Congress, as well as the personal relationship between Nye and Alan Lomax. The collection is centered on Nye’s documentation of and contribution to folk songs about the Ohio and Erie Canal. It includes sound recordings of Nye, recorded by John A. Lomax, and Alan and Elizabeth Lomax in Akron, Ohio in 1937, correspondence between the Library of Congress and Nye, and photographs of Nye at his home on the canal.

Nye’s desire to collect canal folk songs and sing them for the Lomaxes stemmed from his childhood growing up on the canal, his own career as a canal captain, and his later years when traditional activities on the Ohio and Erie Canal were supplanted by more modern technologies.

Nye’s transcriptions of song lyrics provide an invaluable research tool. These transcriptions include those songs he sang (included on the recordings), as well as songs he knew (and were not recorded). These lyrics reflect not only popular sentiments of the times, but enduring values and traditions, as they provide a snapshot of a way of life for trade and travel that was becoming obsolete through technological advances.

 Biographical History

Pearl R. Nye was born on February 5, 1872 aboard the canal boat "Reform." He spent his life on canal boats on the Ohio and Erie Canal and researched and documented the songs and traditions of canal life. He died in 1950.

 http://lccn.loc.gov/2004447752 Container List Series I: MANUSCRIPTS 1/1 Collection finding aid 8 pp. 1/2 Documentation for sound recordings 6 pp. 1/3 Documentation for digitization of sound recordings 65 pp.

Various documents detailing the digitization process, including hardware and software used, plus any problems with the source recordings.

 1/4 afc1937002_ms01 Correspondence, 1937 1/5 afc1937002_ms02 Correspondence, 1938 (Folder 1 of 2) 1/6 afc1937002_ms02 Correspondence, 1938 (Folder 2 of 2) 1/7 afc1937002_ms03 Correspondence, 1939 1/8 afc1937002_ms04 Correspondence, 1940-1941 1/9 afc1937002_ms05 Correspondence, 1942 1/10 afc1937002_ms06 Correspondence, 1944 1/11 afc1937002_ms07 Correspondence, undated 1/12 Various correspondence, 1937 and undated 9 pp.

Items of correspondence formerly alienated from the collection, which were returned to the collection but not digitized. The undated items may have been written in 1936.

 1/13 afc1937002_ms08 Transcriptions (Folder 1 of 4) 1/14 afc1937002_ms09 Transcriptions (Folder 2 of 4) 1/15 afc1937002_ms10 Transcriptions (Folder 3 of 4) 1/16 afc1937002_ms11 Transcriptions (Folder 4 of 4) 17 Various manuscript materials 13 items

Manuscript items formerly alienated from the collection, which were returned to the collection and subsequently treated by Conservation Division staff, but not digitized.

 Series II: SOUND RECORDINGS AFS 01001 afc1937002_sr01 Recorded on June 27, 1937 Side A: [Spoken segment, no. 1] The House Carpenter [Spoken segment, no. 2] The Scioto Valley Mills Side B: Johnny and Molly [Spoken segment, no. 1] My horses ain’t hungry, they won't eat your hay AFS 01002 afc1937002_sr02 Recorded on June 27, 1937, in Akron, Ohio. Side A: Perry's Victory Side B: The Girl with the striped stockings on Barbara Allen AFS 01003 afc1937002_sr03 Recorded on June 27, 1937, in Akron, Ohio. Side A: James Bird Side B: Hush-a-bye-baby [Spoken segment] The jolly boatman AFS 01004 afc1937002_sr04 Recorded on June 27, 1937, in Akron, Ohio. Side A: Lord Vanifer's wife [Spoken segment, no. 1] When I was single [Spoken segment, no. 2] Side B: The bold bolster [Spoken segment, no. 1] Julianne Johnson AFS 01005 afc1937002_sr05 Recorded on June 27, 1937, in Akron, Ohio. Side A: We’ll end this war down by the river [Spoken segment, no. 1] The resurrection car [Spoken segment, no. 2] Side B: [Spoken segment, no. 1] Lord Vanifer's wife AFS 01005_dupe afc1937002_sr06 Duplicate of recording made on June 27, 1937. Duplication date unknown. Side A: We’ll end this war down by the river [Spoken segment, no. 1] The resurrection car [Spoken segment, no. 2] Side B: [Spoken segment, no. 1] Lord Vanifer's wife AFS 01006 afc1937002_sr07 Recorded in 1937, in Akron, Ohio. Side A: [Spoken segment, no. 1] Dutch jollification song [Spoken segment, no. 2] Edward Bold [Spoken segment, no. 3] [Edward Bold] St. Peter at the gate [Spoken segment, no. 4] Side B: Keep that baby still [Spoken segment, no. 1] Over in the promised land Oh, glory, hallelujah AFS 01007 afc1937002_sr08 Recorded in 1937, in Akron, Ohio. Side A: Lord Lovele [sic] [Spoken segment, no. 1] Jones' hospital Side B: Irish washerwoman Dark-eyed sailor AFS 01007_dupe afc1937002_sr09 Duplicate of recording made in 1937. Duplication date unknown. Side A: Lord Lovele [sic] [Spoken segment, no. 1] Jones' hospital Side B: Irish washerwoman Dark-eyed sailor AFS 01008 afc1937002_sr10 Recorded in 1937, in Akron, Ohio. Side A: Little red bird in the tree Old woman under the hill Side B: [Willy Reilly] AFS 01009 afc1937002_sr11 Recorded on June 28, 1937, in Akron, Ohio. Side A: Mr. Frog [Spoken segment, no.1] Side B: Mary, don’t you weep [Spoken segment, no. 1] Little Sally Waters [Spoken segment, no. 2] AFS 01603 afc1937002_sr12 Recorded on November 3, 1937; location uncertain. Side A: The Clever Skipper Side B: Gentle Little Jenny (The Wife Wrapped in the Wether's Skin) AFS 01604 afc1937002_sr13 Recorded on November 3, 1937; location uncertain. Side A: Take a Trip on the Canal If You Want to Have Fun [continued on Side B] Side B: Take a Trip on the Canal If You Want to Have Fun [continued from Side A; continued on AFS 01605a] AFS 01605 afc1937002_sr14 Recorded on November 3, 1937; location uncertain. Side A: Take a Trip on the Canal If You Want to Have Fun [continued from AFS 01604b] William was a royal lover Side B: The Cumberland's crew AFS 01605_dupe afc1937002_sr15 Duplicate of recording made on November 3, 1937. Duplication date unknown. Side A: Take a Trip on the Canal If You Want to Have Fun [continued from AFS 01604b] William was a royal lover Side B: The Cumberland's crew AFS 01606_dupe afc1937002_sr16 Duplicate of recording made on November 3, 1937. Duplication date unknown. Side A: On the banks of Salee Side B: In the shade of a tree We'll outshine the sun AFS 01606 afc1937002_sr17 Recorded on November 3, 1937; location uncertain. Side A: On the banks of Salee Side B: In the shade of a tree We'll outshine the sun AFS 01607 afc1937002_sr18 Recorded on November 3, 1937; location uncertain. Side A: Riding on the elevated railroad The cruel ship carpenter [continued on Side B] Side B: The ship's cruel carpenter [continued from Side A] Lord Ullin's daughter AFS 01608 afc1937002_sr19 Recorded on November 3, 1937; location uncertain. Side A: Between me and the wall Side B: Between me and the wall Pretty Sally [continued on AFS 01609a] AFS 01609 afc1937002_sr20 Recorded on November 3, 1937; location uncertain. Side A: Pretty Sally [continued from AFS 01608b] The Jew's daughter/The Butcher boy Side B: The gospel chariot The dying cowboy AFS 01610 afc1937002_sr21 Recorded on November 3, 1937; location uncertain. Side A: The roving gambler Erin’s green shore Side B: Dandy Jim of Caroline AFS 01611 afc1937002_sr22 Recorded on November 3, 1937; location uncertain. Side A: The old skipper Side B: Early in the spring AFS 01612 afc1937002_sr23 Recorded on November 3, 1937; location uncertain. Side A: Rosin the bow My father's broke the ice and gone Side B: Who killed Cock Robin I won't marry at all AFS 01613 afc1937002_sr24 Recorded on November 3, 1937; location uncertain. Side A: I owed ten dollars to O'Grady Boys, keep away from the girls I say [continued on Side B] Side B: Boys, keep away from the girls I say [continued from Side A] Just one penny AFS 01614 afc1937002_sr25 Recorded on November 3, 1937; location uncertain. Side A: We're going to pump out Lake Erie In the storm at sea A canal dance (One Night in Cleveland) Side B: Moonlight Dance (Yellowbud gals) Canal boat wedding Down the river AFS 01615 afc1937002_sr26 Recorded on November 3, 1937; location uncertain. Side A: The gospel train When the old sun was a-crawlin’ Jawbone (Jawbone walk, jawbone talk) Side B: The banks of the sweet Dundee 1/18 Series III: GRAPHIC MATERIALS afc1937002_ph01 Portrait of Captain Pearl R. Nye Black-and-white photographic print (3” x 4.5”) afc1937002_ph02 Captain Pearl R. Nye with B.F. Goodrich buildings in background Black-and-white photographic print; hand-tinted, with a collage effect, plus a manuscript item affixed to the lower back edge of the item (4.5” x 3.5” for the photo; 2” x 3.5” for the manuscript item) afc1937002_ph03 Captain Pearl R. Nye at Camp Charming (view from water) Black-and-white photographic print (5.5” x 3.5”) afc1937002_ph04 Captain Pearl R. Nye at Camp Charming (view from land) Black-and-white photographic print (5.5” x 3.5”) afc1937002_ph05 Captain Pearl R. Nye at Camp Charming (view from water, at a distance) Black-and-white photographic print (5.5” x 3.5”) afc1937002_ph06 Captain Pearl R. Nye at Camp Charming (view from water, at a distance) Black-and-white photographic print (5.5” x 3.5”) afc1937002_ph07 Portrait of Captain Pearl R. Nye outdoors, with women in the background Color photographic print, incorporated in a collage on top of an outline of a moose (3.25” x 4.75”)