Farrar, John Chipman, 1896-1974

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John Chipman Farrar (1896-1974) was an American editor and publisher. From 1916 to 1927 he was the editor of The Bookman, a book review magazine published by George H. Doran Company of New York. In 1928, he help co-founded the publishing house of Farrar and Rinehart, and later in 1946 he also founded Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

From the guide to the John Chipman Farrar Letter, Undated, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)

The publisher John Chipman Farrar was born to Edward Donaldson Farrar and Sally Wright in Burlington, Vermont, in 1896. Farrar attended Yale between 1914 and 1919. His education at Yale was interrupted with a year of service with the Intelligence Division of the Army Air Service during World War I.

Early in his life Farrar aspired to be an author, and during his time at Yale he published two volumes of verse ( Portraits and Forgotten Shrines ), wrote and produced a play, Nerves, worked on the Yale Literary Magazine and co-edited the Yale Book of Student Verse, 1910-1919 . While at Yale University Farrar met Stephen Vincent Benet, with whom he collaborated on several publications and projects.

After graduation Farrar went on to work as a reporter and to publish poetry; however, he is best known as a publisher and editor. Farrar’s first publishing job was with George Doran in 1921; when the firm merged and became Doubleday, Doran & Company in 1927, Farrar was promoted within the company. In 1927 Farrar and his colleague Stanley Rinehart formed a publishing company together. While successful for a number of years, the men separated in 1946, at which time Farrar created Farrar, Straus & Company with Roger Straus. Farrar and Straus would remain in partnership throughout the rest of their lives, with the company adopting several names over its lifetime, including Farrar, Straus & Young, Farrar, Straus & Cudahy, and Farrar, Straus, & Giroux.

In addition to maintaining his publishing firm, Farrar was also involved in encouraging authors. In 1926 he founded the Breadloaf Writers’ Conference at Middlebury College with Robert Frost. He served as the president of the New York Chapter of the International Association of Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists, and Novelists (PEN), as director of the Marlboro Fiction Writers’ Conference (1949-1951), and on the boards of the Poetry Society of America and the Writers’ Board for World Government. Farrar also taught at New York University (early 1920s) and Columbia University (1945-1947).

In 1926 John Farrar and Margaret Petherbridge Farrar (1897-1984) married. A graduate of Smith College (1919), Margaret Farrar is best known for her work editing crossword puzzles for Simon & Schuster and The New York Times . She also played a role in publishing; she was editor of mystery books at Farrar & Rinehart and Farrar, Straus, & Giroux and served as a member of the board of directors of Farrar, Straus, & Giroux following John Farrar’s death in 1974. John and Margaret Petherbridge Farrar had three children: John Curtis Farrar, Alison Farrar Wilson, and Janice Farrar Thaddeus.

From the guide to the John Chipman Farrar papers, 1916-1974, (Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Farrar, John Chipman, 1896-1974. Christmas card signed John and Margaret Farrar to: [Katharine Lee Bates]. Wellesley College
referencedIn Collins, Seward, 1899-1952. Seward Collins papers, 1918-1952 (inclusive) 1927-1937 (bulk). Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Farrar, John Chipman, 1896-1974. Typed letter signed John Farrar to: "My dear Katharine Lee Bates" February 4, 1929. Wellesley College
creatorOf Farrar, John Chipman, 1896-1974. Letter : New York, to Sarah Margaret Brown, Evanston, Ill., 1923 Dec. 11. Texas Christian University
creatorOf Farrar, John Chipman, 1896-1974. Autograph letter signed John Farrar to: Miss Bates. Wellesley College
creatorOf Cabell, James Branch, 1879-1958. Letters of James Branch Cabell [manuscript], 1922-1958. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Chase, Lewis Nathaniel, 1873-1937. Letters to the editors of The Bookman. [s.l.]. 1916-1927. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf John Chipman Farrar Letter, Undated Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
referencedIn John Mason Brown papers, 1922-1967. Houghton Library
creatorOf Braithwaite, William Stanley, 1878-1962. Papers of William Stanley Beaumont Braithwaite [manuscript] 1904-1935 (1958). University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Archibald MacLeish Papers, 1907-1981, (bulk 1925-1970) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Farrar, John Chipman, 1896-1974. Correspondence to Maxwell Struthers Burt, 1942-1951. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Jay B. Hubbell Papers, 1816-1998 and undated, bulk 1920-1979 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
creatorOf Henry Van Dyke papers, 1954-[ca.2009]. University of Michigan
creatorOf Reese, Lizette Woodworth, 1856-1935. Papers of Lizette Woodworth Reese [manuscript], 1893-1936. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Marquis, Neeta. Papers of Neeta Marquis, 1862-1957. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
creatorOf Dreiser, Theodore, 1871-1945. Papers of Theodore Dreiser, 1898-1945. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Rawlings, Marjorie Kinnan, 1896-1953. Letters received from Ellen Glasgow and James Branch Cabell [manuscript], 1939-1953. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Farrar, John Chipman, 1896-1974. Letter, 1950, to Lewis Mumford. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Farrar, John Chipman, 1896-1974. John Farrar letters to William Orton Tewson, [manuscript], 1925 Aug 10-25. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Lowell, Amy, 1874-1925. Amy Lowell correspondence, 1883-1927 (inclusive), 1910-1925 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Cooper mss. II, ca. 1905-1985 Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
referencedIn The Nation, records, 1879-1974 (inclusive), 1920-1955 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Farrar, John Chipman, 1896-1974. [Poems]. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn Seward Collins papers, 1918-1952 (inclusive), 1927-1937 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf John Chipman Farrar papers, 1916-1974 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Farrar, John Chipman, 1896-1974. Letter : New York, to Sarah Margaret Brown, Evanston, Ill., 1923 Dec. 11. University of Chicago Library
referencedIn Yale University Press records, 1919-1964 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Charles P. Taft Papers, 1816-1983, (bulk 1937-1979) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Farrar, John Chipman, 1896-1974. Typed letter signed John Farrar to: Miss Bates February 8, 1923. Wellesley College
creatorOf Farrar & Rinehart, inc. Correspondence with Theodore Dreiser, 1930-1940. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Askwith, Herbert. Correspondence with Theodore Dreiser, 1922-1929. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Claude Halstead Van Tyne papers Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf Farrar, John Chipman, 1896-1974. Typed letter signed John Farrar to: "My dear Miss Bates" February 13, 1929. Wellesley College
creatorOf Waldman, Emerson, 1912-. Manuscript of his novels "The Land is large" and "Broad is the way" [manuscript] 1938-39. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Farrar, John Chipman, 1896-1974. Letters to Frank Luther Mott. New York, NY. [1921?]-1923. University of Iowa Libraries
referencedIn Henry F. Pringle Papers, 1932-1957, (bulk 1939-1946) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Charles P. Taft Papers, 1816-1983, (bulk 1937-1979) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Harper & Brothers. Editorial correspondence, 1923-1953. Houghton Library
creatorOf Mary Hunter Austin Collection Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
referencedIn Welles mss., 1930-1950, (Bulk 1936-1947) Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
creatorOf Farrar, John Chipman, 1896-1974. John Farrar papers ca. 1934-73. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Clyde Brion Davis papers, 1854-1967, 1907-1962 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Charles P. Taft Papers, 1816-1983, (bulk 1937-1979) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Earl E. Fisk papers, 1911-1953 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Eastman, Max Forrester, 1883-1969. Eastman mss. 1892-1968 Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
creatorOf Doubleday, Doran & Company. Correspondence, 1921-1968, from Lewis Mumford. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Allen, Hervey, 1889-1949 person
associatedWith Austin, Mary Hunter, 1868-1934. person
associatedWith Bates, Katharine Lee, 1859-1929. person
associatedWith Benét, S. V. (Stephen Vincent), 1827-1895 person
associatedWith Braithwaite, William Stanley, 1878-1962. person
associatedWith Brandt & Brandt. corporateBody
correspondedWith Brown, John Mason, 1900-1969 person
associatedWith Brown, Sarah Margaret. person
associatedWith Cabell, James Branch, 1879-1958. person
associatedWith Century Club (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Chase, Lewis Nathaniel, 1873-1937. person
associatedWith Collins, Seward, 1899-1952. person
associatedWith Cooper, Kent, 1880-1965 person
associatedWith Davis, Clyde Brion, 1894-1962. person
associatedWith Doubleday, Doran & Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Dreiser, Theodore, 1871-1945. person
associatedWith Eastman, Max, 1883-1969 person
associatedWith Farrar, Margaret Petherbridge. person
associatedWith Farrar & Rinehart. corporateBody
associatedWith Farrar & Rinehart, inc. corporateBody
associatedWith Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. corporateBody
associatedWith Fisk, Earl E. person
associatedWith Fisk, Earl E. person
associatedWith George H. Doran Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Harper & Brothers. corporateBody
correspondedWith Hubbell, Jay B., 1885-1979 person
associatedWith Lowell, Amy, 1874-1925. person
correspondedWith MacLeish, Archibald, 1892-1982. person
associatedWith Marquis, Neeta. person
associatedWith Mott, Frank Luther, 1886-1964, person
correspondedWith Nation (New York, N.Y. : 1865). corporateBody
associatedWith Neihardt, John Gneisenau, 1881-1973. person
associatedWith Ottley, Roi, 1906-1960 person
associatedWith PEN (Organization). corporateBody
associatedWith Pringle, Henry F. (Henry Fowles), 1897-1958. person
associatedWith Rawlings, Marjorie Kinnan, 1896-1953. person
associatedWith Reese, Lizette Woodworth, 1856-1935. person
associatedWith Taft, Charles P. (Charles Phelps), 1897-1983. person
associatedWith Tewson, William Orton, 1877-1947, person
associatedWith United World Federalists (U.S.). corporateBody
associatedWith Van Dyke, Henry. person
associatedWith Van Tyne, Claude Halstead, 1869-1930 person
associatedWith Waldman, Emerson, 1912- person
associatedWith Waugh, Alec, 1898-1981 person
associatedWith Welles, Orson, 1915-1985 person
associatedWith Wilder, Thornton, 1897-1975 person
associatedWith Willkie, Wendell L. (Wendell Lewis), 1892-1944 person
associatedWith Yale University Press. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
New York (N.Y.)
Subject
Publishers and publishing
Publishers and publishing
Publishers and publishing
Authors, American
Publishing, printing and book arts
Writers' retreats
Occupation
Editors
Activity

Person

Birth 1896-02-25

Death 1974-11-05

Americans

English

Information

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