Descriptive Summary
Molyneaux, Peter
Molyneaux, Peter Papers
1910-1953
Materials are written in English.
62-092; 69-109; 70-034
54 ft.
Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The
University of Texas at Austin
Peter Molyneaux was a journalist,
editor, publisher, and economist. His papers include correspondence, literary
productions, business and legal papers, printed material, maps, and photographs, and
pertain to Molyneaux’s career activities.
Biographical Sketch
Peter Molyneaux (1882-1953), journalist, editor, publisher, and economist, was born
in New Orleans, Louisiana. He removed himself from schooling at the age of 15, and
in 1902 became a reporter for the New Orleans Daily
News. While living in New Orleans he also wrote for the Item and the Daily States.
In 1906 Molyneaux married Etna Ester Ellzey, and in 1908 they moved to Meadville,
Pennsylvania, so he could attend Theological School, where he focused on economics,
philosophy, and sociology. During his time in Pennsylvania, he wrote for the
Philadelphia Record, but soon moved to Texas where he
worked for the Houston Post and, in 1913, the San
Antonio Express. A supporter of women’s suffrage as
well as mandatory education, Molyneaux began publishing the Texas Club Woman in 1914 with his friend and associate Anna
Pennybacker.
Content in Texas, Molyneaux worked for the Houston Post
once more, 1914-1915, before becoming chief editorial writer for the Fort Worth
Star-Telegram, a position he held until 1924. He
then moved to the Texas Monthly, based in Dallas, and
was editor of this publication by 1928. The Texas
Monthly became the Texas Weekly, and then
the Southern Weekly, but Molyneaux remained in its
employment for the rest of his life. He was also known for his involvement in the publishing and editing
of Southwestern Banking and Industry (later Southwestern Banker), Taxpayer’s
Digest (Tax Digest), and for his work with
the Wortham-Molyneaux Publishing Company as well as the Molyneaux-Lewis Publishing
Company.
Molyneaux was the author of two books, The Romantic Story of
Texas (1936) and The South’s Political
Plight (1947), as well as a number of pamphlets on economics.
Furthermore, he was a trustee of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and
a member of the Southwest Economic Bureau, the Philosophical Society of Texas, and
the Southwestern Social Science Association. He was awarded an honorary
doctorate degree from Southern Methodist University in 1935, and died of cancer in
1953.
Source: Handbook of Texas
Online, s.v. Molyneaux, Peter,
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/MM/fmo5.html (accessed June 24,
2010).
Scope and Contents
The Peter Molyneaux Papers, 1910-1953, consist of correspondence; literary
productions such as speeches, radio addresses, genealogical and historical notes,
and political essays; business and legal papers including account papers, financial
statements, checks, contracts, and litigation papers; printed material such as
pamphlets, newspapers, magazines, and clippings; maps; and photographs. The papers
pertain to Molyneaux’s career as a journalist, publisher, editor, and economist,
especially for papers such as the Southern Weekly
(formerly the Texas Weekly), Texas Digest, Southwestern Banker (Southwest Banking and Industry), and Tax Digest. Additionally, the papers pertain to
Molyneaux’s business ventures, including the Wortham-Molyneaux Publishing Company
and the Molyneaux-Lewis Publishing Company, as well as to his roles as a trustee of
the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and as a member of economic and
philosophical societies. Items of note in the collection include WOAI (San Antonio)
radio broadcasts and an address, entitled Texas--A
Heritage and a Trust, delivered at a San Jacinto Day banquet held in the
Rice Hotel.
Access Restrictions
Unrestricted access.
Use Restrictions
These papers are stored remotely. Advance notice required for retrieval. Contact
repository for retrieval.
Index Terms
Subjects (Persons)
Molyneaux, Peter, b. 1882--Archives.
Molyneaux, Etna E.
Moody, Daniel James, 1893-1966
O'Daniel, W. Lee (Wilbert Lee), 1890-1969
Dobie, J. Frank (James Frank), 1888-1964
Peck, J. O. (Jonas Oramel), 1836-1894
Subjects (Organizations)
Southern Weekly
Texas Digest
Southwestern Banker
Tax Digest
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Subjects
Journalists--Texas
Authors--Texas
Editors--Texas
Economics--Texas
Philosophy--Texas
Publishers and
publishing--Texas
Places
Houston (Tex.)
Dallas (Tex.)
Fort Worth (Tex.)
San Antonio (Tex.)
New Orleans (La.)
Delaware
Mexico
Preferred Citation
Peter Molyneaux Papers, 1910-1953, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The
University of Texas at Austin.
Separated Material
Some material has been separated to the Library Unit.
Related Material
Molyneaux, Peter. The Cotton South and American Trade
Policy. New York: National Peace Conference, 1936. Call number: 338.1
M739C
Molyneaux, Peter. The Romantic Story of Texas. New York
and Dallas: Cordova Press, 1936. Call number: F 389 M67
Molyneaux, Peter. Romantic True Stories of Texas: A Series of
Stories of Interesting Episodes in the History of Texas, Related Every Sunday,
Over Radio Stations WFAA-WBAP, WOAI, and KPRC. Dallas, Texas: Texas
Weekly, 1936. Call number: 976.4 M739RO
Molyneaux, Peter. The South’s Political Plight. Dallas:
Calhoun Clubs of the South, 1948. Call number: JK 2316 M6
Molyneaux, Peter. Southwestern Banking and Industry.
Dallas, Tex.: Beacon Pub. Co., 1941-1943. Call number: 330.5 SO87
Molyneaux, Peter. The Taxpayers Digest. Dallas, Tex.:
Taxpayers Research Bureau, 1939-. Call number: -Q- HJ 2240 T397
Molyneaux, Peter. The Texas Club Woman. San Antonio,
Texas, 1914-. Call number: -Q- 396.05 T312CL
Molyneaux, Peter. Texas Digest. Dallas: Texas Digest,
1940-1941. Call number: -Q- 976.4005 B884W
Molyneaux, Peter. The Texas Monthly. Dallas: The Texas
Monthly, 1928-1930. Call number: 976.4005 B884
Molyneaux, Peter. Texas Weekly. Dallas: P. Molyneaux,
1930-1940. Call number: -Q- 976.4005 B884W
Molyneaux, Peter. Two Texas Songs. Dallas:
Molyneaux-Lewis Pub Co., 1943. Call number: -Q- 784.71 M739T
Molyneaux, Peter. What Economic Nationalism Means to the
South. New York Foreign Policy Association, 1934. Call number: 330.975
M739W
Molyneaux, Peter. Why a State Income Tax? An Analysis of a Revolutionary Proposal.
Fort Worth, Tex.: Texans, Inc., 1929. Call number: HJ 4655 T42 M659 1929
Processing Information
Portions of this collection were processed by Chester Kielman, June 1962.
Portions were revised by Goodrich, 1969; Sara Rumbo, November 1971; and Angela Olivera, November 1983.
Portions of this collection are unprocessed. Contact repository for more information.
Detailed Description of the Papers
Inventory
Contact repository for more information.