Harman, Moses (1830-1910), Papers, 1858-1984 (C3802)

13 folders

MICROFILM

INTRODUCTION

Papers of Moses Harman, founder and publisher of Lucifer, the Light-Bearer, later the American Journal of Eugenics. He was a proponent of women's rights and the eugenics movement during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The papers include typescript copies of speech and articles by Harman, a photograph, articles about Harman, and issues of Lucifer, the Light-Bearer, 1896-1907. A microfilm copy of this collection is also available.

DONOR INFORMATION

The Harman Papers were donated to the University of Missouri on 20 August 1986 by John McCormick (Accession No. 4733).

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Moses Harman, the son of Job and Nancy Harman, was born October 12, 1830, in Pendelton County, Virginia. His family moved to Crawford County, Missouri. Due to the elder Harman's philanthropic nature, poverty was often close at hand. Harman was not able to attend school, so he borrowed books from neighbors to educate himself.

At age sixteen he taught school on a subscription basis. Afterward, he decided he wanted to attend school and enrolled at the Arcadia Methodist Seminary in Arcadia, Missouri.

Following graduation, Harman was a Methodist circuit rider and teacher. In 1866 he married Susan Scheuck. They had several children, but only two survived. Susan died in 1877 during childbirth. After his wife's death, Harman became involved with eugenics and social reform. By this time he had left the ministry. In 1879 he moved to Valley Falls, Kansas, and edited the Kansas Liberal. Soon he moved to Chicago and started publishing Lucifer, the Light-Bearer, which became the American Journal of Eugenics. Harman died in 1910.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

Issues of Lucifer, the Light-Bearer comprise the bulk of this collection. They detail the thoughts of Moses Harman and other "free-thinkers." Many of the articles discuss divorce, marriage, child rearing, and religion. Typescript copies of a speech by Harman and articles written by him, a photograph, and articles on Harman written by the donor are also included.

FOLDER LIST

f. 1Miscellany, 1858-1984. Typescript copies of articles and a partial speech by Harman, a photograph, and articles on Harman written by the donor.
f. 2Lucifer, the Light-Bearer, 1896. Articles in these issues include "Inequality in Divorce" and "What Children Should be Taught."
f. 3Lucifer, the Light-Bearer, 1897. Topics include "The Money Value of a Wife," "The Population Question," and "The True Life of Sex."
f. 4Lucifer, the Light-Bearer, 1898. Discusses "The Emotions of Childhood" and "Love the Universal Law."
f. 5Lucifer, the Light-Bearer, 1899. Speaks of "The Question of Women's Dress" and "The Population and Economic Question."
f. 6Lucifer, the Light-Bearer, 1900. Articles include "A Plea for Sexual Reform," "Are Children Human Beings?" and "Pre-Nuptial and Post-Nuptial Contracts."
f. 7Lucifer, the Light-Bearer, 1901. Informs readers of issues like "What is a Sensible Marriage Law?" and "Children's Rights."
f. 8Lucifer, the Light-Bearer, 1902. Articles include "The Coming Sexualism" and "The Meaning of the Press Censorship."
f. 9Lucifer, the Light-Bearer, 1903. Communicates information about "Slavery In and Out of Legal Marriage," "The Fall of Nations through Marriage," and "The Free Woman's Choice."
f. 10Lucifer, the Light-Bearer, 1904. Subjects include "Friendships Between Men and Women," "The Right to be Born Well," and "The Fugitive Wife."
f. 11Lucifer, the Light-Bearer, 1905. Thoughts on "The Significance of Divorce" and "Postal Censorship in the United States."
f. 12Lucifer, the Light-Bearer, 1906. Articles include "Why Free Speech is Necessary," "When Divorce is a Blessing," and "Should Women Demand Pay for Being Mothers?".
f. 13Lucifer, the Light-Bearer, 1907. Topics include "Interest in Eugenics Increasing," "Test Case on Obscenity," "Love and Socialism," and "Socialism and the Christian Church."

INDEX TERMS

These index terms are the subjects, people, places, etc. under which this collection is listed in all available indexes at the Western Historical Manuscript Collection-Columbia. If you are interested in a specific index term, please contact the reference staff.

  • Anarchism and anarchists
  • Anthony, Susan Brownell
  • Atheism
  • Birth control
  • Censorship
  • Child development, 1890s
  • Children, 1890s
  • Children, 1900s
  • Children--Civil rights, 1890s
  • Children--Civil rights, 1900s
  • Collective bargaining
  • Communism
  • Comstock, Anthony
  • Craddock, Ida C.
  • Desertion and nonsupport
  • Diseases
  • Divorce, 1890s
  • Divorce, 1900s
  • Eugenics, 1890s
  • Eugenics, 1900s
  • Fathers, 1890s
  • Fathers, 1900s
  • Free love, 1900s
  • Free thought
  • Freedom of the press
  • Goldman, Emma (1869-1940)
  • Grand, Rosa, Hilda's Home
  • Harman, Lillian
  • Harman, Moses (1830-1910)
  • Labor & laboring classes
  • Labor unions
  • Legal ethics
  • Love
  • Lucifer, the Light-Bearer, Chicago, IL
  • Marriage contracts
  • Marriage customs & rites
  • Marriage, 1890s
  • Marriage, 1900s
  • Marriage, 19th century
  • Money
  • Mothers, 1890s
  • Mothers, 1900s
  • Newspapers, Illinois, Chicago
  • Population, 1890s
  • Population, 1900s
  • Poverty
  • Prostitution, 1890s
  • Prostitution, 1900s
  • Religion
  • Sex education, 1890s
  • Sex education, 1900s
  • Sexism, 1890s
  • Sexism, 1900s
  • Sexual ethics, 1890s
  • Sexual ethics, 1900s
  • Socialism
  • Stanton, Elizabeth Cady (1815-1902)
  • Unmarried couples
  • Vivisection
  • Wages--Women
  • Wife abuse
  • Women, 1890s
  • Women, 1900s
  • Women--Psychology
  • Women--Social conditions
  • Women--Societies
  • Women--Suffrage