Moore, Merrill (Austin Merrill Moore)
Dates
- Existence: 11 September 1903 - 20 September 1957
Biography
Austin Merrill Moore grew up with a strong interest in language, leading him to acquire fluency in French, Latin, Spanish, German and Greek and picking up basic skills in Hebrew, Yiddish, Maori, and Mandarin Chinese. He received his B.A. from Vanderbilt University in 1924. A poet since high school, he began to write prolifically during his time at Vanderbilt. He joined the Fugitive literary group as an undergraduate and was published frequently in their magazine, The Fugitive. He spent the summer of 1923 in Germany, returning to receive his bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt in 1924. The following year, he enrolled in Vanderbilt’s Medical School and graduated with an M.D. in 1928. After a year’s internship in Nashville, he accepted a position at the Boston City Hospital in Massachusetts. He served in the military during World War II and later became an expert psychiatrist. In addition to poetry, he began publishing articles on alcoholism and suicide and became a noted authority on these topics. He continued to produce poetry throughout his life, completing more than 50,000 poems.
Found in 4 Collections and/or Records:
Fugitive and Agrarian Collection
This collection contains 1.67 linear feet of materials on the Fugitive Poets and the Nashville Agrarians. Most of the materials have to do with the years in the 1920’s when the Fugitive poet group was formed and the resulting poems, manuscripts, and correspondence. In addition there are a few items, mostly articles, that concern the Agrarian group.
Frank Luton Papers
Personal papers of psychiatrist and Vanderbilt professor Frank Luton (1898-1979). Materials include: correspondence, biographical material, manuscripts, lectures, notes, grant applications, reprints, clippings, programs, brochures, photographs, and subject files on alcoholism and professional organizations. Correspondents include: Merrill Moore, Smiley Blanton, William F. Roth, and Marc H. Hollender.
Merrill Moore and Louise Davis Collection
The Merrill Moore and Louise Davis Collection, 1943-1956, includes an Autobiographical sketch of Merrill Moore, correspondence, poetry, bibliography and articles, publication materials, articles about Merrill Moore, and personal and biographical materials. The collection is small, only 1/3 of a cubic foot. The majority of this collection is focused on the person of Merrill Moore, both as a doctor and a poet.
Merrill Moore Papers
This three-box collection contains materials relating to the life of Merrill Moore. Merrill Moore (1903-1957) was a native Tennessean, neurological physician, veteran, and poet. The collection is primarily comprised of his poetry, manuscripts, and letters (both incoming and outgoing) about and by Merrill Moore. It also includes photographs, programs, newspaper clippings, biographical materials, tape recordings, and miscellaneous documents all pertaining to Merrill Moore’s life.
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About this Site
This site contains collection guides, or finding aids, to the archival collections held by Vanderbilt University Special Collections and University Archives, the History of Medicine Collection, and the Scarritt Bennett Center. Finding aids describe the context, arrangement, and structure of archival materials, allowing users to identify and request materials relevant to their research.
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