Guide to the James H. and Candace Van Alen papers, 1746-2002 and undated

111 Pages·2014·2.17 MB·English

by  Elizabeth Delmage

Guide to the James H. and Candace Van Alen papers,
1746-2002 and undated (bulk 1949-1991)

Collection overview:
Title: James H. and Candace Van Alen papers
Date range(inclusive 1746-2002 and undated
dates):
Bulk dates: 1949-1991
Creator: Van Alen, James H., 1902-1991
Van Alen, Candace A., 1912-2002
Extent: 102 linear feet (32 records boxes, 4 document cases, 4 half document
cases, 12 small flat boxes, 49 oversize flat boxes, 2 textile boxes)
Abstract: James H. Van Alen (1902-1991) and Candace Van Alen (1912-2002), were
a well-known high society couple who were instrumental in establishing
the International Tennis Hall of Fame at the Newport Casino in Newport,
Rhode Island. This collection consists of personal records,
correspondence, published and unpublished writings, clippings,
photographs, scrapbooks, audiovisual materials, artifacts, and textiles
which document the lives, interests, and residences of James H. Van Alen
and Candace Van Alen both separately and as a couple.
Language of materials: English
Repository: Redwood Library & Athenaeum, Newport, Rhode Island
Collection number: RLC.Ms.003

Access and use:
Access to the collection: Access is open to members and researchers at the Redwood Library and
Athenaeum.
Use of the materials: This collection is owned by the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the
Special Collections Librarian of the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
Preferred citation: James H. and Candace Van Alen papers, RLC.Ms.003, Redwood Library
and Athenaeum.

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James H. and Candace Van Alen papers, RLC.Ms.003 Administrative information
Administrative information:
About the collection
Acquisition: Gift of the estate of Candace Van Alen, 2002
Processing information: When this collection was first received in 2002, it consisted of 86 boxes
(63 record boxes, 21 oversize flat file boxes, and two textile boxes). One
section of this acquisition was highly organized, while the other was in a
state of disarray. The organized part of the collection was the result of the
work completed by a private secretary, hired by Candace Van Alen
sometime after the death of her husband, to arrange his papers. This
secretary, who remains unknown, created a meticulous filing system for
these records. Each individual item was enclosed in a page protector and
labeled with information such as the series it belonged in, the date, and a
description of its contents. All of the items in page protectors have a
smaller label on the reverse side with an ID number for the document.
(These numbers may have served a purpose during the secretary’s work
with the records, but this is unapparent in the collection’s current
arrangement.) Each item was then placed within a file folder and then
housed in a vertical hanging folder – all labeled with a description of the
contents and the series created by the secretary. Photographs that were
found within documents were oftentimes separated and could be found
within the series of photographs.

Volunteers and staff at the Redwood Library first began processing this
collection in 2005. At this time, they replaced the file folders and vertical
file folders with archival folders. The second part of the collection, which
was not in any discernable order when acquired by the Library, was
surveyed and sorted according to records pertaining to James H. Van
Alen, Candace Van Alen, and the two of them as a couple. The series
arrangement established by Van Alen’s secretary was maintained with
additions made in order to accommodate the records belonging primarily
to Candace Van Alen. Processing of the collection was incomplete, leaving
the bulk of Candace Van Alen’s records and photographs to be organized
and arranged. A preliminary finding aid for the collection was drafted,
which served as the framework for this current version of the finding aid
for the James H. and Candace Van Alen papers.

During the 2014 arrangement of this collection, box numbers and folders
were assigned to all of the previously processed records. Materials that
were not yet arranged were sorted and interfiled according to the series
and subseries structure established by the previous archivists and the Van
Alen secretary. Photographs were arranged according to approximate
date ranges, in interest of time, and not further described according to
their image contents as seen in earlier processing efforts.
About the finding aid
Author and Encoding: Elizabeth Delmage, 2014 March
Descriptive rules: Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)
James H. and Candace Van Alen papers, RLC.Ms.003 Additional information
Biographical note

Additional information:
Separated material: This donation included ten boxes of published books which have been
separated from this collection.
Related material: Murphy collection of Van Alen papers, RLC.Ms.036, Redwood Library and
Athenaeum.
Bibliography: Dwight, Eleanor. Tie breaker : Jimmy Van Alen and Tennis in the 20th
Century. New York: Maria Teresa Train, 2010.
Sponsor: Funding for processing and cataloging this collection was provided by the
van Beuren Charitable Foundation.

Biographical note:
James “Jimmy” Henry Van Alen (1902-1991) was born on September 19, 1902, in Newport, Rhode
Island. He was the eldest son of James Laurens (1878-1927) and Margaret Louise Post Van Alen (1877-
1969), who was a relative of the Vanderbilt family and commonly referred to as “Daisy.” James H. Van
Alen had two younger siblings: William Laurens (1907-2009) and Louise Astor (Van Alen) Saunderson
(1917-2004). His grandfather, James John Van Alen (1846-1923), married into the Astor family with his
1876 marriage to Emily Astor (1854-1881), making James H. Van Alen a very socially connected man in
both New York and Newport’s social circles. His paternal grandparents built the summer cottage,
Wakehurst, in Newport in the 1880s, and the Van Alens lived between there and homes in New York,
England, and France. James H. Van Alen attended Cambridge University and graduated in 1924, during
which time he played on their tennis team, a sport he played and enjoyed since the age of five. He
continued to be an avid tennis player throughout his life and was a national single and doubles
champion in tennis. In October 1929, he married his first wife, Eleanor Langley (b. 1902) and had two
children: James Langley (1931-2008) and Samuel T. (1934-1970). The couple later divorced in 1948. With
the start of World War II, James H. Van Alen enlisted in the United States Navy and worked for the
Navy’s Book and Magazine Section before running a rest camp in England. He was discharged from the
Navy on March 2, 1949.
Candace Baird Alig Van Alen (1912-2002) was born on March 28, 1912, in Louisville, Kentucky. She was
the daughter of Otto Fidele (c. 1882-1933) and Candace May Baird Alig (1888-1972), and had a younger
brother, Baird Alig (1914-1918), who did not survive past childhood. Candace, or Candy as she was
known, spent her childhood in Des Moines, Iowa, and was tutored at home until she was sent to
Rosemary Hall, a boarding school in Greenwich, Connecticut. Candy attended Vassar College, where she
majored in political science and economics and after her graduation in 1932, she began post graduate
studies at Columbia University, Radcliffe College, and the Sorbonne in Paris, France. In 1937, she
married Kevin Cox Vanderlip (1912-1956) of New York. The couple divided their time between New York
and their Palos Verdes Ranch in California. Candy began a career as a public relations account executive
for a New York firm and was also involved in much charity work. The Vanderlips divorced in 1945 and at
this time, Candy began her journalism career. She first worked as a correspondent for El Universal,
Mexico’s largest newspapers, and represented them at a United Nations meeting in San Francisco.
During World War II, she served as war correspondent for the International News Service and was
stationed in Paris until the end of 1946. Upon her return to N.Y. in 1947, she became assistant to the
editor and editorial writer for the New York Herald Tribune, a position she held until 1948.
The Van Alens met at a cocktail party in New York and were soon married on November 8, 1948.
Throughout their forty-three year marriage, they became known as a high society couple recognized for
their involvement in a multitude of activities and organizations. They owned a variety of residences
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James H. and Candace Van Alen papers, RLC.Ms.003 Biographical note
Scope and content note
including Penny Pond in Greenvale, N.Y., an apartment in Madrid, a condo in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and
their primary residence, Avalon, in Newport. The couple enjoyed working together and for years wrote a
joint newspaper column, “Between the Lines,” that was published nationally. In 1953, they began an
annual reading of Clement C. Moore’s, “A Visit from Saint Nicholas,” at Moore’s Newport summer
home. The Van Alens hoped to turn this house into a Christmas museum, but this endeavor was never
realized. They did continue their annual readings and in 1958, Jimmy wrote an introduction and
addendum to the famous poem, which he also recited during their annual readings. They also worked to
return the Newport Casino to its former position as the center of civic and social activity as well as
establishing a Tennis Hall of Fame. In 1954, the International Tennis Hall of Fame, which operated at the
Newport Casino, was established. This is commonly seen as their greatest contribution to society.
Besides their work together, the Van Alens continued to work on individual projects and their own
interests. James H. Van Alen made a major contribution to the game of tennis with his development of
the Van Alen Streamlined Scoring System (VASSS). This system advocated a sudden death tie breaker for
the game and his system eventually evolved into the best of twelve tie breaks seen in tennis matches
today. He also spent time composing his own poems and music, and was actively involved with the
Republican Party. Candace Van Alen served as contributing editor to Vogue for eight years and had a
“How To” column in the New York Daily News and the Chicago Syndicate. She also served as chairman or
committee member for various organizations including the International Debutante Ball, April in Paris
Ball in N.Y., the International Red Cross Ball in Palm Beach, Florida, and the American Scottish
Foundation.
James H. Van Alen died on July 3, 1991, after suffering from a fall at his Newport home. Candace Van
Alen lived on to the age of ninety, passing away on February 12, 2002. The couple is interred at the
Berkeley Memorial Cemetery in Middletown, Rhode Island.

Scope and content note:
This collection consists of personal records, correspondence, published and unpublished writings,
clippings, photographs, scrapbooks, audiovisual materials, artifacts, and textiles which document the
lives, interests, and residences of James H. Van Alen and Candace Van Alen both separately and as a
couple. Also included are materials related to ancestors of the Van Alens, including the Alig, Astor, Baird,
Van Alen, and Vanderbilt families.
Due to the arrangement of this collection into thirteen series, it is possible that information concerning a
particular topic of interest may be found within various series throughout the collection.

Page 4 of 111
James H. and Candace Van Alen papers, RLC.Ms.003 Series 1. Personal records
Subseries A. Candace Van Alen
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged into the following series and subseries:

Series 1. Personal records, 1746-2002 .......................................................................................................... 6
Subseries A. Candace Van Alen, 1912-2002 ............................................................................................. 6
Subseries B. James H. Van Alen, 1922-2001 ............................................................................................. 7
Subseries C. Van Alen and other related families, 1746-1996 ................................................................ 10
Series 2. Residences, 1889-2002 ................................................................................................................. 11
Series 3. Correspondence, 1842-2002 ........................................................................................................ 13
Subseries A. Candace Van Alen, 1927-2002 ........................................................................................... 13
Subseries B. Family, Friends, Business, 1842-1992 ................................................................................. 18
Subseries C. Tennis friends, 1922-1991 .................................................................................................. 35
Series 4. Writings, 1918-2001 ..................................................................................................................... 59
Subseries A. Candace Van Alen, 1925-2001 ........................................................................................... 59
Subseries B. James H. Van Alen, 1918-1991 ........................................................................................... 60
Subseries C. Joint writings: Behind the Lines column, 1939-1961.......................................................... 66
Series 5. Tennis, 1919-1992 ........................................................................................................................ 67
Series 6. Projects, 1938-2001 ...................................................................................................................... 73
Series 7. Clippings, 1918-2000 .................................................................................................................... 92
Series 8. Political interests, 1941-2001 ....................................................................................................... 93
Series 9. Clubs, 1948-2000 .......................................................................................................................... 97
Series 10. Photographs, circa 1860s-2002 and undated............................................................................. 99
Subseries A. Family, circa 1860s-2002 .................................................................................................... 99
Subseries B. Residences, 1895-1997 ..................................................................................................... 102
Subseries C. Snapshots, 1915-1976 and undated ................................................................................. 104
Subseries D. Social gatherings, 1890s-1990s ........................................................................................ 106
Subseries E. Tennis, circa 1890s-1990s ................................................................................................. 107
Subseries F. Slides, 1955-1962 and undated ........................................................................................ 107
Subseries G. Negatives, undated .......................................................................................................... 108
Series 11. Scrapbooks, 1900-1983 ............................................................................................................ 109
Series 12. Audiovisual, 1942-1956 and undated ...................................................................................... 110
Series 13. Artifacts, textiles, and miscellaneous, circa 1945-1946 and undated ...................................... 110

Page 5 of 111
James H. and Candace Van Alen papers, RLC.Ms.003 Series 1. Personal records
Subseries A. Candace Van Alen
Inventory:
Series 1. Personal records, 1746-2002
This series consists of address books, calendars, certificates, day planners, family memorabilia,
genealogical records, and property lists regarding Candace Van Alen, James H. Van Alen, and Van Alen
and other related families such as the Aligs and Vanderbilts. This series is comprised of three subseries,
all of which are arranged in alphabetical order.

Subseries A. Candace Van Alen, 1912-2002

Box Folder Title Date
1 1 Address books undated
1 2 Baird family plot at Cave Hill Cemetery undated
1 3 Baby book 1912
1 4 Biography 1967
73 1 Biography undated
73 2 Birth certificate (certified copy) 1945
87 15 Calendar 1931
1 5 Calendar 1990
74 1 Certificate: Les Compagnons de Rabelais (oversize) 1952
74 rolled Certificate: Pan American World Airways System 1947
item
74 rolled Certificate from the Italian Republic 1960
item
1 6 Certificate of marriage to James H. Van Alen 1948
73 3 Certificate of voter registration (photocopy) 1972
1 7 Christmas lists 1955-1963
1 8 Day planner 1970
1 9 Day planner 1977
1 10 Day planner 1979
1 11 Day planner 1990
1 12 Day planner 1991
1 13 Day planner 1993
1 14 Day planner 1994
1 15 Deposit book 1939
73 4 Introduction to Gaston Palewski 1945
74 2 Kentucky Colonel Award (oversize) 2001
1 16 Memorabilia 1925-1930 and undated
1 17 Memorabilia 1925-1936 and undated
87 16 Memorial 2002
74 3 Metropolitan Miami Fishing Tournament citation 1954
(oversize)
73 5 Passport and other travel information 1945
73 6 Pistol license 1971
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James H. and Candace Van Alen papers, RLC.Ms.003 Series 1. Personal records
Subseries B. James H. Van Alen

Box Folder Title Date
74 4 Pressed daisies from Vassar daisy chain 1931
1 18 Profile printed in the Newport Daily News 2001
73 7 Property from the estates of Mr. and Mrs. James 2002
Van Alen - draft with notes
73 8 Property from the estates of Mr. and Mrs. James 2002
Van Alen
73 9 Resume 1982
1 19 Rosemary Hall handbook 1931
1 20 School exam books and notes 1928-1929
73 10 School notebook 1925
1 21 United Fruit Company cruise: Souvenirs 1927
1 22 Vassar College: report cards, etc. 1930-1933
1 23 War correspondent identification card 1945
1 24 Wedding announcement 1937
1 25 Wedding announcement 1948
1 26 Will, handwritten fragment undated
1 27 Yearbooks 1927-1929

Subseries B. James H. Van Alen, 1922-2001

Box Folder Title Date
73 11 Address book circa 1940s
2 1 Addresses and telephone numbers undated
2 2 Biographies 1971, 1985 and undated
73 12 Calendar 1950
2 3 Calendar 1959
2 4 Calendar 1961
2 5 Calendar 1966
2 6 Calendar 1976
2 7 Calendar 1977
2 8 Calendar 1979
2 9 Calendar 1979
2 10 Calendar 1981
2 11 Calendar 1983
2 12 Calendar 1984
2 13 Calendar 1985
2 14 Calendar 1986
2 15 Calendar 1987
2 16 Cambridge University years 1924
2 17 Certificates and Awards: American-Scottish 1979
Foundation
Page 7 of 111
James H. and Candace Van Alen papers, RLC.Ms.003 Series 1. Personal records
Subseries B. James H. Van Alen

Box Folder Title Date
2 18 Certificates and Awards: Bombard Society 1983
2 19 Certificates and Awards: Cambridge Tennis Club 1974
2 20 Certificates and Awards: Center for International 1979
Studies
2 21 Certificates and Awards: International Scholar 2001
Athlete Hall of Fame
2 22 Certificates and Awards: Lions Club of Newport 1951
2 23 Certificates and Awards: National Research 1941
Council
2 24 Certificates and Awards: Naval War College 1983-1985
2 25 Certificates and Awards: People-to-People 1974, 1990
2 26 Certificates and Awards: Rhode Island Association 1973
for Health and Physical Education
2 27 Certificates and Awards: Rhode Island Heritage 1975
2 28 Certificates and Awards: Smithsonian Institute 1978
2 29 Certificates and Awards: United States Tennis 1978, 1984
Association
2 30 Certificates and Awards: Who's Who in America 1958, 1991
2 31 Childhood reminiscences 1955
73 13 Commission undated
2 32 Condolence letters received 1991
2 33 Day planner 1947-1948
2 34 Day planner undated
2 35 Death certificate 1991
74 5 Diploma from Christ's College, University of 1925
Cambridge (oversize)
74 6 Endorsement of driver's license at University of 1922, 1924
Cambridge (oversize)
2 36 Federal income tax data 1959
73 14 Insurance valuations for jewelry 1947-1951
2 37 Memorial service guest book 1991
87 21 Memorial services 1991
2 38 Miscellaneous 1949, 1964
2 39 Navy: Discharge papers 1946-1949
2 40 Navy: Official documents 1939-1957
2 41 Navy: Public Relations Office work 1941-1943
2 42 Navy: Unofficial documents 1941-1951 and undated
2 43 Navy: "They were expendable" 1942-1943
2 44 Obituaries 1991
2 45 Obituaries 1991
2 46 Passport 1949
73 15 Pistol license 1971
2 47 School newspaper: "The Migrator" 1917-1918
Page 8 of 111
James H. and Candace Van Alen papers, RLC.Ms.003 Series 1. Personal records
Subseries B. James H. Van Alen

Box Folder Title Date
2 48 Resume undated
2 49 Telephone book undated
2 50 Tributes 1991

Page 9 of 111
James H. and Candace Van Alen papers, RLC.Ms.003 Series 1. Personal records
Subseries C. Van Alen and other related families

Subseries C. Van Alen and other related families, 1746-1996

Box Folder Title Date
73 16 Alig, Candace Baird: receipt from the Ritz-Carlton 1945
Hotel
2 51 Bruguiere, Margaret L. Van Alen: copy of birth 1927
certificate
73 17 Bruguiere, Margaret L. Van Alen: estate of 1969
Margaret Louise Bruguiere, U.S. estate tax return
2 52 Coat of arms undated
2 53 Saunderson, Louisa Van Alen Mdivani: copy of 1935
Serge Mdivani’s will
2 54 Van Alen family: genealogy 1950-1976
73 18-19 Van Alen genealogy by Charles W. Farnham undated
73 20 Van Alen, Elizabeth Brinton Kent: Thoughts and 1996
memories
74 7 Van Alen, J. Trumbull: commission (oversize) 1847
73 21 Van Alen, James John: book with personal notes 1902
2 55 Van Alen, James John: Inquiry re: "Prohibitionist" 1938
portrait
2 56 Van Alen, James John: List of people sent salmon 1916
from Grand Cascapedia River, Quebec
74 8 Van Alen, James John: travel journal undated
2 57 Van Alen, James Laurens and Margaret L. Post: 1920, 1934
marriage certificate
2 58 Van Alen, James Laurens: birth certificate 1828
2 59 Van Alen, James Laurens: dedication service 1957
2 60 Van Alen, James Laurens: Eton register 1935
74 9 Van Alen, Lowerens Jacobus: commission 1746
(oversize)
73 22 Van Alen, Samuel T.: autograph book undated
2 61 Vanderbilt, Frederick W. and Louise H. Anthony: 1878
Marriage certificate and bridal book
73 23 Vanderbilt, Louise Holmes Anthony: ancestral 1917
chart

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