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| John Shaw Billings |
The first endowment received by the University Libraries after the expanded Thomas Cooper Libraryopened in 1975 was a bequest from the estate of John Shaw Billings (1891–1975), the first managing editor of Life magazine. Funds generated by the John Shaw Billings Library Endowmenthave provided for the acquisition of significant materials for the Thomas Cooper Library (such as the Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493) and other library needs.
John Shaw Billings and South Carolina
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| Redcliffe |
Billings’s family, the Hammonds, originally came from South Carolina, and he maintained close ties with South Carolina throughout his life. In the 1930s, he bought and restored the Hamond family’s Savannah River home “Redcliffe.” The University's Newsfilm Library has home movies recording the restoration. Visits to Redcliffe convinced Henry Luce to purchase Mepkin (now Mepkin Abbey) for his wife Claire Booth Luce.
Billings’s grandfather (also John Shaw Billings) served as a medical doctor in the U.S. Army during the Civil War. After the war, he established an army medical library with the first modern bibliographical system for medical knowledge. He later became one of the best-known early 20th-century librarians as director of the New York Public Library.
Billings’ own papers, as well as those of his ancestor, Senator James Henry Hammond (1807-1864), were given to the South Caroliniana Library. The Billings papers include diaries that chart the political influence of Henry Luce (founder of Time and Life) during WWII. Billings began working forTime in the 1930s and became the first editor of Life. After WWII, he was named editor-in-chief of Time-Life. He retired in the 1950s.
Rare Books and Special Collections received items from the Redcliffe library including his own books and some from the Hammond family, pictures, memorabilia, and Billings’ desk. A noteworthy item is a photo from Billings’ retirement party with about 50 signatures of Time-Life staff who had worked with him over the years.
For more information about the Billings papers, please contact South Caroliniana Library; for information on the books and memorabilia, contact Rare Books and Special Collections.
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