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1 document boxes (0.25 cubic feet)

(1926 – 1994)

Bulk: 1926-1954

Worcester County Library: Genealogy and Local History Collection, Snow Hill Branch, Snow Hill, MD

Abstract

This collection consists of songbooks, poems, and writings of Peter Dale Wimbrow Sr, a pioneer in radio music and recording during the early 20^th century. In his capacity as a professional musician and songwriter, he applied his talents to poetry and essays during the 1940s and 1950s, when he founded and ran the Indian River News.

Biographical Note

Peter Dale Wimbrow was born in Whaleyville, Maryland in 1895, and became a composer, poet, and radio broadcaster during the golden age of radio in the early 20^th century. During this time, he earned the nickname, ‘The Del-Mar-Va Songster’ and also went by ‘Old Pete Daley of Whaleysville’. Music written by him was also covered by other artists, most notably Duke Ellington, and ended up in Betty Boop cartoons. He was best known for his 1934 poem The Guy in the Glass, which became a popular clipping – although his name was usually removed from these. During the 1940s and 1950s, he settled in Florida, where he founded the conservative Indian River News newspaper, where he acted as editor.

He married radio producer and writer Dorothy Livezy, and had two children before dying in 1954. After his death, his family continued the newspaper until the mid-1960s. He is buried in a family cemetery in Whaleyville.

Scope and Content Note

This collection documents the professional output of Peter Dale Wimbrow Sr. The bulk of the collection consists of songbooks written from the late 1920s to early 1930s, and his published poetry. The remainder of the collection consists of a bound copy of the editorials he wrote for the Indian River News, and various personal papers and remembrances.

Series I: Songbooks, 1926-1933. This series consists of Wimbrow’s songbooks, which were published by various publishers during the 20s and 30s.

Series II: Publications, 1931-1953. This series consists of Wimbrow’s published writing, both lyrical and editorial.

Series III: Papers. This series consists of letters, newspaper clippings, and other papers pertaining to Wimbrow. These are sorted into two main categories, papers relating to remembrance of his life after death, and correspondence with his family, or between Wimbrow’s family and others regarding him and his work.

Arrangement Statement

The Dale Wimbrow Collection records have been arranged into three series, songbooks, publications, and papers. Songbooks are arranged chronologically by year of publication. Folders are listed by their location in each box; any given subject may be dispersed throughout the entirety of the collection.

Subject Terms

Topical Terms

Editorials – Newspapers

Music

Poetry

Whaleyville (Md.)

Corporate Names

The American Magazine

Columbia Records

Indian River News

Washburn Printing Company

Wimbrow’s Photography

Personal Names

Hamilton, Wanda

Wimbrow, Peter Dale Sr.

Wimbrow, Sallydale

Location Terms

Whaleyville (Md.)

Inventory List

Series I: Songbooks

Box 1

1|1 When Black Sheep Get the Blues, 1926

1|2 Wife O’ Mine, 1927

1|3 The Good Old Eastern Shore, 1928

1|4 Oshkosh, 1928

1|5 Every Moon’s A Honeymoon (With You), 1929

1|6 That’s What I Call Heaven, 1929

1|7 The First Girl I Met Was The Last Girl I Loved, 1931

1|8 The Start of the Big Parade, 1933

1|9 Photocopied Songbooks

Series II: Publications

1|10 A Sardine & A Cracker, 1931

1|11 Swamp Cabbage & Angel Wings, 1953

Series III: Papers

1|12 Remembrances

1|13 Family Correspondence

Attached Documents