Earl C. Michener papers, 1898-1934, 1940-1954 (majority within 1904-1934)

Summary

Creator:

Michener, Earl C. (Earl Cory), 1876-1957

Abstract:

Adrian, Michigan attorney and Republican congressman, 1919-1933 and 1935-1951. Correspondence, 1898-1934, newspaper clippings, 1920-1950, including materials concerning veterans and other constituent affairs, political campaigns, the Republican Party, the influence of the Ku Klux Klan in the election of 1924, and personal affairs.

Extent:

13 linear feet

Language:

English

Call Number:

852266 Aa 2

Authors:

Finding aid created by Thomas E. Powers, 1968

Background

Scope and Content:

The Michener collection consists almost totally of correspondence accumulated while Michener served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Although the collection dates from 1898 to 1955, the great bulk of it dates from 1904 to 1934, years when Michener practiced law, served as a county prosecutor, then went off to Congress. The files relate exclusively to the politics of being a congressman, the job of staying in touch with constituents, responding to their concerns, thanking them when they offer support, etc. During each election year, Michener sent out hundreds of form letters. Such correspondence included notes enclosed with nominating petitions; brief notes which accompanied signed petitions; acknowledgments of the signed petitions; letters to newspapers asking them to print enclosed advertisements; letters enclosing campaign cards; form letters urging support at the primary; letters of congratulation; Michener's acknowledgment of congratulations; letters to people from various towns asking them to phone in the election returns; thank you notes to those who phoned in the returns; and so forth. Examples of each type of these form letters have been included in the collection though the bulk of materials has been reduced.

The collection is particularly valuable for material on grass-roots Republican politics, the methods and means by which an individual sought election to Congress and then maintained that position through several successive terms. Michener's correspondence is particularly heavy during election years. Some of the issues discussed by him relate to prohibition in Michigan, the influence of the Ku-Klux-Klan in the 1924 election, and the problems confronting veterans of the Spanish-American War and World War I. The collection is less valuable for the work that Michener did while in Congress. There are few files relating to legislative activities.

Biographical / Historical:

Earl Cory Michener was born November 30, 1876 in Seneca County, Ohio. He moved with his parents to Adrian, Michigan in 1889 which he made his residence for the rest of his life. He served in the Spanish-American War, 1898-1899, then studied law at the University of Michigan, 1901-1902. He graduated with a law degree in 1903 from Columbian University (now George Washington University). He practiced law in Lenawee County for the next two decades, then in 1918 was elected Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He served six terms until his defeat in 1932. In 1934, he was reelected and served seven terms until January 3, 1951 when he decided against an eighth term in 1950. Michener died July 4, 1957.

Acquisition Information:

The collection (donor no. 4534 ) came to the library in 1967. The files had been stored in the Adrian Bank Building in Adrian, Michigan.

Accruals:

No further additions to the papers are expected.

Physical Location:

Portions located in offsite storage; prior notification required for access.

Rules or Conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Selective Index to Correspondents

Adams, Charles Francis, 1866-1954.	May 12, 1930
Adrian College.	Nov. 7, 1905, Mar. 23, 1908, June 1, 1915, June 3, 1915, June 15, 1915, June 18, 1915
Anti-National Origins Clause League.	Aug. 13, 1927, Nov. 1, 1928
Anti-Saloon League of America.	Nov. 9, 1928, July 22, 1930
Anti-Saloon League of Michigan.	Jan. 20, 1911, Feb. 1, 1911, Sept. 13, 1911, May 17, 1912, May 18, 1932, July 8, 1912, Aug. 15, 1912, Sept, 16, 1912, Sept. 18, 1912, Apr. 12, 1913, Feb. 4, 1915, Feb. 9, 1915, Nov. 10, 1922 (W. V. Waltman), Apr. 18, 1923 (W. V. Waltman), July 25, 1928
Beakes, Samuel Willard, 1861-1927.	Mar. 23, 1914, Mar. 5, 1918, Apr. 1, 1918, Apr, 5, 1918
Beal, Junius E. (Junius Emery), 1860-1942.	Jan. 13, 1915, May 18, 1925, Nov. 5, 1930, Apr. 25, 1932, Aug. 27, 1932, Aug. 1932, Sept. 14, 1932, Sept. 15, 1932, Oct. 19, 1932, Nov. 8, 1934
Bonisteel, Roscoe O. (Roscoe Osmond), b. 1888.	June 2, 1920, June 10, 1920, June 17, 1920, June 28, 1920, Aug. 15, 1925, Nov. 5, 1930, Sept. 15, 1932, Sept. 17, 1932
Bradley, James Bray, b. 1858.	June 25, 1908
Brucker, Wilber Marion, 1894-1968.	Nov. 8, 1928, Nov. 9, 1928, July 10, 1929, Sept. 31, 1930, Sept. 18, 1930, Nov. 5, 1930, Nov. 7, 1930, Nov. 10, 1930, Apr. 28, 1931, May 2, 1931, Aug. 10, 1931, Aug. 11, 1931, May 10, 1932, Sept. 15, 1932, Oct. 6, 1932, Nov. 18, 1932, Feb. 1, 1933, Sept. 20, 1934
Butler, William Morgan, 1861-1937.	June 18, 1927, June 27, 1927
Cabot, Hugh, 1872-1945.	Nov. 3, 1925, June 23, 1928, June 28, 1928, June 29, 1928, July, 2, 1928, July 8, 1929, Aug. 9, 1929
Carr, Lowell Juilliard, b. 1885.	July 18, 1927, July 19, 1927
Chapin, Roy D.(Roy Dikeman), 1880-1936.	Aug. 15, 1932
Colby, Bainbridge, 1869-1950.	July 16, 1920
Coolidge, Calvin, 1872-1933.	Nov. 17, 1920, June 21, 1926, Feb. 21, 1928, Mar. 3, 1928 (John C. Graham)
Couzens, James, 1872-1936.	May 16, 1923, Sept. 12, 1924, Apr. 23, 1929, Apr. 24, 1929, Apr. 25, 1929, Sept. 15, 1930, Oct. 15, 1930
Cramton, Louis C. (Louis Convers), b. 1875.	July 14, 1927, July 15, 1927, July 18, 1927, Oct. 13, 1927, Sept. 11, 1930, Sept. 24, 1930, July 1, 1933
Dawes, Charles Gates, 1865-1951.	Aug. 8, 1927
Diekema, Gerrit John, 1859-1930.	Aug. 29, 1908, Aug. 31, 1908, Nov. 27, 1908, Aug. 14, 1928, Aug. 21, 1928, Aug. 29, 1929
Fellows, Grant, 1865-1929.	1904-1915, Sept. 15, 1916, Jan. 14, 1918, Sept. 15, 1928
Ferris, Woodbridge N., 1853-1928.	Apr. 30, 1913, May 1, 1913, Nov. 11, 1922, Nov. 14, 1922
Fitzgerald, Frank Dwight, 1885-1939.	Oct. 2, 1930, Oct. 3, 1930, Oct. 4, 1930, Oct. 6, 1930, May 28, 1931, Aug. 11, 1931, Aug. 12, 1931, Oct. 21, 1931, Nov. 6, 1931, Nov. 7, 1931, July 21, 1932, July 25, 1932, July 26, 1932, July 29, 1932, Sept. 15, 1932, Oct. 22, 1934
Ford, Edsel, 1893-1943.	June 7, 1928, June 19, 1928 (Charles T. Lathers)
Ford, Henry, 1863-1947.	June 18, 1927, June 20, 1927 (H. R. Waddell)
Goddard, Edwin C, (Edwin Charles), 1865-1942.	Nov. 18, 1930
Gompers, Samuel, 1850-1924.	Aug. 5, 1922, Aug. 11, 1924
Green, Fred Warren, 1872-1936.	Oct. 30, 1922, Nov. 6, 1932, Nov. 14, 1922, Oct. 2, 1924, Oct. 22, 1924, Oct. 24, 1924, Nov. 7, 1924, Sept. 22, 1926, Nov. 1, 1926, June 14, 1927, June 16, 1927, July 9, 1927, July 11, 1927, July 14, 1927, July 19, 1927, July 29, 1927, Aug. 1, 1927, Aug. 2,1927, Aug. 5, 1927, Aug. 15, 1927, Aug. 18, 1927, Aug. 19, 1927, Aug. 20, 1927, Aug. 22, 1927, Dec. 29, 1927, Jan. 5, 1928, Jan. 17, 1928, Apr. 5, 1929, Apr. 29, 1929, May 1, 1929, Aug. 22, 1929, Aug. 27, 1929, Nov. 25, 1929, Dec. 5, 1929, Dec. 9, 1929, Dec. 13, 1929, May 26, 1930, May 31, 1930, Aug. 22, 1930, Oct. 18, 1930, Aug. 10, 1931, Aug. 12, 1931, Aug. 18, 1931, Aug. 20, 1931, Oct. 8, 1931, Oct. 10, 1931, Nov. 6, 1931, Nov. 7, 1931, July 21, 1932, July 25, 1932, July 26, 1932, Oct. 31, 1932, Dec. 1, 1932, Sept. 19, 1934, Nov. 7, 1934
Green, William, 1870-1952.	Aug. 2, 1926, Aug. 1, 1928
Groesbeck, Alexander J., 1873-1953.	Sept. 18, 1924
Harding, Warren G. (Warren Gamaliel), 1865-1923.	June 19, 1920, June 22, 1920, June 25, 1920, Apr. 16, 1923
Haynes, Harley Armand, 1875-	June 29, 1928
Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964.	Apr. 12, 1929 (secretary), June 20, 1929, June 29, 1929 (Walter Newton's secretary), July 10, 1929 (Walter Newton), July 13, 1929 (Walter Newton), Oct. 11, 1930 (secretary), Oct. 13, 1930 (Walter Newton), May 2, 1931, May 5, 1931, (Lawrence Richey), May 12, 1931 (Walter Newton), May 21, 1931 (Walter Newton), Feb. 1, 1932 (Walter Newton), Aug. 5, 1932 (Walter Newton), Sept. 8, 1932 (Walter Newton), Oct. 12, 1934
Hoover, J. Edgar (John Edgar), 1895-1972.	June 30, 1925
Hudson, Grant Martin, 1868-1955.	June 30, 1927, June 28, 1929, Oct. 3, 1929, Oct. 4, 1929
King, Paul H.	July 15, 1918, July 1, 1926, July 7, 1926, July 14, 1926, May 11, 1927, May 14, 1927, May 20, 1927
La Guardia, Fiorello H. (Fiorello Henry), 1882-1947.	Sept. 8, 1932, Sept. 19, 1932, Nov. 11, 1933
Lane, Victor Hugo, 1852-1930.	Aug. 10, 1918
Lawrence, Howard Cyrus, 1890-1961.	June 9, 1928, June 19, 1928, June 25, 1928, Sept. 27, 1928, Apr. 9, 1929, June 26, 1929, June 29, 1929, July 25, 1930, July 28, 1930, Oct. 1, 1930, Oct. 3, 1930, Jan. 17, 1931, Feb. 2, 1931, Feb. 4, 1931, Oct. 12, 1931, Oct. 15, 1931, Oct. 20, 1931, Nov. 2, 1931, Nov. 4, 1931, Nov. 6, 1931, Nov. 7, 1931 Jan. 25, 1932, Jan. 28, 1932, Jan. 30, 1932, Feb. 3, 1932, Feb. 8, 1932, Feb. 11, 1932, Sept. 14, 1932, Sept. 15, 1932, Nov. 25, 1932, Feb. 14, 1933, July 24, 1934, Sept. 14, 1934, Sept. 17, 1934, Sept. 19, 1934, Sept. 20, 1934, Sept. 22, 1934, Sept. 29, 1934, Oct. 10, 1934
Little, Clarence C. (Clarence Cook), b. 1888.	May 24, 1927, May 29, 1928, June 2, 1928
Lockwood, Harry Albert, 1861-1920.	Jan. 14, 1909, Jan. 18, 1909, Jan. 22, 1909
Malcolm, George A. (George Arthur), 1881-1961	July 7, 1927, Aug. 5, 1927, Mar. 8, 1932, July 20, 1932, Nov. 20, 1933
Martindale, Frederick C.	Aug. 15, 1908
Michigan Taft Campaign Committee.	Mar. 22, 1912
Mitchell, William D. (William De Witt), b. 1874.	Jan. 6, 1930, Jan. 11, 1930
Navin, Thomas J.	Feb. 13, 1909
Newberry, Truman Handy, 1864-1945.	July 1920
Osborn, Chase S. (Chase Salmon), b. 1860	Dec. 22, 1909, Dec. 24, 1909, Dec. 28, 1909, Jan. 17, 1911, Feb. 8, 1911, Feb. 14, 1911, July 25, 1912, July 27, 1912
National Grange.	Nov. 10, 1928
Prescott, George Allen, 1862-	June 10, 1907, July 17, 1907, Sept. 3, 1907
Randall, Harrison M. (Harrison McAllister), b. 1870.	June 23, 1927, June 24, 1927
Sample, George Washington, 1868-1945.	Jan. 18, 1930, Jan. 22, 1930
Sargent, John Garibaldi, 1860-1939.	July 13, 1928, Aug. 17, 1928, Aug. 20, 1928, Sept. 11, 1928, Sept. 13, 1928
Sigler, Kim, b. 1894.	Apr. 11, 1947
Sink, Charles Albert, 1879-1972.	June 30, 1927, May 2, 1929, May 4, 1929, Aug. 19, 1929, Aug. 21, 1929, Aug. 24, 1929, Aug. 28, 1929, Sept. 3, 1929, Feb. 24, 1930, Mar. 1, 1930, Apr. 8, 1930, Sept. 21, 1932
Sleeper, Albert E., 1862-1934.	June 29, 1918
Smith, Henry Cassorte, 1859-1911.	Dec. 8, 1899, June 10, 1901, Aug. 21, 1901, Aug. 5, 1901, Aug. 27, 1901, Sept. 9, 1901, Oct. 12, 1901, Oct. 23, 1901, Oct. 28, 1901, Nov. 19, 1901, June 4, 1902, June 7, 1902, June 21, 1902, Sept. 17, 1902, Mar. 2, 1903, May 24, 1903, June 2, 1903
Smith, William Alden, 1859-1932.	Jan. 14, 1907, Jan. 18, 1907, Oct. 10, 1908, Oct. 12, 1908, Feb. 2, 1909, Feb. 4, 1909
Thompson, William Hale, 1869-1944.	May 4, 1927, July 6, 1927, July 7, 1927, Aug. 5, 1927, Aug. 15, 1927, Aug. 19, 1927
Townsend, Charles E. (Charles Elroy), 1856-1924.	July 28, 1902, Feb. 17, 1904, Feb. 20, 1904, Oct. 19, 1904, Oct. 22, 1904, Dec. 29, 1904, Jan. 10, 1905, Sept. 28, 1905, Sept. 20, 1905, Jan. 26, 1906, Jan. 27, 1906, Jan. 31, 1906, Feb. 1, 1906, Jan. 11, 1907, Jan. 14, 1907, Oct. 16, 1909, Oct. 23, 1909, Dec. 7, 1910, Dec. 9, 1910, Dec. 12, 1910, July 31, 1916, Aug. 10, 1916
Tuttle, Arthur J., 1868-1944.	Oct. 30, 1917, Sept. 5, 1924, Sept. 13, 1924
Vandenberg, Arthur H. (Arthur Hendrick), 1884-1951.	Nov. 19, 1918, July 26, 1924, Aug. 7, 1928, Aug. 8, 1928 (secretary), Aug. 13, 1928, Aug. 24, 1928, Aug. 25, 1928, Sept. 6, 1928 Apr. 1, 1929, Apr. 6, 1929, Apr. 9, 1929, Apr. 19, 1929, Apr. 20, 1929, Apr. 23, 1929, May 1929, May 3, 1929, May 23, 1929, May 27, 1929, June 12, 1929, June 15, 1929, Aug. 21, 1929, Aug. 24, 1929 Oct. 15, 1930, Oct. 24, 1930, Oct. 25, 1930, Dec. 2, 1931, Dec. 4, 1931, Sept. 14, 1932, Sept. 15, 1932, Sept. 19, 1932, Sept. 26, 1932, Nov. 10, 1932, Apr. 28, 1933, May 22, 1933, Apr. 10, 1948
Volstead, Andrew John, 1860-1947.	Oct. 12, 1922
Warner, Frederick Maltby, 1865-1923.	Nov. 9, 1906, Oct. 12, 1907, Feb. 13, 1909, Feb. 15, 1909
Wedemeyer, William Walter, 1873-1913.	Sept. 12, 1910, Sept. 13, 1918
Wood, Will R. (Will Robert), 1861-1933.	Sept. 13, 1924, Oct. 17, 1924, Sept. 29, 1926, Oct. 8, 1926
Woodruff, Roy Orchard, 1876-1953.	July 29, 1928, Aug. 24, 1929, Aug. 30, 1929
Ziegler, Charles M., 1888-1959.	July 2, 1927, July 7, 1927, Aug. 13, 1928, Aug. 23, 1928, Aug. 25, 1928

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

Elections -- Michigan -- 1924.
Lawyers -- Michigan.
Politicians -- Michigan.
Prohibition -- Michigan.
Veterans -- United States.
World War, 1914-1918.
Spanish-American War, 1898.

Names:

Adrian College (Adrian, Mich.)
Anti-National Origins Clause League.
Anti-Saloon League of America.
Anti-Saloon League of Michigan.
Ku Klux Klan (1915-)
Republican Party (Mich.)
United States. Congress. House.
Michigan Taft Campaign Committee.
National Grange.
Michener, Earl C. (Earl Cory), 1876-1957.
Adams, Charles Francis, 1866-1954.
Beakes, Samuel Willard, 1861-1927.
Beal, Junius E. (Junius Emery), 1860-1942.
Bonisteel, Roscoe O. (Roscoe Osmond), 1888-
Bradley, James Bray, 1858-
Brucker, Wilber Marion, 1894-1968.
Butler, William Morgan, 1861-1937.
Cabot, Hugh, 1872-1945.
Carr, Lowell Juilliard, 1885-
Chapin, Roy D. (Roy Dikeman), 1880-1936.
Colby, Bainbridge, 1869-1950.
Coolidge, Calvin, 1872-1933.
Couzens, James, 1872-1936.
Cramton, Louis C. (Louis Convers), 1875-
Dawes, Charles Gates, 1865-1951.
Diekema, Gerrit John, 1859-1930.
Fellows, Grant, 1865-1929.
Ferris, Woodbridge N., 1853-1928.
Fitzgerald, Frank Dwight, 1885-1939.
Ford, Edsel, 1893-1943.
Ford, Henry, 1863-1947.
Goddard, Edwin C. (Edwin Charles), 1865-1942.
Gompers, Samuel, 1850-1924.
Green, Fred W. (Fred Warren), 1872-1936.
Green, William, 1870-1952.
Groesbeck, Alexander J. (Alexander Joseph), 1873-1953.
Harding, Warren G. (Warren Gamaliel), 1865-1923.
Haynes, Harley Armand, 1875-
Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964.
Hoover, J. Edgar (John Edgar), 1895-1972.
Hudson, Grant Martin, 1868-1955.
King, Paul H.
La Guardia, Fiorello H. (Fiorello Henry), 1882-1947.
Lane, Victor Hugo, 1852-1930.
Lawrence, Howard Cyrus, 1890-1961.
Little, Clarence C. (Clarence Cook), 1888-
Lockwood, Harry Albert, 1861-1920.
Malcolm, George A. (George Arthur), 1881-1961.
Martindale, Frederick C.
Mitchell, William D. (William De Witt), 1874-
Navin, Thomas J.
Newberry, Truman Handy, 1864-1945.
Osborn, Chase S. (Chase Salmon), 1860-
Prescott, George Allen, 1862-
Randall, Harrison M. (Harrison McAllister), 1870-
Sample, George Washington, 1868-1945.
Sargent, John Garibaldi, 1860-1939.
Sigler, Kim, 1894-
Sink, Charles A. (Charles Albert), 1879-1972.
Sleeper, Albert E., 1862-1934.
Smith, Henry Cassorte, 1859-1911.
Smith, William Alden, 1859-1932.
Thompson, William Hale, 1869-1944.
Townsend, Charles E. (Charles Elroy), 1856-1924.
Tuttle, Arthur J., 1868-1944.
Vandenberg, Arthur H. (Arthur Hendrick), 1884-1951.
Volstead, Andrew John, 1860-1947.
Warner, Frederick Maltby, 1865-1923.
Wedemeyer, William Walter, 1873-1913.
Wood, Will R. (Will Robert), 1861-1933.
Woodruff, Roy Orchard, 1876-1953.
Ziegler, Charles M., 1888-1959.

Places:

Adrian (Mich.)
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1899-1916.
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1917-1921.
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1922-1928.
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1929-1938.
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1939-1945.
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1946-1960.
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1837-1950.