This collection is made up of 10 personal letters written by William Jennings Bryan, as well as a letter by his wife Mary and an autograph quotation from his famous "Cross of Gold" speech. Several of the letters contain brief references to Bryan's education, political career, beliefs, and speeches. He wrote many of the letters on personalized stationery. See the Detailed Box and Folder Listing for more information about each item.
William Jennings Bryan was born in Salem, Illinois, on March 19, 1860, and was educated at home by his mother until the age of 10. After attending the Whipple Academy in Jacksonville, Illinois, for two years, Bryan attended and graduated from Illinois College and the Union College of Law. He practiced law in Jacksonville, Illinois, and Lincoln, Nebraska, before his election to the United States House of Representatives in 1890. A prominent figure within the Democratic Party and an outspoken advocate of populist causes, Bryan ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate (1894) and the presidency (1896, 1900, and 1908). After leaving Congress, Bryan became a newspaper editor and frequently gave speeches; he was United States Secretary of State from March 1913-October 1915. Bryan and his wife, Mary Baird, had three children, including Ruth Bryan Owen. William Jennings Bryan died on July 26, 1925.
