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University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library

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Address:

1150 Beal Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2113, USA
bentley.ref@umich.edu

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

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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)

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.

Contents

Using These Materials

Info for Visitors

How to Request

Ordering Reproductions

Download PDF Finding Aid
RESTRICTIONS:

The collection is open to research.

USE & PERMISSIONS:

Donor(s) have not transferred any applicable copyright to the Regents of the University of Michigan. Patrons are responsible for determining the appropriate use or reuse of materials.

PREFERRED CITATION:

[item], folder, box, Earl C. Michener papers, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan

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Collection

Earl C. Michener papers, 1898-1934, 1940-1954 (majority within 1904-1934)
Call Number 852266 Aa 2
Total components 19
Last indexed 2023-12-08