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James Earnest Lawrence, 1889-1957

RG1675.AM:  James Earnest Lawrence, 1889-1957

Papers:  1910-1957
Lincoln, Lancaster County, Neb.:  Journalist
Size:  23.5 cu.ft.; 38 boxes

BACKGROUND NOTE

James Earnest Lawrence was born in 1889 in Gage County, Nebraska, where he started in journalism as a reporter. In 1906 he entered the University of Nebraska and took a reporting job with the Lincoln Star. In 1918 he joined the University faculty in the journalism department, and in 1922 he became editor of the Star. While editor Mr. Lawrence became a close friend and associate of George W. Norris whom he supported throughout his career. In the later years of Senator Norris' life, Mr. Lawrence collaborated with him in the writing of his biographical work, The Fighting Liberal. Lawrence was a strong "New Dealer" and strong supporter of the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt. In the 1930s Lawrence worked hard for the creation of the Tri-County system and many other irrigation and power projects. He remained an active and respected journalist until his death in 1957 in Lincoln.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Lawrence collection is arranged in five series: 1) Correspondence, 1910-1957; 2) Federal Projects; 3) Printed matter; 4) Miscellaneous; and 5) Newspapers and press notices. The bulk of the material in this collection dates from 1930-1940. The majority of the correspondence relates to Lawrence's political activities for George W. Norris and Franklin D. Roosevelt, and to his position as a member of the Nebraska Advisory Board. The collection includes materials relating to irrigation: Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation project, Loup River projects, Imperial Valley project, and the Benkelman-Haigler-Arikara project. Also included is information relating to the Roosevelt Library, P.W.A. and the W.P.A, among other topics.

Correspondents include: Ned Abbott, 1945; Grace Abbott, 1936; Bess Streeter Aldrich, 1946; E.A. Burnett, 1933-1935; Hugh Butler, 1955; Bernard Baruch, 1933; R.O.Canaday, 1933-39; Harry Chrisman, 1943; Calvin Coolidge, 1912,1923; L.L. Coryell, 1932; Charles Q. DeFrance, 1932; James A. Farley, 1932; John Nance Garner, 1935; Harold l. Ickes, 1933-1934; Val Kuska, 1933-1935; Alf Landen, 1935; John Latenser, Jr., 1932-1935; Robert F. LaFollette, 1923; George W. Norris, 1933-1946; John P. Robinson, 1939-1949; Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1930-1938; Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, 1932; Mari Sandoz, 1935-1945; A.C. Shallenberger, 1925-1934; John P. Senning, 1932, 1935; A.E. Sheldon, 1935-1942; Dan V. Stephens, 1933-1938; J. Hyde Sweet, 1933-1944; William L. Shirer, 1945; William Howard Taft, 1910; Dr. Don W. Kinsley, 1933-1939.

The overall physical arrangement of the correspondence in boxes 1-12 is chronological, by year and month in which each letter was written. A "Correspondence Calendar" provides a further intellectual arrangement for the letters by listing the names of the correspondents alphabetically for each box, and dividing the box further into "Incoming" and "Outgoing" and "Miscellaneous" correspondence. The date of each letter is listed beside the name of the correspondent. Researchers looking for letters to and from a specific person should search for that person in the calendar for each box, and under each category heading: incoming, outgoing, and miscellaneous. The correspondence calendar is available on-site and electronically by request.

Boxes 11 and 12 contain alphabetized correspondence dealing specifically with Federal power and irrigation projects. Boxes 34-38 are unprocessed and contain manuscript drafts, press releases and clippings, correspondence, and other miscellaneous materials.

Note:  See the photo component [RG1675.PH] for related images. See the NSHS Library Catalog and the Nebraska History index for published materials by/about James E. Lawrence. The NSHS also holds the papers of George W. Norris [RG3298] and George P. Kingsley [RG2999] (which relates to the Tri-County Project).

DESCRIPTION

Series 1 - Correspondence, 1910-1957

Box 1
Folder
  1. Photocopies
  2. 1910-1919 (Morris, Taft)
  3. 1920-1929 (LaFollette, Norris, Coolidge, Shallenberger, Tri County)
  4. 1930 (Norris, F.D.R.)
  5. 1931 (Norris, Murphy, Family)
  6. 1932 (Norris, Roosevelt, Tatenser, Coryell)
  7. 1933, Jan.-Feb.
  8. 1933, Mar.
  9. 1933, Apr.
  10. 1933, May-June
  11. 1933, July
  12. 1933, Aug.
  13. 1933, Sept.
  14. 1933, Oct.
  15. 1933, Nov.
  16. 1933, Dec.
Box 2
Folder
  1. 1934, Jan.
  2. 1934, Feb.
  3. 1934, Mar.
  4. 1934, Apr.
  5. 1934, May
  6. 1934, June
  7. 1934, July
  8. 1934, Aug.
  9. 1934, Sept.-Oct.
  10. 1934, Nov.
  11. 1934, Dec.
  12. 1935, Jan.
  13. 1935, Feb.
  14. 1935, Mar.
  15. 1935, Apr.
  16. 1935, May
  17. 1935, June
  18. 1935, July
  19. 1935, Aug.
  20. 1935, Sept.
  21. 1935, Oct.
  22. 1935, Nov.
  23. 1935, Dec.
Box 3
Folder
  1. For Senator Committees, 1936, Sept.
  2. Norris For Senator, 1936, Oct. 1-15
  3. Norris For Senator, 1936, Oct. 16-31
  4. Norris For Senator, 1936, Nov.
  5. Norris For Senator, duplicates, 1936, Oct.
  6. Norris For Senator, duplicates, 1936, Nov.
  7. Norris For Senator, duplicates, 1936, Nov.
Box 4
Folder
  1. Contributions, 1936
  2. 1936, A-B
  3. 1936, C-D
  4. 1936, E-F
Box 5
Folder
  1. 1936, G-H (including Good Neighbor League and Hastings, Nebraska)
  2. 1936, I-K
  3. 1936, L (including Labor, and Loup River Irrigation)
  4. 1936, M (including McCook)
  5. 1936, N-P
  6. 1936, Q-R
Box 6
Folder
  1. 1936, R-Roosevelt Committee
  2. 1936, S-Scotts Bluff
  3. 1936, S-Speakers
  4. 1936, S-Simmons, Speaking Engagements
  5. 1936, T-W
  6. 1936, Y-York
Box 7
Folder
  1. 1936, Jan.
  2. 1936, Feb.
  3. 1936, Mar.
  4. 1936, Apr.
  5. 1936, May
  6. 1936, June
  7. 1936, July
  8. 1936, Aug.
  9. 1936, Sept.
  10. 1936, Oct.
  11. 1936, Nov.
  12. 1936, Dec.
  13. 1937, Jan.-Apr.
  14. 1937, May-June
  15. 1937, July-Dec.
Box 8
Folder
  1. 1938, Jan.-Mar.
  2. 1938, May-July
  3. 1938, Aug.-Oct.
  4. 1938, Nov.-Dec.
  5. 1939, Jan.
  6. 1939, Feb.
  7. 1939, Mar.
  8. 1939, Apr.
  9. 1939, May
  10. 1939, June
  11. 1939, July 1-20
  12. 1939, July 21-31
Box 9
Folder
  1. 1939, Aug.
  2. 1939, Sept.-Oct.
  3. 1939, Nov.-Dec.
  4. 1940, Jan.-Mar.
  5. 1940, Apr.-May
  6. 1940, June-July
  7. 1940, Aug.-Oct.
  8. 1941 (Lawrence, Robertson)
  9. Norris For Senator, 1942, Oct.
  10. 1942, Jan.-Feb.
  11. 1942, Mar.
  12. 1942, Apr.-May
  13. 1942, June-Nov.
Box 10
Folder
  1. 1943, Jan.-Apr.
  2. 1943, May-Aug.
  3. 1943, Sept.-Nov.
  4. 1944, Jan.-Feb.
  5. 1944, Mar.-May
  6. 1944, June-Aug.
  7. 1944, Sept.-Dec.
  8. 1945, Jan.-Mar.
  9. 1945, Apr.
  10. 1945, June-Dec.
  11. 1946
  12. 1947-1948
  13. 1949 (Norris, Robertson)
  14. 1950-1954
  15. 1957
  16. Misc. Undated
Box 11
Folder
  1. 1933-1936, A
  2. 1933-1936, B
  3. 1933-1936, C
  4. 1933-1936, D
  5. 1933-1936, E
  6. 1933-1936, F
  7. 1933-1936, G
  8. 1933-1936, H
  9. 1933-1936, I
  10. 1933-1936, J
Box 12
Folder
  1. 1933-1936, K
  2. 1933-1936, L
  3. 1933-1936, M
  4. 1933-1936, N
  5. 1933-1934, O
  6. 1933-1936, P
  7. 1933-1936, Q
  8. 1933-1939, R
  9. 1933-1936, S
  10. 1933-1935, T
  11. 1933-1950, W-Z

Series 2 - Federal Projects, 1930-1940

Box 13
Folder
  1. Loup River Projects, 1933
  2. Loup River Projects, 1934
  3. Loup River Projects, 1935
  4. Loup River Projects, 1936
  5. Loup River Projects, 1938
  6. Loup River Projects, 1939
  7. Benkelman-Haigler-Arikara Public irrigation District, 1933-1938
  8. Imperial Valley, 1933-1935
  9. P.W.A., 1933-1934
  10. Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation District, 1933-1940
Box 14
Folder
  1. WPA District Personnel Lists
  2. WPA Personnel Lists
  3. WPA Correspondence
  4. Roosevelt Library Association
  5. Re-Employment Service
Box 15
Folder
  1. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, A
  2. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, B
  3. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, C
  4. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, D
  5. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, E
  6. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, F
  7. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, G
  8. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, H
  9. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, I-J
  10. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, K
  11. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, L
  12. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, M
  13. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, N
  14. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, O
  15. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, P
  16. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, R-S
  17. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, S
  18. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, T
  19. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, U-V
  20. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, X
  21. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects
  22. Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects and Hearings
Box 16
Folder
  1. Applications for grants of money under W.P.A.
Box 17
Folder
  1. Applications for grants of money under W.P.A.
Box 18
Folder
  1. 1933, Tri-County (Ieukes, Latenser, Canaday, Stephens)
  2. 1934, Tri-County (Roosevelt, Canaday, Latenser, Kingsley)
  3. 1935, Tri-County (Kingsley, Cannaday, Kuska)
  4. 1936, Tri-County (Kingsley)
  5. 1937, Tri-County (Kingsley, Canaday)
  6. 1938, Tri-County (Kingsley, Canaday)
  7. 1939, Tri-County (Kingsley, Canaday)
  8. Tri-County Associated Materials

Series 3 - Printed Matter

Box 19 (State and Federal project reports)
Folder
  1. The Corps of Engineers in Missouri - July 1950
  2. Special Survey Report of the Department of Public Works Bureau of Irrigation Water Power and Drainage of the State of Nebraska - Submitted Nov. 19, 1931
  3. Report of the Mississippi Valley Committee of the Public Works Administration - Submitted Oct. 1, 1934
  4. Report on the Progress of The Works Program - Dec. 1937
  5. Report on Capacity of Flood Water Channels - Sanitary District No. 1 of Lancaster County - March, 1943
  6. Report and Estimates Lancaster County Rural Public Power District
  7. Foreign Crops and Markets - Reprint from issue of Nov 25, 1935
  8. Ag Products Affected by Concessions Obtained or Granted by the US in the Ten Trade Agreements Concluded to Date - Feb. 12, 1936
  9. Progress Report on the Ground-Water Hydrology of the Republican and Frenchman River Valleys - US Dept. of Interior, Aug. 1948
  10. Report - Genoa Columbus Development - Jan. 1911
Box 20
Folder
  1. Programs and Reports
  2. Printed Matter - Congressional Record, 1928-1945
  3. Congressional Record & Nebraska Legislation, 1932-1938
  4. Speeches, Experts from the Congressional Record - Addresses Letters - Reports
  5. Printed Matter - Pearl Harbor
Box 21
Folder
  1. Printed Matter: Dams
  2. Printed Matter: State Irrigation
  3. Printed Matter: State Sup. Court
Box 22
Folder
  1. Printed Matter: Government Publications
Box 23 (State and federal publications)
Folder
  1. Printed Matter: Nebraska
  2. Printed Matter: Pamphlets, Programs, etc.
  3. Printed Matter

Series 4 - Miscellaneous

Box 24
Folder
  1. Printed Matter: Pamphlets, Bulletins
  2. Class Record Book
  3. Scrapbook of clippings on Harry G. Conklin
  4. Personal Record Book
Box 25
Folder
  1. George W. Norris, The Fighting Liberal
  2. Notes and proof sheets [copy in library]
Box 26
Folder
  1. Checks, bank & tax records
Box 27
Folder
  1. General Topics
  2. Norris
  3. Press Releases
  4. Biographical (Wyer, Griswold, Train, Pershing, Hickouck, Chamberlin, Berge, Sheldon, Stephens)
  5. Editorials: Conklin case
  6. Public Power, Irrigations
  7. Speeches
  8. Simmons' Voting Records
Box 28
Folder
  1. Manuscripts, Radio scripts, Speeches
Box 29
Folder
  1. Railroad route maps, war news maps
Box 30
Folder
  1. Campaign Advertising
  2. Newspaper Advertising
  3. James Earnest Lawrence No. 4 Nebraska State Capital
  4. Campaigns
  5. Miscellaneous
Box 31
Folder
  1. Editorials
  2. Miscellaneous Legislature Addresses
  3. Miscellaneous
  4. Campaign 1942 Financial
Box 32
Folder
  1. Miscellaneous
Box 33
Folder
  1. Political Posters, Pamphlets
  2. Miscellaneous

Boxes 34-38 (Unprocessed)

Manuscript drafts
Press releases and clippings
Correspondence
Miscellaneous

 

ADDED ENTRIES:

Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District
Irrigation -- Nebraska
Journalists -- Nebraska
Latenser, John, 1888-1978
Lawrence, James Earnest, 1889-1957
Nebraska -- Public works
Nebraska Advisory Committee
Norris, George William, 1861-1944
Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945
Tri-County Irrigation Project (Neb.)
Water-power -- Nebraska
Water-storage -- Nebraska

 

HEK/mm   06-29-1965
Encoded TMM   06-01-2010

 

For additional information about this collection, please contact our Library Staff.

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Last updated 01 June 2010

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