THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH CENTER-KANSAS CITY K0443 James Alexander Reed (1861-1944) Papers 1903-1950 59 cubic feet, 45 phonograph recordings Personal and professional correspondence, speeches, case files, legal documents, scrapbooks, and subject files of Kansas City Mayor and United States Senator James A. Reed. BIOGRAPHY: James Reed was born, November 9, 1861, on a farm near Mansfield, Ohio. When he was three years old, his parents, John and Nancy Reed, moved their family to Iowa. He attended public school and worked on the family farm on land which later became a part of Cedar Rapids. For a few months, Reed was a student at Parsons Seminary (now Coe College), but withdrew in order to work on the farm. For a while he studied law at night in the offices of Hubbard, Clark and Dowley, one of the first law firms in Cedar Rapids. Reed was admitted to the bar in 1885. In 1887, Reed married Lura Olmstead, and they moved to Kansas City. Within a short time, Reed became well-known in the city, and in 1898 he was elected Public Prosecutor of Jackson County, convicting 285 cases out of 287 cases tried. In 1900 and 1902, Reed won the Kansas City mayoral elections, after which he directed his energies to building up a successful law practice. One of his most famous local cases was the prosecution of Dr. Bennett Clark Hyde in the Swope murder trial in 1910. Reed, a Democrat, won a seat in the United States Senate, replacing Major William Warner, Republican, for a term beginning March 4, 1911. He held that position for eighteen years. He was involved in such issues as child labor, Prohibition, the League of Nations, and tariffs. In 1924 and 1928, Reed was a candidate for President. In 1932, it appeared he had a very strong chance of receiving the Democratic nomination, but it went instead to Franklin D. Roosevelt. Throughout Roosevelt's terms as President, Reed spoke strongly against the New Deal and its effects upon the Constitution. Reed was a founder and honorary president of the Jeffersonian Democrats. Although Reed had always SHSMO-KC March 21, 2014 REVISED K0443 James Alexander Reed (1861-1944) Papers Page 2 been staunchly Democratic and never formally switched political parties, he supported Wendel Willkie, a Republican, for President in 1940. In the autumn of 1932, Lura Olmstead Reed died. In December 1933, Reed married the popular and successful businesswoman, Nell Quinlan Donnelly, whose kidnappers he had prosecuted the previous year. Reed’s law firm was embroiled in lengthy labor and fair competition litigation directed at the Donnelly Garment Company, of which Nell was founder and president. In the final years of his life, Reed continued a full speaking engagement schedule, alternated with stays at his ranch in Fairview, Michigan. He died of pneumonia at Reed Ranch on September 8, 1944. PROVENANCE: The collection was donated by David Q. Reed on September 10, 1993, as accession KA0771. Another addition KA1236, was received from Astrid M. Reed on May 23, 2003. Additional materials were donated by Paul Boytinck as KA2076 on December 18, 2011. COPYRIGHT AND RESTRICTIONS: The donors, David Q. Reed and Astrid M. Reed, have given and assigned to the University all rights of copyright which the Donor has in the Materials and in such of the Donor’s works as may be found among any collections of Materials received by the University from others. PREFERRED CITATION: Specific item; folder number; James Alexander Reed (1861-1944) Papers (K0443); The State Historical Society of Missouri Research Center-Kansas City [after first mention may be abbreviated to SHSMO-KC]. CONTACT: The State Historical Society of Missouri Research Center-Kansas City 302 Newcomb Hall, University of Missouri-Kansas City 5123 Holmes Street, Kansas City, MO 64110-2499 (816) 235-1543 [email protected] http://shs.umsystem.edu/index.shtml DESCRIPTION: The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence, both personal and professional. Many letters are from admirers and critics on a variety of topics such as economic conditions, Prohibition, agricultural policy, the New Deal, judicial reform, and other political subjects. There are many requests for help in securing employment and appointments, requests for military school recommendations, aid with military deferments and veterans pensions, letters from convicts, and letters SHSMO-KC March 21, 2014 REVISED K0443 James Alexander Reed (1861-1944) Papers Page 3 congratulating Reed for his speeches and encouraging him to run for public office again. There is a considerable amount of correspondence with family members. Also included are phonograph recordings of Senator James A. Reed’s speeches, particularly concerning the Donnelly Garment Company. Reed was the attorney for the dissolution and trusteeship of the downtown Newman and Royal Theatres, and there are materials relating to that business. Reed also handled the Interstate Railroad case, for which there are case files. The Universal Oil case began as a patent case, and then a lawsuit to recover legal fees. There are also miscellaneous local cases and legal documents, as well as Reed family estate matters. Speech folders may contain handwritten notes, typed manuscripts and drafts, and printed versions of the speeches. Finally there are subject files concerning issues of general interest to Reed. The largest group is on the League of Nations. INVENTORY: BOX 001 GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE 1910-1929 - includes correspondence concerning Supreme Court Building Commission, additional routine Hicklin Yates correspondence BOX 002 GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE 1930-1931 BOX 003 GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE 1931-1932 BOX 004 GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE 1932-1933 BOX 005 GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE 1934 BOX 006 GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE 1934-1935 - including support of JAR return to public office SHSMO-KC March 21, 2014 REVISED K0443 James Alexander Reed (1861-1944) Papers Page 4 BOX 007 GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE 1936 BOX 008 GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE 1936-1937 BOX 009 GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE 1938-1940 BOX 010 GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE 1940-1942 BOX 011 CORRESPONDENCE Folder 1 1942-1944; Family correspondence, 1923-1944 Folder 2 John (Jack) Mills, nephew, 1929-1932 Folder 3 Dr. Sylvia Wilson, 1928-1939 Folder 4 Lura Reed Folder 5 Blue Hills Club, 1931-1940 Folder 6 Kansas City Athletic Club, 1932-1940 Folder 7 Grand Pass Club, 1929-1943 Folder 8 Boicourt Hunting Association, 1931-1939 Folder 9 Kansas City Club, 1926-1940 Folder 10 Knights of Pythias, 1930-1942 BOX 012 CORRESPONDENCE Folder 1 Abington Family, 1931-1940 Folder 2 Borah, William E., 1929-1941 Folder 3 Brandeis, Justice, 1942 Folder 4 Busch, August, 1930-1933 Folder 5 Clark, Bennett C., 1920-1944 Folder 6 Coakley, Daniel H., 1930-1941 Folder 7 Cochran, John, 1930-1931 SHSMO-KC March 21, 2014 REVISED K0443 James Alexander Reed (1861-1944) Papers Page 5 Folder 8 Cohalan, Daniel F., 1930-1943 Folder 9 Colby, Bainbridge, 1932-1944 Folder 10 Collett, J.A., 1928-1944 Folder 11 Conkling, M.W., 1939 regarding Constitutional cases Folder 12 Coughlin, Rev. Charles E., 1938 Folder 13 Darrow, Clarence, 1931 Folder 14 Dickinson, C.C., 1930-1934 Folder 15 Edmunds, Sterling, 1926-1942 (also includes National Jeffersonian Democrats and National Committee for the Protection of Child, Family, School and Church) Folder 16 Farley, James, 1932-1944 Folder 17 Ferris, Alice Moss, 1929-1943 Folder 18 Fordyce, Sam, 1930-1940 Folder 19 Gore, Thomas P., 1929-1943 Folder 20 Hawes, Harry, 1925-1936 Folder 21 Hearst, William R., 1930-1931 BOX 013 CORRESPONDENCE Folder 1 Heitcamp, Eugene, 1929 Folder 2 Jeffersonian Democrats of California, 1936-1938 Folder 3 LaFollette Family, 1929-1940 Folder 4 Mann, Conrad, 1930-1942 Folder 5 Mathi, Otto, 1929-1934 Folder 6 Mencken, H.L., 1924-1942 Folder 7 Meriwether, Lee, 1920-1944 Folder 8 Miner, Julius, 1934-1945 Folder 9 Mississippi Valley Association, 1929-1942 Folder 10 Murphy, Maurice, 1930-1937 Folder 11 National Jeffersonian Democrats, 1936-1940 Folder 12 Newman, Frank, 1934-1939 Folder 13 Patton, Paul, 1929-1939 (see also JAR investments) Folder 14 Pendergast, Tom, 1924-1944 (other materials referring to him in General Correspondence) SHSMO-KC March 21, 2014 REVISED K0443 James Alexander Reed (1861-1944) Papers Page 6 Folder 15 Pollock, John C., 1931-1937 Folder 16 Selph, Colin, 1910-1940 Folder 17 Shouse, Jouett, 1929-1938 (see also BOX 018, American Liberty League) Folder 18 Smith, Al, 1936, 1940 Folder 19 Truman, Harry S., 1934, 1937 Folder 20 Walsh, Frank P., 1931-1932 Folder 21 Williams, Mr. and Mrs. S.C., 1930 (concerning estate) Folder 22 Yates, Hicklin, 1923-1934 Folder 23 Yates, Hazel, 1935-1943 Folder 24 Young, William and Milton, 1929-1930 BOX 014 CORRESPONDENCE Folder 1 Correspondence - Reed Ranch, chiefly Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Kerr, 1934-1945 Folder 2 Fairview Farms and Investment Co. - J.B. Bachefor, 1938-1940 (see also General Correspondence, chiefly 1942-1944) Folder 3 Correspondence concerning speeches by JAR, 1930-1936 (especially Chicago speech on the Constitution, 1934) BOX 015 Folder 1 Personal Finance and Investments: Taxes - Reed Ingraham, 1936-1945 Folder 2 Correspondence - Lamson Brothers brokers, 1932-1935 Folder 3 Reports on bonds, 1939 Folder 4 Correspondence - Long-Bell Lumber Co., 1932-1936 Folder 5 Blyth and Co., 1935 Folder 6 Investments, 1929-1944 (including Iowa homestead turned into park) Folder 7 Kansas City Public Service Co., 1935-1942 Folder 8 Correspondence - Paul Patton (see also BOX 013) Folder 9 Investments - Standard Oil, ATT, US Steel, United Corp., utilities, railroads Folder 10 Clark Estate Co., 1925-1937 Folder 11 Notes/deeds of trust Folder 12 “Data on Stock,” ca. 1918-1937 SHSMO-KC March 21, 2014 REVISED K0443 James Alexander Reed (1861-1944) Papers Page 7 Folder 13 “Private papers” - including deeds, insurance certificate, real estate Stock certificates Folder 14 Correspondence about insurance - Thomas McGee and Sons (see also General Correspondence) Folder 15 Life insurance, 1931-1938 BOX 016 Folder 1 Legal cases/Legal documents: Transformer Corp.