McLean County Museum of History Lawrence Irvin Collection Processed by Rachael Laing & John P. Elterich Spring 2016 Collection Information: VOLUME OF COLLECTION: Three Boxes COLLECTION DATES: 1939-2002, mostly 1950s-60s RESTRICTIONS: None REPRODUCTION RIGHTS: Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained in writing from the McLean County Museum of History. ALTERNATIVE FORMATS: None OTHER FINDING AIDS: None LOCATION: Archives NOTES: See also—Photographic Collection—People: Irvin; Bloomington Housing Authority Brief History Lawrence E. Irvin, son of Patrick and Mary Irvin, was born May 27, 1911 at Lake Bloomington, Illinois. He attended Trinity High School and Illinois State Normal University. In 1930, he and his two brothers started the Evergreen Beverage Co. (later known as the Pepsi Cola Bottling Company). He took an administrative post as business manager at the Illinois Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Children’s School (ISSCS) in Normal, then was appointed business manager at Illinois State Normal University. During World War II, Irvin served as a Red Cross field director in North Africa and Europe. Upon returning home after the war, he accepted a position as the administrative assistant to Governor Adlai Stevenson II. He held this job from 1949-1953. During this tenure he became close with many politicians, such as Paul Douglas and Paul Simon. He was the Executive Director of the Bloomington Housing Authority from 1953 until he retired in 1985. Irvin was an active participant in Bloomington politics. He was a member of the City Planning and Zoning Board, as well a member of the Bloomington Association of Commerce, the Human Relations Commission, the Citizen’s Community Improvement Committee, and the Urban Planning and Renewal Committee. He married Marguerite Boies on September 25, 1941. Together they had four children, daughters Jane and Laura Beth and sons Timothy and Terrence. Irvin died on June 27, 1994. Scope Note The Lawrence Irvin collection consists of 3 boxes in 70 folders. It contains material relevant to state and local politics, as well as the ISSCS, Bloomington Housing Authority, and miscellaneous items mostly in the form of letters. Although the collection covers a significant range of time, the bulk of the material comes from the 1950s and 1960s. Box and Folder Inventory Box 1 Folder 1: Overview of Collection 1.1.1 “Box and Folder Inventory” 1.1.2 Document (typewritten), memo from Mark Wyman, to Bill Steinbacher Kemp, 14 April 2005, re: “finished with the Irvin Collection”. 1.1.3 Document (printed form), “Gift Agreement” between Jane Irvin and George Perkins (for McLean County Historical Society), 29 July 2015, 1 page. Folder 2: Irvin Death 2.2.1 Document (photocopy), “Lawrence E. Irvin” obituary, The Pantagraph, (page C8), 28 June 1994, 1 page. 2.2.2 Document (photocopy), “1st BHA chief Lawrence Irvin Dies”, The Pantagraph, (page A2), 28 June 1994, 1 page (2 copies). 2.2.3 Document (newspaper pages), The Pantagraph, 28 June 1994, Pages A1-2, re: “Stevenson family member dead at 96” (Elizabeth “Buffie” Stevenson). Folder 3: General State Politics 1.3.1 Ledger Pages, entitled: “Election Nov. 7, 1944”, undated, 2 pages, re: handwritten totals by county for candidates, Lucas, Lyons, Courtney and Greene. 1.3.2 Computer Print-out, entitled: “Lincoln Provisional”, undated, 15 pages, re: list of State employees, including job description and salary information. 1.3.3 Computer Print-out, entitled: “Elgin Provisional”, undated, 20 pages, re: list of State employees, including job description and salary information. 1.3.4 Computer Print-out, entitled: “Illinois Department of Public Welfare”, undated, 10 pages, re: list of State employees, including job description and salary information. 1.3.5 Press Release (“suggested”), undated (Feb 15), 2 pages, re: detailed report on state payrolls released by Director Joseph Pois, with notation: “Larry – fyi”. 1.3.6 Document, “McLean County Democratic Primary”, 11 April 1950, 1 page, re: vote totals for candidates (handwritten entries on printed sheet). 1.3.7 Document, “United States Delegation To The Sixteenth General Assembly Of The United Nations, Biographies of United States Representatives and Alternate Representatives”, September 1961, 11 pages, re: Adlai E. Stevenson, Omar Burleson, Marguerite Stitt Church, Francis T. P. Plimpton, Arthur R. Dean, Charles W. Yost, Clifton R. Wharton, Philip M. Klutznick, Jonathan B. Bingham, and Gladys A. Tillett. 1.3.8 Letter, from Edward T. Kane, Representative, General Assembly, State of Illinois, Bloomington, Illinois, to Mrs. William Hardwick, Secretary, Women’s Trade Union League, Bloomington, Illinois, 30 March 1950, 1 page, re: need support in re-election bid. 1.3.9 Letter, from Paul Powell, Chairman of Campaign Committee, Democratic Central Committee of Illinois, Springfield, Illinois, to Honorable Don Forsyth, Springfield, Illinois, 22 October 1952, 3 pages, re: list of persons to be released to go out as contact men. 1.3.10 Document, “Illinois General Election – November 4, 1952, Summary of General Vote”, 4 November 1952, 4 pages, re: Election Results. 1.3.11 Document, “Comparative Report On Total Number of Colored Employees”, 3 December 1952, 2 pages, re: “colored” employees by State of Illinois Department. 1.3.12 Document, “Democratic County Chairmen, 1952-1953”, undated, 3 pages. 1.3.13 Document, “1954-1955 County Chairmen, State of Illinois”, undated, 4 pages. 1.3.14 Document (Printed – Blank), “Application for Employment Democratic Party, State of Illinois”, undated, 1 page. Folder 4: Cars/ Departments 1.4.1 Memo, from James W. Mulroy, to Lawrence E. Irvin, 25 July 1950, 1 page, re: need list of state cars used by Governor’s Office and the Mansion. 1.4.2 Document, Information relating to state cars, undated, 4 pages (plus small note, “Executive Department – Memorandum” with notation: “Return to Mr. Mulroy”), re: data on cars including revenue (appropriations) and information on Private Industry car use. 1.4.3 Letter, from Maude Myers, Executive Officer, State of Illinois Civil Service Commission, Springfield, Illinois, to Mr. Lawrence Irvin, Administrative Assistant, Office of the Governor, Springfield, Illinois, 20 May 1949, 1 page, re: car assigned to Civil Service Commission. 1.4.4 Letter, from Elizabeth Wright, Secretary to the Chairman, State of Illinois, Illinois Commerce Commission, Springfield, Illinois, to Mr. Lawrence Irvin, Administrative Assistant, Office of the Governor, Springfield, Illinois, 20 May 1949, 1 page, re: car belonging to Illinois Commerce Commission. 1.4.5 Letter, from Garrett W. Keaster, State Field Representative, State of Illinois, Illinois Public Aid Commission, Springfield, Illinois, to Mr. Lawrence Irvin, Executive Chambers, State Capitol Building, Springfield, Illinois, 23 May 1949, 1 page, re: 4 automobiles owned by Illinois Public Aid Commission. 1.4.6 Document (typewritten), “Mileage of Cars Retained by Departments”, undated, 1 page. 1.4.7 Document (handwritten spread-sheet), “Mileage of Cards Retained by Departments”, undated, 1 page. 1.4.8 Document (handwritten spread-sheet), “Buicks & other large cars to be retained by Dept.”, undated, 5 pages. 1.4.9 Document (handwritten spread-sheet), “Only the following departments reported as having or proposing to set up small Departments Motor pools”, undated, 1 page. 1.4.10 Document (handwritten spread-sheet), “Cars considered “surplus” …” undated, 2 pages. 1.4.11 Document (typewritten carbon-copy), “Buicks and Other Large Cars to Retained by Departments”, undated, 5 pages. 1.4.12 Document (typewritten carbon-copy), “Department of Agriculture, Passenger Automobiles to be Declared Surplus”, undated, 2 pages. 1.4.13 Document (typewritten carbon-copy), “Department of Agriculture, Passenger Automobiles to be Retained”, undated, 4 pages. 1.4.14 Document (typewritten carbon-copy), “Department of Aeronautics, Report On Motor Vehicles”, 19 May 1949, 4 pages. 1.4.15 Document (typewritten carbon-copy), “Only The Following Departments Reported As Having Or Proposing To Set Up Small Departmental Motor Pools”, undated, 1 page. 1.4.16 Letter (typewritten carbon-copy), from Roy E. Yung, Director, State of Illinois, Department of Agriculture, Springfield, Illinois, to Mr. James Mulroy, Executive Secretary to the Governor, 6 June 1949, 2 pages, re: data regarding Buicks we are turning in, and ten other passenger cars. 1.4.17 Document, “Department of Agriculture, Breakdown of Cars Retained by Make and Model”, undated, 1 page. 1.4.18 Letter, from Leonard Schwartz, Director, State of Illinois, Department of Conservation, Springfield, Illinois, to Office of Governor Stevenson, Attention: Mr. Lawrence Irvin, 21 May 1949, 4 pages, re: report on cars owned by Department of Conservation. 1.4.19 Document (typewritten), “Passenger Automobiles to be retained by Department of Insurance”, undated, 3 pages. 1.4.20 Document (typewritten), “Passenger Automobiles to be retained by: Department of Labor”, 12 May 1949, 8 pages. 1.4.21 Document (typewritten), “Passenger Automobiles to be retained by Department of Public Health”, 20 May 1949, 4 pages. 1.4.22 Letter, from David M. Wilson, Illinoi Liquor Control Commission, Springfield, Illinois, to Mr. Lawrence E. Irvin, Administrative Assistant, Governor’s Office, Springfield, Illinois, 21 May 1949, 2 pages, re: list of automobiles operated by Illinois Liquor Control Commission. 1.4.23 Document (typewritten), “Dept. of Mines & Minerals – General Office”, undated, 2 pages, re: passenger cars and travel