Frank Orren Lowden correspondence, 1917-1921.
Series title: Governor, Frank Orren Lowden correspondence
Illinois. Governor (1917-1921 : Lowden)Record Series 101.027, Governor's Records, Frank Orren Lowden Correspondence, Illinois State Archives.Frank Orren Lowden (1861-1943), Republican Governor of Illinois (1917-1921), was born in Sunrise City, Minn., on Jan. 26, 1861. His family moved to a farm at Point Pleasant, Iowa. After teaching in Iowa country schools, Lowden completed a partial course at the Iowa Agricultural and Mechanical College, and entered Iowa State University, where despite missing his junior year, he graduated as class valedictorian (1885). He taught at Burlington High School before moving to Chicago where he worked in a law office and entered Union College of Law, now Northwestern University Law School, graduating in June 1887. Lowden was married April 29, 1896 in Chicago to Florence Pullman. With the outbreak of the Spanish American War, Lowden served in the Illinois National Guard's First Infantry. Lowden was considered as the Republican nominee for Governor (1904) but did not receive that nomination being elected instead to fill an unexpired Congressionial term. After two terms in Congress, Lowden served as Governor (1917-1921) during WWI and oversaw the consolidation of 100 state boards and departments under the new Administrative Code. Lowden died of cancer on March 20, 1943 in Tucson, Arizona.Correspondence primarily concerns state, federal, and military activities during WWI. Wartime topics include fuel conservation, daylight-saving time, patriotism, savings stamps, censorship, aliens operating businesses in Illinois, anti-German demonstrations, home defense, liberty bond sales, teaching German in schools, sedition, muntions plant speakers, German sympathizers, "fight or work" orders, Bureau of Investigation, American plan, federal railroad takeover, Collinsville lynching of a "pro-German agitator." Military information includes the draft, army camps, uniforms, food, pay, furloughs, hospitals, Scott Field, Rock Island Arsenal, soldier voting, discharges, demobilization and farm work for returning soldiers. Other significicant topics relate to agriculture, law enforcement, national highway laws, farm loans, child labor, wage tax withholdings and the Chicago Commission on Race Relations appointed by the Governor to investigate the 1919 Chicago race riot. Most correspondents are local, state, and federal officials or business, social and cultural leaders.Lowden, Frank O. (Frank Orren), 1861-1943.Governors Illinois Powers and duties.County officials and employees Illinois.Local officials and employees Illinois.German Americans Illinois.Daylight savings Illinois.World War, 1914-1918 Draft resisters.World War, 1914-1918 Aerial operations.World War, 1914-1918 Civil defense.Banks and banking Illinois.Illinois Politics and government.Scott Air Force Base (Ill.)View this collection description in WorldCat.org: