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Owen J. Cleary Papers: 1944-1959
Summary Information
Title: Owen J. Cleary Papers
Creator: Cleary, Owen J., 1900-1960
Dates: 1944-1959
Extent: 10 linear feet, 2 oversize volumes, 1 oversize folder
Location: Offsite storage; prior notification required for access
Abstract:
Owen J. Cleary was an attorney, president of Cleary College in Ypsilanti (1940-1960), Michigan secretary of state (1953-1954), and chairman of the Republican State Central Committee (1949-1953). The collection includes correspondence, scrapbooks and clippings, organizational files, and Republican Party files.
Call number: 851040 Aa 2; AC; Ac
Language: The materials are in English.
Repository: Bentley Historical Library
1150 Beal Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2113
Phone: 734-764-3482
Fax: 734-936-1333
e-mail: bentley.ref@umich.edu
Home Page: http://www.bentley.umich.edu/
Finding aid prepared by: Michigan Historical Collections staff

Access and Use
Acquisition Information:

The collection was donated by Mrs. Owen J. Cleary (donor no. 3947) in 1962.

Access Restrictions:

The collection is open for research.

To protect fragile audiovisual recordings (such as audio cassettes, film reels, and VHS tapes), the Bentley Historical Library has a policy of converting them to digital formats by a professional vendor whenever a researcher requests access. For more information, please see: http://bentley.umich.edu/research/duplication/.

Copyright:

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 title, box no., Owen J. Cleary Papers, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan


Biography

Cleary was born February 4, 1900 in Ypsilanti, Michigan. His father was the founder of Cleary College, a business college located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Following service in World War I, Cleary graduated from law school and established the firm of Cleary & Weins with offices both in Ypsilanti and Detroit. During World War II, he commanded the Michigan State Troops as brigadier general and after the war, he had charge of the reorganization of the Michigan National Guard.

Cleary was a life-long Republican who served in various capacities within government and within the party. From 1947 to 1949, he was chairman of the Michigan Liquor Control Commission where he helped reorganize the purchasing and enforcement division of that commission. Cleary was also a member of the Washtenaw County Tax Allocation Board, secretary of the Washtenaw County Republican Committee, Ypsilanti Republican chairman and Washtenaw County chairman. Much of his later career was devoted to his work as president of Cleary College.

Cleary died September 10, 1960.


Collection Scope and Content Note

The collection documents the later period of Cleary's life, mainly from 1945 to 1959. The series include Correspondence; Scrapbooks and clippings; Organizational interests; and Political files.

The great bulk of the collection consists of correspondence dated from 1945 to 1959 and documenting his work as Republican State chairman (1949-1953), his tenure as Michigan secretary of state (1953-1954), and his various other civic, political, and business involvements. There is included with this finding aid a selective index to Cleary's correspondents.

Subject Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the finding aid database and catalog of The Bentley Historical Library/University of Michigan. Researchers desiring additional information about related topics should search the catalog using these headings.


  • Elections -- Michigan -- 1950.
  • Elections -- Michigan -- 1952.
  • Elections -- Michigan -- 1954.
  • Elections -- Michigan -- 1956.
  • Lawyers -- Michigan -- Ypsilanti.
  • Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1946-1960.
  • Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1951-
  • Politicians -- Michigan.
  • Presidents -- United States -- Election -- 1952.
  • Presidents -- United States -- Election -- 1956.
  • Ypsilanti (Mich.)
  • United States -- Politics and government -- 1953-1961.
  • United States -- Politics and government -- 1945-1953.
  • Universities and colleges -- Michigan.
  • Political elections -- 1952.
  • Soldiers -- American.
  • World War, 1939-1945.
  • Photographs.
  • American Legion. Dept. of Michigan.
  • Cleary College (Ypsilanti, Mich.)
  • Cleary, Owen J., 1900-1960.
  • Michigan. Liquor Control Commission.
  • Michigan. Dept. of State.
  • Michigan. National Guard.
  • Republican Party (Mich.)
  • Republican Party (Mich.). State Central Committee.
  • Cleary, Owen J., 1900-1960.
  • Alger, Frederick Moulton, 1907-1967.
  • Aten, Murl K., 1901-1971.
  • Bagwell, Paul D.
  • Bennett, John B. (John Bonifas), 1905-1964.
  • Bentley, Alvin M. (Alvin Morell), 1918-1969.
  • Blackney, William Wallace, 1876-1963.
  • Bliss, Ray Charles, 1907-1981.
  • Brake, D. Hale, 1891-1979.
  • Brownell, Herbert, 1904-1996.
  • Brucker, Wilber Marion, 1894-1968.
  • Capehart, Homer E. (Homer Earl), 1897-1979.
  • Carr, Leland W. (Leland Walker), 1883-1969.
  • Case, Francis H. (Francis Higbee), 1896-1962.
  • Cederberg, Elford Alfred, 1918-
  • Chamberlain, Charles E. (Charles Ernest), 1917-2002.
  • Cobo, Albert E. (Albert Eugene), 1893-1957.
  • Dirksen, Everett McKinley.
  • Dondero, George Anthony, 1883-1968.
  • Duff, James H. (James Henderson), 1883-1969.
  • Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969.
  • Engel, Albert Joseph, 1888-1959.
  • Farrell, Lawrence Llewellyn, 1903-1971.
  • Ferguson, Homer, 1889-1982.
  • Ford, Gerald R., 1913-2006.
  • Ford, Henry, 1917-1987.
  • Gabrielson, Guy George, 1891-
  • Hall, Leonard W. (Leonard Wood), 1900-1979.
  • Halleck, Charles A. (Charles Abraham), 1900-1986.
  • Hannah, John A., 1902-1991.
  • Hare, James M. (James McNeil), 1910-1980.
  • Hart, Philip A. (Philip Aloysius), 1912-1976.
  • Hatcher, Harlan, 1898-1998.
  • Hershey, Lewis Blaine, 1893-1977.
  • Hoffman, Clare Eugene, 1875-1967.
  • Hunt, H. L.
  • Jenner, William E. (William Ezra), 1908-1985.
  • Kelly, Harry F. (Harry Francis), 1895-1971.
  • Knox, Victor Alfred, 1899-
  • Kohler, Walter J., Jr. (Walter Jodok), 1904-1976.
  • Lodge, Henry Cabot, Jr., 1902-1985.
  • McCarthy, Joseph, 1908-1957.
  • McDonald, Harry A., 1894-1964.
  • McNamara, Patrick Vincent, 1894-1966.
  • Martin, John Butlin, 1909-
  • Martin, Joseph William, 1884-1968.
  • Meader, George, 1907-1994.
  • Mechem, E. L. (Edwin Leard), 1912-2002.
  • Michener, Earl C. (Earl Cory), 1876-1957.
  • Millard, Frank G. (Frank Gurnee), 1897-1976.
  • Milliken, William G., 1922-
  • Miriani, Louis C.
  • Mitchell, James Paul, 1900-1964.
  • Mundt, Karl E. (Karl Earl), 1900-1974.
  • Munn, Clarence Lester, 1908-
  • Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous), 1913-1994.
  • Pollock, James K. (James Kerr), 1898-1968.
  • Potter, Charles E. (Charles Edward), 1916-1979.
  • Pyle, Howard, 1906-1987.
  • Rogers, William P. (William Pierce), 1913-2001.
  • Romney, George W., 1907-1995.
  • Roth, Stephen John, 1908-
  • Russell, Richard B. (Richard Brevard), 1897-1971.
  • Scott, Hugh, 1900-1994.
  • Shafer, Paul W. (Paul Werntz), 1893-1954.
  • Sigler, Kim, 1894-
  • Sink, Charles A. (Charles Albert), 1879-1972.
  • Sligh, Charles R., Jr. (Charles Robert), 1906-1997.
  • Stassen, Harold E. (Harold Edward), 1907-2001.
  • Summerfield, Arthur Ellsworth, 1899-1972.
  • Taft, Robert A. (Robert Alphonso), 1889-1953.
  • Thompson, Ruth, 1887-1970.
  • Vandenberg, William C.
  • Williams, G. Mennen, 1911-1988.
  • Wolcott, Jesse Paine, 1893-1969.
  • Woodruff, Roy Orchard, 1876-1953.
Contents List
Request materials for use in the Bentley Library
Container / Location Title
 
Correspondence [series]
Box   1  
1945-May 1950
Box   2  
June 1950-August 1951
Box   3  
September 1951-July 1952
Box   4  
August 1952-December 1952
Box   5  
January 1953-August 1954
Box   6  
September 1954-September 1956
Box   7  
October 1956-1959
 
Scrapbooks and clippings [series]
Box   7  
Newspaper clippings (3 folders)
Box   8  
Newspaper clippings (5 folders)
Oversize Volume   1  
Scrapbook: campaign for state secretary of state 1952
Oversize Volume   2  
Scrapbook 1944-1954
 
Organizational interests [series]
Box   8  
Cleary College
Box   8  
United Consumers League
Box   8  
Law firm (financial material)
Box   8  
American Legion-National Defense Commission
Box   8  
Council for National Security
Box   8  
Michigan Liquor Control Commission (5 folders)
Box   8  
Wine Institute
Box   8  
Michigan National Guard
Box   8  
Michigan Secretary of State press releases 1953-1954
Box   9  
Willow Run Airport 1955
Box   9  
Printed material and miscellaneous (2 folders)
 
Political files [series]
Box   9  
William C. Vandenberg Gubernatorial Campaign 1952
Box   9  
Campaign Schedules 1952
Box   9  
Republican National Committee materials
Box   9  
Republican State Central Committee materials (2 folders)
Box   9  
Canvasses of Michigan Votes
Box   9  
Lincoln Day
Box   9  
Committee on Interstate Cooperation
Box   9  
Republican National Finance Committee
 
Republican State Convention
Box   9  
February 1951
Box   9  
April 1, 1952
Box   9  
American Veterans Committee
Box   9  
Fighters for Freedom
Box   9  
Kelly Recount 1950
Box   9  
Press Releases 1951-1952
Box   9  
Speeches
Box   9  
Republican State Convention April 5, 1952
Box   9  
Republican State Convention August 16, 1952
Box   9  
Campaign materials 1952
Box   9  
Republican National Convention 1952
Box   9  
Fred M. Alger Recount 1952
Box   9  
Campaign 1956
Box   9  
Cleary Gubernatorial Campaign 1954
Box   9  
General Campaign Material 1956
Box   9  
Miscellaneous political materials (4 folders)
Box   10  
Miscellaneous political materials (6 folders)
Box   10  
Political advertising
 
Miscellaneous [series]
Box   10  
Photographs
Box   10  
Unprocessed miscellaneous
Oversize Folder   Ac  
Citations, etc.
Additional Descriptive Data
Selective Index to Correspondents
Alger, Frederick Moulton, 1907-1967.
  • Apr. 1949, June 1949, Sept. 1949, Jan. 1950, Nov. 1950, Dec. 1950, Mar. 1951, Aug. 1951, Sept. 1951, Mar. 1952, Aug. 1952, Sept. 1952, Nov. 1952, Dec. 1952, Dec. 1954
Aten, Murl K., 1901-
  • Sept. 1949
Bagwell, Paul D., 1913-
  • Oct. 1956, July 1958, Nov. 1958
Bennett, John B. (John Bonifas), 1905-1964.
  • May 1950, Mar. 1951, Feb., 1952
Bentley, Alvin M. (Alvin Morrell), 1918-1969.
  • Aug. 1950, Jan. 1952, Sept. 1952, Dec. 1952, Aug. 1957, Oct. 1957
Blackney, William Wallace, 1876-1963.
  • May 1950, Mar. 1951
Bliss, Ray Charles, 1907
  • Oct. 1951, Feb. 1953, July 1955
Brake, D. Hale, 1891-
  • Sept. 1949, Oct. 1949, Oct. 1950, Dec. 1951, Sept. 1952, Feb. 1953
Brownell, Herbert, 1904-
  • Apr. 1954
Brucker, Wilber Marion, 1894-1968.
  • June 1950, Apr. 1955, June 1955, July 1955, Sept. 1955, Oct. 1955
Capehart, Homer E. (Homer Earl), 1897-1979.
  • Mar. 1952
Carr, Leland Walker, 1883-
  • Apr. 1955, June 1955
Case, Francis H. (Francis Higby), 1896-1962.
  • Oct. 1952
Cederburg, Elford Alfred, 1918-
  • Feb. 1955
Chamberlain, Charles Ernest, 1917-
  • July 1957
Cobo, Albert Eugene, 1893-1957.
  • Aug. 1956, Sept. 1956, Oct. 1956, Nov. 1956.
Dirksen, Everett McKinley, 1896-1969.
  • Feb. 1950, Feb. 1951, Mar. 1951, June 1951, July 1951, Oct. 1951, Mar. 1952, Feb. 1953
Dondero, George Anthony, 1883-
  • Apr. 1949, Dec. 1949, Apr. 1950, May 1950, Aug. 1950, Nov. 1950, Mar. 1951, July 1951, Jan. 1952, Aug. 1952, Nov. 1952, Jan. 1955
Duff, James H. (James Henderson), 1883-1969.
  • Jan. 1951, Feb. 1951
Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), Pres. U.S., 1890-1969.
  • Sept. 1952, Oct. 1952, Nov. 1952, Dec. 1952. Aug. 1953, July 1956, Apr. 1957
Engel, Albert Joseph, 1888-1959.
  • Apr. 1949, May 1950, Sept. 1950, Oct. 1950
Farrell, Lawrence Llewellyn, 1903-1971.
  • Oct. 1952
Ferguson, Homer, 1889-
  • Apr. 1949, Aug. 1949, Dec. 1949, Jan. 1950, Dec. 1950, Jan.-Feb. 1951, Apr.-May 1951, July-Aug. 1951, Oct.-Nov. 1951, Feb.-May 1952, Aug.-Sept. 1952, Nov. -Dec. 1952, Jan.-Mar. 1953
Ford, Gerald R., 1913-
  • Apr. 1949, Dec. 1949, May 1950, July 1950, Aug. 1950, Sept. 1950, Nov. 1950, Mar. 1951, Dec. 1952, Dec. 1954
Ford, Henry, 1917-
  • Oct. 1950, Sept. 1957.
Gabrielson, Guy George, 1891-
  • Dec. 1950, Mar. 1951, July 1951, June 1952
Hall, Leonard Wood, 1900-
  • Apr. 1949, Sept. 1950, Aug. 1952, June 1953
Halleck, Charles A. (Charles Abraham), 1900-1986.
  • June 1951
Hannah, John A., 1902-
  • Nov. 1951, Feb. 1955
Hare, James M. 1910-
  • May 1957, July 1958
Hart, Philip A. 1912-
  • Dec. 1952
Hatcher, Harlan Henthorne, 1898-
  • Nov. 1958
Hershey, Lewis Blaine, 1893-
  • Nov. 1955
Hoffman, Clare Eugene, 1875-1967.
  • Aug. 1949, Nov. 1949, Jan.-Oct. 1950, Mar.-Apr. 1951, July 1951, Nov. 1951, Jan. 1952, Mar. 1952, Apr. 1952, July 1952, Oct. 1952, Dec. 1952, Dec. 1956
Hunt, H. L.
  • Mar. 1952, Apr. 1952
Jenner, William E. (William Ezra), 1908-
  • Jan. 1950, Dec. 1950
Kelly, Harry F. (Harry Francis), 1895-1971
  • Jan.-Feb. 1950 Sept.-Oct. 1950, Dec. 1950, Feb. 1951, Aug. 1952
Knox, Victor Alfred, 1899-
  • Apr. 1949, June and July 1949, Oct. 1949, Jan. 1950, Dec. 1950, Mar. 1951, June 1951, Dec. 1952, Feb. 1955, Jan. 1957
Kohler, Walter Jodok, 1904-
  • Oct. 1952
Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1902-
  • Dec. 1951, Jan. 1952, Feb. 1952
McCarthy, Joseph, 1908-1957.
  • Aug. 1951, Oct. 1951, Nov. 1951
McDonald, Harry A., 1894-1964.
  • June 1950
McNamara, Patrick Vincent, 1894-1966.
  • Apr.1957
John Butlin, 1909-
  • Jan. 1950, June 1950, July 1950, Oct. 1950, Oct. 1951, Sept. 1952, Nov. 1952, Aug. 1954, Dec. 1955, Jan. 1956, Oct. 1956
Martin, Joseph William, 1884-1968.
  • June 1951, Feb. 1953
Meader, George, 1907-
  • Feb.-May 1951, July 1951, Feb. 1952, Apr. 1952, June 1952, Nov. 1952, Feb. 1953, Nov. 1954, Feb. 1955, Aug. 1956, Apr. 1955, June 1958
Mechem, Edward Leard, 1912-
  • Oct. 1951
Michener, Earl C. (Earl Corey), 1876-1957.
  • Aug.-Oct. 1949, Jan. 1950, May 1950, June 1950, July 1950, Sept. 1950, Mar. 1951, Apr. 1951, Aug. 1951, May 1952, Sept. 1952, Dec. 1952
Millard, Frank G. (Frank Gurnee), 1897-1976.
  • Jan.-Feb. 1950, Apr.-May 1950, Nov. 1950, Dec. 1950, Mar. 1951, June 1952, Sept. 1952, Nov. 1952, Feb. 1953, Apr. 1955
Milliken, William G., 1922-
  • Oct. 1950, Oct. 1952, Mar. 1953
Miriani, Louis C.
  • May 1952
Mitchell, James Paul, 1900-1964.
  • Nov. 1955
Mundt, Karl Earl, 1900-
  • Sept. 1952
Munn, Clarence Lester, 1908-
  • Jan. 1954
Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous), 1913-
  • July 1951, Mar. 1952
Pollock, James Kerr, 1898-1968.
  • Apr. 1956
Potter, Charles E. (Charles Edward), 1916-1979.
  • Sept. 1952, Nov. 1952, Dec. 1952, Jan.-Feb. 1955, Aug. 1955, Mar. 1956, July 1956, Nov. 1956, Jan. 1957, Apr. 1957, June 1958
Pyle, Howard, 1906-
  • Mar. 1952, Apr. 1952
Rogers, William Pierce, 1913-
  • Apr. 1957
Romney, George W., 1907-
  • Feb. 1952, Sept. 1957
Roth, Stephen John, 1908-
  • Nov. 1950
Russell, Richard B. (Richard Brevard), 1897-1971.
  • June 1958
Scott, Hugh Doggett, 1900-
  • Mar. 1949, Apr. 1949, June 1949, July 1949, July 1951
Shafer, Paul W. (Paul Werntz), 1893-1954.
  • Apr. 1949, May 1949, June 1949, May 1950, Sept. 1950, Mar. 1951, Apr. 1951, Aug. 1951, Feb. 1952, Dec. 1952, Apr. 1953
Sigler, Kim, 1894-1953.
  • June 1949, June 1950, Aug. 1950, Oct. 1951
Sink, Charles Albert, 1879-1972.
  • Apr. 1957
Sligh, Charles Robert, 1906-
  • Aug. 1952, Nov. 1952
Stassen, Harold Edward, 1907-
  • Aug. 1950, Sept. 1950, Feb. 1951, Dec. 1951, June 1952, Aug. 1952
Summerfield, Arthur Ellsworth, 1899-1972.
  • Aug.-Sept. 1949, Nov. 1949, Sept. 1950, Jan. 1951, Mar. 1951, Apr. 1951, Mar. Apr. 1952, July-Dec. 1952, Feb.-Mar. 1953, Oct. 1953, Nov.-Dec. 1954, Jan.-Feb. 1955, Apr.-June 1955, Aug. 1955, Oct.-Dec. 1955, Jan. 1956, Mar. 1956, May 1956, Aug.-Dec. 1956, Jan.-Mar. 1957, July-Oct. 1957, Dec. 1957, May-July 1958, Oct. 1958, Dec. 1958
Taft, Robert A. (Robert Alphonso), 1889-1953.
  • Dec. 1951, May 1952, Oct. 1952
Thompson, Ruth, 1887-1970.
  • Feb. 1951, June 1951, Oct. 1951, Feb. 1952
Vandenberg, William C.
  • Jan. 1951, Mar. 1951, Dec. 1952
Williams, G. Mennen, 1911-
  • Sept. 1949, Oct. 1949, Dec. 1950, Nov. 1954, May 1957
Wolcott, Jesse Paine, 1893-1969.
  • Nov. 1952
Woodruff, Roy Orchard, 1876-1953.
  • June 1949, July 1949, Aug. 1950