Title: Frank Dwight Fitzgerald papers Creator: Fitzgerald, Frank Dwight, 1885-1939 Dates: 1928-1944 (Majority of material found within 1930-1939) Extent: 28 linear feet, 4 oversize volumes, 1 oversize folder Abstract:
Michigan Secretary of State, 1931-1935; Governor of Michigan, 1935-1936 and 1939; and chairman, 1936, of the Michigan delegation to the Republican National Convention. Correspondence, speeches, press releases, newspaper clippings, and miscellaneous notebooks and printed materials concerning his political career.
Call number: 851355 Aa 2; Ac Language: The material is 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 created by William H. McNitt, 1969 and Michigan Historical Collections staff
Access and Use
Acquisition Information:
The collection was the gift of Judge and Mrs. John W. Fitzgerald (donor no. 4510). The bulk of the collection was received in 1969; the scrapbooks were received in 1993; additional material came in 2009.
Access Restrictions:
The collection is open to 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 transferred any applicable copyright to the Regents of the University of Michigan but the collection may contain third-party materials for which copyright was not transferred. Patrons are responsible for determining the appropriate use or reuse of materials.
Preferred Citation:
[item], folder, box, Frank Dwight Fitzgerald papers, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan
Biography
Frank D. Fitzgerald, Republican governor of Michigan 1935-1936 and from January 1 to March 16, 1939, was born January 27, 1885 in Grand Ledge, Michigan. He attended Ferris Institute taking business courses but did not graduate. He began his career as post office clerk in Grand Ledge (his father was postmaster). He held this positions from 1906 to 1911. In 1912, he was elected as a Republican to the county board of supervisors. In addition, over the next several years Fitzgerald would hold a variety of positions in state government. In 1913, he became committee clerk in the Michigan State Senate. In 1915, he became a proof reader in the House of Representatives and in 1917 a bill clerk in the House.
During the period when the legislature was not in session, Fitzgerald sought other employment, one of these was as clerk in the office of Michigan Secretary of State. During World War I, he accepted the position of executive secretary of the Michigan Food Administration serving from 1917 to 1919. In 1919, he was chosen deputy secretary of state, but remained only a year to go into private business with an automobile dealership in Tennessee. The business did not flourish and Fitzgerald returned to Michigan accepting in 1923 the position of business manager in the Michigan State Highway Department.
In 1931, Fitzgerald was elected to the office of Michigan Secretary of State. During his tenure, Fitzgerald advocated the restructuring of the gas and weight taxes, and sought exemptions from the sales tax for products used in farm production and industrial manufacture. Although both were Republicans, Fitzgerald and Governor Wilber Brucker were at odds over several issues. In the election of 1932, Brucker went down to defeat to William A. Comstock while Fitzgerald was barely reelected in this decidedly Democratic year.
In 1934, Fitzgerald was elected governor of Michigan defeating Arthur Lacy who had defeated Governor Comstock in the primary. As governor, Fitzgerald called for a balanced budget and the need to streamline state government. In the 1936 Roosevelt landslide victory, Fitzgerald was defeated by Detroit mayor Frank Murphy. He returned to different business ventures but his real aim was to return to the governor's chair. Running on an anti-New Deal platform which contrasted his fiscal management with Murphy's, Fitzgerald defeated Murphy in 1938. He would served only a few weeks of his second term as he died March 16, 1939.
Collection Scope and Content Note
The Fitzgerald papers date from 1928 to 1944 but the bulk of the collection falls within the period of 1930 to 1939, the year of Fitzgerald's death. Papers dated after 1939 are those of his wife Queena. The collection primarily concerns the mechanics of campaigning for office with little documentation of the administration of either the office of secretary of state or governor. The collection has been arranged into seven series: Correspondence; Biographical / Personal; Photographs; Speeches and Press Releases; Political Career; National Republican Party published material; and Scrapbooks.
The largest series in the collection - Correspondence - is important for showing the range of Fitzgerald's political acquaintances and his skill in achieving elective office. A selective index to those who corresponded with Fitzgerald is appended to this finding aid.
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 -- 1932.
Elections -- Michigan -- 1934.
Elections -- Michigan -- 1936.
Elections -- Michigan -- 1938.
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1929-1938.
Politicians -- Michigan.
Presidents -- United States -- Election -- 1936.
Governors -- Michigan.
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1837-1950.
Billboards.
Handicapped persons.
Political elections -- 1936.
Photographs.
Fitzgerald, Frank Dwight, 1885-1939.
Republican National Convention (21st : 1936 : Cleveland, Ohio)
Republican Party (Mich.)
Abbott, Horatio J. (Horatio Johnson), 1876-1936.
Alger, Frederick Moulton, 1876-1933.
Alger, Frederick Moulton, 1907-1967.
Atwood, Orville E., 1880-
Beal, Junius E. (Junius Emery), 1860-1942.
Bennett, Harry Herbert, 1892-1979.
Bingay, Malcolm Wallace, 1884-
Blackney, William Wallace, 1876-1963.
Bohn, Frank Probasco, 1866-1944.
Bradley, Frederick Van Ness, 1898-1947.
Bridges, Styles, 1898-1961.
Briggs, Walter Owen, 1877-1952.
Brown, Prentiss M. (Prentiss Marsh), 1889-1973.
Brown, Walter Folger, 1869-1961.
Brucker, Wilber Marion, 1894-1968.
Brumm, John Lewis, 1878-1958.
Cady, Burt D., 1874-
Cady, Claude Ernest, 1878-1953.
Carton, John J. (John Jay), 1856-1934.
Chapin, Roy D. (Roy Dikeman), 1880-1936.
Clancy, Robert Henry, 1882-1962.
Cleage, Albert B.
Comstock, William Alfred, 1877-1949.
Coughlin, Charles E. (Charles Edward), 1891-1979.
Couzens, Frank, 1902-1950.
Couzens, James, 1872-1936.
Cramton, Louis C. (Louis Convers), 1875-
Crowley, David Henry, 1882-
Currie, Gilbert, 1882-1960.
Daniels, Josephus, 1862-1948.
Davidson, James Edward, 1867-
DeFoe, Murl Holcomb, 1879-
DeLand, Charles J., 1879-
Dempsey, Jack, 1895-1983.
Dickinson, Luren Dudley, 1859-1943.
Dillman, Grover C. (Grover Cleveland), 1889-1979.
Dondero, George Anthony, 1883-1968.
Engel, Albert Joseph, 1888-1959.
Ferguson, Homer, 1889-1982.
Fry, Theodore I., 1881-
Fuller, George N. (George Newman), 1873-1957.
Fuller, Oramel B., 1858-
Green, Fred W. (Fred Warren), 1872-1936.
Groesbeck, Alexander J. (Alexander Joseph), 1873-1953.
Guest, Edgar A. (Edgar Albert), 1881-1959.
Haber, William, 1899-1988.
Hannah, John A., 1902-1991.
Hart, Michael James, 1877-1951.
Hoffman, Clare Eugene, 1875-1967.
Hooper, Joseph Lawrence, 1877-1934.
Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964.
Hoover, J. Edgar (John Edgar), 1895-1972.
Hopkins, Harry L. (Harry Lloyd), 1890-1946.
Hubbard, Orville Liscum, 1903-1982.
Hull, Cordell, 1871-1955.
Hull, Ivan E., 1894-
James, William Francis, 1873-1945.
Jayne, Ira Waite, 1882-
Joslin, Theodore M.
Kellogg, John Harvey, 1852-1943.
Kelly, Harry F. (Harry Francis), 1895-1971.
Kennedy, G. Donald (George Donald), 1900-1988.
Ketcham, John Clark, 1873-1941.
Kimball, Henry Mahlon, 1878-1935.
Knox, Frank, 1874-1944.
Lacy, Arthur J. (Arthur Jay), 1876-1975.
La Guardia, Fiorello H. (Fiorello Henry), 1882-1947.
Landon, Alfred M. (Alfred Mossman), 1887-1987.
Lawrence, Howard Cyrus, 1890-1961.
Lehr, John Camillus, 1878-1958.
Lorch, Emil, 1870-1963.
Louis, Joe, 1914-1981.
McKay, Frank D., 1883-
McLeod, Clarence John, 1895-1959.
McNitt, H. Earl, 1888-1944.
Maddy, Joseph E. (Joseph Edgar), 1891-1966.
Mapes, Carl Edgar, 1874-1939.
Martin, John Butlin, 1909-
Michener, Earl C. (Earl Cory), 1876-1957.
Moley, Raymond, 1886-1975.
Murfin, James Orin, 1875-1940.
Murphy, Frank, 1890-1949.
O'Brien, Patrick H. (Patrick Henry), 1868-1959.
O'Hara, John J., 1885-
Olds, Ransom Eli, 1864-1950.
Osborn, Chase S. (Chase Salmon), 1860-
Perkins, Frances, 1880-1965.
Person, Seymour Howe, 1879-1957.
Pinchot, Gifford, 1865-1946.
Pollock, James K. (James Kerr), 1898-1968.
Potter, William W., 1869-1940.
Read, Thomas, 1881-
Reichert, Rudolph Edward, 1887-1965.
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945.
Ruthven, Alexander Grant, 1882-1971.
Shafer, Paul W. (Paul Werntz), 1893-1954.
Shields, Edmund Claude, 1871-1947.
Sink, Charles A. (Charles Albert), 1879-1972.
Sloan, Alfred P. (Alfred Pritchard), 1875-1966.
Smith, Shirley Wheeler, 1875-1959.
Stack, John K., 1884-1935.
Toy, Harry Stanley, 1892-1955.
Tufty, Esther Van Wagoner, -1986.
Vandenberg, Arthur H. (Arthur Hendrick), 1884-1951.
Van Wagoner, Murray Delos, 1898-
Vaughan, Coleman C., 1857-
Walker, Louis Carlisle, 1875-1963.
Weideman, Carl May, 1898-1972.
White, Walter Francis, 1893-1955.
Wolcott, Jesse Paine, 1893-1969.
Woodruff, Roy Orchard, 1876-1953.
Yost, Fielding Harris, 1871-1946.
Contents List
Request materials for use in the Bentley Library
Container / Location
Title
Correspondence [series]
Box 1
1928-January 1931
(15 folders)
Box 2
February 1931-September 1931
(12 folders)
Box 3
October 1931-May 1932
(16 folders)
Box 4
June 1932-March 1933
(17 folders)
Box 5
April 1933-December 1933
(16 folders)
Box 6
January 1934-May 25, 1934
(19 folders)
Box 7
May 28, 1934-June 23, 1934
(18 folders)
Box 8
June 25, 1934-July 31, 1934
(18 folders)
Box 9
August 1, 1934-August 29, 1934
(19 folders)
Box 10
August 30, 1934-September 18, 1934
(15 folders)
Box 11
September 19, 1934-October 9, 1934
(17 folders)
Box 12
October 10, 1934-November 14, 1934
(19 folders)
Box 13
November 15, 1934-December 3, 1934
(20 folders)
Box 14
December 4, 1934-December 29, 1934
(24 folders)
Box 15
January 1935-November 1935
(16 folders)
Box 16
December 1935-March 1936
(16 folders)
Box 17
April 1936-July 1936
(24 folders)
Box 18
August 1936-October 10, 1936
(20 folders)
Box 19
October 11 1936-November 1936
(21 folders)
Box 20
December 1936, July 1938-March 1939
(13 folders)
(no correspondence for 1937 received)
Mrs. Fitzgerald correspondence
Box 20
November 1939-1941, 1943-1944
(3 folders)
Box 21
Letters of condolence on the death of Governor Fitzgerald
Biographical / Personal [series]
Box 22
Memorial tributes, resolutions, etc. ; also later biographical information 1939
(2 volumes, 1 folder)
Box 22
Programs of events
Photographs [series]
Box 22
Portraits
(see also oversize folder)
Box 22
FDF as governor
Box 22
Political gatherings; campaign billboards
Box 22
FDF with wife and son
Box 22
Miscellaneous
Speeches and press releases [series]
Box 22
Undated, 1934-1939
(14 folders)
Political Career [series]
Box 22
Secretary of State: Legal brief, Standard Oil Company vs. Frank D. Fitzgerald, secretary of state of the state of Michigan undated
Gubernatorial Materials
Box 23
Labor relations board and welfare (copies of bills, etc.) undated
Box 23
Michigan Securities Commission 1934
Public Trust Commission
Box 23
General 1935
Box 23
Practices of members 1935
Box 23
Low number license plate distribution 1935, undated
Messages to the legislature
Box 23
1935
Box 23
1936, 1939
Box 23
Miscellaneous
Box 23
Petitions for pardons for individuals accused of violating injunction 1936
Box 23
Office manual for Genesee County Welfare Relief Commission 1936
Campaign materials
Box 23
Young Fitzgerald for Governor League of Michigan 1934
Box 23
Fitzgerald for Governor Clubs 1934
Box 23
Itineraries and schedules 1936
Box 23
Campaign biographies, flyers for meetings, and related materials 1936, 1938
(see also oversize folder)
Box 23
Miscellaneous undated
Box 23
Notebook concerning the Wayne County Fitzgerald organization 1934
Box 23
Notebook concerning the Fitzgerald for Governor Clubs 1934
Box 24
Nominating Petitions 1934
Box 25
Nominating Petitions 1934
(continued)
Box 26
Nominating Petitions 1934
(continued)
Oversize Folder 1
Campaign newspapers
National Republican Party published material [series]
Box 27
Republican Party National Convention books 1924, 1936
Box 27
The Republican Reporter I-IV 1938
Box 27
The Republican Reporter V 1938
Box 27
Booklet: Quotations from Franklin Delano Roosevelt 1938
Box 27
Booklet: Promise and Performance 1938
Scrapbooks [series]
Box 27
1924-1929
(2 folders)
(clippings and correspondence; the materials had originally been in a binder)
Box 27
November 1928-September 1931
Box 27
September 1931-February 1933
Box 27
October 1933-August 1934
Oversize Volume 1
March 1934-December 1936
Oversize Volume 2
May 1934-August 1934
Oversize Volume 3
January 1935-January 1936
Oversize Volume 4
January 1938-March 1939
Box 28
Newspaper clippings , and loose materials from scrapbooks 1934-1939
Additional Descriptive Data
Selective Index to Correspondents
Abbott, Horatio J. (Horatio Johnson), 1876-
Aug. 2, 1932, Aug. 10, 1933, Aug. 11, 1933, Apr. 27, 1936
Alger, Frederick Moulton, 1876-1933.
1932, 1933
Alger, Frederick Moulton, 1907-1967.
Nov. 21, 1934
Atwood, Orville E., 1880-
Apr. 9, 1930, Aug. 5, 1930, Aug. 8, 1930, Sept. 13, 1930, Aug. 13, 1931, Aug. 15, 1931, Aug. 16, 1931, 1936
Beal, Junius E. (Junius Emery), 1860-1942.
Apr. 16, 1931
Bennett, Harry Herbert, 1892-1979.
June 28, 1932, June 30, 1932, Jan. 17, 1933, Feb. 5, 1934, May 18, 1934, Dec. 6, 1934, 1936
