William A. Dawson papers

William A. Dawson papers, 1902-1971

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Dawson, William A., 1902-
Title: William A. Dawson papers
Dates: 1902-1971 (inclusive)
19021971
Quantity: 17.5 linear feet
Collection Number: MS 0031
Summary: The William A. Dawson papers (1902-1971) consist of personal and political materials, personal correspondence, and autobigoraphical sketch, biograhpical sketches, and memoirs. Dawson (1903-1981) served four terms in the U. S. House of Representatives. This collection contains materials relating to his last three terms in the 1950s.
Repository: University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860

Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu
Access Restrictions: Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
Languages: English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

William A. Dawson (1903-1981) was born on 5 November 1903 in Layton, Utah. His father, also named William A. Dawson, was a clerk in the Farmers' Union Store in Layton. The elder Dawson died of typhoid in 1903, three months before William was born. Dawson's mother, Ella Rose, was left alone to support her three boys. The family lived in Layton, but worked a dry farm in Syracuse, five miles west of Layton. Young William was educated in Layton's public schools, and graduated from Davis High in 1921. He entered the University of Utah the following fall, enrolling in the pre-medicine program. He soon changed his mind and entered the law school. He received his LLB in 1926, at the age of twenty-two. Following his graduation from law school, Dawson was elected Davis County attorney. He also established a private practice in Salt Lake with his partner Dale G. Foote. This partnership lasted twenty-one years.

In November 1927, Dawson married Gladys Norton. They settled in Layton, but Dawson was soon called to serve a mission to England for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). He spent his first year in the Manchester District, but later presided over the Sheffield District. At the conclusion of his mission, Dawson was joined in England by his wife. They toured Scotland, Holland, Germany, France, and Italy, before returning to Layton.

After their return, Dawson resumed his law practice and was again elected County Attorney. He was re-elected in 1934. Following his retirement form this position, in 1936, Dawson was elected mayor of Layton. He also served as chairman of the Davis County Republican Party, first president of the Davis County Bar Association, president of the Layton Kiwanis Club and city attorney for Layton and Kaysville. He became Bishop of the Layton Ward in 1938. In 1940 Dawson was elected to the Utah state senate, where he served until 1946.

Dawson's congressional career began in 1946, when he ran for the Second Congressional District seat. He defeated J. Will Robinson, who had represented the district for sixteen years. In 1956 the Republicans gained the majority in the House of Representatives for the first time in over twenty years. Dawson was given a choice seat on the Interior Affairs Committee and on the Subcommittees for Mining, Reclamation, Indian Affairs, and Insular Affairs. He was also named a member of the Republican Executive Committee.

In 1948, Dawson was defeated for re-election by Salt Lake City Judge Reva Beck Bosone. He returned to Utah where he accepted a position as State Welfare Commissioner under Republican Governor J. Bracken Lee. Dawson ran for Congress again in 1952, opposing Congresswoman Bosone, who was seeking a third term. Dawson was elected and moved his family to Washington, D. C. He was re-elected in 1954, deveating Reva Beck Bosone, and in 1956, defeating Oscar McConkie. He lost his seat to David S. King in 1958.

During his eight years in Congress, Dawson's most well known accomplishment was his role in passage of the Upper Colorado River Storage Project (UCRSP). This huge reclamation project was designed to enable the upper basin states to utilize their share of water allocated under the 1922 Colorado River Compact. Congressman Dawson was the Republican leader in the House assigned to manage the fight for the legislation authorizing the project. After several years of intense debate the Upper Colorado River Storage Project Bill was passed in 1956. Following the bill's passage Dawson was active in efforts to fund the various elements or participation projects, including Flaming Gorge, Glen Canyon and the Central Utah Project.

After his defeat in 1958, Dawson became president of the Bank of Kearns and later vice president of Zions Bank. He retired in January 1970. He died in Salt Lake City on 7 November 1981 and was buried in the Kaysville Cemetery.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The William A. Dawson papers (1902-1971) concentrate on Dawson's last three terms in the U. S. House of Representatives (1952-1958). The first section of the collection is composed of personal and political materials. These include correspondence with his wife, daughters, and brothers. There is also a twenty-six page autobiographical sketch written in 1970, and campaign literature from the 1954 and 1956 elections.

Following the personal and political materials, is the UCRSP file. This is the only subject file which remains from Dawson's tenure in Congress. In his autobiographical sketch Dawson noted that he specifically preserved this file and donated it to the library because of the Colorado River Project's great importance to the state of Utah. The UCRSP file includes correspondence between Dawson and his constituents, his colleagues, conservation groups, and numerous local groups who supported the project. Also included are several versions of the House bill authorizing the project, informal vote tallies, notes on strategy for management of the bill on the House floor, government reports, maps, and cost estimates. There are materials from the propaganda campaign waged by supporters and opponents of the bill, including brochures and pamphlets published by the Upper Colorado River Grass Roots, Inc. Information on the individual units within the project, such as Flaming Gorge Dam, Glen Canyon Dam, the Gooseberry Project, and the Central Utah Project have been filed separately.

The final portion of the collection is the correspondence file. The file consists of the carbon copies of letters sent form the congressman's office from 1953-1958. The letters are arranged alphabetically by last name of addressee. Most of the letters are replies to constituent correspondence expressing Dawson's position on certain issues or providing specific information about problems. The issues which appear most frequently are the condition of the led-zinc industry, the humane slaughter bill, the foreign orphans bill and the UCRSP. Other letters are replies to Dawson's congressional colleagues, officials in the federal government, and political supporters in Utah. Some letters concern Dawson's personal business affairs and problems of political patronage.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Preferred Citation

Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Separated Materials

Photographs were transferred to the Multimedia Division of Special Collections (P0031).

Processing Note

Processed by Susan M. Neel in 1979.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Personal and Political, 1953-1971Return to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
1	1	Biographical Sketches This folder contains two short sketches of Dawson, describing his accomplishements in the US House of Representatives. It contains an autobiographical sketch signed by Dawson. This folder also contains " Memoirs of William A. Dawson," an autobiography, and a biographical sketch of Alexander Dawson.	1971
1	2-6	Personal Correspondence This folder contains Dawson's correspondence with his wife, Gladys, his daughters Billy and Diane, and his brothers Elias and Ray.	1953-1958
1	7	Political This folder contains Dawson's 1954 campaign literature.	1954
1	8-10	Campaign Literature and Newspaper Clippings This folder contains Dawson's 1956 campaign materials.	1956
	Volume
1	11	Dawson 85th Congressional Speeches	1967

Upper Colorado River Storage Project, 1950-1958Return to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		Correspondence
Box	Folder
2	1	White House Correspondence This folder contains correspondence between Dawson and presidential assistants Wilson B. Persons and Homer H. Gruenther.	1954-1957
2	2	Federal Department Correspondence This folder contains correspondence between Dawson and the Departments of the State, Agriculture, and Atomic Energy Commission, and the Federal Power Commission.	1954-1957
2	3	Bureau of Reclamation This folder contains correspondence between Dawson and Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Wilbur A. Dexheimer.	1955-1957
2	4	Department of Interior Correspondence This folder contains correspondence between Dawson and Secretary of Interior Fred Seaton and Chief Counsel Elmer Bennett. Also included is a copy of a letter from Secretary of Interior Douglas McKay to President Eisenhower.	1953-1956
2	5	Utah Congressional Delegation Correspondence This folder contains correspondence between Dawson and Wallace F. Bennett, Arthur V. Watkins, and Henry Aldous Dixon.	1955-1957
2	6	Project and Congressional Correspondence This folder contains correspondence betwen Dawson and his colleagues, asking for their support for his project.	1956
2	7-18	Congressional Correspondence These folders contain correspondence between Dawson and his congressional colleagues.	1955-1957
2	19-20	George D. Clyde Correspondence	1954-1957
2	21	Jay Bingham Correspondence	1956-1958
2	22	Utah Government Officials This folder contains correspondence between Dawson and Governor J. Bracken Lee, members of of the Utah State Senate, Republican and Democratic party officials.	1955-1956
2	23	Western Governors Correspondence This folder contains correspondence between Dawson and Governor Milward L. Simpson of Wyoming, Governor Edwin C. Johnson of Colorado, and Governor John F. Simms of New Mexico.	1955-1956
2	24-25	Upper Colorado River Commission Correspondence This folder contains correspondence between Dawson and Ival V. Goslin, secreatry, and John Geoffrey Will, general counsel to the Upper Colorado River Commission.	1954-1958
2	26	Fural Electrification Administration This folder contains correspondence between Dawson and the National Rural Electrification Cooperative Assoaiction, the Colorado State association of REA Cooperative and the Intermountain REA Borrowers Association.	1955-1956
2	27	Conservation Groups This folder contains corressspondence between Dawson and the Wildlife Conservation Club, the American Association for Conservation Information, the Garden Clubs of America, the Conservation Foundation, American Planning and Civic Association, Trustees for Conservation, Wildlife Management Institute, Outdoor Writers Association of Ameria, Rederation of Western Outdoor Clubs, and Forest Conservation Society of America.	1955-1956
2	28	Sierra Club	1955-1956
2	29	Council of Conservationists	1955-1956
2	30	Audubon Society	1956
2	31	Izaak Walton League	1955-1956
2	32	Wilderness Society	1955-1956
2	33	National Wildlife Federation	1955-1956
2	34	Nature Conservancy	1956
2	35	Conservation Education Association	1956
2	36	American Nature Association	1955-1956
2	37	Federation of Women's Clubs	1955-1956
2	38	American Forestry Association	1955-1956
2	39	Upper Colorado River Grass Roots, Inc. This folder contains correspondence between Dawson and Tom Bolack chairman, and Sterling E. Price, education committee chairman, and other members of the Aqualantes.	1955-1956
2	40-41	David W. Evans and Associates These folders contains correspondence between Dawson and the advertising agency employed to plan the public campaign in favor of the project. Included are correspondence between Dawson and David W. Evans and L. Glen Snarr.	1955-1956
3	1	Press Correspondence This folder contains correspondence between Dawson and members of the press, concerning the controversy surrounding the UCRSP. Included are letters from O. N. Malmquist, political editor of the Salt Lake Tribune, William B. Smart, editorial page editor of the Deseret News, and Robert H. Estabrook, editorial page editor of the Washington Post. There are also several letters to the Vernal Express, Provo Daily Herald, and the Payson Chronicle.	1954-1957
3	2	Television Stations Correspondence This folder contains correspondence between Dawson and television stations throughout the country, concerning an attack on the Glen Canyon Dam project by Representative Craig Hosmer of California. Dawson reqursted equal time to reply to the criticisms.	1956
3	3	Water Users Association Correspondence This folder contains correspondence between Dawson and the Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District, Colorado River Water Users Association, Uintah County Water Users, Colorado Water Conservation Board, and Utah Water Users Association.	1955-1957
3	4	Power Company Correspondence This folder contains correspondence between Dawson and private power companies, including Utah Power and Light, and GarKane Power Company, concerning power generation in the UCRSP.	1954-1955
3	5	Navajo Tirbe Correspondence This folder contains correspondence between Dawson and Paul Jones, Chairman of the Navajo Tribal Counsil concerning the impact of the UCRSP on the Navajo Tribe.	1955-1957
3	6	Utah Garden Clubs Correspondence This folder contains correspondence and petitions from the Utah Associated Gardens Clubs, Men's Gardens Clubs of Salt Lake, and the Utah Council of State Garden Clubs.	1955
3	7	Union Correspondence This folder contains correspondence concerning union support of the UCRSP.	1955-1956
3	8	Utah Universities Correspondence This folder contains correspondence with President J. Richard Palmer of the Westminster College, Dean R. H. Walker of the Utah State University, and R. O. Porter, President of the Utah State University Alumni Association expressing support for the project.
3	9	Chambers of Commerce This folder contains correspondence of support from the Utah Junior, Kaysville Junior, Ephraim Junior, Salt Lake, and Provo Chamber of Commerce.	1955-1956
3	10-12	Business and Industry Correspondence These folders contain correspondence of support from the private buisness sector in Utah and Colorado.	1954-1957
3	13	Lions and Kiwanis Clubs Correspondence This folder contains correspondence of support from Utah and Colorado clubs.	1955-1956
3	14	Sons of the Utah Pioneers Correspondence This folder contains correspondence and petitions in support of Dawson's project.	1955
3	15	Angus M. Woodbury Correspondence This folder contians correspondence transmitting Woodbury's manuscript for The Colorado Dam Fight.	1955
3	16	Eleanor Roosevelt Correspondence This folder contains correspondence between Dawson and Roosevelt, concerning her public statement opposing the Echo Park Dam.	1954
3	17-23	Utah Constituents Correspondence These folders contain correspondence from Utah residents expressing their opinion of the UCRSP.	1954-1956
3	24-27	Non-Utah Constituents Correspondence These folders contain correspondence from residents of states other than Utah, expressing their opinion of the UCRSP, particularly opposition to the Echo Park Dam.	1955-1956
		Memos, Contact Lists, Legislation, Propaganda
Box	Folder
4	1	Memos This folder contains memos from Sidney L. McFarland, Irrigation Consultant, House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee to members of the Subcommittee on Irrigation and Reclamation. also included is a memo from Secretary of Interior Oscar L. Chapman to the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation and Director of the National Park Service concerning construction of dams in Dinosaur National Monument. Finally, there is a memo from Ival V. Goslin to members of Congress describing the agricultural benefits of the UCRSP.	1950-1957
4	2-4	Contact Lists This folder contains lists of congressmen showing their probable vote on the UCRSP. These lists were used to assess support for the project and to determine which congressmen needed to be contacted by the bill managers in order to be pursuaded to vote for the bill.
4	5	Luncheons This folder contains notes and lists concerning luncheon meetings held by congressional supporters of the UCRSP.
4	6	Proxies This folder contains proxies given by several members of the House to Dawson.
4	7-9	Bills This folder contains printed copies of various bills concerning the UCRSP.
4	10	Bill Comparisons This folder conatins a comparison of several versions of the House bill and a comparison of the bill passed by the Senate and the proposed House bill.
4	11	Drafts of Bills and Portions of Bills
4	12	Amentments This folder contains amendments to the various bills proposed by Governor Johnson, Northcutt Ely, the Upper Colorado River Commission and others.
4	13	House Reports on UCRSP Legislation
4	14-17	Propaganda These folders contain pamphlets and brochures advocating passage of the UCRSP. Folders 16-17 contain packets of information distributed to members of Congress by those who supported the project. Many of these materials were projected by the Upper Colorado River Grass Roots, Inc.
4	18	Newspaper and Magazine Propaganda This folder contains newspaper and magazine articles and phamphlets distibuted by those opposed to the UCRSP.
		Maps, Notes, Reports, Statements
Box	Folder
5	1	Maps and Charts
5	2-3	Congressional Hearing Notes This folder contains notes from congressional hearings, short statements, and miscellaneous pieces of information used in support of the project.
5	4	Statistics This folder contains figures on the cost, financing, and repyament of the participating projects.
5	5	Congressional Record Statements
5	6-7	Statements and Press Releases These folders contain statements concerning the UCRSP from Representative Graig Hosmer, President Eisenhower, E. O. Larson, and others. Included is a statement on the importance of the project to national security and defense by Val Peterson, Administrator of the Civil Defense Administration.	1954-1956
5	8	Dawson Statements and Press Releases	1954-1958
5	9	Directory of Organizations and Officials Concerned with the Protection of Wildlife and Other Natural Resources
5	10	"Vote Pattern on Reclamation" This folder contains an analysis of House voting patterns on various reclamation projects including the Prying Pan, Arkansas Project.	1951-1955
5	11	"Summary of the UCRSP"
5	12	"Hoover Boulder Dam" This folder contains a compilation of comments on the construction of the Hoover Dam, prepared by the Library of Congress Legislative Reference Service.
5	13	Richard L. Dewsnup, "Legal Problems Surrounding Glen Canyon and Upper Colorado Development"
	Volume
5	14	Upper Colorado River Commission Official Record	1956
5	15	"Statements Relating to the UCRSP and Participating Projects" This is a compilation of facts and statements in support of the project prepared by George Dewey Clyde.
5	16	"Development of Colorado River" This is a summary of facts concerning the project, it was used by Dawson during the floor debates.
		Reports and Participating Projects
Box	Volume
6	1	US Bureau of Reclamation, UCRSP and Participating Projects	1950
	Folder
6	2	Participating Project Concessions This contains letters concerning permits to operate concessions at Glen Canyon and Flaming Gorge reservoirs.
6	3	Participating Project Employment This folder contians the Bureau of Reclamation jobs announcements for construction workers.
6	4-5	Central Utah Project Correspondence These folders contain correspondence from various Utah groups, urging construction of the Central Utah Project.	1955-1958
6	6	Emery Project Correspondence This folder contains correspondence urging construction of the Emery Project.	1957-1958
6	7	Flaming Gorge Dam Correspondence This folder contains correspondence concerning the location of the twon of Dutch John and the bids for furnishing power to the construction site.	1956-1958
6	8-12	Glen Canyon Dam Correspondence These folders contains correspondence concerning the contsruction of Glen Canyon Dam and the location of the townsite of Page, Arizona.	1956-1958
6	13-14	Gooseberry Project Opposition Correspondence	1955-1956

Correspondence File, 1953-1958Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box
7	Aa-Az Correspondence
8	Bab-Bez Correspondence
9	Bib-Bry Correspondence
10	Bub-Che Correspondence
11	Che-Coo Correspondence
12	Coo-Day Correspondence
13	Dea-Ehi Correspondence
14	Ehr-Fox Correspondence
15	Fra-Gre Correspondence
16	Gre-Hen Correspondence
17	Hen-Iri Correspondence
18	Iri-Jus Correspondence
19	Kad-Lar Correspondence
20	Las-McCo Correspondence
21	McCr-Mil Correspondence
22	Mil-New Correspondence
23	Ndw-Pay Correspondence
24	Pea-Ree Correspondence
25	Ree-Sal Correspondence
26	Sal-Sma Correspondence
27	Sme-Str Correspondence
28	Str-Vo Correspondence
29	W-Z Correspondence

Scrapbooks, 1902-1958Return to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box
30		Scrapbooks The first five pages of this scrapbook include Dawson's certificates of election , Bishop's Certificat, and a Seventies Certificate of Ordination. Following thses are pictures of William A. Dawson, Sr., and William A. Dawson Jr.'s report card from 1915-1916. The remaining pages contain clippings from Layton and Salt Lake City newspapers, and a few pieces of campaign literature.	1902-1947
31		Scrapbooks These scarpbooks contain clippings from the Congressional Records, Salt Lake City, and Washington D. C. newspapers. Also included are a few pieces of campaign literature and invitations to the 1953 residential naugural.	1947-1954
32		Scrapbooks These scrapbooks contain clippings from Utah and Washington D. C. newspapers. Also included are several pictures of Congressman Dawson.	1943-1954
33		Newspaper Scrapbook	1954-1956
34		Newspaper Scrapbook	1956-1958
	Volume
35	1-4	Campaign Scrapbooks These scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings and campaign literature from Dawson's 1954 campaign against Reva Beck Bosone, and his 1858 campaign against David S. King. Also included are campaign leterature from Oscar W. McConkie.	1954-1958

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Politicians--Utah

Personal Names

Bosone, Reva Beck (contributor)

Corporate Names

Colorado River Storage Project (U.S.)

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