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Joseph C. O'Mahoney papers, 1866-1963 (bulk 1920-1960)

Overview of the Collection

Creator
O’Mahoney, Joseph C. (Joseph Christopher), 1884-1962
Title
Joseph C. O'Mahoney papers
Dates
1866-1963 (bulk 1920-1960) (inclusive)
Quantity
398.95 cubic ft. (406 boxes)
Collection Number
00275
Summary
Legislative files, campaign files, and personal materials of a five-term U.S. Senator from Wyoming.
Repository
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
The creation of the EAD-version of this finding aid has been made possible through a grant from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission.
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Historical Note

Joseph C. O'Mahoney was born on November 5, 1884 in Chelsea, Massachusetts. After graduating from Columbia University in New York City, he moved to Boulder, Colorado in 1908 and worked as a reporter at the “Boulder Herald”. In 1916 he moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming and was the city editor of the Cheyenne "State Leader." He became involved with Democratic Party politics, and first went to Washington as secretary to Wyoming Senator John B. Kendrick. He graduated from Georgetown University Law School and was admitted to the bar in 1920 and began practicing law in Cheyenne, Wyoming and Washington, D.C. He was Franklin Roosevelt's Western campaign director in 1932. He served as First Assistant Postmaster General in 1933 and in December 1933 was appointed to fill the Senate vacancy created by the death of Senator Kendrick. He was elected to three full terms before being defeated in the 1952 election. In 1954, he returned to the Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator Lester C. Hunt and was re-elected in 1954 to another full term.

During his Senate career O'Mahoney served on several Senate committees including Appropriations and its Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Indian Affairs, Interior and Insular Affairs (chair, 1949-1953), Public Lands, Irrigation and Reclamation, Judiciary, Joint Economic, and Temporary National Economic Committee (chair). He was a supporter of western water and mineral development, a New Deal Democrat who split with Franklin Roosevelt over the Supreme Court packing issue, and a foe of monopolies.

Joseph O’Mahoney served as Senator of Wyoming for 25 years between 1933-1960. He did not run for re-election in 1960, but resumed practicing law in Cheyenne, Wyoming and Washington, D.C. He died on December 1, 1962 in the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland.

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Content Description

The Joseph C. O’Mahoney papers contain primarily files from his office as Senator of Wyoming such as correspondence, speeches, news releases and clippings, photographs, scrapbooks, maps, artifacts, memorabilia, campaign materials, and audio visual materials. There are legislative and resource files that contain bill proposals, correspondence, reports, newspaper clippings, photographs, and other printed materials about legislative issues. There are committee files with information from the various committees on which Senator O’Mahoney served. The papers also contain legal case files and correspondence from his law firm and correspondence while Mr. O’Mahoney was First Assistant Postmaster General. There is a small amount of correspondence, photographs, maps, and memorabilia about his personal life.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Restrictions on Use

Statement on Potentially Harmful Language and Images Found in Collections

The American Heritage Center aspires to approach all areas of our work in ways that are respectful to those who create, use, and are represented in our collections. For a variety of reasons, however, users may encounter offensive or harmful language or images in some of our finding aids, catalogs, and collection materials.

Note that the AHC does not censor or alter contents of the collections as they provide context and evidence of a time, people, place, or event. Therefore, we encourage users to bring questions and concerns about descriptions in our finding aids to our attention via email or anonymous web-form. For more information, read our full statement.

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Alternative Forms Available

Existence and Location of Copies

Digital reproductions of select material from this collection are available at http://digitalcollections.uwyo.edu:8180/luna/servlet/uwydbuwy~58~58.

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Administrative Information

Related Materials

There is one other known archival collection created by Joseph C. O'Mahoney located at the Wyoming State Archives.

Acquisition Information

The Joseph C. O'Mahoney papers were donated by Senator Joseph C. O’Mahoney in 1953. Additional material was donated by Louise Love in 1969; and the U.S. Senate Historical Office in 1978 and 2008.

Processing Note

The collection was inventoried by Kathryn Brooks and Emily Christopherson in January 2011.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Container List

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Politicians -- Wyoming.
  • Politics, Practical.

Corporate Names

  • United States. Congress Voting.
  • United States. Congress Committees.
  • United States. Congress Elections.
  • United States. Congress Constituent communication.
  • United States. Congress. Senate.

Geographical Names

  • United States -- Politics and government -- 1933-1953.
  • United States -- Politics and government -- 1953-1961.
  • Wyoming -- History -- 1890-1918.
  • Wyoming -- History -- 1919-1945.
  • Wyoming -- History -- 1946-
  • Wyoming -- Politics and government.

Form or Genre Terms

  • Artifacts.
  • Certificates.
  • Congressional committee records.
  • Maps.
  • Memorabilia.
  • Photographs.
  • Senate records.
  • Speeches.

Occupations

  • Politicians.

Processed by Kathryn Brooks and Emily Christopherson in January 2011.
2011

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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