View XML QR Code

John Newhouse Papers, 1959-1975

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Newhouse, John, 1909-1993
Title
John Newhouse Papers
Dates
1959-1975 (inclusive)
Quantity
0.5 linear feet and 17 audio cassettes
Collection Number
Mss 742
Summary
This collection includes John Newhouse's correspondence, research, taped interviews, and drafts of a book about the history of Lee Newspapers, Inc. in Montana, beginning with their 1959 purchase of newspapers long owned by the Anaconda Copper Mining Company.
Repository
University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu
Access Restrictions

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana-Missoula.

Languages
English
Return to Top

Biographical Note

John Newhouse was born in Janesville, Wisconsin, in 1909. He attended Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1934. He worked for a bank briefly before he took his first journalism job with the Monroe Evening Times. Newhouse then worked freelance as a writer and photographer, traveling around Wisconsin looking for interesting stories before taking a job at the Rockford Morning Star in Illinois as a reporter. He married Franny, a reporting colleague, and they moved to Madison, Wisconsin, in 1943. Newhouse worked at the Wisconsin State Journal until he retired in 1974.

In 1975 Newhouse took on the job of researching and writing the history of Lee Newspapers, Inc. in Montana, beginning with their 1959 purchase of newspapers long owned by the Anaconda Copper Mining Company. His research included extensive interviews of relevant people in Montana as well as at the Lee Newspapers headquarters in Davenport, Iowa.

Newhouse died May 19, 1993.

Return to Top

Content Description

This collection includes John Newhouse's correspondence, research, interviews conducted on 17 audio cassettes, and drafts of a book about the history of Lee Newspapers in Montana beginning with their 1959 purchase of newspapers long owned by the Anaconda Copper Mining Company. The correspondence briefly lays out the structure of the project while the research contains some background of the pre-1959 newspaper owners and policies. The body of research is in the interviews with Lee Newspaper Inc's personnel in Montana and in their Davenport, Iowa, headquarters.

Return to Top

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes.

Preferred Citation

John Newhouse Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.

Return to Top

Administrative Information

Arrangement

This collection is divided into four series:

Series I: Correspondence and research, 0.1 linear foot, 1959-1975

Series II: Interview transcripts, 0.3 linear foot, 1975

Series III: Writing, 0.1 linear foot, circa 1975

Series IV: Audio Recordings, 17 audio cassettes, 1975

Custodial History

Collection was held by John Newhouse or his family until donation.

Acquisition Information

Donated to the Archives by Eric Newhouse, 2001.

Processing Note

During processing, like materials were foldered together. Newhouse's audio cassette and transcript labels or descriptions were maintained as much as possible.

In 2019, audio interviews were identified as an oral history collection, Lee Newspapers Oral History Project and given collection number OH 465.

Return to Top

Detailed Description of the Collection

  • Series I: Correspondence and Research, 1959-1975

    0.1 linear foot

  • Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975

    0.3 linear foot

    This series consists of interview transcripts of taped interviews with Lee Enterprises employees and individuals who studied the history of newspapers and newspaper ownership in Montana. Interviews were conducted in Davenport, Iowa, and in Montana.

    Only a transcript exists for the Ron Semple interview and part of the Lloyd Schermer interview. The audio cassette for both of them is missing.

    Electronic copies of these transcripts are available from the University of Montana's Archives and Special Collections as oral history project OH 465. They are also available online via ScholarWorks.

    • Description: Transcript of Davenport Tapes 1-4

      Ron Semple interview; Lloyd Schermer interviews; Ron Rickman interview; Tom Williams interview; Tony Tatarka interview; Jim Burgess interview

      Dates: 1975
      Container: Box/Folder 1/12
      Location: Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975
    • Description: Transcript of Davenport Tapes 1-2

      Ron Semple interview; Lloyd Schermer interview; Ron Rickman interview

      Dates: 1975
      Container: Box/Folder 1/13
      Location: Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975
    • Description: Transcript of Davenport Tapes 3-4

      Tom Williams interview; Tony Tatarka interview; Jim Burgess interview; Lloyd Schermer interview

      Dates: 1975
      Container: Box/Folder 1/14
      Location: Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975
    • Description: Transcript of Montana Tape 1

      Sam Reynolds interview; John Toole interview

      Dates: 1975
      Container: Box/Folder 1/15
      Location: Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975
    • Description: Transcript of Montana Tape 2

      John Toole interview (cont.); Warren Brier interview; Nathan Blumberg interview; K. Ross Toole interview

      Dates: 1975
      Container: Box/Folder 1/16
      Location: Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975
    • Description: Transcript of Montana Tape 3

      K. Ross Toole interview (cont.); Dick Morrison interview; Ed Coyle interview; Ed Erlandson interview; John Talbot interview

      Dates: 1975
      Container: Box/Folder 1/17
      Location: Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975
    • Description: Transcript of Montana Tape 4

      John Talbot interview (cont.); Henry Pennypacker interview; Fred W. DeMoney interview

      Dates: 1975
      Container: Box/Folder 1/18
      Location: Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975
    • Description: Transcript of Montana Tape 5

      Fred W. DeMoney interview (cont.); Walter Nelson interview

      Dates: 1975
      Container: Box/Folder 1/19
      Location: Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975
    • Description: Transcript of Montana Tape 6

      Walter Nelson interview (cont.); Albert Gaskill and Jeff Gibson interview

      Dates: 1975
      Container: Box/Folder 1/20
      Location: Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975
    • Description: Transcript of Montana Tape 7

      Albert Gaskill and Jeff Gibson interview (cont.); Ed Winter interview

      Dates: 1975
      Container: Box/Folder 1/21
      Location: Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975
    • Description: Transcript of Montana Tape 8

      Duncan "Scotty" Campbell interview; George O'Connor interview; Bob Corbett interview; Alec Hansen interview; Bill Christiansen interview

      Dates: 1975
      Container: Box/Folder 1/22
      Location: Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975
    • Description: Transcript of Montana Tape 9

      Bill Christiansen interview (cont.); John C. Harrison interview; Sam Gilully interview

      Dates: 1975
      Container: Box/Folder 1/23
      Location: Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975
    • Description: Transcript of Montana Tape 10

      Sam Gilully interview (cont.); S. Keith Anderson interview; Mike Voeller interview; Gary Langley interview; George Remington interview

      Dates: 1975
      Container: Box/Folder 1/24
      Location: Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975
    • Description: Transcript of Montana Tape 11

      George Remington interview (cont.); J. Strand Hilleboe interview

      Dates: 1975
      Container: Box/Folder 1/25
      Location: Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975
    • Description: Transcript of Montana Tape 12

      J. Strand Hilleboe interview (cont.)

      Dates: 1975
      Container: Box/Folder 1/26
      Location: Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975
    • Description: Transcript of Montana Tape 13

      Seip (first name unknown) interview; Russ Hart interview; Bernard "Bud" Longo interview; Duane "Doc" Bowler interview

      Dates: 1975
      Container: Box/Folder 1/27
      Location: Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975
    • Description: Transcript of Montana Tape 14

      Duane "Doc" Bowler interview (continued)

      Dates: 1975
      Container: Box/Folder 1/28
      Location: Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975

  • Series III: Writing, circa 1975

    0.1 linear ft.

  • Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975

    17 audio cassettes

    This series consists of audio recordings of the oral history interviews that Newhouse conducted. Three of the cassettes contain interviews recorded in Davenport, Iowa, with Lee Enterprises employeees. The rest of the cassettes contain interviews recorded in Montana with Lee Enterprises employees and individuals who studied the history of newspapers and newspaper ownership in Montana.

    In 2019, the audio interviews were assigned an oral history collection name, Lee Newspapers Oral History Project and given collection number OH 465, to facilitate discovery and access.

    Davenport Tape 1 is missing. This tape contains the interview with Ron Semple and part of the interview with Lloyd Schermer. Full transcripts of both interviews are available in Series II of this collection.

    Audio was originally recorded on cassette tape. In 2019, the audio was digitized for access and preservation purposes.

    Electronic copies of the audio are available from the University of Montana's Archives and Special Collections as oral history project OH 465. They are also available online via ScholarWorks.

    • Description: Lloyd Schermer interview (continued); Ron Rickman interview

      The first part of Lloyd Schermer interview was recorded on Davenport Tape 1, which is missing.

      Dates: 1975
      Container: Cassette Davenport 2
      Location: Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975
    • Description: Tom Williams interview; Tom Tatarka interview
      Dates: 1975
      Container: Cassette Davenport 3
      Location: Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975
    • Description: Tom Tatarka interview (continued); Jim Burgess interview; Lloyd Schermer interview
      Dates: 1975
      Container: Cassette Davenport 4
      Location: Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975
    • Description: Sam Reynolds interview; John Toole interview
      Dates: 1975
      Container: Cassette Montana 1
      Location: Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975
    • Description: John Toole interview (continued); Warren Brier and Nathan Blumberg interview; K. Ross Toole interview
      Dates: 1975
      Container: Cassette Montana 2
      Location: Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975
    • Description: K. Ross Toole interview (continued.); Dick Morrison interview; Edward Coyle interview; Ed Erlandson interview; John Talbot interview
      Dates: 1975
      Container: Cassette Montana 3
      Location: Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975
    • Description: John Talbot interview (continued); Henry Pennypacker interview; Fred W. DeMoney interview
      Dates: 1975
      Container: Cassette Montana 4
      Location: Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975
    • Description: Fred W. DeMoney interview (continued); Walter Nelson interview
      Dates: 1975
      Container: Cassette Montana 5
      Location: Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975
    • Description: Walter Nelson interview (continued); Albert Gaskill, and Jeff Gibson interview
      Dates: 1975
      Container: Cassette Montana 6
      Location: Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975
    • Description: Albert Gaskill and Jeff Gibson interview (continued); Ed Winter interview
      Dates: 1975
      Container: Cassette Montana 7
      Location: Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975
    • Description: Duncan "Scotty" Campbell interview; George O'Connor interview; Bob Corbett and Alec Hansen interview; Bill Christiansen interview
      Dates: 1975
      Container: Cassette Montana 8
      Location: Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975
    • Description: Bill Christiansen interview (continued); John C. Harrison interview; Sam Gilully interview
      Dates: 1975
      Container: Cassette Montana 9
      Location: Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975
    • Description: Sam Gilully interview (continued); S. Keith Anderson and Mike Voeller interview; Gary Langley and Mike Voeller interview; George Remington interview
      Dates: 1975
      Container: Cassette Montana 10
      Location: Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975
    • Description: George Remington interview (continued); J. Strand Hilleboe interview
      Dates: 1975
      Container: Cassette Montana 11
      Location: Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975
    • Description: J. Strand Hilleboe interview (continued)
      Dates: 1975
      Container: Cassette Montana 12
      Location: Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975
    • Description: Seip (first name unknown) interview; Russ Hart interview; Bernard "Bud" Longo interview; Duane "Doc" Bowler interview
      Dates: 1975
      Container: Cassette Montana 13
      Location: Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975
    • Description: Duane “Doc” Bowler interview (continued)
      Dates: 1975
      Container: Cassette Montana 14
      Location: Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975

Finding aid prepared by Teresa Hamann (2010) and Hannah Soukup (2020)
2010

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

About Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West