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Oliver H. Shoup papers, 1910-1937

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Shoup, Oliver H.
Title
Oliver H. Shoup papers
Dates
1910-1937 (inclusive)
Quantity
9.46 cubic feet (12 boxes)
Collection Number
01216
Summary
The collection contains scrapbooks of Shoup's political and commercial activities, as well as materials related to his activities in oil fields and the petroleum industry.
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
Access Restrictions

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

Languages
English
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Historical Note

Oliver H. Shoup (1869-1940) was a Colorado businessman who began his career with the Colorado Springs Company and then worked as private secretary and then general manager to Verner Z. Reed. He made a fortune in oil fields in Wyoming. He was the first president of the Midwest Oil Company, and in 1914, he became the first president of the Midwest Refining Company. He retired in 1916 from active participation in the oil business and devoted his time to raising stock and agricultural development in Colorado, where he owned a ranch north of Colorado Springs. Active in the Colorado Republican Party, he was twice elected governor of the state (1918 and 1920). He was also a director of several Colorado banks.

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Content Description

The collection contains eighteen scrapbooks of Shoup's political and commercial activities: fourteen concern his gubernatorial campaigns, elections, and administrations; another documents War Savings Stamps in the last two years of the first World War; another contains assay records for the American Smelting & Refining Company; another contains ads and clippings for the Brauer Purebred-Duroc Company; and another includes clippings about the Midwest Oil Company. Also included are reports and publications, contracts, articles, correspondence, and financial documentation of Shoup's activities in oil fields and the petroleum industry.

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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.

Preferred Citation

Preferred Citation

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

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Administrative Information

Related Materials

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by Oliver H. Shoup as of the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition Information

The materials in the collection were donated by Merrill Shoup in 1963.

Processing Note

Processing Information

Processed by Roger Simon, October 2019. Finding aid encoded by Roger Simon, November, 2019.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Container List
  • Businesses

    • Description: American Smelting & Refining Co.

      A scrapbook (labeled # 16) with assay records for the Arkansas Valley and Durango plants.

      Dates: 1925-1926
      Container: Box 3
    • Description: Brauer Purebred-Duroc Co.

      A scrapbook (labeled # 17) mostly containing ads for and clippings about Brauer Purebred Duroc Co., in which Shoup was an investor.

      Dates: 1923
      Container: Box 6
    • Description: William Fitzhugh

      • (1) Contract between William G. Henshaw and the other parties, including William Fitzhugh, the California Oil Co., and the Midwest Oil Co., regarding oil production; and
      • (2) Salt Creek Township and Range Maps – labeled “For Wm. Fitzhugh – San Francisco, Cal. by O.J. Midthun – Thermopolis, Wyo.”

      Dates: 1910-1913
      Container: Box 1
    • Midwest Oil Co.

      Container: Box 1

      • Description:

        • (1) Affidavit of Francis M. McMahon, auditor of the Midwest Oil Co., regarding tangible assets of the company;
        • (2) Assets Transferred to the Midwest Refining Co. – includes a handwritten note regarding loss due to damage, settlement of a lawsuit, and non-transferal of property;
        • (3) Balance Sheet;
        • (4) Financial Statement;
        • (5) Form letter to stockholders from J.L. Warren, secretary of the Midwest Oil Co.;
        • (6) Memorandum to Security Dealers and Supplemental Information;
        • (7) Sinking Fund Notes; and
        • (8) Synopsis of Operating Agreement Between the Midwest Oil Co. and the Midwest Refining Co.

        Dates: 1912-1918, 1937, undated
        Container: Box 1
      • Description:

        A scrapbook (labeled # 18) mostly containing clippings about the Midwest Oil Company; it also includes clippings about the Franco Petroleum Co., as well as documents (e.g., proxy-votes, stockholder notices) related to the Midwest Oil Co.

        Dates: 1911-1916
        Container: Box 3
    • Description: Midwest Refining Co.

      • (1) “Memorandum of Investigation Conducted by Mr. Tyson R. Dines, at the Request of the Officers of the Midwest Refining Company, relative to the Titles to the Oil Lands Secured by Mrs. B.H. Hopkins and his Associates, and now Supposed to be Held in the Name of the Elk Basin Company, a Corporation – Statement of Mr. O.H. Shoup, President of the Midwest Refining Company”;
      • (2) Property Sold or Turned Over to the Midwest Refining Co. by the Midwest Oil Co.;
      • (3) Property Sold or Turned Over to the Midwest Refining Co. by the Midwest Oil Co. and the Franco Petroleum Co.; and
      • (4) Property Sold or Turned Over to the Midwest Refining Co. by the Franco Petroleum Co.

      Dates: 1914, undated
      Container: Box 1
    • Description: Reed Investment Co.

      • (1) Clipping “[Verner] Reed Fascinated by ‘Soap’ Lake”;
      • (2) Contract between Berne H. Hopkins and the Reed Investment Co. regarding the building, construction, and operation of a pipeline from the Salt Creek Oil Field, in Natrona County, WY, to a point on some railroad – attached to an accompanying letter to Verner Reed, president of the Reed Investment Co., from Hopkins; and
      • (3) Correspondence regarding the Reed-Midwest Co., the IRS, and Taxes.

      Dates: 1910-1917, undated
      Container: Box 1
    • Description: Reed-Midwest Investment Co., 1913-1926

      “Record of Minutes” notebook, which contains the following:

      • (1) meeting minutes of the board of directors of the Reed-Midwest Investment Co.;
      • (2) meeting minutes of special meeting of stockholders;
      • (3) articles of incorporation and by-laws of the company;
      • (4) stock certificates;
      • (5) correspondence regarding dissolution of the company;
      • (6) waivers of notice regarding a special meeting to dissolve the company; and
      • (7) a letter regarding the final decree declaring the company legally dead.

      Dates:
      Container: Box 1
    • Reports and Publications

      Container: Box

      • Description: By Oliver H. Shoup

        • (1) a report on the Salt Creek Oil Fields, Natrona County, WY, and
        • (2) “When Salt Creek Roared.”

        Dates: 1910, 1937
        Container: Box 1
      • Description: By Others

        • (1) “C.A. Fisher [consulting geologist and engineer] Report on Salt Creek Oil Fields in Natrona County. Wyoming”;
        • (2) “The Lander and Salt Creek Oil Fields – Wyoming” – contains “The Lander Oil Field, Fremont County” by E.G. Woodruff and “The Salt Creek Oil Field, Natrona County” by C.H. Wegemann – United States Geological Survey – Bulletin 452 – Department of the Interior, 1911 – includes accompanying maps in a separate envelope;
        • (3) “Quarterly of the Colorado School Mines,” 1919 (vol. 14, no. 4) – includes the article “The Oil Shale Industry” by Victor C. Alderson – the inside front page of the volume includes an inscription from Alderson to Shoup; and
        • (4) “The Salt Creek Oil Field – Wyoming – with Special Reference to Salt Creek Producers Association – Mountain Producers Corporation” (Carl H. Pforzheimer & Co., NY, NY).

        Dates: 1911-1925, undated
        Container: Box 1
  • Politics

    • Governorship

      Container: Box

      • Description:

        A scrapbook (labeled # 2) with clippings about Shoup’s campaign for gubernatorial candidate in the Republican primary; also includes a list of estimated votes that Shoup and his opponent in the primary, Charles A. Ballreich, got in each county.

        Dates: 1918
        Container: Box 4
      • Description:

        A scrapbook (labeled # 1) with clippings about the Republican primary and general elections.

        Dates: 1918
        Container: Box 1
      • Description:

        A scrapbook (labeled # 4) with clippings about Shoup’s first campaign for and election as governor; also includes an envelope with additional clippings and an envelope with cards promoting candidate Shoup, brochures, pamphlets, and other documents regarding the election, clippings of the election returns, and a ticket to the 1919 inaugural ceremony.

        Dates: 1918
        Container: Box 2
      • Description:

        A scrapbook (labeled # 3) with clippings about Shoup’s first campaign for governor.

        Dates: 1918
        Container: Box 2
      • Description:

        A scrapbook (labeled # 6) with clippings about Shoup’s campaign for governor, his inauguration, and statements and acts by him and his administration during his first term as governor.

        Dates: 1918-1920
        Container: Box 8
      • Description:

        A scrapbook (labeled # 5) with clippings about Shoup’s inauguration and statements and acts by him and his administration during his first term as governor; also includes two inserts – a clipping and a program for the 25th Annual Convention of the American National Live Stock Association (Colorado Spring, CO), at which Shoup gave an address of welcome.

        Dates: 1918-1922
        Container: Box 2
      • Description:

        A scrapbook (labeled # 7) with clippings about statements and acts by Shoup and his administration during his first term as governor.

        Dates: 1919-1920
        Container: Box 7
      • Description:

        A scrapbook (labeled # 8) with clippings about statements and acts by Shoup and his administration during his first and second terms as governor; also includes an envelope with clippings about Shoup and the 1920 election, sample ballots for that election, and clippings about a scandal involving attempted bribes for pardons in Colorado.

        Dates: 1920-1921
        Container: Box 9
      • Description:

        A scrapbook (labeled # 9) with clippings about statements and acts by Shoup and his administration during his second and final term as governor.

        Dates: 1921
        Container: Box 10
      • Description:

        A scrapbook (labeled # 14) with clippings about statements and acts by Shoup and his administration during his second and final term as governor, as well as clippings about the 1921 flood of Pueblo, CO.

        Dates: 1921-1922
        Container: Box 5
      • Description:

        A scrapbook (labeled # 10) with clippings about statements and acts by Shoup and his administration during his second and final term as governor.

        Dates: 1921-1922
        Container: Box 11
      • Description:

        A scrapbook (labeled # 11) with clippings about statements and acts by Shoup and his administration during his second and final term as governor, as well as clippings about him following his final term as governor.

        Dates: 1922-1923
        Container: Box 12
      • Description:

        A scrapbook (labeled # 13) with clippings about statements and acts by Shoup and his administration during his second and final term as governor, as well as clippings about him following his final term as governor; also includes clippings about municipal ownership of utilities.

        Dates: 1922-1925
        Container: Box 4
    • Description: War Savings Stamps

      A scrapbook (labeled # 15) with clippings about War Savings Stamps; it also contains other documents related to War Savings Stamps, including pamphlets, statements and remarks, record cards, and a restaurant menu promoting the sale of Thrift Cards, War Savings Stamps, and War Certificates. Multiple clippings list Shoup as chairman of the El Paso Committee, United States Government War Savings Stamps.

      Dates: 1917-1918
      Container: Box 5
  • Description: Post-Governorship

    A scrapbook (labeled # 12) with clippings about Shoup following his final term as governor.

    Dates: 1923
    Container: Box 6

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Oil fields -- Wyoming.
  • Petroleum industry and trade -- Wyoming.

Personal Names

  • Reed, Verner Z. (Verner Zevola), 1863-1919.

Corporate Names

  • American Smelting & Refining Company.
  • Brauer Purebred-Duroc Company.
  • Colorado. Governor (1919-1923 : Shoup)
  • Midwest Oil Company.
  • Midwest Refining Company.
  • Reed Investment Company.
  • Reed-Midwest Investment Company.

Form or Genre Terms

  • Scrapbooks.
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