OHY_Mss 49 Guide to the Grace Wick papers 1888-1958 Wick (Grace) Papers Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Oregon Historical Society, Research Library ©2003 Finding aid encoded by Geoffrey Wexler April 2004 Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS 2nd edition ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard). 2015 Revised to reflect updates to best practices. Oregon Historical Society, Davies Family Research Library Mss 49 Wick, Grace, 1888-1958 Grace Wick Papers 1888-1962 1928-1951 6 cubic feet 7 boxes Papers of an Oregon political activist who began as a New Deal Democrat in the 1930s and ended as a right-wing Republican in the 1950s. Includes correspondence, such as letters to and from right-wing activist Gerald L.K. Smith; writings; subject files; and ephemera. English Biographical Note

Grace M. Wick of Portland, Oregon, was a right-wing activist known for her outspokenness and flamboyant behavior. A prolific letter writer, she maintained an extensive correspondence with political figures in Oregon and nationally. Wick ran twice unsuccessfully for Congress in the Third District. In May 1935, she paraded down Broadway in a slogan-covered barrel to protest her lack of employment.

Born in Iowa in 1888, Grace Wick lived in Chicago, New York, and Boston and was a stage actress before moving to Central Point, Oregon, with her husband George Merritt in 1922. Grace Wick began her political activities in Oregon the same year by campaigning for Democrat Walter Pierce for Governor. After her divorce in 1924 and an attempt to start a film career in Hollywood, she returned to Oregon in 1926. Wick campaigned against Pierce in his bid for reelection because of his refusal to stay the 1925 execution of Archie Cody, a relative of Buffalo Bill Cody, for the murder of the sheriff of Harney County. Wick later claimed that a satirical pamphlet, "The Mascot," which she wrote and published, was responsible for Pierce's defeat.

Grace Wick moved to Portland in 1927 and was secretary-treasurer of the Oregon State Women's Smith for President Club in 1928. She ran for Congress in 1934 as a "Progressive Democrat," pledging full support of President Roosevelt and the New Deal. In 1936 she ran as an Independent, after having her name placed in nomination through a convention held in a beer hall. By 1937, having become frustrated with the Democratic party establishment in Oregon, Wick began to cultivate connections with Republican political figures. Her views became increasingly right-wing within the next few years. She chaired the local auxiliary of Sons of Union Veterans, an anti-immigrant organization, and became a strident anti-Semite, disseminating propaganda materials and corresponding with others of similar persuasion. Wick opposed U.S. entry in the Second World War and actively corresponded with leaders of the isolationist Mother's Movement and with congressional opponents of intervention. Wick's activities during the war led to her being questioned by an Army board on suspicion of disloyalty.

In the post-war period, Grace Wick opposed the establishment of the United Nations and U.S. involvement in Korea, while supporting a presidential candidacy for Gen. Douglas MacArthur. In 1951 she became Oregon state chairwoman of the newly formed American Woman's Party, led by Blanche Winters of Detroit, and conducted an unsuccessful petition effort to qualify the party for the Oregon ballot.

Correspondence series includes letters to and/or from Walter Pierce, Charles Martin, Guy Cordon, Rufus Holman, Charles McNary, Rush Dew Holt, Hamilton Fish, James Farley, Blanche Winters, Gerald L. K. Smith, Lyrl Clark Van Hyning, Agnes Waters, and William Kulgren. The personal correspondence subseries, in addition to correspondence, contains writings by Grace Wick and ephemera, mostly from her stage career. The publications series includes the newspapers of Central Oregon publisher Sid Pierce, newsletters of Elizabeth Dilling Stokes, 46 issues of the isolationist publication, Woman’s Voice, and political and metaphysical publications of William Dudley Pelley and William Kulgren. The subject series contains correspondence and publications as well as ephemera. Organizations represented include several from the isolationist Mother’s Movement, as well as the later American Woman’s Party. Individuals include Gerald L. K. Smith, Rev. A. W. Terminiello, and Agnes Waters. Topics covered include internationalism, racial segregation, communist subversion, and the fluoridation of water.

Series A: Correspondence, 1912-1958

Series B: Publications, 1928-1952

Series C: Subject files, 1891-1958

The collection is open to the public.

The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library prior to any use of reproductions. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use of reproductions may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Grace Wick Papers, Mss 49, Oregon Historical Society Research Library

Gift of the Estate of Grace Wick via Myrtle Goldsby, 1959-1960, Accession 8180.

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Wick, Grace, 1888-1958--Correspondence Cordon, Guy, 1890-1969--Correspondence Farley, James Aloysius, 1888- --Correspondence Fish, Hamilton, 1888- --Correspondence Holman, Rufus Cecil, 1877-1959--Correspondence Holt, Rush Dew, 1905-1955--Correspondence Kulgren, William--Correspondence McNary, Charles Linza, 1874-1944--Correspondence Pelley, William Dudley, 1890- Pierce, Sid. Pierce, Walter Marcus, 1861-1954--Correspondence Smith, Gerald L. K. (Gerald Lyman Kenneth), 1898- --Correspondence Terminiello, A. W. (Arthur W.) Van Hyning, Lyrl Clark--Correspondence Waters, Agnes--Correspondence Winters, Blanche--Correspondence New Deal, 1933-1939 Neutrality--United States Nativism--Oregon Antisemitism--Oregon Anti-communist movements--Oregon Right-wing extremists--Oregon--Correspondence Oregon--Politics and government--1859-1950 Oregon--Politics and government--1951- Oregon--Economic conditions Oregon--Social conditions. Oregon Pacific Northwest History Government and politics Jewish Americans Letters Publications

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series A: Correspondence 1912-1958 Political Correspondence 1922-1955 1/1 A 1/2 B 1/3 C 1/4 D 1/5 E 1/6 F 1/7 G 1/8 H 1/9 I-J 1/10 K 1/11 L 1/12 M 1/13 N 1/14 O-P 1/15 Q-R 1/16 S 1/17 T 1/18 U 1/19 V-W 1/20 X-Z Personal Correspondence America First Party 1/21 Correspondence, clippings, ephemera 1944-1958 American Women's Party 1/22 Correspondence 1951 1/23 Correspondence 1951-1957 1/24 Correspondence 1951-1953 1/25 Correspondence 1951-1952 1/26 Correspondence with Blanche Winters, president 1951-1952 1/27 Buck, Merle, president of the American Warriors 1936 1/28 Grace Wick campaign materials 1934-1936 1/29 Carson, Joseph K., Jr.--General correspondence 1932-1950 1/30 Cordon, Guy--General correspondence 1945-1954 1/31 Dewey, Thomas 1944

Letter from Grace Wick, acknowledgement from Everett Dirksen, and responses to letter from others, including Gerald L. K. Smith

 1/32 Farley, James--General correspondence 1933-1935 1/33 Fish, Hamilton--General correspondence 1938-1944 1/34 Hamel, Richard 1944-1952

General Correspondence with Hamel and with others who alleged that Hamel was an informant

 1/35 Holman, Rufus--General correspondence 1941-1944 1/36 Holt, Rush--General correspondence 1936-1940 1/37 Kullgren, William--General correspondence 1943-1946 1/38 Martin, Charles H. 1933-1935 1/39 McNary, Charles--Outgoing correspondence 1936-1941 1/40 McNary, Charles--Incoming correspondence 1935-1941 1/41 Moyes, William--Outgoing correspondence and clippings 1943-1953 1/42 National Gentile League--General correspondence 1944-1945 1/43 Nodel, Julius--General correspondence 1952 1/44 Old Age Assistance--General correspondence and clippings 1956-1959 1/45 Oregonian--Letters to the editor, many unpublished 1938-1957 1/46 Oregon Journal--Letters to the editor 1941-1949 1/47 Pelley, William Dudley 1945-1949

General Correspondence with Adelaide Pelley Pearson, clippings, and copies of Pelley tract, "Dupes of Judah," republished by Grace Wick

 1/48 Pelley, William--Newsletters from organizations 1945-1950 1/49 Pierce, Syd--General correspondence 1945-1957 1/50 Pierce, Walter 1922-1926

Incoming Correspondence, clippings, copy The Mascot, written and published by Grace Wick

 1/51 Richardson, W. E. 1943

Correspondence with attorney concerning summons to appear before Army board

 1/52 Roosevelt, Franklin Delano 1932-1941

General Correspondence includes letters from Eleanor Roosevelt

 1/53 Smith, Alfred 1928

General Correspondence concerning establishment of Oregon State Women for Smith for President Club, roster of members, clippings, and ephemera

 1/54 Smith, H. L.--General correspondence 1943-1954 1/55 Sons of Union Veterans--General correspondence and clippings 1937 1/56 Supreme Court 1937

Outgoing Correspondence concerning Roosevelt effort to expand the Supreme Court

 1/57 Van Hyning, Lyrl Clark--General correspondence 1953 1/58 Waters, Agnes 1944-1947

General Correspondence, clippings, handwritten transcript of congressional testimony.

 1/59 Wharton, C. E.--General correspondence 1936-1938 1/60 Xavier, Peter L.--General Correspondence 1952-1956 General personal correspondence 2/61 A-C 1914-1958 2/62 D-F 1914-1958 2/63 G-I 1914-1958 2/64 J-L 1914-1958 2/65 M-O 1914-1958 2/66 P-R 1914-1958 2/67 S-T 1914-1958 2/68 U-W 1914-1958 2/69 X-Z 1914-1958 2/70 Ephemera 1945-1953 2/71 Official Documents 1888-1958

Birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce decree, employment records, Social Security documents, Old Age Assistance records, stock certificates, clipping of obituary

 2/72 Dramatic career 1913-1925

General Correspondence, playbills, actor's directories, clippings of reviews

 2/73 Family members--General correspondence 1911-1953 2/74 Meyer, Pearl Wick (sister of Grace Wick)--General correspondence 1936-1958 2/75 Wick, A.L. "Gus" (brother of Grace Wick)--General correspondence 1919-1956 2/76 Fuller, Helen--General correspondence 1925-1938

Includes letter from Oswald West to Helen Fuller

 2/77 Goldsby, Myrtle (executor of Wick estate)--General correspondence 1946-1958 2/78 Melanson, Fred 1926-1950

Official documents, poetry, and ephemera from Grace Wick's companion

 2/79 Clippings and articles concerning Grace Wick 1913-1958 2/80 Ephemera 1912-1952

Includes address books, notes, and business correspondence

 2/81 Writings of others undated

Prose and poetry collected by Grace Wick

 2/82 Writing--Poetry, screenplay, and essays by Grace Wick undated 2/83 Riddle Woman 1920

General Correspondence, clippings, and scrapbook concerning Grace Wick's part in promotional campaign for a motion picture

 2/84 Stage Women's War Relief 1917-1918

General Correspondence regarding participation in organization

 2/85 General correspondence 1922

Unidentified Correspondent. Letters between Grace Wick and friend in Southern Oregon concerned that Grace Wick had said that she had been invited to join the Ku Klux Klan

 Series B: Publications 1928-1952 3/1 Northwest Defense News 1951-1952

1:2,4,5 and 2:1. Walla Walla, Washington

 3/2 Boise Valley Herald 1926; 1947

XXXVIII:27. (1947) Voice of Action, IV:2. (1936) Seattle, Washington.

 3/3 Sid Pierce Publications 1940-1952

Including Crook County American (1940-1950), The Free Press (1944), and The Rascal Scalper(1952)

This folder also contains handbills and a note from publisher Sid Pierce to Grace Wick

 3/4 Other Oregon publications 1941-1953

Including The Dalles The Dalles Chronicle(1953), reprints of editorials critical of Wayne Morse and union leader Harry Bridges and the New American Order(1941)

 3/5 Crow's Pacific Coast Lumber Digest--Reprints of editorials from trade publication. 1943-1949 3/6 The Sun, 17:24. (1947) and The East Side Post, 19:4. (1950) 1947; 1950 3/7 Harvey's Monthly Pension Newsletter 1953-1958

Twenty-two issues between III:7 and VIII:9

 3/8 The Reminder, 8:3 and 14:8. 19451951

This folder also includes undated reprints from the same publication

 3/9 Stallard's Democrat Crusade--Newsletters and flyers. 1950 3/10 Other Portland News Publications 1928-1955

Including American Friends Service Committee Newsletter (1951-1952); Western Breeders Journal, 60:21. (1928) and The U.N. Advocate, 1:10. (1955)

 3/11 American Capsule News 1956-1958

Washington D.C. Fifty-eight editions of publication billed as "The All American News Digest for All American People."

 3/12 American Nationalist 1952-1953

Inglewood, California. Five editions between 1:1 and 1:10

 3/13 America Preferred 1943-1945

Indianapolis, Indiana. Eight editions between 1:2 and 3:9

 3/14 Arab News 1946-1948

Washington D.C.. Twelve editions of newsletter published by the embassies of several Arab countries

 3/15 Common Sense 1947-1957

Forty-four editions of anti-communist newspaper published in New Jersey

 3/16 Dayton Independent 1951-1953

Dayton, Ohio. Forty-seven editions between XXXI:40 and XXXII:42

 3/17 William Kulgren Publications 1942-1950

Including America Speaks, Atascadero, California (1943-1950), The Beacon Light, (1939-1942), and Beacon Light Herald (1945-1950)

 4/18 Patriotic Research Bureau Publications 1944-1946

Nine issues of newsletter published by Elizabeth Dilling of Chicago

 4/19 The Dispatch 1945-1946

III:3,4,9,10,11. Anti-Semitic publication of the Pioneer News Service. This folder also contains ephemera from the same publication

 4/20 The Political Reporter 1953-1954

3:4,5,6,7. Memphis, Tennessee. The January 1945 issue of this monthly publication contains a letter by Grace Wick

 4/21 Woman's Voice 1945-1959

Chicago. Forty-six editions between 3:9 and 18:11.

This folder also includes ephemera associated with this publication

 4/22 Other National Publications ca. 1940-1960

The Aryan Voice, America in Danger-Christ or Chaos, Peace Action, The Individualist, The Citizen, Constitution Press, Grass Roots, Round Table News Flashes, and Right

 4/23 Other National Publications ca. 1940-1960

Including: The Defender, Constitutional Americans, Headlines, The National Record, The Realist, The Patriot, T A W (The American Way), Upton Close Newsletter, Free Men Speak, Sabotage, Hitler and Stalin, and Railway Journal

 4/24 The Methodist Challenger 1958-1959

Thirteen editions between XXVI:12 and XXVIII:3

 4/25 Present Truth 1948-1959

Mountain View, Ten editions between 23:49 and 24:19. Seventh Day Adventist publication

 4/26 Soulcraft Publications 1942-1954

Publications of William Dudley Pelley, mostly following his release from prison

 4/27 Watchtower Publications 1940-1959 4/28 Miscellaneous Religious Publications undated

Includes Adventist publications and literature from The Christophers, a Catholic lay organization

 4/29 Jewish Religious Publications 1944-1949 4/30 Miscellaneous Religious Publications 1944-1958 4/31 Astrological and Occult Publications undated Series C: Subject Files 1891-1958 5/32 American Woman's Party 1951-1952

Correspondence and ephemera. Includes issue of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Journal with editorial praising American Woman’s Party

 5/33 Women's Organizations, Miscellaneous 1891-1956

Includes publications of several of the isolationist Mother's organizations from the Second World War

Organizations include United Mothers of America and We, The Mothers. Also includes material from the Oregon State Women for Smith for President Club

 5/34 Miscellaneous Political Organizations 1936-1946

Includes ephemera from right-wing organizations Defenders of George Washington and The American Warriors, an ex-serviceman's organization

 5/35 Anti-War and Anti-Conscription Organizations 1941-1947

Includes pamphlets and ephemera of the America First Committee, radio transcripts of speeches by Charles Lindbergh, and ephemera of the Oregon Committee Opposing Peacetime Conscription

 5/36 National Blue Star Mothers of America 1945-1952

Ephemera from militant isolationist organization with anti-Semitic emphasis

 5/37 Miscellaneous National Political Organizations 1940-1956

Publications and ephemera from several right-wing organizations including the Constitutional Alliance and the Nationalist Convention Committee

 5/38 Government Publications 1935-1957

Includes reprints from The Congressional Record of speeches by Sen. Joseph McCarthy, Rep. Hamilton Fish, Sen. Burton Wheeler Sen. William Langer, and Sen. Rufus Holman

 5/39 Miscellaneous Publications on Economics 1935-1951 6/40 Marilyn R. Allen 1947-1952

Publications and ephemera from Salt Lake City activist opposed to immigration and racial integration

 6/41 Gerald L. K. Smith 1945-1958

Publications and ephemera. Includes issues of The Cross and the Flag(6:10, 7:10, 8:8, and 16:12) and other material of the Christian Nationalist Crusade

 6/42 Einer Aberg 1948

Publications and ephemera including booklist and flyers for the Pro-America Information Bureau

 6/43 Rev. A. W. Terminiello 1943

Publications of right-wing Alabama priest, an ally of Gerald L. K. Smith and would-be successor to Father Coughlin

 6/44 Agnes Waters 1944-1954

News releases of Washington, D. C., activist

 6/45 F. D. R. Administration 1937-1945

Publications critical of the Roosevelt administration

Includes a flyer of the Oregon Chapter of the America First Committee

 6/46 Truman Administration 1945-1952

Miscellaneous clippings critical of the Truman administration

 6/47 Eisenhower Administration 1956

Convention News, Non-Partisan League for Decency in Political Candidates. Headline reads: "Ike Renominated in Spite of His Red Record."

 6/48 Gen. Douglas MacArthur 1952

Clippings and ephemera promoting MacArthur as candidate for President. Also includes reprint of MacArthur's 1951 speech to Congress

 6/49 T. Coleman Andrews 1956

Ephemera from presidential campaign of former Internal Revenue Service commissioner

 6/50 John T. Flynn 1944-1949

Publications of right-wing journalist, including The Truth About Pearl Harbor and The Road Ahead: America's Creeping Revolution

 7/51 Pro-Segregationist 1952-1954

Correspondence, publications, and ephemera

 7/52 Anti-Internationalist 1944-1954

Newsletters, publications, and ephemera

 7/53 Anti-Semitic 1938-1945

Correspondence, publications, and ephemera

 7/54 Anti-Communist 1934-1957

Correspondence, publications, and ephemera include material from Gerald B. Winrod and Col. E. N. Sanctuary

Includes list of Hollywood "Reds" published by Cinema Educational Guild

 7/55 General 1926-1956

Correspondence, newsletters, clippings, publications, and ephemera. Newsletter concerning mass sedition trial. Credentials card for the America First Party convention

 7/56 General 1922-1956

Publications and ephemera. Political publications and non-political ephemera

 7/57 Oregon Politics 1930-1956

Correspondence petition, publications, and ephemera. Petition from 1936 to form Socialist Labor Party. Material from various campaigns includes pamphlet satirizing Gov. Julius Meier

Includes fact sheet by Oswald West containing allegations against Monroe Sweetland

 7/58 Portland and Multnomah County 1933-1956

Correspondence, resolutions, and ephemera. Portland City Council resolutions, proposed charter amendments, and campaign materials

 7/59 General 1925-1951

Correspondence, clippings, and ephemera. Includes material from various activities

Power of Attorney for the American Woman's Party, letter from DeMille Studio,campaign material from Grace Wick's own candidacies, and signs from the barrel that she wore in protest

 7/60 Compulsory Medicine 1943-1954

Newsletters and ephemera. Material opposing compulsory vaccinations and socialized medicine

 7/61 Anti-Fluoridation 1951-1956

Correspondence, publications, and ephemera

 7/62 National Health Federation--Bulletin of the National Health Federation 1955-1958 7/63 Health, Nutrition, Anti-Vivisection 1942-1957

Publications, correspondence, and ephemera