Introduction | Biographical Sketch | Scope and Content | Series Description | Inventory

Introduction

The Fred L. Adams Papers date from 1880 to 1974. While the collection contains materials documenting his entire life, the majority covers his political career. Included in this material is correspondence, newsclippings, scrapbooks, printed material, photographs, and a few personal items.

The collection was donated to the Center for Archival Collections on July 2, 1988 through the cooperation of his children, John F. Adams, Janet Kelbaugh, and Nancy Clouse. No restrictions exist on the use of this collection. Duplication is permitted for the purposes of preservation and scholarly research. The collection was processed and the register drafted by Beth Friedman in July 1989, and revised by Marilyn Levinson, Curator of Manuscripts in March 1992.

Biographical Sketch

Fred L. Adams, the son of Frank and Kate Kiger Adams, was born in Wood County, Sept. 15, 1893. In 1914, he was the first man to enroll at Bowling Green University, where he was later (1946) awarded an honorary degree in political science. Mr. Adams also enrolled at Wooster University, Wooster, Ohio. Adams married Bess Frisbie of Wayne, Ohio on July 23, 1920 and three children were born to this marriage; Janet, Nancy and John.

Mr. Adams was first employed as a seaman along the West Coast by Western Ranches Lumber Industry. He also was self-employed in the general insurance field. He spent two years in the U.S. Army during World War I as part of the 163rd Field Hospital of the American Expeditionary Force. An active citizen in his community, Adams served on local boards and maintained membership in various veterans organizations. He was elected a life member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and belonged to such fraternal orders as the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite and Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.

In his political career, Adams served as County Clerk from 1929 to 1933, and as an Ohio State Senator for the Republican Party during the years 1936 through 1952. He served on the Emergency Board, the Board of Control and on other Senate Committees, including service as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. He was also a member of the Ohio Program Commission and the Post-War Planning Commission, on which he served as chairman of the Aviation Committee and on the Lake Erie Beach Erosion Committee. In 1952 he ran unsuccessfully for Congress from the 5th District.

Scope and Content

The heart of the Fred L. Adams papers document the experiences and life-style of an Ohio State Senator from the mid 1930's through the early 1970's. Extensive newsclippings and correspondence concerning political legislation, elections, and activities of the Republican Party make up the bulk of the collection. In addition to that core are letters, scrapbooks, newsclippings, printed material, and photographs which offer an intimate view of Adams' personal life, his political activities, concerns, and interests.

Although there is a small part of this collection which concerns itself with World War I newspapers and correspondence, one may note the general scarcity of materials relating to Adams' life before his political career. This may be seen as a weakness of the collection. Clearly, one who wishes to investigate the growth and development of the life of Adams must supplement this collection with other materials.

Series Description

CORRESPONDENCE

CORRESPONDENCE - POLITICAL
1939-1956
Arranged chronologically
Primarily incoming general correspondence, including notes of congratulations, comments on legislation, notification of committee appointments, and a series of get-well messages during an illness in 1951.

CORRESPONDENCE - PERSONAL
1942-1947
Arranged chronologically
Limited incoming correspondence, including postal cards related to World War II rations and volunteer status, a request for a personal job reference letter, and a memorial card.

SUBJECT FILES

ANTI-DEMOCRATIC PARTY/NEW DEAL MATERIAL
1934, n.d.
Flyers, handbills, clippings, and mimeographed sheets critical of Democratic Party political policy and the New Deal.

ARMISTICE DAY MATERIAL
1939-1941
Arranged chronologically
Material for speakers, prepared by the American Legion, with a handwritten speech from 1941.

AVIATION CLINIC AT B.G.S.U.

CAMPAIGN MATERIALS
1934-1954, n.d.
Arranged chronologically
Flyers, press releases, campaign handbooks, endorsement resolutions, and position statements from Adams' State Senate campaigns and his unsuccessful 1952 5th Congressional District campaign.

HONORARY DEGREE: B.G.S.U.
1945-1946
Correspondence, programs, photograph, newsclippings, and degree certificate for honorary Ph.D. in Political Science awarded in June 1946.

OHIO CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION
1934, 1943-1950
Arranged chronologically
Policy papers, pamphlets, and reports related to the issues of revision of the Ohio State Constitution.

REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION
1936, 1940, 1944
Arranged chronologically
Admittance passes, credentials, clippings, notes, and program from the Republican Party National Convention in Philadelphia, where Adams served as Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms, in charge of press; and from the Chicago Convention. Program book from 1936 Cleveland Convention in oversize box.

RESERVE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF THE U.S. WOOD COUNTY CHAPTER
1931-1933
Arranged chronologically
Wood County Chapter charter, membership cards, forms, and dues sheets.

SANDUSKY BAY FISHING
1938, 1949-1951
Arranged chronologically
Correspondence, reports, petitions, and clippings related to legislation aimed at closing Sandusky Bay to commercial fishing.

UNIVERSITY TOURS
1939, 1941
Arranged chronologically
Ohio State University sponsored inspection tours. Photo scrapbooks and itineraries of 1939 tour to University of Illinois and Michigan, and 1941 tour of University of Illinois and Wisconsin.

WORLD WAR I MATERIAL
1917-1977, n.d.
Arranged chronologically
Includes an overnight pass from Camp Mills, N.Y.; an embarkation list with names, ranks, and next of kin for members of the 163rd Field Hospital; a list of station assignments for the 163rd from 1917 through 1918 in Europe; and a series of annual letters of the 163rd veterans organization.

LITERARY PRODUCTIONS

SPEECHES/INTERVIEWS/NOTES - FRED ADAMS
1935-1951, n.d.
Typed speeches, handwritten notes and drafts, and interview transcripts.

SPEECHES - MISCELLANEOUS PEOPLE
1934-1949
Arranged chronologically
Mimeographed copies of addresses by Simeon Fess, C. Emory Glander, and Charles P. Taft.

SCRAPBOOKS AND SCRAPBOOK MATERIALS

NEWSCLIPPINGS
1932-1952, n.d.
Arranged topically, then chronologically
Photocopies of newsclippings on Adams' term as Clerk of Courts, election campaigns, Ohio politics, Bowling Green, and personal clippings

PRINTED MATERIAL

CERTIFICATES
1921, 1930-1942
Arranged chronologically
Certificates of appointment for the Military Training Camps Association in Wood County, nomination certificates as candidate for Clerk of Clourts and State Senate, and certificate of membership of Bess Brisbie Adams in Wood County Civil Defense. Bess Adams' high school teaching certificate in oversize box.

PROGRAMS
1939-1971 (scattered)
Arranged chronologically
Programs from various dinners, conventions, political events, and commencements.

INVITATIONS
1939-1943, n.d.
Arranged chronologically
Formal invitations to political receptions, inauguration events, and political programs.

OHIO POST-WAR COMMISSION PUBLICATIONS
1947-1948
Arranged chronologically
Biennial report and a copy of a speech Adams presented before the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association. Adams served on the Lake Erie Beach Erosion Committee and was chairman of the Aviation Committee.

OHIO PROGRAM COMMISSION PUBLICATIONS
1950-1952
Topical and biennial reports of the Commission, on which Adams served on the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, the Highway Investigating Committee, and was chairman of the Civil Defense Committee.

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS

POSITIVE PRINTS
1880-1974, n.d.
Arranged topically, then chronologically
Family scenes; school, political, and army group pictures, a Souvenir of Prairie Depot (Wayne), political activities, and views of the ruins of the Lincoln Building, Bowling Green, Ohio, after being hit by a truck on August 4, 1944. Some photographs located with oversize materials.

NEGATIVES
1880-1945, n.d.
Copy negatives of selected prints in the collection.

ARTIFACTS

ACADEMIC REGALIA
1946
Hood for honorary Ph.D. in Political Science from Bowling Green State University.

Inventory

Box 1

1. Correspondence - Political, 1939-1956
2. Correspondence - Personal, 1942-1947
3. Anti-Democratic Party/New Deal material, 1934, n.d.
4. Armistice Day material, 1939-1941
5. Aviation Clinic at B.G.S.U., 1946-1949
6. Campaign materials, 1934-1954, n.d.
7. Honorary degree : B.G.S.U., 1945-1946
8. Ohio Constitutional revision, 1934, 1943-1950
9. Republican National Convention, 1940, 1944

Box 2

1. Reserve Officers Assn. Wood County Chapter, 1931-1933
2. Sandusky Bay fishing, 1938, 1949-1951
3. University tours (Ill. and Mich.), 1939
4. University tours (Ill. and Wisc.), 1941
5. World War I passes, lists, and miscellaneous, 1917-1950, n.d.
6. Annual letters of the 163rd veterans org., 1930-1977
7. Speeches/interviews/notes - Fred Adams, 1935-1951, n.d.
8. Speeches - Miscellaneous people, 1934-1949

Box 3

1. Newsclippings - Bowling Green, 1939-1948, n.d.
2. Newsclippings - Clerk of Courts, 1932-1933, n.d.
3. Newsclippings - Election campaigns, 1934-1952, n.d.
4. Newsclippings - Personal, 1939-1949, n.d.
5. Newsclippings - Politics, 1934-1950, n.d.
6. Certificates, 1930-1942
7. Programs, 1939-1971(scattered)
8. Invitations, 1939-1943, n.d.

Box 4

1. Ohio Post-War Commission biennial report, 1947-1948
2. Ohio Post-War Commission speech on erosion, 1948
3. Ohio Program Commission reports, 1950-1952
4. Photoprints - Family scenes, circa 1880-1906
5. Photoprints - Groups (School & Army), 1906-1918
6. Photoprints - Souvenir of Prairie Depot, circa 1900
7. Photoprints - Political activities, 1941-1974
8. Photoprints - Lincoln Building damage, August 4, 1944
9. Photonegatives, circa 1880-1945

Box 5

1. Academic hood for honorary Ph.D. at B.G.S.U., 1946

Box 6 Oversize

1. Ohio Senate. Finance Committee, 1943-1944
2. Ohio Senate. Finance Committee, 1945-1946
3. Ohio Senate. Finance Committee, 1947-1948
4. Ohio Senate. Finance Committee, 1949-1950
5. Ohio Senate. Finance Committee, 1951-1952
6. Ohio Senate. Rules Committee, 1939-1940
7. Ohio Senate. Rules Committee, 1943-1944
8. Ohio Senate. Rules Committee, 1945-1946
9. Ohio Senate. Rules Committee, 1947-1948
10. Ohio Senate. Rules Committee, 1949-1950
11. Ohio Senate. Rules Committee, 1951-1952
12. Ohio Senate. 92nd General Assembly, 1937-1938
13. Council of State Governments. 4th General Assembly. State Banquet, 1939
14. Robert I. Taft, inscribed portrait, n.d.
15. John Bricker, inscribed portrait, n.d.
16. Harold Burton, inscribed portrait, 1942
17. Re-Elect Fred L. Adams (placard), n.d.
18. Columbus, Ohio aerial view, circa 1940
19. Uncle Zedrick Hoiles and family [Alliance, OH], circa 1880
20. Unidentified family, inscribed with name Austin, 1902
21. High School teaching certificate, Bess Adams, 1921
22. Republican National Convention program book, 1936
23. Council of State Governments. 4th General Assembly. State Banquet, 1939
24. 1st W A.S.H. Field Hospital Co. (Camp Murray), Aug 1917

Manuscripts by Subject | Political Collections