Davis, Chester Charles (1887-1975), Papers, 1917-1953 (C14)

6 linear feet and 17 oversize volumes; also available on 20 rolls of microfilm

MICROFILM

INTRODUCTION

Correspondence, minutes, proceedings, literary productions, lists, printed material, financial and legal documents pertaining to the farm parity movement led by George Peek and Chester C. Davis. The photographs and the volumes, mainly newspaper clippings, deal almost exclusively with Davis' career, 1933-1953.

DONOR INFORMATION

The Davis Papers were donated to the University of Missouri by Chester Davis on 15 June 1948 (Accession No. 2922). An addition to the papers was made by Davis on 25 February 1960 (Accession No. 3428).

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Chester Davis was born near Linden, Iowa, 17 November 1887. He earned a B.A. from Grinnell College in 1911 and in 1913 married Helen Smith. His occupations were varied: newspaper work, South Dakota and Montana, 1911-1917; editor manager, The Montana Farmer, 1917-1921; commissioner of agriculture and labor in Montana, 1912-1925; director of grain marketing, Illinois Agricultural Association, 1925-1926; agricultural service for farm organizations, 1926-1928; executive vice president, Maizewood Products Corporation, 1929-1933; director, production division, U.S. Agricultural Adjustment Administration, 1933, and administrator, U.S. Agricultural Adjustment Administration, 1933-1936.

Later service included board of governors, Federal Reserve System, 1936-1941; president, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, 1941-1945; associate director, Ford Foundation, 1951-1954; and study on rural credit in India for the Indian government, 1953-1954. In 1939 he received the distinguished service to agriculture medal from the American Farm Bureau Federation. Chester Davis died 25 September 1975.

The farm parity movement was an attempt by George Peek, Davis, and other farm leaders to maintain the price of farm products on a par with non-farm commodities. Each year from 1924 to 1928 a different McNary-Haugen bill was introduced in the U.S. Congress. In 1927 and 1928 the bills were passed and then vetoed by the president. Election of a sympathetic president was attempted in 1928 through support of Alfred E. Smith. With his defeat support for legislation akin to the bills mentioned above disintegrated.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Chester Davis Papers consist of correspondence, minutes, proceedings, literary productions, lists, printed material, financial and legal documents pertaining to the farm parity movement led by George Peek and Chester C. Davis and is arranged into four series:

Material dated from 1925 through 1928 predominates. These papers have two major themes: George Peek's farm parity movement, 1925-1929, and scrapbooks and photographs covering Chester Davis' career from 1933 to 1953.

The bulk of the collection is correspondence and the papers dealing with the farm parity movement are more than just Davis'. Most likely they represent part of the central office files of Peek's organization. With few exceptions these are business papers and deal only with the movement. Much of the correspondence is routine for agricultural lobbyists: research on farm problems, arranging meetings, plans of attack to secure legislation, and exchange of printed material. The correspondence pertaining to the election of 1928 is overall the most detailed.

The Miscellaneous Material comprises literary productions, legal documents, minutes, lists, bulletins, and financial documents arranged chronologically under each issuing source. Reports and minutes found throughout the collection are very specific. The financial records of the Smith Independent Organization Committee and the Illinois Independent Equality for Agriculture League are extensive.

Several rare agricultural and political newspapers and newsletters are included in the Printed Material and Photographs. Subjects included in the printed matter are: the farm parity movement, agricultural problems, tariffs, U.S. monetary policies, and the national election of 1928. The photographs are mostly of Davis, his family, Sioux and Blackfoot Indians, Norman Hall, and famous Americans of the 1930s and the Scrapbooks deal almost exclusively with Davis' career.

FOLDER LIST

Correspondence Series

f. 1-51917-1925.George Peek, Frank Lowden, and Lester Dickinson on farm parity;
life of Norman Hall, 1917-1924;
Herbert Hoover and food production during World War I;
Davis' appointment as Montana commissioner of agriculture;
finances of Joseph Moore Dixon.
f. 6-731926.George Peek, Chester Davis, and other farm leaders comment and work on various pieces of agricultural legislation.
Includes correspondence about the North Central States Agricultural Conference Executive Committee of 22, the Corn Belt Committee, the President's Agricultural Conference, the Des Moines meetings, the Iowa State Republican Convention, the St. Paul and St. Louis farm conferences, the farm parity movement in general, introduction of the South and West into their ranks, farm leaders, and agricultural conditions.
Farm parity pamphlets, Davis' research manuscripts, and a copy of the Michigan Farm Bureau News are included.
f. 74-1371927.Farm leaders, including Peek and Davis, write about legislation, the American Bankers Association, Corn Belt Committee meetings, the North Central States Agricultural Conference Executive Committee of 22, the Agricultural Service, primary elections and candidacies of Frank Lowden, Charles Dawes, and Al Smith, William Jardine's philosophy, agricultural conditions, and the farm parity movement and inclusion of other groups into it.
f. 138-2471928-1941.Peek, Davis, and others on agricultural conditions, 5th McNary-Haugen bill, North Central States Agricultural Conference Executive Committee of 22, Smith Independent Organizations, Smith Independent Leagues, Agricultural Service, Democratic National Committee, Des Moines Corn Belt Committee meeting, 1928, farm leaders meeting with Al Smith at Albany, 1928, the presidential campaign, the farm parity movement and its future after Smith's defeat, the John Hammill-George Peek split and Senator Smith Brookhart's attack on Peek.
Also includes Peek's and Davis' research and presidential campaign literature.

Miscellaneous Material Series

f. 248-249Agricultural Equality Voters League and Agricultural League of Nebraska financial records, 1928.
Agricultural Service bulletins and finances, 1925-1928;
All Agricultural Area Marketing Conference resolutions and personnel list, 1926;
American Council of Agriculture financial records, 1924-1925;
and American Farm Bureau Federation resolution, 1927.
f. 250Corn Belt Federation of Farm Organizations materials, 1927.
f. 251-252R.A. Cowles speech, 1927;
Davis' notes, manuscripts, daily work reports, and expense accounts, 1926-1928.
f. 253Joseph S. Davis speech, 1927;
Des Moines meeting resolution, 1925;
Lester Dickinson manuscript;
and Wilbert Drummond manuscript, 1926.
f. 254-259Farmers Independent League of Montana financial records, 1926;
Farmers' Independent Political Association for Smith and Robinson organizational chart, 1928;
Governor Small's Committee to Des Moines Conference minutes, 1926;
Grain Belt Federation of Farm Organizations Corn Belt Committee minutes, reports, and resolutions, 1926-1928;
Grange resolution, 1926;
and Lynn Haines manuscript, 1928.
f. 260-262Verna L. Hatch itineraries and expense accounts, 1928;
Illinois Agricultural Association manuscripts, reports, resolutions, and executive committee minutes, 1926 and 1928;
and Illinois Bankers Association minutes, 1927.
f. 263Illinois Independent Equality for Agriculture League financial records, 1928.
f. 286Independent Equality for Agriculture Club news releases and finances, 1928, and Indiana Farm Bureau Federation manuscripts and resolutions, 1926 and 1928.
f. 287Benjamin Kilgore manuscript, 1926;
Frank Lowden speeches, n.d.-1926;
and Lowden for President Headquarters newsletters and organizational chart, 1928.
f. 288-300Charles McNary manuscript;
Minnesota All Party Smith-Robinson Clubs financial records, 1928;
Missouri Agricultural League finances, 1928;
Montana State Farm Bureau resolutions, 1925;
North Central States Agricultural Conference Executive Committee of 22 minutes, reports, bulletins, lists of members and financial records, 1926-1928;
National Farmers Union resolution, 1927;
North Dakota Agricultural Relief League finances, 1928;
and George Peek manuscripts, speeches, and news releases, 1926.
f. 301-302Walton Peteet manuscript and daily work reports, 1926;
Republican National Convention draft of agricultural plank, 1926;
St. Louis Farm Conference resolutions, 1926 and St. Paul Agricultural Conference resolutions, 1927.
f. 303-336John A. Simpson and Earl C. Smith manuscripts;
Smith Independent League finances, 1928;
and Smith Independent Organizations Committee list of affiliates, news releases, reports, and financial records, 1928.
f. 337South Dakota Agricultural League report and finances, 1928;
Stable Money Association annual report and financial statement, 1926;
Joseph Stamp speech, 1926;
Texas Farm Bureau Cotton Association reports and news releases;
Henry A. Wallace speech, 1927;
and Whayel-Eaton Corporation American Letter, 1928.
f. 338Crisp bill.
f. 339-346Committee bill, 1926;
Chester Davis;
Lester Dickinson;
Dickinson bill;
farm mortgages, Illinois, 1919-1925;
farm parity, n.d., 1928;
Federal Farm Loan Act;
Flood Conference;
and grain elevator companies, Illinois, 1925.
f. 347-349Grain Marketing Company, Illinois, 1927;
Herbert Hoover, n.d., 1925;
Illinois Agricultural Conference;
Meyer Jacobstein, 1927;
William Jardine, 1927;
Jardine bill;
Frank Lowden;
and McLean-McFadden bill.
f. 350-359McNary-Haugen bills, n.d., 1926-1928.
f. 360-361George Peek;
President's Agricultural Conference, 1925;
Aaron Sapiro;
William Settle;
Alfred Smith;
tariff, 1926;
Texas Farm Bureau Cotton Association;
Tincher bill;
and United States Chamber of Commerce.
f. 362-365Miscellaneous notes, reports, and resolutions.

Printed Material and Photographs Series

f. 366-374Newspapers, arranged alphabetically by title, then by date of issue.
f. 375-396Pamphlets, organized by date of issue.
f. 397Leaflets and flyers, arranged by date.
f. 398Photographs, arranged chronologically.

Scrapbooks

v. 1-17Primarily newspaper clippings arranged chronologically covering Davis' career, 1917-1953.
Most are post-1932.

INDEX TERMS

These index terms are the subjects, people, places, etc. under which this collection is listed in all available indexes at the Western Historical Manuscript Collection-Columbia. If you are interested in a specific index term, please contact the reference staff.

  • Agricultural Service
  • Agriculture, 1900-1928
  • Agriculture, Cooperative
  • America, Mt. Vernon, Missouri, 1917
  • American Cotton Growers Exchange
  • American Council of Agriculture
  • American Farm Bureau Federation
  • American Institute of Cooperation
  • American Land League
  • American Wheat Growers Associated
  • Anderson, Sydney
  • Arkansas Rice News, Stuttgart, Arkansas, 1926
  • Atkeson, Thomas Clark
  • Bailey, Ralph Emerson
  • Banks and banking
  • Beasing, George I.
  • Borah, William E.
  • Brookhart, Smith Wildman
  • Butler, Tait
  • Campaign literature, 1928
  • Carnes, C.E.
  • Cashman, Thomas E.
  • Caverno, Xenophon
  • Chamber of Commerce of the United States
  • Chicago Farm Conference, 1927
  • Coolidge, Calvin
  • Corn Belt Committee
  • Cox, J.F.
  • Cox, James Franklin
  • Cris, Bill
  • Croes, C.W.
  • Cummings, Homer Stille
  • Curtis Crisp Bill
  • Curtis, As'ell Bill
  • Davis, Chester C.
  • Davis, Helen Smith (Mrs. Chester C.)
  • Dawes, Charles G.
  • Democratic National Committee, 1928
  • Democratic National Convention, 1928
  • DesMoines Conferences, 1925-1928
  • Deveen, Charles Samuel
  • Dickinson Bill
  • Dickinson, Lester Jesse
  • Dickinson, S.J.
  • Dietzsch, Emil
  • Dixon, Joseph Moore
  • Donaghey, George W.
  • Downie, Ernest R.
  • Drummond, Wilbert Ivenhoe
  • Duggan, William J.
  • Dunn, Ballard
  • Election, 1928, Presidential
  • Evans, Frank C.
  • Ewing, Charles A.
  • Ewing, P.V.
  • Fair Tariff League
  • Farley, James A.
  • Farmers Export Corporation
  • Federal Farm Loan Act
  • Fletcher, Robert Samuel (1900-1959)
  • Fort, Franklin William (1880-1937)
  • Friant, Julien N. (1888-1939)
  • Gerard, James Watson (1867-1951)
  • Grain elevators
  • Grange
  • Gregory, Clifford V. (1883-1941)
  • Guard, Samuel R. (1889-1966)
  • Gunderson, Carl (1864-1933)
  • Gunn, R.M.
  • Haines, Lynn
  • Hall, James Norman (1887-1951)
  • Hammil, John (1875-1936)
  • Hanchett, Lafayette (1868- )
  • Hans'rough, Henry Clay (1848-1933)
  • Hatch, Verna L.
  • Haugen, Gilbert N. (1859-1933)
  • Hearst, Charles E. (1869-1936)
  • Henshaw, Fred W.
  • Hibbard, Benjamin Horace (1870-1955)
  • Hildreth, Melvin Davis (1890-1959)
  • Hirth, William (1875-1940)
  • Hoey, James J. (1877-1941)
  • Holman, Charles W. (1886- )
  • Hood, Robin
  • Hoover, Herbert (1874-1964)
  • Hunt, George Wylie Paul (1859-1934)
  • Hyde, Clayton H. (1868- )
  • Illinois Agricultural Association
  • Illinois Bankers Association
  • Illinois Farmers Institute
  • Illinois Independent Equality for Agriculture League
  • Indiana Farm Bureau Federation
  • Indians, Blackfeet, 1937
  • Indians, Sioux, 1940
  • Iowa Union Farmer, Columbus Junction, IA, 1928
  • Jacobstein, Meyer (1880-1963)
  • Janis'h, V.
  • Jardine, William M. (1879-1955)
  • Jenkins, Arthur Hugh (1880- )
  • Jewett, George C.
  • Johnson, Hiram W. (1866-1945)
  • Kansas Union Farmer, Salina, KS, 1926
  • Kansas, State Agricultural College, Manhattan
  • Keefe, Thomas
  • Kessinger, Bill
  • Kile, Orville Martin (1886- )
  • Kilgore, Benjamin Wesley (1867-1943)
  • Kinney, B.A.M.
  • La Follette, Robert M. , J. (1895-1953)
  • Lambert, George C.
  • Lea, Clarence Frederick (1874-1964)
  • League of Nebraska
  • Lee, Frederic Paddock (1893-1968)
  • Legge, Alexander (1866-1933)
  • Lennon, Peter B.
  • Lindstrom, Walfred
  • London Times
  • Lowden, Frank Orren (1861-1943)
  • Lowe, John C.
  • Lowrie, Charles F.
  • Manger, Ted
  • Maxwell, Robert
  • McMullen, Adam (1874- )
  • McNary, Charles L. (1874-1944)
  • McNary-Haugen Bills, 1924-1928
  • Meredith, E.T. (1876-1928)
  • Moffat, Thomas P.
  • Mooney, Charles Patrick Joseph (1865-1926)
  • Morgenthau, Henry, Jr. (1891-1967)
  • Morley, Clarence Joseph (1869- )
  • Moser, Christopher Otto (1885-1935)
  • Mullen, Arthur Francis (1873-1938)
  • Murphy, Franklin W. (1869-1940)
  • Murray, Ray
  • National Farm News, Washington, D.C., 1928
  • Norbeck, Peter (1870-1936)
  • Norris, George William (1861-1944)
  • North Central States Agricultural Conference
  • North Central States Agricultural Conference, Executive Committee of 22
  • North Dakota League
  • Nye, Gerald P. (1892-1971)
  • Oklahoma Union Farmer, Oklahoma City, OK, 1928
  • O'Neal, Edward Asbury, III (1875-1958)
  • Parity
  • Parity Movement, Ephemera
  • Peek, George Nelson (1873-1943)
  • Peek, George Nelson (1873-1943), "Equality for Agriculture"
  • Peteet, Walton (1869- )
  • Photographers, Missouri, St. Louis
  • Politics
  • Politics, Washington, D.C., 1928
  • President's Agricultural Conference, 1925
  • Quinn, Charles
  • Rainey, Henry T. (1860-1934)
  • Reno, Milo
  • Republican National Convention, 1928
  • Sapiro, Aaron (1884-1959)
  • Schaller, George J. (1873-1964)
  • Settle, William H.
  • Simpson, John A. (1871-1934)
  • Skinner, John Harrison (1874-1942)
  • Smith Independent League
  • Smith Independent Organization
  • Smith, Alfred E. (1873-1944)
  • Smith, Earl C.
  • Smith, Rollin E.
  • South Dakota Wheat Growers Association
  • Sprague, A.P.
  • St. Louis Conference, 1926
  • St. Louis Conference, 1927
  • St. Paul Agricultural Conference, 1927
  • Stable Money Association
  • Stahl, Bill
  • Stamp, Joseph C. (1880-1941)
  • Stebbins, E.B.
  • Stedman, Alfred D.
  • Steen, Herman
  • Stevenson, Lewis Green (1868-1929)
  • Stewart, Charles
  • Straus, Jesse I. (1872-1936)
  • Tariff, 1926-1927
  • Texas Farm Bureau Cotton Association
  • Tincher, Bill
  • Tobias, W.J.
  • Trapp, Martin Edwin (1877-1951)
  • Tunney, Gene
  • U.S. Grain Corporation
  • Vrooman, Bill
  • Vrooman, Carl (1872-1966)
  • Wallace, Henry A.
  • Williams, George Howard (1871-1963)
  • Williams, William Henry (1874-1931)
  • Woods, Mark W.
  • World War, 1914-1918, Aerial operations