Briggs, Frank P. (1894-1992), Papers, c.1900-1992 (C3950)
6 linear feet, 3 audio cassettes, 2 films, 9 records
INTRODUCTION
Papers of a Democratic Missouri state senator, United States senator, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife, Freemason, and newspaper publisher, consisting of correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, speeches, campaign materials, and miscellaneous papers.
DONOR INFORMATION
The Frank P. Briggs Papers were donated to the University of Missouri by his daughter, Ruth B. Bratek, on March 17, 1993 (Accession No. 5270). Additions to the papers were made on March 24, 1993 (Accession No. 5274) and on December 10, 1993 (Accession No. 5386).
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Frank Parks Briggs was born in Armstrong, Howard County, Missouri, on February 25, 1894, the second child of Thomas Hale and Susan Almira (Pyle) Briggs. Along with an older brother Eugene and sister Margaret (Bullock), he spent his early years on a farm, and was educated in the public schools of Armstrong. The family relocated to Fayette, Missouri, in 1907, where Briggs graduated from Fayette High School in 1911. After attending Central College in Fayette for three years, he completed his education at the School of Journalism of the University of Missouri, graduating in 1915 with a bachelor's degree in journalism. For many years he was the school's oldest living graduate.
Embarking on a career in journalism Briggs returned to Fayette and purchased half interest in the Fayette Democrat Leader, which he also edited for one year. Relocating to nearby Moberly, Missouri, in 1916, he spent a short time as the city editor of the Moberly Index before moving on to Trenton, Missouri, and purchasing the democratic Trenton Times in 1917. He published the Times through August 1918, worked as editor of the Republican Tribune of Trenton for a short period, and in 1919 began work as a platform manager on a chautauqua circuit.
Returning to newspaper work, he edited the Shawnee, Oklahoma, Morning News for four years before returning to Missouri in 1924 and a position as city editor of the Macon Chronicle Herald. In September 1926 he purchased a controlling interest in the paper and continued as editor and publisher until selling the Chronicle Herald in 1973. A regular and very popular feature of the paper for many years was Briggs's column It Seems to B.
Membership in professional journalism organizations included Sigma Delta Chi, the Missouri Press Association, president of the Missouri Associated Dailies, and the National Press Club. In 1958 he received the University of Missouri School of Journalism Distinguished Service in Journalism Award, being cited for having "achieved the nearly impossible feat of keeping his newspaper and his public responsibilities entirely divorced from one another."
Briggs began his political career in 1928 when he was elected mayor of Macon, Missouri, the first Democrat to hold the office in 52 years. He resigned the post in 1932 when he was elected to the Missouri Senate. Reelected in 1936, 1940, and 1944, he served as president pro-tem for four sessions between 1941 and 1945. He managed Phil M. Donnelly's successful 1944 Missouri gubernatorial campaign--he also managed Donnelly's successful 1952 campaign--and in 1945 Briggs was appointed by Governor Donnelly to serve out the remaining two years of Vice President Harry Truman's U.S. Senate term. In his 1946 bid for election to the seat he was defeated by Republican James P. Kem of Kansas City. For some time he was the oldest living United States senator.
Returning to Macon he continued to publish the Chronicle Herald and raised Angus cattle on farms in Macon and Shelby counties. He was appointed by Governor Donnelly to the Missouri Conservation Commission in 1947, served as chairman four times, and resigned in 1961 when President John F. Kennedy named him Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife. He resigned from the position in 1965 and later that year was appointed to an eleven-member Advisory Board on National Parks.
Briggs's fraternal and civic activities were numerous and included election as Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Missouri, 1936-1937, and in 1957, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Missouri. He was active in the First Baptist Church of Macon, and also a member of the Rotary, Elks, and numerous other organizations.
Frank Briggs married Catherine Allen Shull in 1916 in Moberly, Missouri. They had two sons, Thomas Frank and Eugene Allen, and three daughters, Ruth (Bratek), Betty Barbara, and Dorothy (Ramon), 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Frank Briggs died September 23, 1992 in Macon and is buried in Walnut Ridge Cemetery in Fayette, Missouri.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The papers of Frank P. Briggs document aspects of his long and diverse career as a politician, federal government official, newspaper publisher and journalist, his activity as a Freemason and other civic involvement, and personal life. The papers focus on Briggs as a Missouri and U.S. senator in the 1930s and 1940s, and are arranged into eight series:
The Missouri Senate series consists of limited correspondence covering the years 1937, 1939-1945, which does not include the early years of Briggs's service in the Senate. It concerns legislation, committee work, concerns of constituents, election campaigns and the Democratic Party, including the 1944 Missouri gubernatorial campaign of Phil Donnelly, political appointments, and patronage. A representative sample of requests for jobs and other favors was retained. The correspondence also contains material related to some of Briggs's interests outside the Senate, including family matters, operation of the Macon Chronicle-Herald and other newspaper publishing business, and the operation of his farm in northern Missouri. The series is arranged by year and alphabetically by the last name of the correspondent thereunder.
The U.S. Senate series comprises primarily a very limited quantity of correspondence from Briggs's term as U.S. Senator from Missouri, 1945-1947, concerning legislation, constituent matters, the 1946 Missouri senatorial campaign, the Democratic Party in Missouri, and other political concerns. It is arranged alphabetically by the last name of the correspondent.
Completing the series is an extensive subseries of correspondence, newspaper clippings, speeches, campaign literature, and other material pertaining to Briggs's 1946 U.S. Senate campaign. The material provides a detailed view of the statewide operation of the campaign.
The bulk of the campaign material is arranged by county followed by some general correspondence, speeches, newspaper clippings, and miscellaneous campaign related material.
In 1961 Briggs was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and that series comprises primarily correspondence spanning his entire time in office, which ended in 1965. Although the correspondence covers the entire span of his time in office, it probably is a sampling of his communications while in office. There is very little intra-departmental communication, contacts with other government agencies, or material related to the formulation of policy. It does relate to a variety of sport and commercial fishing and waterfowl conservation topics, other environmental and political issues nationwide and in Missouri, and various environmental conferences.
There is a great deal of contact with Missouri residents concerning conservation issues in the state. The correspondence is arranged alphabetically by correspondent followed by a separate run of outgoing correspondence which is arranged chronologically. An extensive set of speeches made by Briggs while Assistant Secretary and miscellaneous items, which include a video recording of an interview, completes the series.
The Freemasons series comprises primarily correspondence, 1957-1958, when Briggs was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Missouri. The series is arranged into general correspondence concerning legal matters, activities of chapters, and other administrative concerns, followed by subject correspondence concerning Masonic building projects, charity, committees and appointments, education, and jurisprudence. Each section is arranged chronologically. Correspondence and other material with details of cases regarding individual Masons was removed from the collection.
The Newspaper Clippings series is arranged chronologically, 1936-1992, and covers most of Briggs's public service career, including his time in the Missouri Senate, his appointment as U.S. Senator and his 1946 Senate campaign, activity as Assistant Secretary of the Interior, and time after his retirement. The series includes a sampling of Briggs's columns in The Macon Chronicle Herald, the long running It Seems to B., from the 1950s through the 1980s, and In the Senate, which reported on the Missouri Senate, 1930s.
The Photograph series is arranged chronologically, 1900-c.1980, and includes images of Briggs throughout most of his life, following his political career as a state senator, campaigning for the U.S. Senate in 1946, serving on the Missouri Conservation Commission, while hunting in Missouri and other candid shots, as Assistant Secretary of the Interior, at Masonic events, and at functions later in life and after his retirement. The series also includes photographs of members of the Briggs family.
The Speeches series is arranged chronologically, 1939-1960s, n.d., and includes speeches given by Briggs at various dedications, political events, business meetings, and other types of functions. The series also includes a talk given by Catherine Briggs on Washington D.C. in 1946, and an audio recording of a Frank Briggs speech. Speeches made while campaigning for the U.S. Senate in 1946 and as Assistant Secretary of the Interior, 1961-1965, are found in those series.
The Personal series consists of a small amount of Briggs's personal correspondence, 1932-1992, and a variety of other materials. These include various certificates and awards presented to Briggs; biographical sketches; material concerning members of the Briggs family, which includes several short journals written by family members while driving through the U.S.; material concerning Macon, Missouri; and other miscellaneous papers related to the activities of Frank Briggs, 1959-1973.
FOLDER LIST
Correspondence, 1937
| f. 1 | A |
| f. 2 | B |
| f. 3 | C |
| f. 4 | D |
| f. 5 | E |
| f. 6 | F |
| f. 7 | G |
| f. 8 | H |
| f. 9 | I-J |
| f. 10 | K |
| f. 11 | L |
| f. 12 | M |
| f. 13 | N |
| f. 14 | P |
| f. 15 | R |
| f. 16 | S |
| f. 17 | T |
| f. 18 | W |
Correspondence, 1939
| f. 19 | A-F |
| f. 20 | H-Q |
| f. 21 | R-Z |
Correspondence, 1940
| f. 22 | A-B |
| f. 23 | Briggs, Wade |
| f. 24 | C-D |
| f. 25 | E-H |
| f. 26 | I-L |
| f. 27 | M |
| f. 28 | N-P |
| f. 29 | R |
| f. 30 | S |
| f. 31 | T-Z |
Correspondence, 1941-1943
| f. 32 | A-C |
| f. 33 | Briggs, Wade |
| f. 34 | D |
| f. 35 | E-K |
| f. 36 | L-M |
| f. 37 | N-S |
| f. 38 | T-Z |
Correspondence, 1944-1945
| f. 39 | A |
| f. 40 | B |
| f. 41 | C |
| f. 42 | D |
| f. 43 | E |
| f. 44 | H-J |
| f. 45 | K |
| f. 46 | L |
| f. 47 | M |
| f. 48 | Missouri Commission on Interstate Cooperation |
| f. 49 | N-R |
| f. 50 | S |
| f. 51 | T-V |
| f. 52 | W-Z |
Correspondence, 1946-1947
| f. 53 | A-B |
| f. 54 | C-D |
| f. 55 | Democratic newspaper in Missouri |
| f. 56 | E-F |
| f. 57 | G-H |
| f. 58 | I-K |
| f. 59 | L-M |
| f. 60 | N-P |
| f. 61 | R-T |
| f. 62 | U-W |
U.S. Senate Campaign, 1946
| f. 63 | Andrew County |
| f. 64 | Atchison County |
| f. 65 | Audrain County |
| f. 66 | Barry County |
| f. 67 | Barton County |
| f. 68 | Bates County |
| f. 69 | Benton County |
| f. 70 | Bollinger County |
| f. 71 | Boone County |
| f. 72 | Buchanan County |
| f. 73 | Butler County |
| f. 74 | Caldwell County |
| f. 75 | Callaway County |
| f. 76 | Camden County |
| f. 77 | Cape Girardeau County |
| f. 78 | Carroll County |
| f. 79 | Carter County |
| f. 80 | Cass County |
| f. 81 | Cedar County |
| f. 82 | Chariton County |
| f. 83 | Christian County |
| f. 84 | Clark County |
| f. 85 | Clay County |
| f. 86 | Clinton County |
| f. 87 | Cole County |
| f. 88 | Cooper County |
| f. 89 | Crawford County |
| f. 90 | Dade County |
| f. 91 | Dallas County |
| f. 92 | Daviess County |
| f. 93 | DeKalb County |
| f. 94 | Dent County |
| f. 95 | Douglas County |
| f. 96 | Dunklin County |
| f. 97 | Franklin County |
| f. 98 | Gentry County |
| f. 99 | Greene County |
| f. 100 | Grundy County |
| f. 101 | Harrison County |
| f. 102 | Henry County |
| f. 103 | Hickory County |
| f. 104 | Holt County |
| f. 105 | Howard County |
| f. 106 | Howell County |
| f. 107 | Iron County |
| f. 108-110 | Jackson County |
| f. 111 | Jasper County |
| f. 112 | Jefferson County |
| f. 113 | Johnson County |
| f. 114 | Knox County |
| f. 115 | Laclede County |
| f. 116 | Lafayette County |
| f. 117 | Lawrence County |
| f. 118 | Lewis County |
| f. 119 | Lincoln County |
| f. 120 | Linn County |
| f. 121 | Livingston County |
| f. 122 | McDonald County |
| f. 123 | Macon County |
| f. 124 | Madison County |
| f. 125 | Maries County |
| f. 126 | Marion County |
| f. 127 | Mercer County |
| f. 128 | Miller County |
| f. 129 | Mississippi County |
| f. 130 | Moniteau County |
| f. 131 | Monroe County |
| f. 132 | Montgomery County |
| f. 133 | Morgan County |
| f. 134 | New Madrid County |
| f. 135 | Newton County |
| f. 136 | Nodaway County |
| f. 137 | Oregon County |
| f. 138 | Osage County |
| f. 139 | Ozark County |
| f. 140 | Pemiscot County |
| f. 141 | Perry County |
| f. 142 | Pettis County |
| f. 143 | Phelps County |
| f. 144 | Pike County |
| f. 145 | Platte County |
| f. 146 | Polk County |
| f. 147 | Pulaski County |
| f. 148 | Putnam County |
| f. 149 | Ralls County |
| f. 150 | Randolph County |
| f. 151 | Ray County |
| f. 152 | Reynolds County |
| f. 153 | Ripley County |
| f. 154 | St. Charles County |
| f. 155 | St. Clair County |
| f. 156 | St. Francois County |
| f. 157 | St. Louis County |
| f. 158 | St. Louis City |
| f. 159 | Ste. Genevieve County |
| f. 160 | Saline County |
| f. 161 | Schuyler County |
| f. 162 | Scotland County |
| f. 163 | Scott County |
| f. 164 | Shannon County |
| f. 165 | Shelby County |
| f. 166 | Stoddard County |
| f. 167 | Stone County |
| f. 168 | Sullivan County |
| f. 169 | Taney County |
| f. 170 | Texas County |
| f. 171 | Vernon County |
| f. 172 | Washington County |
| f. 173 | Wayne County |
| f. 174 | Webster County |
| f. 175 | Worth County |
| f. 176 | Wright County |
| f. 177-179 | Correspondence, General |
| f. 180 | Correspondence, Treasurer |
| f. 181 | Newspaper clippings |
| f. 182-184 | Speeches, 1945 see also rec. 7-9 |
| f. 185-186 | Speeches, 1946 see also a.c. 1 |
| f. 187 | Miscellaneous |
Incoming Correspondence, 1961-1965
| f. 188 | A |
| f. 189-190 | B |
| f. 191 | C |
| f. 192 | D |
| f. 193 | E |
| f. 194 | F |
| f. 195 | G |
| f. 196 | H |
| f. 197 | I |
| f. 198 | J |
| f. 199 | K |
| f. 200 | L |
| f. 201 | M |
| f. 202 | N |
| f. 203 | O |
| f. 204 | P |
| f. 205 | R |
| f. 206 | S |
| f. 207 | T |
| f. 208 | V |
| f. 209 | W |
Outgoing Correspondence
| f. 210-212 | 1961 |
| f. 213-214 | 1962 |
| f. 215-216 | 1963 |
| f. 217 | 1964 January-June |
| f. 218 | 1964 July-1965 February |
Speeches
| f. 219-221 | 1961 |
| f. 222-223 | 1962 January-July |
| f. 224-226 | 1963 |
| f. 227 | 1964 January-June |
| f. 229 | 1964 July-1965 January |
| f. 230-231 | Miscellaneous, see also reel 1 |
| f. 232 | General correspondence, 1931 |
| f. 233-237 | General correspondence, 1957 May-December |
| f. 238-241 | General correspondence, 1958-1959 |
| f. 242 | Building Committee, 1957-1958 |
| f. 243 | Charity, 1958 |
| f. 244 | Committees and Appointments, 1957-1958 |
| f. 245-246 | District Deputy Grand Masters, 1957-1958 |
| f. 247-250 | Education Committee, 1954-1958 |
| f. 251 | Jurisprudence, 1957-1958 |
| f. 252-253 | Masonic Home Building Campaign Committee, 1954-1955 |
| f. 254-256 | Miscellaneous, 1930-1992 |
| f. 257 | 1900-1945 |
| f. 258 | 1946, U.S. Senate Campaign |
| f. 259 | 1947-1950 |
| f. 260 | 1950s |
| f. 261-262 | 1960s, Assistant Secretary of the Interior |
| f. 263 | 1960s |
| f. 264 | 1970s-1980s |
| f. 265 | 1936-1942 |
| f. 266 | 1945 |
| f. 267 | 1946 |
| f. 268 | 1947-1958 |
| f. 269 | 1961-1965 |
| f. 270 | 1967-1992 |
| f. 271-275 | It Seems to B., 1950s-1980s |
| f. 276 | 1939-1944 |
| f. 277 | 1947-1958, see also a.c. 2 |
| f. 278 | 1960s, see also a.c. 3 |
| f. 279 | n.d. |
| f. 280 | Catherine Briggs |
| f. 281 | Correspondence, 1932-1978 |
| f. 282 | Correspondence, Recognition dinner, 1961 |
| f. 283 | Correspondence, 1979-1992 |
| f. 284 | Awards, certificates, and presentations, see also reel 2 |
| f. 285 | Biographical |
| f. 286 | Briggs, Eugene S. |
| f. 287 | Briggs, Susan |
| f. 288 | Briggs family |
| f. 289 | Dog breeding |
| f. 290 | Journals |
| f. 291 | Macon, Missouri |
| f. 292 | Macon County Civilian Defense Volunteer Committee, 1941-1942 |
| f. 293 | Macon Rotary Club |
| f. 294 | Newspapers |
| f. 295 | Miscellaneous |
Audio Visual material
| a.c. 1 | copy of audio recording of Frank Briggs' 1946 speech opening his campaign for the U.S. Senate at Sedalia, Missouri (records 1-6) |
| a.c. 2 | copy of an audio tape of a speech, early 1940s (a.t. 1) |
| a.c. 3 | copy of an audio tape of a speech, 1960s (a.t. 2) |
| a.t. 1 | speech, early 1940s (use a.c. 2) |
| a.t. 2 | copy of an audio tape of a speech, 1960s (use a.c. 3). |
| rec. 1-6 | audio recording of Frank Briggs' 1946 speech opening his campaign for the U.S. Senate at Sedalia, Missouri (use a.c.1) |
| rec. 7-9 | audio recording of a speech by Frank Briggs', 24 April 1945 (records are oversize and have not yet been copied onto audio cassettes) |
| reel 1 | Speech as Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife, n.d. |
| reel 2 | Presentation of honorary doctorate, 28 May 1961; and recognition dinner, 29 May 1961 |
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.
- Briggs, Catherine S.
- Briggs, Eugene S. (1890- )
- Briggs family
- Briggs, Frank P. (1894-1992)
- Briggs, Susan A. (1863- )
- Briggs, Thomas F.
- Democratic Party--Missouri, 1930s-1940s
- Donnelly, Phil M.
- Election, 1944--Missouri, Gubernatorial
- Election, 1946--Missouri, Senatorial
- Environment--Government policy, 1960s
- Freemasons--Missouri
- Missouri, Macon
- Missouri. General Assembly, 59th-63rd
- Politics--Missouri, 1940s
- Truman, Harry S (1884-1972)
- U.S. Department of the Interior