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Daniel Read Anthony, Jr., Papers

MS. Collection No. 259-B

 

Introduction

Daniel Read Anthony, Jr. was a Republican Congressman from the First District of Kansas from 1907 to 1928. His papers contain political correspondence from his first and last terms of office. They were given to the Kansas State Historical Society by his son, Daniel Read Anthony III, in 1982. There are no restrictions on their use. A letter by Theodore Roosevelt donated in 1931 has been placed with this recent donation.

Biography

D. R. Anthony, Jr., was born in Leavenworth, Kansas, in 1870 and lived there his entire life. His father, Daniel Read Anthony, Sr., a brother of Susan B. Anthony, came to Kansas in 1854 and was active in early state affairs. Daniel Read Anthony, Jr., succeeded him as editor of the Leavenworth Times in 1904. When Charles Curtis became a United States senator in 1907, D. R. Anthony, Jr., took his place in the House and was repeatedly re-elected until his retirement in 1928. He died in1931.

Scope and Content

Anthony’s correspondence consists largely of letters sent to him. Notes by the donor on some letters identify correspondents. The first section of letters, dating from 1907 and 1908, deals chiefly with Anthony’s election, state Republican Party politics, and patronage. Interesting items include letters from William Howard Taft, then secretary of war; a letter from Charles Locknane, Democratic committee member, expressing the hope no Democrat will run against Anthony (March 26, 1907); and a letter from Anthony to William Allen White about efforts to unseat Speaker Joe Cannon (April 18, 1908). There is also a letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Anthony (dated May 23, 1917) in which the ex-president thanks Anthony for his support of the draft army and discusses Woodrow Wilson and the debates over military funding.

The last group of letters dates from 1926 to 1928. During this period Anthony was recuperating from an illness in Arizona and many letters discuss his health and the prospects for his return to Congress. Some of the letters contain notes from Anthony to his secretary regarding answers. Several of the letters are from military leaders expressing gratitude for Anthony’s support. Additional items relate to Anthony’s interest in homes for disabled soldiers. There is also one letter from Alice Paul thanking him for repeatedly introducing the Equal Rights Amendment in Congress (December 22, 1927).

The Kansas State Historical Society also possesses a collection of the papers of Anthony’s father. Most of these deal with events before the birth of D. R. Anthony, Jr., but there is one short autobiographical sketch about the experiences of Daniel Anthony, Jr., as an editor.

Marilyn Dell Brady
Lela Barnes Intern
June 1982

Index Terms

Subject Headings

Equal Rights Amendment - 1927
Leavenworth
Politics - Kansas
Republican Party
Roosevelt, Theodore
Taft, William Howard