Senator Duncan U. Fletcher Papers

Collection

Identifier: MSS 0-110

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Correspondence, books, photographs, newspaper clippings. The collection is largely comprised of correspondence sent to Duncan Fletcher from various United States presidents, senators, heads of departments of state and other related officials as well as information about his family and estate. There are also other materials such as books from his senate office, a group photograph of the Jacksonville Kiwanis Club, and photocopies of newspaper clippings about Fletcher.

Some of the principal correspondents include James P. Burns, Tom Fletcher, W. J. Fletcher, Mrs. J. Z. Gladney, B. F. Johnson, Zollie Maynard, Judge L. W. Rigsby, Frank A. Shelton, Calvin Coolidge, Warren G. Harding, Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, William H. Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Hiram Bingham, James Couzens, Pat Harrison, J. Edgar Hoover, John J. Pershing, Albert W. Gilchrist, Cary A. Hardee, Park Trammell, and Booker T. Washington.

Dates

created: 1860-1936
Other: Date acquired: 08/06/1965

Creator

Fletcher, Duncan Upshaw (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Users may access this collection at the Claude Pepper Library.

Conditions Governing Use

Rights statement: All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Biographical or Historical Information

Duncan U. Fletcher was born on January 6, 1859, near Americus, Georgia. He graduated from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1880, and studied law there. In 1881 he moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where he practiced law and became the chief counsel of the Florida East Coast Railroad. He began his political career as a Jacksonville Councilman in 1887. In 1893 he served a term in the Florida House of Representatives, and was mayor of Jacksonville from 1893-1985, and 1901-1903, helping to rebuild the city after the fire of 1901. He was also chairman of the State Democratic Executive Committee from 1905-1908. In 1909, he was elected to the United States Senate, and remained there until his death on June 17, 1936. During this time he helped to form the Securities Exchange Commission, helped to sponsor farm loan legislation, and became an advisor to presidents on domestic and foreign land mortgaging.

Extent

2.00 boxes

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Physical Location

Claude Pepper Library.

Custodial History

Reproduced by F.S.U. Library from papers brought in by Wayne Flint, F.S.U. student Originals inÂ· possession of Mrs. Fred G. Yerkes 1719 King Street Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida Received by F.S.U. Library August 6, 1965

Gift of William Logan Hill Pensacola, Escambia County, Florida Received by Florida State University Library September 2, 1971. This gift by Mr. W. Logan Hill, Clerk, District Federal Court retired, of Pensacola, Florida, came through the solicitation of Mr. Allen Morris, Clerk, Florida House of Representatives, Tallahassee. When sending the papers, Mr. Hill wrote regarding origin of the letters that his father, Mr. William Luther Hill, of Gainesville, Florida, served as Administrative Assistant to United States Senator Duncan U. Fletcher from 1917 to 1936. Upon Senator Fletcher's death in 1936, Governor Scholtz appointed Mr. William Luther Hill to serve the unexpired term, and when closing Senator Fletcher's office and disposing of the files, the letters were given by his family to Senator Hill. After the death of Senator Hill, the papers came into possession of his son, W. Logan Hill who presented them to the Florida State University Library for preservation. Copy of a biography of Senator Duncan Upshaw Fletcher has been filed with the papers.