Manuscript Register

 

THE PAPERS OF DAVID T. NELSON

This document describes a collection of materials held by the
Special Collections Department
University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1420
Phone: 319-335-5921
Fax: 319-335-5900
e-mail: lib-spec@uiowa.edu

 

Posted to Internet: July 2002

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Index to the David T. Nelson Papers

Biographical Note

David Theodore Nelson was born in Hillsboro, North Dakota, on September 10, 1891. In 1912 he received his BA from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. He went on to earn an AB from Oxford University, an MA from the University of Chicago, and a Litt.D. from St. Olaf College in Minnesota. A professor of English at Luther College, Nelson remained there from 1921 to 1963. He served as Luther's acting president from 1962 to 1963. He was an active member of a number of Norwegian-American organizations and was chairman of the Winneshiek County, Iowa, Republican Central Committee. Nelson died in 1969.

Scope and Contents

 

The papers of David T. Nelson relate exclusively to his position as chair of the Republican Central Committee in Winneshiek County, Iowa. Subject folders include campaign finances, lists of convention delegates, and political leaflets associated with the Republican Party in Iowa. There is also material concerning William Murray's campaign for governor and Winneshiek County's 1952 presidential convention. Correspondence files include letters from William S. Beardsley, Gerald R. Bogan, Thomas E. Martin, and Henry O. Talle. Both the Library of Congress and the Luther College Library have holdings relating to David Theodore Nelson. The majority of Nelson's papers are available at the Luther College Library.

 

Box List

 

Box 1

Folder 1 -- correspondence from 1948 -- 1951 (general)

Folder 2 -- correspondence from 1952-- 1953 (general)

Folder 3 -- correspondence from 1953 -- 1954 (general)

Folder 4 -- correspondence concerning Frank Barth, 1953 -- 1954, candidate for Controller of Currency in Iowa

Folder 5 -- William Murray for Governor Campaign -- 1958

Folder 6 -- Rural Mail Carrier Applications -- 1953

Folder 7 -- Winneshiek County Presidential Convention -- 1952

Folder 8 -- Political literature: Financial barometers, Convention delegations

Folder 9 -- Political literature, 1948 -- 1949 (finance drives, delegates, conventions)

Folder 10 -- Political literature, leaflets, campaigns 1950 -- 1952

Folder 11 -- Campaign financial information, 1954 -- 1958