Collection Dates: 1916 -- 1961
(Bulk Dates: 1940s and 1950s)
4 linear ft.
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: January 2003
Acquisition Note: This collection was given to the University of Iowa
Libraries in 1958 by Viola Stradtman, the daughter of John C. Lewis.
Access and Restrictions:
Digital Surrogates: Except where indicated, this document describes but
does not reproduce the actual text, images and objects which make up this
collection. Materials are available only in the Special Collections
Department.
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The University of Iowa Libraries' statement on "Property Rights, Copyright Law, and Permissions to Use Unpublished
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Abbreviations:
For an explanation of
the abbreviation and dating conventions used in the finding aid, please see
Abbreviations.
Biographical Information
Not to be confused with John L. Lewis, the founder of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), both Lewises were born in Iowa of Welsh coal miners and worked with labor unions in later life.
The following is taken from a biographical sketch in the collection, apparently written by John C. Lewis himself in 1937.
Born in Abertillery, Wales, March 20, 1875, son of John and Mary Ann Reece Lewis. His father was a miner. He came to America with his parents in 1881 at the age of five. After spending a few years in Brookfield [Ohio?] they travelled to Hickman, Pennsylvania, commonly known as "Tom's Run" where his father found work in the mines. From Hickman they journeyed to Zenorsville, a mining community in Boone County, Iowa, in 1886 where a home was established.
He attended grade schools in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Zenorsville and completed studies as far as the sixth grade. However, he continued attendance at night school for six years in addition to home study after his marriage.
He began to mine coal in Boone County in 1887 and was also employed in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. His experience as a coal miner covered a period of approximately twenty-six years.
For many years he was active in the miners' local unions and in 1913 was elected a member of the Executive Board of sub-district 4, Dictrict 13 of the United Mine Workers of America, State of Iowa, which was a full-time salaried position. He served as an Exceutive Board member of Disttric 13 for four years at the end of which time he was elected President of District 13. He was serving as President of District 13 when he was elected President of the Iowa State Federation of Labor in delegate convention in 1921.
He attended nearly all the conventions of the International Union of the United Mine Workers of America from 1911 [well into the 1930s] and served on many national wage scale committees. He also represented the International Union in negotiations in states other than Iowa and has served as legislative representative of the Iowa Miners from 1913 [into the 1930s]. He was in constant touch with the economic development of the mining industry from commencing work in the mines in 1887. He participated in an advisory capacity at wage scale conferences. During World War I he served as a member of the War Labor Advisory Board. He was appointed by the Governor of the state to represent the Commonwealth of Iowa at numerous conferences that had to do with Labor and the Mining Industry. He represented Iowa miners on the Zoning Commission during the time the first Bituminous Coal Commission was functioning.
In 1936 he was appointed representative to the International Labor Conference in Geneva by Madam Frances Perkins, Secretary of Labor, and served in the capacity of a technical advisor on the mining and steel industries. While is Europe he did research work in the affairs of the mining industry.
In the latter part of May 1937 he resigned as President of Iowa State Federation of Labor to become a member by appointment to the National Bituminous Coal Commission.
Box List
Box 1
FOLDER 1
Copy of telegram to Mrs. V. Stradman
(daughter of John C. Lewis) from John L. Lewis, June 14, 1956.
Biography of Jon C. Lewis (to 1937).
"Workmen's Compensation," by J.C. Lewis. Official Year Book of Organized
Labor, 1926.
"J.C. Lewis Named on the Bituminous Coal Commission," by A.A. Couch,
Iowa State
Federation of Labor Official Year Book, 1937.
Competitive Fuels: Natural Gas, Pipe Lines, Communications, etc.
Letters of congratulation (on appointment to U.S. Labor Commission, 1937)
Includes TLS from James A. Farley (April 30) and Hubert Utterback (April 30).
No FOLDERS 2 -- 8
FOLDER 8A
Miscellaneous correspondence and clippings. Includes TLS from John L. Lewis (January 9, 1952; February 15, 1950; and telegram).
FOLDER 8B
Correspondence, 1941 -- 1946.
(TLS John L. Lewis, December 18, 1942; November 6, 1942; October 31, 1944;
August 12, 1943; July 13, 1943; September 13, 1944; and July 23, 1942).
FOLDER 9
Farm.
Clippings concerning government farm policy.
FOLDER 10
Explosions.
Clippings concerning mine disasters.
FOLDER 11
District No. 4, U.M.W.A., Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
Correspondence concerning participation on a grievance committee in District 4 (TLS W.A. Boyle, January 4, 1954).
FOLDER 12
District No. 11, U.M.W.A.
Memoranda and correspondence concerning participation on a grievance committee in District 11.
FOLDER 13
District No. 18, Calgary, Canada.
Correspondence and reports (TLS John L. Lewis, June 4, 1953; March10, 1953).
FOLDER 14
C.I.O. Correspondence and bulletins, 1941.
FOLDER 15
C.I.O.
Correspondence, 1941 -- 1944.
FOLDER 16
Aged Workers.
Clippings concerning compulsory retirement.
FOLDER 17
Agreement, 1948 (July 1, 1948 to June 30, 1949)
National Bituminous Coal Wage Agreement of 1948.
FOLDER 18
Negro.
Clippings concerning discrimination.
FOLDER 19
Pension, Iowa State, 1947 -- 1952.
FOLDER 20
Owens, John, Secretary-Treasurer, U.M.W.A.
Memoranda and correspondence.
FOLDER 21
Strip Pit.
Correspondence concerning strip mining laws in various states.
FOLDER 22
1955 Mine Agreement.
National Bituminous Coal Wage Agreement of 1950 as Amended Effective September 1, 1955.
FOLDER 23
Merger, A.F.L.-C.I.O.
Proposed Constitution, May 2, 1955, agreement for Merger of the Iowa State Federation of Labor and the Iowa State Industrial Union Council.
FOLDER 24
John L. Lewis.
Statements, clippings, press releases and correspondence (TLS John L. Lewis, March 10,1955; December 22,1955).
FOLDER 25
Kennedy, Thomas, Int. Nat. Sec. Treas.
Clippings, press releases, and correspondence.
FOLDER 26
1955 Journal, U.M.W.A.
Copies of the U.M.W. Journal, 1955 -- 1956, "A Brief History of the United Mine Workers of America," by Justin McCarthy, TLS W.A. Boyle, February 4, 1955.
No FOLDER 27
Box 3
FOLDER 28
Manager Plan.
Clippings concerning adoption of city manager plan in Des Moines.
FOLDER 29
Madisonville U.M.W.A., District 23.
Correspondence concerning a speech, 1951.
FOLDER 30
Johnson.
Correspondence concerning a pension for the widow of a miner.
FOLDER 31
Chariton Coal Co.
Correspondence with insurance companies.
FOLDER 32
Injunction Legislation, "Yellow Dog."
FOLDER 33
Miscellaneous matters.
Personal correspondence, 1950 -- 1953.
FOLDER 34
Mine Inspector.
Correspondence, clippings, notes, and reports.
FOLDER 35
Pension, Old Age.
Clipping and pamphlets.
FOLDER 36
Pension, Congressmen.
Clippings and reports.
FOLDER 37
Pension, U.M.W.A.
Clippings and pamphlets.
FOLDER 38
Oil.
Clippings and pamphlets.
FOLDER 39
Pension, Iowa.
Clippings, correspondence, and pamphlets.
FOLDER 40
Quotations.
Clippings and pamphlets.
FOLDER 41
Mine Safety.
Correspondence.
FOLDER 42
City Manager.
Clippings.
FOLDER 43
I.L.O.
International Labor Organization, reports.
Federated Labor Legislative Council.
Correspondence and papers relating to 29th International Labor Conference, Montreal, 1946.
FOLDER 45
ILO Personal; Correspondence, data, bullteins, especially in regard to ILO conference in CanadaFOLDER 46
District No. 50.
Correspondence; copies of papers relating to a court case.
FOLDER 47
District 20, U.M.W.A., Birmingham, Alabama.
Correspondence and reports.
FOLDER 48
District 31, Fairmont, West Virginia.
Correspondence and clippings.
FOLDER 49
District No. 18, U.M.W.A.
Correspondence and memoranda relating to contract dispute in Calgary, Alberta, 1954 (TLS John L. Lewis, June 16, 1954; June 1, 1954; June 21, 1954)
FOLDER 50
Escalator Clause.
Clippings.
FOLDER 51
Gross, H.R.
Clippings.
FOLDER 52
General Motors
Clippings.
FOLDER 53
Graft, U.S. Surplus Property.
Clippings.
Box 5
FOLDER 54
Handicapped.
Pamphlets and clippings.
FOLDER 55
Wartime Control of Meat, 1916 -- 1918.
Short articles by Jon C. Lewis on Social Security, Escalator clauses, and other topics.
FOLDER 56
Manager Plan.
Clippings.
FOLDER 57
Personal
Carbon copies of two letters, 1953 -- 1954.
FOLDER 58
Labor Day, Canton, Illinois, 1952.
Correspondence and clippings.
FOLDER 59
Lewis, J.C., personal.
Correspondence (TLS John L. Lewis, May 19, 1949)
FOLDER 60
Labor Day, 1952.
Clippings.
FOLDER 61
Labor Day, 1950.
Clippings and correspondence concerning speech at Boonville, Indiana.
FOLDER 62
Strip Pit.
Correspondence and copies of legislation.
FOLDER 63
Iowa Social Welfare.
Pamphlets.
FOLDER 64
Interesting Notes.
Clippings.
FOLDER 65
Wages and hour bill.
Clippings and pamphlets.
FOLDER 66
Wage minimum.
Clippings and pamphlets.
FOLDER 67
Mental Hygiene Bill.
Clippings.
FOLDER 68
Packers.
Clippings, press releases, and conference notes (1941).
FOLDER 69
Automation.
Pamphlets and clippings.
FOLDER 70
R.R. Strike.
Clippings.
FOLDER 71
West Virginia.
Correspondence with West Virginia Cooperative Labor Legislative Council.
FOLDER 72
Register and Tribune.
Clippings and reprints.
FOLDER 73
Right to Work.
Clippings and pamphlets.
FOLDER 74
Personal Correspondence, 1938.
FOLDER 75
Envelope containing clippings and notes.
76 -- 80
Five notebooks containing notes and clippings.
FOLDER 81
Envelope containing pamphlets on
social security law, 1954.
Box 7
FOLDER 82
Sentner, William, United Electrical Radio & Machine Workers, St. Louis Missouri.
Clippings, pamphlets, and correspondence concerning a court case of criminal syndicatism.
FOLDER 83
Lewis, John L.
Clippings, pamphlets, and press releases (TLS John L. Lewis, February 15, 1954).
FOLDER 84
Labor Day, 1953.
Correspondence and reports concerning a speech at CleElum, Washington.
FOLDER 85
National Conference on Labor Legislation.
Reports, correspondence (TLS Robert D. Blue, November 7, 1946).
FOLDER 86
Labor Day, 1953.
Speeches, 1937 -- 1953.
FOLDER 87
Labor Day, 1951.
Clippings.
FOLDER 88
Gillette, Martin.
Voting records.
FOLDER 89
Governor Beardsley
Correspondence (TLS Guy M. Gillette, December 3, 1948; William S. Beardsley, December 2, 1948).
FOLDER 90
Miscellaneous.
Clippings, notes, and pamphlets.
FOLDER 91
Madrid Labor Union.
Correspondence concerning James Newton.
FOLDER 92
District 13, U.M.W.A.
Correspondence and reports.
FOLDER 93
Governor Hoegh.
Clippings, pamphlets, and correspondence.
FOLDER 94
The President of the U.S.A.
Clippings and pamphlets.
FOLDER 95
Iowa State Federation of Labor.
Clippings, pamphlets, and correspondence.
FOLDER 96
Hartley Taft Act.
Clippings and pamphlets.
FOLDER 97
Give-away.
Clippings.
FOLDER 98
Gallup Poll.
Clippings.
FOLDER 99
Shuler Mine.
Mimeographed correspondence and minutes concerning mine safety in Iowa.
FOLDER 100
Workmen's Unemployment Compensation.
Pamphlets, correspondence, forms; copy of the Iowa Workmen's Compensation law revised to July 4, 1955.
FOLDER 101
Council Legislation.
Materials from the Federated Labor Legislative Council of Iowa.
FOLDER 102
Coal production.
Pamphlets, clippings, and press releases.
FOLDER 103
District 13, U.M.W.A.
U.M.W.A. activities in Iowa.
FOLDER 104
Earnings.
Clippings.
FOLDER 105
Forum of the Air.
Mimeographed radio scripts.
FOLDER 106
Farm.
Clippings.
FOLDER 107
Gerontology.
Pamphlets.
FOLDER 108
Federal Social Security.
Pamphlets and clippings.
Proceedings of the AFL-CIO 4th
Constitutional Convention, Miami Beach, Florida,December 7 -- 13, 1961. 2
volumes.