Collection Summary
William H. Conkling
Papers
1864-1976
(bulk 1927-1939)
1864-1976
(bulk 1927-1939)
MSS62011
Conkling, William H.,
1858-1939
275 items
1 container plus 1 oversize plus 1 vault
(philatelic cover)
0.6 linear feet
English
Collection material in
English
Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress
Washington, D.C.
Municipal government
official, civic leader, and postmaster from Springfield, Illinois.
Correspondence with Charles A. Lindbergh, speeches and writings, publications,
photographs, and memorabilia relating to Lindbergh’s cross-country airmail
route which included service to Springfield, Illinois, and his flight of 1927
from New York to Paris. Includes a philatelic cover which Lindbergh carried
aboard the Spirit of St. Louis on his
trans-Atlantic flight and mailed to Conkling from Paris.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Conkling, William H., 1858-1939.
Lindbergh, Charles A. (Charles Augustus), 1902-1974.
Organizations
Spirit of St. Louis (Airplane)
Subjects
Air mail service.
Covers (Philately)
Postal service--Illinois--Springfield.
Transatlantic flights.
Occupations
Civic leaders.
Postmasters.
Public officials.
Provenance
The papers of William H. Conkling (1858-1939), municipal government
official, civic leader, and postmaster from Springfield , Illinois were given
to the Library of Congress in 1986 by his grandson, William J. Bengel.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of William H.
Conkling is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17,
U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The papers of William H. Conkling are open to research. Researchers
are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many
collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these
items for research use. The philatelic cover which Lindbergh carried aboard the
Spirit of St. Louis on his trans-Atlantic flight
and mailed to Conkling from Paris is held in vault storage.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the
following information: Container number, William H. Conkling Papers, Manuscript
Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1858, Sept. 12
Born, Springfield, Ill.
1878
1897
Haberdasher and furrier, Springfield, Ill.
1884
Married Sarah J. Thompson (died 1905)
1897
1901
City comptroller, Springfield, Ill.
1901
1920
Assistant postmaster, Springfield, Ill.
1907
Married Margaret McManus
1917
Founding member, Springfield Home Guard (local adjunct to
Illinois State Council of Defense)
1920
1931
Postmaster, Springfield, Ill.
1926
Established first regularly scheduled airmail delivery for
Springfield, Ill., with the assistance of Charles A. Lindbergh
1939, Aug. 21
Died, Springfield, Ill.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of William H. Conkling (1858-1939) span the years
1864-1976, with the bulk of the papers dated 1927-1939. Conkling, longtime
postal official in Springfield, Illinois, was an early airmail enthusiast who
established his city as a stop on one of the first cross-country contract
airmail routes. The route was flown by Charles A. Lindbergh until 1927, when he
quit to prepare for his historic New York-to-Paris flight. During this flight,
Lindbergh carried aboard his aircraft, the Spirit of St.
Louis, a philatelic cover which he mailed to Conkling from Paris. In
addition to this cover, Conkling’s papers contain correspondence with
Lindbergh; publications, speeches, and writings concerning Lindbergh’s Paris
flight and airmail service to Springfield; and photographs of Lindbergh loading
his plane with mail at Springfield’s aerodrome and as its special guest of
honor.
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/mm97062011]
Container List
Container
Contents
1
Badges, ribbons, and souvenir
coins,
1916, 1923-1927
1916, 1923-1927
1
Correspondence,
1864, 1870-1871, 1882, 1907,
1926-1939
1864, 1870-1871, 1882, 1907,
1926-1939
1
Philatelic covers and related
information,
1927-1931, 1962-1963, 1972-1976
[
See also VA1
](conkling1)
1927-1931, 1962-1963, 1972-1976
(2
folders)
1
Photographs,
1927-1931, undated
[
See also Oversize
](conkling2)
1927-1931, undated
(2
folders)
1
Publications,
1927-1935, 1971, undated
1927-1935, 1971, undated
OV 1
Oversize
OV 1
Photographs,
1927-1931, undated (Container 1)
1927-1931, undated
VA 1
Artifacts
VA 1
Philatelic cover,
1927 (Container 1)
1927
Appendix: Artifact List
Badges, Ribbons, and Souvenir Coins
- Souvenir coins, “First Non-Stop Flight New York-Paris”
[obverse]; “Lucky Lindbergh Coin” [reverse]. Dated 1927. 2 items.
- Bookmarks printed by the Headquarters Department of the Potomac,
Grand Army of the Republic, on the occasion of Memorial Day in Washington, D.C.
Dated 1916 (1) and 1923 (2). 3 items.
- Button, “Welcome Home...Capt. Charles Lindbergh” attached to
ribbon, “Lindbergh Reception Committee, Springfield, Ill., August 15,
1927.” 2 items.
- Silk ribbon, “Charles A. Lindbergh–First Non-Stop Airplane
Flight—New York to Paris–May 20-21, 1927.” 1 item.
- Silk ribbon, “Welcome Home–Charles A. Lindbergh–St. Louis
Committee–June 17, 18, 19, 1927.” 1 item.
Philatelic Covers
- Philatelic cover carried aboard the “Spirit of St. Louis”
airplane by Charles Lindbergh on his flight from New York to Paris, addressed
to William H. Conkling, postmaster, Springfield, Illinois, signed and verified
by Charles Lindbergh. Mailed in an outer envelope on which is imprinted
“Embassy of the United States of America” and postmarked May 28, 1927,
Paris. 2 items.
- Philatelic cover commemorating the dedication of the Abraham
Lincoln tomb in Springfield, Ill., June 17, 1931. Postmarked Springfield, same
date. 1 item.