Collection Summary
Florence Ellinwood Allen
Papers
1907-1965
1907-1965
MSS10454
Allen, Florence
Ellinwood, 1884-1966
2,700
items
9 containers plus 2 oversize
4 linear feet
English
Collection material in
English
Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress
Washington, D.C.
Judge, feminist,
author, and lecturer. Correspondence, speeches, scrapbooks, honors and
citations, clippings, photographs, and other papers relating to Allen’s service
as an associate justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, her tenure on the United
States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and her activities in behalf of
women’s rights and peace through international law.
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
Allen, Florence Ellinwood, 1884-1966.
Astor, Nancy Witcher Langhorne Astor, Viscountess, 1879-1964--Correspondence.
Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962--Correspondence.
Smith, Margaret Chase, 1897-1995--Correspondence.
Organizations
International Federation of Women Lawyers.
Ohio. Supreme Court.
United States. Court of Appeals (6th Circuit)
Subjects
Courts--Ohio.
International law.
Peace.
Women's rights.
Occupations
Authors.
Feminists.
Judges.
Lecturers.
Provenance
The papers of Florence Ellinwood Allen were given to the Library of
Congress by Allen and by Lamprey Stantial between 1962 and 1965.
Processing History
The papers of Florence Ellinwood Allen were arranged and described in
1973. The finding aid was revised in 2009.
Other Repositories
Other papers of Florence Ellinwood Allen can be found at the
Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America, Radcliffe College,
Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Copyright Status
Copyright in the unpublished writings of Florence Ellinwood Allen in
these papers and in other collections of papers in the custody of the Library
of Congress has been dedicated to the public.
Access and Restrictions
The papers of Florence Ellinwood Allen 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.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the
following information: Container number, Florence Ellinwood Allen Papers,
Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1884, Mar. 23
Born, Salt Lake City, Utah
1904
B.A., Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
1908
M.A., Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
1913
LL.B., New York University, New York, N.Y.
1920
Judge, court of common pleas, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
1922
1934
Associate justice, Ohio Supreme Court
1934
1959
Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth
Circuit
1940
Published
This Constitution of Ours
. New York: G. P. Putnam's
Sons
1952
Published
The Treaty as an Instrument of Legislation
. New
York: Macmillan
1959
1966
Senior judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth
Circuit
1965
Published
To Do Justly
. Cleveland: Press of Western Reserve
University
1966, Sept. 12
Died, Waite Hill, Ohio
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Florence Ellinwood Allen (1884-1966) span the period
1907-1965 and relate to her position as associate justice of the Ohio Supreme
Court and as judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Allen was an active feminist instrumental in obtaining women's suffrage and the
first woman to sit on an American court of last resort. She was also the first
woman in the United States to occupy the position of senior judge of a federal
court of appeals. The papers are organized into the following series:
[
Correspondence
](corr),
[
Subject
File
](subj),
[
Speech and
Article File
](spee), and
[
Miscellany
](misc).
Allen's interest in the women's rights movement is documented by the
speeches and articles in her papers. The collection also reveals her interest
in the subjects of peace, war, disarmament, and international law. Many of her
speeches were delivered to bar associations and subsequently published. Allen
received many honorary degrees and the speeches delivered on these occasions
are included in the papers.
Approximately half of the collection consists of newspaper clippings
pertaining to the judge's activities on behalf of women's suffrage, her
campaigns for Congress, consideration of her for a seat on the United States
Supreme Court, and honors received in 1959 when she became senior judge of the
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Correspondents include Eleanor Roosevelt, Nancy Witcher Langhorne
Astor, Viscountess Astor, Margaret Chase Smith, and members of the
International Federation of Women Lawyers.
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is arranged in four series:
-
[
Correspondence,
1915-1965
](corr)
-
[
Subject File,
1921-1958
](subj)
-
[
Speech and
Article File, 1911-1963
](spee)
-
[
Miscellany,
1907-1959
](misc)
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/mm73010454]
Container List
Container
Contents
1
Correspondence,
1915-1965
1915-1965
Correspondence.
Organized into general correspondence, arranged chronologically,
and special correspondence, arranged alphabetically by name of person or
organization.
1
General,
1915-1965
1915-1965
1
Special
1
Astor, Nancy Witcher Langhorne,
Viscountess Astor,
1929-1955
1929-1955
1
International Federation of
Women Lawyers,
1962-1963
1962-1963
1
Roosevelt, Eleanor,
1948-1959
1948-1959
1
Smith, Margaret Chase,
1963-1964
1963-1964
1-3
Subject File,
1921-1958
1921-1958
Biographical sketches, speeches, book reviews, notes, honors and
citations, legal papers, cartoons, newspaper clippings, and other material
documenting Allen's activities and interests.
Arranged by topic or type of material.
1
Biographical
1
Sketches
1
Autobiographical
speeches
1
Autobiographical
notes
1
Life of Allen and her
father
1
Home of Allen
1
Portrait
presentation
1
Retirement honors
1
Citations
1
Honorary degrees
1
Margaret Ireland
Award
1
Mather College Award, Western
Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
2
Campaign for United States
Senate,
1926
1926
2
Campaigns for court positions
2
Ohio Supreme Court,
1928
1928
2
United States Supreme Court,
support as first woman,
1957
1957
2
Conference on Causes and Cures of
War
2
International Bar Association,
1948
1948
2
International Federation of Women
Lawyers
2
Japan,
1951
1951
2
Turkey,
1953
1953
2
Finland,
1954
1954
2
United Nations,
1956
1956
2
Los Angles, Calif.,
1958
1958
2
Legal opinions, index
2
McGannon case,
1921
1921
3
New York University dinner, New
York, N.Y.,
1948
1948
3
Reviews of Allen's
books
3
This Constitution of Ours
3
The Treaty as an Instrument of
Legislation
3
"This I Believe," radio
broadcast,
1942
1942
3
TVA case,
1937-1938
1937-1938
3
Woman's suffrage
3
Anthony, Susan B.
3
Donahey, William, cartoons
3
Newspaper clippings
3
Notes and research
3
Ohio woman's
suffrage
3
Park, Maud Wood,
articles
3
Research
3
Shaw, Anna Howard
3
Speech notebook
4-5
Speech and Article File,
1911-1963
1911-1963
Speeches and articles.
Arranged alphabetically by topic or title of material.
4
America, speeches,
1924-1957
1924-1957
4
Anthony, Susan B.,
1952
1952
4
Atomic age, preparing for,
1958
1958
4
Beloit College, Beloit, Wis.,
commencement address,
1931
1931
4
"The Bill of Rights,"
1958
1958
4
"The Bridge to the Future,"
1945-1951
1945-1951
4
Campaign for Congress,
1932
1932
4
"Challenge to the Citizen,"
1960
1960
4
"Chart for Living,"
1953
1953
4
"The Christian and Government,"
1922
1922
4
The Constitution,
speeches
4
Dumbarton Oaks proposals,
statement,
1945
1945
4
"Fair Trial and Freedom of the
Press,"
1956
1956
4
Faith
4
Freedom, speeches
4
Gallatin Award,
1960
1960
4
"The Governmental Task,"
1932
1932
4
Hicks, Xenophon
4
The home, speeches
4
International understanding,
article and speech
4
Invention, speech, with reprint,
1958
1958
4
Jury system,
1930-1954
1930-1954
4
Justice,
1928-1956
1928-1956
4
Lake Erie College, Painesville,
Ohio, anniversary address,
1948
1948
4
Law, speeches and writings,
1928-1960
1928-1960
4
London, England, speeches,
1950
1950
4
Lyman, Mrs., memorial
4
MacFarlene, Catherine,
1956
4
"Map for Living,"
1957
1957
4
Mexican trip,
lectures
4
Music lectures,
1911
1911
4
"National and World Planning,"
1932
1932
4
New voters
5
Notes and research
5
New York University, New York,
N.Y., reunion dinner,
1963
1963
5
"The Nuremberg Trial Implements
World Law,"
1947
1947
5
"The Outlook,"
1931
1931
5
Patent speech
5
Peace, speeches,
1948-1960
1948-1960
5
Phi Beta Kappa address,
1934
1934
5
Recreation,
1934
1934
5
Sommer, Frank H.,
1958
1958
5
"Taft Watched and
Waited"
5
Teachers, address,
1950
1950
5
Traditions, writings,
1931-1939
1931-1939
5
Treaties, speeches
5
United Nations Charter and the
World Court
5
War, speeches and
articles
5
War bonds
5
Washington University in St.
Louis, St. Louis, Mo., commencement address,
1955
1955
5
Women and woman's rights,
speeches and articles,
1925-1960
1925-1960
6-11
Miscellany,
1907-1959
1907-1959
Photographs, scrapbooks, addresses, newspaper clippings, and other
material.
Arranged by type of material and topic.
6
Photographs
6
Miscellany
6
Scrapbooks
6
Musical interests,
1907-1908
1907-1908
6
Congressional campaign,
1932
1932
7
United States Court of Appeals
for the Sixth Circuit,
1934
1934
7
Newspaper clippings
7
1958-1959
1958-1959
8
Miscellaneous
9
Newspaper clipping
scrapbook
9
Reelection to Ohio Supreme
Court,
1928
1928
9
Current events on the bench,
1931
1931
10
Congressional campaign,
1932
1932
11
Addresses