Collection Summary
John C. Spooner Papers
1855-1909
1870-1907
1855-1909
1870-1907
MSS40980
Spooner, John C. (John Coit), 1843-1919
10,000 items
203 containers
83 linear feet
English
Collection material in English
Manuscript Division, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
U.S. senator and railroad corporation
lawyer from Wisconsin. Correspondence with constituents, Republican Party leaders,
congressional colleagues, cabinet members, industrialists, and railroad executives and
miscellaneous papers relating mainly to Spooner's career as a businessman and
senator.
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
Spooner, John C. (John Coit), 1843-1919.
Organizations
Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- )
Subjects
Cabinet officers--United States--Correspondence.
Executives--United States--Correspondence.
Industrialists--United States--Correspondence.
Legislators--United States--Correspondence.
Politicians--United States--Correspondence.
Railroads--United States.
Places
United States--Politics and government--1865-1933.
Occupations
Lawyers.
Senators, U.S. Congress--Wisconsin.
Acquisition Information
The papers of John C. Spooner, U.S. senator and railroad corporation lawyer from
Wisconsin, were given to the Library of Congress by his son, Charles P. Spooner, in
1930-1931.
Processing History
The Spooner Papers were processed in 1963. The finding aid was revised in 2012.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of John C. Spooner is governed by
the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The papers of John C. Spooner 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, John C. Spooner Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress,
Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1843, Jan. 6
Born, Lawrenceburg, Ill.
1864
A.B., University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis., while serving in Union
Army
1867
Admitted to Wisconsin bar
1868
Married Anna E. Main
1872
Elected to Wisconsin assembly
Appointed regent, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis.
Practiced law mostly as counsel for railroads
1885
1891
Elected and served in U.S. Senate
1891
Defeated for re-election to U.S. Senate and resumed private law
practice
1897
Re-elected to U.S. Senate
1907
Resigned from U.S. Senate and moved law practice to New York, N.Y.
1919, June 11
Died, New York, N.Y.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of John Coit Spooner (1843-1919) span the years 1885-1909, with the bulk of
the material concentrated in the years 1870-1907 when he was prominent in the United
States Senate, in the councils of the Republican Party, and in national affairs. The
papers are organized into seven series: [ General Correspondence
](genfile), [ Special Correspondence ](specfile), [
Business Correspondence ](busfile), [ Letterbooks ](letbook), [ Financial Papers ](finfile), [ Legal File ](legfile),
and [ Miscellany ](miscella).
The collection contains correspondence with constituents, Republican Party leaders,
congressional colleagues, cabinet members, and some of the nation's leading
industrialists and railroad executives; letterbooks; legal documents; financial papers
pertaining to railroads and other business activites of the Senator; photographs; and
printed material.
Prominent correspondents include congressional colleagues and Republican Party leaders
as well as cabinet members, industrialists, and railroad executives between 1870 and
1907.
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is arranged in seven series:
-
[ General Correspondence, 1870-1909 ](genfile)
-
[ Special Correspondence, 1855-1889 ](specfile)
-
[ Business Correspondence,1893-1896 ](busfile)
-
[ Letterbooks, 1866-1907 ](letbook)
-
[ Financial Papers, 1863-1907 ](finfile)
-
[ Legal File, 1865-1893 ](legfile)
-
[ Miscellany ](miscella)
Container List
Container
Contents
1-94
General Correspondence, 1870-1909
1870-1909
Letters sent and received with attachments.
Arranged chronologically.
1
1870-1893, June
1870-1893, June
2
1893, July-1894, Jan.
1893, July-1894, Jan.
3
1894
1894
Feb.-Sept.
Feb.-Sept.
4
1894, Oct.-1895, Feb.
1894, Oct.-1895, Feb.
5
1895
1895
Mar.-Nov.
Mar.-Nov.
6
1895, Dec.-1896, June
1895, Dec.-1896, June
7
1896
1896
July-Nov.
July-Nov.
8
1896, Nov.-1897. Jan.
1896, Nov.-1897. Jan.
9
1897
1897
Jan.-Mar.
Jan.-Mar.
10
Mar.-Apr.
Mar.-Apr.
11
Apr.
Apr.
12
Apr.-May
Apr.-May
13
May-June
May-June
14
June-July
June-July
15
July-Sept.
July-Sept.
16
Oct.-Dec.
Oct.-Dec.
17
1897, Dec.-1898, Jan.
1897, Dec.-1898, Jan.
18
1898
1898
Jan.-Feb.
Jan.-Feb.
19
Feb.-Mar.
Feb.-Mar.
20
Mar.-Apr.
Mar.-Apr.
21
Apr.-May
Apr.-May
22
May-June
May-June
23
June
June
24
July-Aug.
July-Aug.
25
Sept.-Nov.
Sept.-Nov.
26
Nov.-Dec.
Nov.-Dec.
27
1899
1899
Jan.
Jan.
28
Jan.-Feb.
Jan.-Feb.
29
Feb.-Mar.
Feb.-Mar.
30
Mar.-June
Mar.-June
31
June-Oct.
June-Oct.
32
Nov.-Dec.
Nov.-Dec.
33
1900
1900
Jan.
Jan.
34
Jan.-Mar.
Jan.-Mar.
35
Mar.
Mar.
36
Apr.
Apr.
37
May
May
38
May-June
May-June
39
July-Sept.
July-Sept.
40
Oct.-Dec.
Oct.-Dec.
41
1900, Dec.-1901, Jan.
1900, Dec.-1901, Jan.
42
1901
1901
Jan.-Feb.
Jan.-Feb.
43
Feb.-Mar.
Feb.-Mar.
44
Mar.-Apr.
Mar.-Apr.
45
May-June
May-June
46
July-Nov.
July-Nov.
47
Nov.-Dec.
Nov.-Dec.
48
1901, Dec.-1902, Jan.
1901, Dec.-1902, Jan.
49
1902
1902
Jan.-Feb.
Jan.-Feb.
50
Feb.-Mar.
Feb.-Mar.
51
Mar.-Apr.
Mar.-Apr.
52
Apr.-May
Apr.-May
53
May
May
54
June-July
June-July
55
July-Aug.
July-Aug.
56
Sept.-Oct.
Sept.-Oct.
57
Oct.-Nov.
Oct.-Nov.
58
Dec.
Dec.
59
1903
1903
Jan.
Jan.
60
Jan.-Feb.
Jan.-Feb.
61
Feb.
Feb.
62
Mar.-Apr.
Mar.-Apr.
63
Apr.-June
Apr.-June
64
July-Sept.
July-Sept.
65
Oct.-Nov.
Oct.-Nov.
66
Nov.-Dec.
Nov.-Dec.
67
1904
1904
Jan.-Feb.
Jan.-Feb.
68
Feb.-Mar.
Feb.-Mar.
69
Mar.-Apr.
Mar.-Apr.
70
Apr.-June
Apr.-June
71
July-Sept.
July-Sept.
72
Oct.-Dec.
Oct.-Dec.
73
1904, Dec.-1905, Jan.
1904, Dec.-1905, Jan.
74
1905
1905
Jan.-Feb.
Jan.-Feb.
75
Feb.-Mar.
Feb.-Mar.
76
Mar.-May
Mar.-May
77
June-Sept.
June-Sept.
78
Oct.-Dec.
Oct.-Dec.
79
1905, Dec.-1906, Jan.
1905, Dec.-1906, Jan.
80
1906
1906
Jan.-Feb.
Jan.-Feb.
81
Feb.-Mar.
Feb.-Mar.
82
Mar.-Apr.
Mar.-Apr.
83
Apr.-May
Apr.-May
84
May-June
May-June
85
June-July
June-July
86
Aug.-Nov.
Aug.-Nov.
87
Nov.-Dec.
Nov.-Dec.
88
1906, Dec.-1907, Jan.
1906, Dec.-1907, Jan.
89
1907
1907
Jan.-Feb.
Jan.-Feb.
90
Feb.-Mar.
Feb.-Mar.
91
Apr.-Dec.
Apr.-Dec.
1908, Feb.
1908, Feb.
1909, Mar.
1909, Mar.
Undated
Undated
92-94
Undated
Undated
94
Special Correspondence, 1855-1889
1855-1889
Letters sent and received, including with family members, and attached material.
Arranged chronologically.
1855-1864; 1888-1889, undated
1855-1864; 1888-1889, undated
95-100
Business Correspondence, 1893-1896
1893-1896
Letters sent and received with attached and related matter.
Arranged chronologically.
95
A-B
96
B-C
97
C-G
98
H-M
99
M-R
100
S-Y
Notebook of city lots
Record book, 1893
1893
101-191
Letterbooks, 1866-1907
1866-1907
Letters sent in bound volumes with indexes at the end of each volume.
Arranged chronologically.
101
1866-1874
1866-1874
102
1875-1876
1875-1876
103
1878-1884
1878-1884
104
1882-1884
1882-1884
105
1884-1887
1884-1887
106
1886-1888
1886-1888
107
1888-1889
1888-1889
108
1889-1890
1889-1890
109
1890
1890
110
1890-1891
1890-1891
111
1891-1892
1891-1892
112
1892-1893
1892-1893
113
1893-1894
1893-1894
114
1894
1894
115
1894-1895
1894-1895
116
1895
1895
117
1895-1896
1895-1896
118-119
1896
1896
120
1896-1897
1896-1897
121
1897
1897
Jan. 23-Feb. 17
Jan. 23-Feb. 17
122
Feb. 17-Mar. 25
Feb. 17-Mar. 25
123
Mar. 25-Apr. 9
Mar. 25-Apr. 9
124
May 30-July 4
May 30-July 4
125
Apr. 9-27
Apr. 9-27
126
Apr. 27-May 14
Apr. 27-May 14
127
May 14-30
May 14-30
128
July 4-Aug. 4
July 4-Aug. 4
129
Aug. 4-Sept. 13
Aug. 4-Sept. 13
130
Sept. 13-Nov. 15
Sept. 13-Nov. 15
131
Nov. 15-Dec. 19
Nov. 15-Dec. 19
132
Dec. 19-1898, Jan. 21
Dec. 19-1898, Jan. 21
133
1898
1898
Jan. 21-Feb. 23
Jan. 21-Feb. 23
134
Feb. 23-Apr. 9
Feb. 23-Apr. 9
135
Apr. 9-May 5
Apr. 9-May 5
136
May 5-26
May 5-26
137
May 26-July 4
May 26-July 4
138
July 4-Sept. 1
July 4-Sept. 1
139
Sept. 3-Oct. 28
Sept. 3-Oct. 28
140
Oct. 28-Dec. 20
Oct. 28-Dec. 20
141
1898, Dec. 20-1899, Feb. 17
1898, Dec. 20-1899, Feb. 17
142
1899
1899
Feb. 17-24
Feb. 17-24
143
Feb. 24-Mar. 18
Feb. 24-Mar. 18
144
Mar. 18-Apr. 28
Mar. 18-Apr. 28
145
Apr. 28-June 14
Apr. 28-June 14
146
Oct. 7-Dec. 9
Oct. 7-Dec. 9
147
1899, Dec. 9-1900, Jan. 17
1899, Dec. 9-1900, Jan. 17
148
1900
1900
Jan. 17-Feb. 22
Jan. 17-Feb. 22
149
Feb. 22-Mar. 19
Feb. 22-Mar. 19
150
Apr. 30-June 8
Apr. 30-June 8
151
June 8-July 11
June 8-July 11
152
Oct. 7-Dec. 21
Oct. 7-Dec. 21
153
1900, Dec. 21-1901, Jan. 4
1900, Dec. 21-1901, Jan. 4
154
1901
1901
Jan. 4-8
Jan. 4-8
155
Jan. 18-Feb. 21
Jan. 18-Feb. 21
156
Feb. 21-Mar. 16
Feb. 21-Mar. 16
157
Mar. 16-May 9
Mar. 16-May 9
158
May 11-June 25
May 11-June 25
159
Oct. 9-Nov. 22
Oct. 9-Nov. 22
160
1901, Nov. 22-1902, Jan. 6
1901, Nov. 22-1902, Jan. 6
161
1902
1902
Jan. 6-31
Jan. 6-31
162
Jan. 31-Mar. 3
Jan. 31-Mar. 3
163
Mar. 3-29
Mar. 3-29
164
Mar. 29-Apr. 30
Mar. 29-Apr. 30
165
Apr. 30-June 14
Apr. 30-June 14
166
June 14-30
June 14-30
167
June 30-Sept. 26
June 30-Sept. 26
168
Sept. 26-Oct. 30
Sept. 26-Oct. 30
169
Nov. 1-Dec. 20
Nov. 1-Dec. 20
170
1902, Dec. 20-1903, Jan. 19
1902, Dec. 20-1903, Jan. 19
171
1903
1903
Jan. 19-Feb. 18
Jan. 19-Feb. 18
172
Feb. 18-Mar. 25
Feb. 18-Mar. 25
173
Mar. 25-30
Mar. 25-30
174
Mar. 30-June 16
Mar. 30-June 16
175
June 16-Oct. 14
June 16-Oct. 14
176
Oct. 14-Dec. 1
Oct. 14-Dec. 1
177
1904
1904
Feb. 2-Mar. 21
Feb. 2-Mar. 21
178
Mar. 21-May 3
Mar. 21-May 3
179
May 3-July 5
May 3-July 5
180
July 5-Nov. 19
July 5-Nov. 19
181
1904, Nov. 19-1905, Jan. 23
1904, Nov. 19-1905, Jan. 23
182
1905
1905
Mar. 8-31
Mar. 8-31
183
Mar. 31-Aug. 4
Mar. 31-Aug. 4
184
Aug. 4-Nov. 16
Aug. 4-Nov. 16
185
1905, Nov. 17-1906, Jan. 15
1905, Nov. 17-1906, Jan. 15
186
1906
1906
Jan. 15-Feb. 19
Jan. 15-Feb. 19
187
Feb. 19-Mar. 12
Feb. 19-Mar. 12
188
June 4-19
June 4-19
189
Sept. 17-Dec. 8
Sept. 17-Dec. 8
190
1906, Dec. 8-1907, Feb. 9
1906, Dec. 8-1907, Feb. 9
191
1907, Mar. 14-Apr. 16
1907, Mar. 14-Apr. 16
192-200
Financial Papers, 1863-1907
1863-1907
Bills, receipts, vouchers, cancelled checks, and other financial records.
Arranged chronologically.
192
1863-1892
1863-1892
193
1892-1893
1892-1893
1894-1895
1894-1895
A-E
194
F-Z
1896-1897
1896-1897
A-G
195
H-Z
1897-1899
1897-1899
A-R
196
S-Z
1899
1899
A-T
197
1899
1899
U-Z and European trip
1899-1902
1899-1902
A-Q
198
R-Z
1902-1904
1902-1904
A-R
199
S-Z
1904-1907
1904-1907
A-K
200
L-Z, undated
undated
200-201
Legal File, 1865-1893
1865-1893
Correspondence, patent and real estate documents, and other legal material.
Arranged chronologically.
1865-1888
1865-1888
201
1888-1893, undated
1888-1893, undated
202-203
Miscellany
Military papers, photographs, printed matter, newspaper clippings, and other
miscellaneous items.
Arranged by type of material.
202
Military papers,
1865-1866
1865-1866
General miscellany
Photographs
Printed matter
203
Printed matter
Newspaper clippings