Title: Frank Bateman Keefe Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1930-1973 (bulk 1940-1950)

Creator:

• Keefe, Frank Bateman, 1887-1952

Call Number: Oshkosh Mss BW

Quantity: 1.6 c.f. (5 archives boxes)

Repository:

Housed at the Archives & Area Research Center, Polk Library, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections.

Archival Locations:

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

UW-Oshkosh Polk Library / Oshkosh Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Abstract:

Papers, mainly 1940-1950, of Frank Bateman Keefe, a former congressman from Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The papers consist of brief constituent correspondence, minutes of the Commission on the Renovation of the Executive Mansion, 1950; speeches; congressional newsletters; and extensive files from his membership on the Joint Committee on the Investigation of the Pearl Harbor Attack.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-osh00bw

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Frank Bateman Keefe, who served six full terms as congressman from Wisconsin's Sixth District, was born in Winneconne, Winnebago County, on September 23, 1887. He graduated from Oshkosh State Teachers College in 1906, following which he taught briefly in the Viroqua schools. In 1910 Keefe graduated from the law school of the University of Michigan and opened a practice in Oshkosh. From 1922 to 1928 he was Winnebago County district attorney. In addition to his legal career Keefe was vice-president and director of the Oshkosh Building and Loan and president of Lake View Memorial Park.

In 1938 Keefe was elected to Congress as part of the Republican resurgence in Wisconsin. During 1945 and 1946 Keefe served on the Joint Committee on the Investigation of the Pearl Harbor Attack. Although he voted with the Democratic majority which absolved President Franklin Roosevelt of any blame in the attack, Keefe appended additional views to the report which seemed to place him closer to the minority view. Keefe received national attention for his work on the Pearl Harbor committee, but it was his strong advocacy of federal support of medical research that was his greatest contribution. Keefe declined to run for reelection in 1950 because of ill health. He died of a heart attack on February 6, 1952.

Keefe was married to Mildred V. Steele. They had three children: a son Bateman and two daughters, Mrs. Charles F. Nolan and Mrs. J. Edwin Rosten.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Mrs. Jean Rosten, Madison, Wisconsin, and Mrs. Virginia Nolan, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, 1976, 1982; and separated from the Alvin O'Konski Papers, 1997.

Processing Information

Processed by Carolyn J. Mattern, January 1984 and by Donna Sereda, 1997. Accession Number: M76-209, M82-406, M82-448, M97-251

Oshkosh Mss BW	Series: Part I: Materials Organized in 1984, 1930-1973 Scope and Content Note: This portion of the Keefe Papers primarily documents the congressman's work as a minority member of the Pearl Harbor investigating committee and the Commission for the Renovation of the White House. Unfortunately the collection contains no information other than a brief mention concerning his important work in support of federally-funded medical research. The Pearl Harbor files donated by Keefe's daughter originally included the voluminous printed committee report, which was transferred to the Society Library, and an extensive file of exhibits, which were discarded because they were published in the report. Retained is a file of constituent correspondence, 1945-1946, concerning the investigation. This is of interest primarily for the strong degree of anti-Roosevelt feeling expressed, although a few letters touch on arrangements for the hearings and the presentation of evidence. Of some note are letters to John T. Flynn and James B. Forrestal and from John W. Byrnes, Harrison Spangler, and Robert E. Wood. Also in the collection are handwritten notes, questions to be asked at the hearings, and a draft and printed copy of Keefe's appended comments on the final report. Pertaining to the commission on the remodeling of the White House are a file of minutes from 1950. Also in the collection are 1942 congressional newsletters, a few speeches and remarks, and biographical clippings and information.
Box   1 Folder   1-4	Correspondence regarding Joint Committee on the Investigation of the Pearl Harbor Attack, 1945-1946
Box   1 Folder   5	Minutes, Commission on the Renovation of the Executive Mansion, 1950
Box   1 Folder   6	Speeches, reports, statements, 1930, 1946
Box   1 Folder   7	Newsletters, 1942
Box   2 Folder   1	Notes, regarding Pearl Harbor investigation, 1945-1946
Box   2 Folder   2	Biographical information
	Series: Part II: Materials Added in 1997, 1940-1945 Scope and Content Note: Additions, 1940-1945, consisting of more documents from Frank Keefe's tenure on the Joint Committee on the Investigation of the Pearl Harbor Attack. Included is correspondence, notes, transcripts of radio broadcasts made by Fulton Lewis Jr., various committee documents, statements, reports, and copies of documents considered in evidence. These papers were given to Congressman Alvin E. O'Konski before Mr. Keefe died and have been separated from the O'Konski papers in the Historical Society's custody.	⇧
	Subseries: Committee Files
Box   3 Folder   1	Correspondence and notes, 1945
Box   3 Folder   2	Statement by Cordell Hull Before the Joint Committee, [1945?]
Box   3 Folder   3	Miscellaneous Committee Documents, 1945
Box   3 Folder   4	“Full Text of the Official Reports Concerning the Attack on Pearl Harbor,” 1941 September 1 (Army Board report and Navy Court report), U.S. News
Box   3 Folder   5	Broadcasts of Fulton Lewis Jr., 1945
	Subseries: Documents Considered in Evidence	⇧
Box   3 Folder   6	Communications between War Department and General Herron concerning 1940 Alert
Box   3 Folder   7	Admiral H.R. Stark's Letters to Admiral H.E. Kimmel, 1941 January-November
Box   3 Folder   8	Admiral H.E. Kimmel's Letters to Admiral H.R. Stark, 1941 January-December
Box   3 Folder   9	Photostat of Navy War Plans, 1941
Box   4 Folder   1	Telegraph Messages between War Department and Hawaii, 1941 July 8-December 7
Box   4 Folder   2	Compilations of Navy Messages between Washington and Pearl Harbor, 1941
Box   4 Folder   3	Compilations of President Roosevelt's Appointments, Calls, and Guests, 1941 October 1-December 7
Box   4 Folder   4	Annual and Biennial Reports by Admiral Stark (1941), General Marshall (, 1941-1943, U.S. News), and Admiral King (, circa 1941-1944 and 1944-1945, U.S. News)
	General
Box   4 Folder   5	1940
Box   4 Folder   6	1941 January-June
Box   4 Folder   7	1941 July-October
Box   4 Folder   8	1941 November 1-19
Box   4 Folder   9	1941 November 20-25
Box   5 Folder   1	1941 November 26-30
Box   5 Folder   2	1941 December and undated
Box   5 Folder   3	1943-1944
Box   5 Folder   4	Miscellaneous Articles and Compilations, 1940-1945