Summary Information
Theodore Schroeder Papers
1844-1911
- Schroeder, Theodore, 1864-1953
Mss 78; Micro 459; Micro 963; PH 3430; M94-090
4.6 cubic feet (2 archives boxes, 1 flat box, and 7 volumes), 8
reels of microfilm (35mm), and 0.1 cubic feet of photographs (1 oversize folder); plus
additions of 0.2 cuibc feet of photographs (1 archives box)
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Papers of Theodore Albert Schroeder, the lawyer, writer, and collector of documents
concerning Mormonism, whose papers reflect his deep concern for the separation between
church and state. Included are personal papers and records of Schroeder's Utah law practice,
1855-1901; and a portion of his collections on Mormonism, 1841-1900. The collections on
Mormonism include correspondence, the bulk of which consists of the Cobb family papers,
1841-1897, primarily concerning the liaison of Augusta Adams Cobb and Brigham Young; the
Major General's Record Book, concerning Nauvoo Legion military organization and preparedness
in the Great Salt Lake District, 1852-1866; George F. Gibbs' letterbook, relating to
missionary activity in England by Young's secretary, 1871-1873; the Patriarchal Blessings
Book, 1845-1846; notes and writings; a directory of polygamists; handwritten copies and
clippings concerning Brigham Young's will, 1877-1879; and clippings, printed circulars,
leaflets, notices, and petitions relating to polygamy and Utah politics.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss00078 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Arrangement of the Materials
This collection was received in multiple parts from the donor(s) and is organized into 2
major parts. These materials have not been physically interfiled and researchers might need
to consult more than one part to locate similar materials.
Biography/History
Theodore Albert Schroeder was born on a farm near Horicon, Wisconsin. After spending his
boyhood years in the area and working briefly at odd jobs in Chicago, he attended the
University of Wisconsin, receiving both a B.S. in Civil Engineering in 1886, and an LL.B. in
1889. While attending college, he spent his summers doing survey work in South Dakota and
other western states.
In August of 1889, Schroeder opened a law office in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he
practiced until 1900. Schroeder's law practice consisted primarily of debt collection and
land claim cases. Not a Mormon himself, through his work he met some of the most prominent
Mormon leaders of the time, including Lorenzo Snow, president of the Mormon Church from 1898
to 1901, Joseph Fielding Smith, Snow's successor in the presidency from 1901 to 1918, and
many of the Church's Apostles. His contact with Snow occurred when Snow was president of the
Brigham City Mercantile and Manufacturing Association, a firm against which Schroeder
brought suit on behalf of the Grant Soap Company in 1896. Schroeder's dealings with Smith
concerned some Mormon literature that passed from the latter to the former.
Schroeder learned still more of Mormons and Mormonism through his activity in Utah
politics. He supported the Mormon Apostle, Moses Thatcher, for the U.S. Senate in 1896, and
the noted Mormon author, Brigham H. Roberts, for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1895
and 1899. Later, when Roberts brought his thinking more in line with Church-favored
political views, Schroeder worked to get him excluded from Congress. Still later, after
Schroeder had moved to New York, he opposed the movement to oust from the Senate the famous
Mormon Apostle Reed Smoot, on the grounds that barring a man from public office solely
because of his religious views constituted an infringement of his rights to free speech,
thought, and religion under the Constitution. Similarly, when he earlier had dropped his
support of B. H. Roberts, he did it because Roberts yielded, he thought, to pressures from
the church hierarchy, who, in Schroeder's view, had no business trying to influence
politics.
As Schroeder's knowledge of Mormonism increased, so too did his opposition to all things
Mormon. But, like the nineteenth century author, lawyer, and staunch opponent of Christian
religion, Robert G. Ingersoll, whose views had influenced him, Schroeder never fought
against the Mormon people. Rather, he was opposed to a system which he believed
intellectually enslaved the masses. He became an avid collector of Mormon and anti-Mormon
literature and he began what became a polemical career with a few open letters in Mormon
papers in 1891 under the name of A. T. Heist. His was a lone, but powerful voice speaking
out against Mormonism at a time when members of that faith had known relative freedom from
persecution and criticism for over thirty years. At first, he so tempered his writing that
he seemed almost pro-Mormon, but his staunch opposition to religious intolerance in
Church-State issues became more and more evident, until, by 1898, some papers would no
longer publish his writings. He turned to pamphlets for an outlet, publishing under the
title “Lucifer's Lantern.”
In 1900 Schroeder persuaded Josiah Strong, Director of the League for Social Service, to
commit funds to the Roberts case. Strong gave him an office and funds, and Schroeder moved
to New York. Later, when he and Strong disagreed over further action in the Roberts Case,
Schroeder broke with him but remained in New York. He continued to practice law, helping to
found the Free Speech League at Albany, N.Y., on April 7, 1911, and acting as its secretary
throughout its existence. After Schroeder left Utah, his essays were regularly printed in
the Salt Lake Tribune, a paper whose editorial line was and
is in opposition to the Church-owned daily, The Deseret News.
At the same time, however, his views were mellowing. While in the east, he became more
philosophical and tactful in combating what he considered to be injustices. He began
studying evolutionary sexual psychology, which led him to interpret the Bill of Rights even
more broadly than he had before. Ultimately, he adopted a psychological approach to all
social problems.
(Source: A New Concept of Liberty from an Evolutionary Psychologist:
Theodore Schroeder; Selections from His Writings with a Biographical Outline. By
Joseph Ishill.)
Schroeder's writings include:
- The Origin of the Book of Mormon, 1901
- The Free Press Anthology, 1909
- Obscene Literature and Constitutional Law, 1911
- Free Speech for Radicals, 1916
- Authorship of the Book of Mormon, 1919
- Constitutional Free Speech Defined and Defended,
1919
- Free Speech Bibliography, 1922
- Al Smith, the Pope, and the Presidency; a Sober Discussion of
the Church-State Issue, 1928
- A Challenge to Sex Censors, 1938
Custodial History
The Schroeder Papers and Library were donated to the State Historical Society of Wisconsin
in segments from 1911 to 1957. What papers Schroeder himself did not donate during his
lifetime, he willed to the Society at his death in 1953. His library of printed material,
comprising more than 600 volumes and 1000 pamphlets, includes publications such as The Contributor, Juvenile
Instructor, Improvement Era, Saints' Herald, Times and Seasons, Latter-Day Saints Millennial Star, and Journal of Discourses, and a fine collection of individual works on Mormonism,
both pro and con. In addition to the subject of Mormonism, many of the pamphlets and
articles written by Schroeder concern the broader topics of free speech, religion in
general, and psychology. This printed portion of the collection is now housed in the
Wisconsin Historical Society Library where it is available to researchers.
Related Material
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by the Theodore A. Schroeder estate, 1956.
Processed by Dennis Rowley, April 8, 1970.
Contents List
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Part 1 (Mss 78; Micro 459; Micro 963; PH 3430): Original Collection,
1845-19014.6 cubic feet (2 archives boxes, 1 flat box, and 7 volumes), 8 reels of
microfilm (35mm), and 0.1 cubic feet of photographs (1 oversize folder) The papers consist of the records of Schroeder's Utah law practice, 1889-1901, and a
portion of his collections on Mormonism; and they include correspondence, legal
documents, financial records, clippings, scrapbooks, military records, ledgers, a letter
book and printed circulars, notices, and leaflets. They are available both in original
paper form and on microfilm. They are arranged in two series: Personal Papers, and
Collections on Mormonism. Series 1: Personal Papers This series consists of correspondence, 1890-1901, legal papers, 1855-1900, financial
records, 1891-1900, and memorabilia relating to Schroeder's personal life, his law
practice, and his extensive collecting efforts. The correspondence, arranged
chronologically, deals chiefly with four aspects of Schroeder's career: (1) the routine
legal cases of his practice (the bulk of this type is with the R. G. Dun & Co. of
New York and California, and occurs mainly in the early years, 1890-1893); (2) his more
significant legal involvements such as his work with the League for Social Service and
the efforts to exclude B. H. Roberts from Congress, 1899-1901; (3) his collecting
efforts, 1894-1901; and (4) his political activities, such as when he sought appointment
as U.S. Attorney for Utah in 1893. In addition to routine legal letters, chief
correspondents include Josiah Strong (Box 1, Folders 3 & 4) and The Presidency of
the Mormon Church (Box 1, Folder 3). Other correspondents worth noting are William
Jennings Bryan, August 31, 1894; and James E. Talmage, October 26, 1897. The legal and financial records are also arranged chronologically. The fragmentary
financial papers consist of receipts, bills, mining stock certificates, and a
“Settlement of Partnership Business” between Frank B. Stephens and T. A.
Schroeder. The legal documents include briefs, petitions, complaints, reports of
proceedings, summonses, and transcripts which are separated into two folders, pre-1889
and post-1889 (Box 1, Folders 5 & 6), because it was not possible to determine which
of the older documents were actually part of Schroeder's case files and which he simply
collected because they pertained to Mormonism. The records on the case of Grant Soap
versus Brigham City Mercantile (Box 1, Folder 7) are separate because of their unity and
completeness. Series 2: Collections on Mormonism This series consists of clippings, correspondence, a letter book, scrapbooks, printed
matter, and miscellaneous handwritten notes and writings, 1841-1900, arranged
alphabetically by folder and chronologically within each folder, and relating to various
aspects of Mormonism. The bulk of the correspondence appears to be the Cobb family
papers, 1841-1897, collected by James T. Cobb of Salt Lake City in the 1880's including
letters recording his efforts to collect information on Mormon history, but relating
primarily to Cobb's mother[?], Augusta Adams Cobb, who was divorced by her husband,
Henry Cobb, in Boston in 1846, on grounds of “the crime of adultery with one
Brigham Young” at Nauvoo. There are letters from various members of the family and
former neighbors, addressed to Augusta during the course of her move from Massachusetts
to Utah. Included also are many “coppys” and apparent originals of letters
that she wrote to Brigham Young, in which she lamented her state of affairs, begged for
favors, reproached him for unfair treatment, and engaged in pious utterances. Some or
all of the “unidentified” correspondence (Box 2, Folder 3) and the
“letters to Brigham Young” (Box 2, Folder 2) may actually be part of the
Cobb family papers, but positive identification was not possible. A few letters in the
“unidentified” folder were probably written to Brigham Young; they are
addressed variously as “My Lord,” “Dear Proxy,”
“Rabbi,” and “My Dear Lord.” Augusta Cobb addressed some letters
to Young in that fashion, but positive identification of the unsigned letters was not
possible, as there are differences in handwriting and a few of the letters have the
signature, date, and address torn off. The correspondence in Box 2, Folder 4 and the Major General's Record Book relate to
matters of military organization and preparedness, such as militia drill, musters,
supplies and reports on combating Indian activity, for the Great Salt Lake District of
the Nauvoo Legion, including reports from Heber City and Fort Gunnison. The George F. Gibbs Letterbook, 1871-1873, pertains to the missionary labors in England
of Brigham Young's secretary, and contains information on emigration from England to
Utah. The Patriarchal Blessings Book, 1845-1846, contains copies of 121 blessings given by
William Smith, brother of Joseph Smith, at Nauvoo, Illinois. It also includes copies of
two blessings given in 1841 by Hyrum Smith, another brother of Joseph, and one given in
1838 by Joseph Smith, Sr., the prophet's father. Enclosed in the book is a draft copy of
a letter, 1849, April 1, composed by William Smith, in which he addresses himself to
“The Brethren” concerning “the order of arrangements” with
himself as Joseph's successor. The items in Notes and Writings could be Schroeder's work, but are not positively
identified as such. They deal with various aspects of Mormon history, are undated, and
are for the most part fragmentary. Directory of Polygamists, undated, is a small alphabetical directory of polygamous
families, perhaps compiled by Schroeder, listing addresses, church ward, and in some
cases number of wives. It is entitled “No. 2 Polygamy.” Printed Circulars, Leaflets, Notices, and Petitions deal primarily with polygamy and
Utah statehood. Brigham Young's Will, 1877-1879, consists of mounted clippings and handwritten copies
of legal documents (cut from pages of a ledger) relating to the execution of Brigham
Young's will (died August 29, 1877); from the complaint brought in 1879 by plaintiff
Emeline A. Young, a daughter, through the order for injunction and recovery, the answer
of the defendants (the executors), the contempt proceedings against the executors, the
imprisonment of the executors (July 30, 1879), and, finally, to the writ of habeas
corpus to free them. Mounted Clippings and Clipping Scrapbooks, compiled in part by Schroeder himself,
relate to Mormon church history and Utah politics, 1854-1899, and were taken from the
Deseret News, Salt Lake
Tribune, Salt Lake Democrat, Salt Lake Herald, and Argus.
The clippings in the scrapbooks occasionally have overlapping edges or are folded over
on themselves thereby obscuring part of the content. They are in a rough chronological
order and are often dated and identified as to source however so a researcher can locate
the original newspaper if the complete text is needed. In addition to the collections on Mormonism described above, a copy of a letter
allegedly written by Oliver Cowdery, early assistant to Joseph Smith in the translation
of the Book of Mormon and in the Presidency of the church, is in Box 1, Folder 3. Also includes, photographs relating to Salt Lake City, Utah, and the history of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-1890, consisting of street scenes,
buildings, overall views, family groups, portraits, caricatures, memorials, Native
Americans, stage coaches, wagon trains, and one elaborate composite.
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Series: Personal Papers
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Mss 78/Micro 963
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Correspondence
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Box/Folder
1/1
Reel/Frame
1/1
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1890-1891
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Box/Folder
1/2
Reel/Frame
1/153
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1892-1896
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Box/Folder
1/3
Reel/Frame
1/284
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1897-1899
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Box/Folder
1/4
Reel/Frame
1/349
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1900-1901, undated
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Legal Documents
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Box/Folder
1/5
Reel/Frame
1/516
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1855-1885
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Box/Folder
1/6
Reel/Frame
1/562
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1889-1900, undated; and undated legal
notes
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Box/Folder
1/7
Reel/Frame
1/679
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Legal Case Records, Grant Soap v. Brigham Young Mercantile
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Box/Folder
1/8
Reel/Frame
1/932
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Financial Records, 1891-1900
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Box/Folder
1/9
Reel/Frame
1/970
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Memorabilia, Biographical and Personal Items, including certificates and
awards
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Series: Collections on Mormonism
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Box/Folder
1/10
Reel/Frame
2/1
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Collecting Lists
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Correspondence
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Augusta Adams Cobb Family
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Box/Folder
1/11
Reel/Frame
2/47
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1841-1849, undated
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Box/Folder
2/1
Reel/Frame
2/195
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1850-1897
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Box/Folder
2/2
Reel/Frame
2/482
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Letters to Brigham Young, 1850-1861,
undated
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Box/Folder
2/3
Reel/Frame
2/572
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Correspondence and Poetry: some fragments, all unidentified,
1847-1887, undated
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Box/Folder
2/4
Reel/Frame
2/691
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Correspondence and Nauvoo Legion Military Records, 1858;
1866-1867
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Box/Folder
2/5
Reel/Frame
2/803
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Major General's Record Book, 1852-1866, Great Salt
Lake District, Nauvoo Legion
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Mss 78/Micro 459
Box/Folder
2/6
Reel
2
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George F. Gibbs Letter book, 1871-1873
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Mss 78/Micro 963
Box/Folder
2/7
Reel/Frame
3/1
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Notes and Writings
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Mss 78/Micro 459
Box/Folder
2/8
Reel
1
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Patriarchal Blessings Book, 1845-1846
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Mss 78/Micro 963
Box/Folder
2/9
Reel/Frame
3/203
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Polygamists: Directory of, undated
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Box/Folder
2/10
Reel/Frame
3/263
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Printed Circulars, Leaflets, Notices and Petitions
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Box/Folder
2/11
Reel/Frame
2/887
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Brigham Young's Will, 1877-1879, clippings and
handwritten copies of legal documents
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Clippings
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Box/Folder
3
Reel/Frame
3/476
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Unsorted
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Scrapbooks
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Volume
1
Reel
4
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1854-1900
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Volume
2
Reel
4
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1885-1886
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Volume
3
Reel
4
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1886-1887
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Volume
4
Reel
5
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1887-1888
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Volume
5
Reel
5
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1888-1889
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Volume
6
Reel
6
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1889, 1895, 1897
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Volume
7
Reel
6
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1895-1899
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PH 3430
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Salt Lake City, Utah and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
photographs and history 1830-1890
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M94-090
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Part 2 (M94-090): Additions, circa 1844-circa
1911
0.2 cubic feet of photographs (1 archives box)
: Photographs collected by Schroeder, mainly of Mormon buildings in Nauvoo, Illinois, and
portraits of prominent Mormon individuals
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Loose photographs
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Box 1
Folder 1
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Joseph Smith portrait
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Box 1
Folder 1
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John Taylor residence
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Box 1
Folder 1
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Carthage Jail, where Joseph and Hyram Smith were assassinated
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Box 1
Folder 1
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The Nauvoo, Illinois Mormon Temple
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Box 1
Folder 1
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President Snow residence
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Box 1
Folder 1
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Parley P. Pratt residence
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Box 1
Folder 1
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Nauvoo House
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Box 1
Folder 1
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Mormon Masonic Temple, Nauvoo, Illinois
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Stereocards
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Box 1
Folder 2
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John Taylor Residence
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Box 1
Folder 2
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Carthage Jail
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Box 1
Folder 2
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Wilford Woodruff residence, Durphy Street
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Box 1
Folder 2
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Court House at Carthage, Illinois
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Box 1
Folder 2
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Joseph Smith Mansion House
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Box 1
Folder 2
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“Holy Hotel” (Nauvoo House)
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Box 1
Folder 2
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Old Smith homestead
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Mounted photographs
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Box 1
Folder 3
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Foster Soland residence in Nauvoo, Illinois, 1844
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Box 1
Folder 3
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Brownings residence
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Box 1
Folder 3
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Bishop Hunter residence, 1844
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Box 1
Folder 3
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John D. Lee residence
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Box 1
Folder 3
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Lyons Store, 1911?
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Box 1
Folder 3
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A. Bronson building
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Box 1
Folder 3
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Amos Davis' store
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Box 1
Folder 3
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P. Mix (Nix?) house
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Box 1
Folder 3
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Orison Hyde residence
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Box 1
Folder 3
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Thos. More residence, 1844
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Box 1
Folder 3
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Main Street, Nauvoo
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Box 1
Folder 3
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H.C. Kimbell residence
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Box 1
Folder 3
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Charles Hooper residence, 1844
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Box 1
Folder 3
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Large house was Dr. Foster's
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Box 1
Folder 3
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David Yearsley residence, 1844
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Box 1
Folder 3
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Secret closet, Smith Mantion [sic]
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Box
1
Folder
3
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Law residence
: People in foreground were not members of Law family but later occupants of the
house.
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Box 1
Folder 3
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Holt's house
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Box 1
Folder 3
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William Marks house, president Illinois stake
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Box 1
Folder 3
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George A. Cannon residence
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Box 1
Folder 3
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C.(?) W.(?) Coolidge (?) residence
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Box 1
Folder 3
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[Brigham] Young residence
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Published photographs set
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“The Expositor, Anti-Smith paper, published here just
once”
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“The old Masonic Temple”
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“Jos. Smith, the Mormon Prophet”
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“Once the home of Jos. Young, the brother of Brigham
Young”
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“The levee at Nauvoo and ferryboat”
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“The door of the secret closet in the Old Mansion
house”
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“Elder Heber C. Kimball's fine place”
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“Mormon newspaper containing account of Jos. Smith's
assassination”
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“Built of stone taken from ruins of temple”
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“One of the pilasters of the Mormon Temple”
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“Brigham Young's former home”
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“Site of the Mormon Temple”
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“Elder Snow used to occupy the house on the left”
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“The White homestead”
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“Home of the prophet Joseph Smith”
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“The Nauvoo Temple as it appeared, costing
$1,000,000”
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“The mansion house with the secret closet”
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“Hall of the Seventy, now the First District School
House”
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Box 1
Folder 4
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“Elder John Taylor's house and publication office of the Times and Seasons”
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Miscellaneous
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Box 1
Folder 5
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Indictment against Brigham Roberts for cohabitation
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Box 1
Folder 6
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Clippings, mainly portraits
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Box 1
Folder 7
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Unidentified
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