Summary Information
Albert G. Schmedeman Papers
1907-1934
- Schmedeman, Albert G. (Albert George), 1864-1946
Wis Mss SD; Micro 1039; PH 1444
1.0 cubic foot (3 archives boxes), 0.2 cubic feet (1 folder and 1 oversize folder) of ephemera, and 1 reel of microfilm (35 mm)
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Papers of Albert G. Schmedeman, a Democratic governor of Wisconsin, 1933-1934, consisting of personal and official correspondence relating to state affairs and politics, gubernatorial speeches, and microfilmed biographical clipping scrapbooks. The collection includes a few exchanges with Leo Crowley, Joseph E. Davies, F. Ryan Duffy, Daniel Hoan, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. The collection also contains some records relating to Schmedeman's diplomatic service in Norway, including a speech accepting the Nobel Peace Prize for President Woodrow Wilson in 1919.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-wis000sd ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Albert G. Schmedeman, former governor of Wisconsin and minister to Norway during the Wilson administration, was born in Madison on November 25, 1864. He attended city schools and the Northwestern Business College. Schmedeman then entered the clothing business and went on to become one of Madison's leading merchants. He was also very active in city political life, serving as a member of the city council from 1903 until 1907. In 1910 he was an unsuccessful candidate for Congress. During this period Schmedeman was also active within the state Democratic Party organization. He was rewarded for his partisan activities by President Woodrow Wilson with an appointment as counsel to Norway in 1913. Schmedeman continued in this post throughout Wilson's administration, also serving as the U.S. representative to the International Conference at Spitzbergen. In 1926 Schmedeman was elected mayor of Madison, a post to which he was reelected without interruption until he resigned in 1933 to become governor of Wisconsin. Schmedeman's victory in 1932, which came largely as a result of the national Democratic victory of Franklin D. Roosevelt, was the first Democratic gubernatorial victory since George Peck (1891-1894).
Schmedeman was ousted after one term by Progressive Philip La Follette. In 1935 Roosevelt appointed him as administrator of the Federal Housing Administration office in Milwaukee. After his retirement in 1942 at age 78 Schmedeman returned to Madison. He died on November 26, 1946.
Scope and Content Note
The Albert G. Schmedeman Papers are a small collection consisting of personal and official correspondence. Papers for his two years as governor comprise the majority of the collection. Included are election congratulations, requests for patronage appointments, and reactions to state legislative affairs. Also included are letters exchanged with Leo Crowley, Joseph E. Davies, F. Ryan Duffy, Daniel Hoan, and Franklin D. Roosevelt concerning federal appointments, pensions for veterans, publicworks projects, and proposed legislation. A large number of letters from 1934 concern the amputation of his leg, but only a few items concern his unsuccessful reelection campaign. Also in the collection are two folders of gubernatorial speeches and one in which he accepted the 1919 Nobel Peace Prize for Woodrow Wilson. There are also two volumes of insurance records, 1925-1927, kept by Katherine Schmedeman. Four volumes of biographical clippings are available on microfilm. The first volume, 1907-1913, concerns his activities as Madison alderman, congressional candidate, and minister to Norway; the three later volumes concern his tenure as governor. The scrapbooks were destroyed after filming.
Ephemera, 1933-1935, consists of social invitations, memorabilia, excerpts relating to Norway, menus, campaign cards of Wisconsin Democratic candidates for public office, and materials relating to the inauguration of President Franklin Roosevelt, 1933.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Portions prepared for microfilming by Carolyn J. Mattern, 1985.
Contents List
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Wis Mss SD
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Correspondence
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Box
1
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1913-1933
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Box
2
Folder
1-3
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1934
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Box
2
Folder
4-5
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Speeches, 1933-1934
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Box
3
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Katherine Schmedeman insurance volumes, 1925-1927
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Micro 1039
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Biographical clippings
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Reel
1
Frame
1
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1907-1913
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1933
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Reel
1
Frame
58
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January-June
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Reel
1
Frame
357
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July-December
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Reel
1
Frame
536
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1934
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Reel
1
Frame
758
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Loose clippings
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PH 1444
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Ephemera, 1933-1935
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